Hypermesis Support

[LucindaE]

I hope everyone suffering from the Horrors of Hyperemesis will find this thread useful as a source of support and information.

There's no TMI on here - can't be by definition - and nobody should feel ashamed of moaning as much as they feel the need to.

MOH's wonderful website is full of useful information on this illness:
sites.google.com/site/pregnancysicknesssos/
Another invaluable website is:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/
If you need help in obtaining medication, this phone number is
brilliant:
024 7638 2020

Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!prescribinginfosub

I would like to thank Everyone who has given such invaluable support and advice on this and on previous threads.

Remember when you are at your worst, 'This Too Shall Pass'. It really will.
So many women on this thread have thought they couldn't get through this, but they did.

dilly How are things?
How is everyone?
AuntieVenom Treatment in the UK on the NHS of Hypeemesis isn't too good with the cost of Ondansetron always taken into account - and with all the present cuts, it's probably worse than it might be, given that understanding of it's increased a bit, though it's still got a long, long way to go. Are you in the US? I know from an old Hypemessis thread I temporarily took over on there (not willingly; I don't understand the set up over in the US) it does seem that understanding is better over there, but what happens with free treatment, I don't know at all, all the woman on the thread were on 'Medicare'. I think it's better in France and other places, too, though Meerka's expeience of treatment in the Netherlands wasn't good.

Just coming on with a bit of a moan, poor DH has chicken pox and I'm feeling rough so we are both trying to muddle through looking after our very energetic toddle - who had the pox a couple of weeks ago and has kindly passed it on to daddy!

Hello That sounds awful - oh dear, sympathies. I suppose you've had chicken pox yourself ?

Yes I have although the docs are getting the hospital to check my blood samples for immunity just to be on the safe side!

Hi all. I'm only 7 weeks pregnant and feel like shit. I was diagnosed with HG on Thurs when my doc sent me to the epu to be put on a drip. They gave me a wonder injection that really helped, then cyclozine, which didn't work. Ended up at emergency doctor this morning, had another injection that's done nothing and got a prescription for a different anti emetic.

I really can't see how I can do this for another 33 weeks. We tried for 18 months for this, and now I just feel so guilty that I'm resenting every minute. I don't know what to do

ealli hiya. HG is a horrendous illness. It makes something that should be joyous into a purgatory. Don't feel guilty, please. People who've been through it know how hellish it is. Others who haven't, don't. It's normal to hate a situation when you feel like hell and are being ill 20 + times a day.

It -will- get better. It may take some time though. People start to improve between 14 - 21 weeks. Firstly good days and bad then suddenly the good days outweigh the bad. If you can hang on, it will get better.

People get through it hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute. Are you able to rest? I hope you aren't working at the moment ....

What meds are you on now?

Take it as easy as you can. HOpe you can get some sleep tonight.

I was off work on Friday as had to go to hospital. I'm meant to be in tomorrow - I work in a school and am taking 60 kids on a trip Tues, weds, Thurs and Fri this week. Don't know how to not go in. I know that sounds daft, but there are/have been 8 other women pregnant in the last 12 months, and they've all been in. I don't think my colleagues would underst and

I think the injection I had was stematil, and now taking prochlorperazine tabs. I don't feel like either are doing anything. The doc said that the injection would take affect in 20 minutes... It didn't.

Lucinda No, I'm in New Zealand.
I think I'm getting such good care because I'm paying for it. I could have gone via the public system and had midwife led care but I wanted to see a consultant obstetrician all the way through so had to pay, which I was happy to do.
eallison88 welcome and sympathies. It is absolutely horrible. Can you ask your doctor for ondansentron?
I know what you mean about feeling guilty, We'd tried for years to get pregnant and I spent the first 14 weeks pretty much incapacitated and resenting the heck out of being pregnant when I should have been enjoying it.

Oh god ealli school trips - honestly, you need to get signed off sick. Print this description of HG out if you have to and point out that you've had emergency hospital admissions and are likely to need more.

Honestly, the best treatment for HG is meds and then rest, rest, rest. You don't have normal morning sickness, you are ill. This is a different thing.

Prochlorperazine and Stemetil are the same thing, just different names. Injectoins work better for some people.

Can you go back to your doctor and say it's not working? Could your husband go with you to explain how bad it is? There -are- other meds available. Promethazine and metoclopramide would be good choices to try now, and if they don't work ondansetron if you can get it.

Am sat at the emergency doctors for the second time today. Been here for an hour. I've been pretty much the only patient here and still waiting. Two kids have come in and thus been seen before me. I know that's probably right, but i want to scream!

Husband just doesn't get it. He's trying. But he doesn't. He seems to think that If I can just get diaralyte in then it will "break the cycle". I can't seem to get thru to him that if I didn't feel sick I wouldnt need rehydration stuff as I'd be able to drink normally!

eallison- I know how you feel. I've been struggling with hg for the past 5 or 6 weeks. I've had 3 hospital admissions so far. My OH keeps telling me to just eat and drink, even if I throw it back up. Doesn't help that one of the nurses in hospital told him I should do that. If only it was that simple. I really do suggest taking time off work though (even though I've gone back way before I should )

I've got an appointment this morning to try and get the doctor to prescribe ondansetron. Its clear that cyclizine and metoclopramide aren't working well enough and I need to be able to at least function properly. Will stand my ground this time. Also seeing a female doctor which should help! Fingers crossed!

eallison - it's tough when your partner just tells you to eat and drink, I had that too. Luckily he does get it now as he has spent many a night holding a sick dish for me when I haven't had the energy to hold it myself.

I honestly say if your partner can stick by you through something like HG then they're a good 'un. My partner never even batted an eye lid when I peed myself being sick, he just set the shower off for me and helped me climb in. It is difficult for them though - HG isn't something you see every day so it's only natural it takes a while for them to understand.

He is being brilliant, stroking my back, kissing me (even tho haven't been able to brush my teeth for a week!). It's just so hard when he can't understand.

Had a metoclopromide injection last night which helped me sleep and I don't feel awful this Morning. The doc also gave me some prochlorperazine tabs that dissolve on the gum rather than need swallowing. I have only now realised that they are the same thing j was given yday that didn't work (Different trade name), so feel a bit deflated and now waiting for the nausea to return. Wondering if I ring my gp or epu and ask for more of wgat was in the injection last night...

It doesn't help that I'm absolutely starving, so tho no sickness right this minute, horrid hunger cramps and I'm not sure I'll keep food down - tho I am trying with the crispbread minis hubby found for me. It's the waiting to see if I'm gonna hurl that's killing me, waiting for the inevitable retuen of feeling awful.

I am off work today. hoping to go back tomorrow, but think that might be over optimistic!

might any of these suggestions help with food? a few suggestions tiny bits when you can ... and if you fancy something, send your husband out for it as soon as you can! the window of eating is pretty small sometimes.

sucking ice chips can help, or tiny sips through a straw of very hot or very cold liquid. mother Hen found flat coke useful

Finally got some ondansetron tablets. Only 5 days worth but better than nothing! If these work, I'll request some more. What do I need to take to prevent the constipation?

I can understand how difficult it is for partners. I know my OH struggles seeing me in this state and I know he only moans at me to eat and drink cos he's worried. It's hard to explain how it feels though. For me the constant nausea is exhausting and sometimes I feel like I barely have the energy to make it to the toilet in time.

I'm finding I've barely got the energy to talk. I'm just grunting or nodding at hubby. Which I think he's finding difficult.

Eallision88 Welcome, sorry you're suffeirng. I so agree with Merka over so many things. It's difficult to accept, but you don't have nomal ms as your colleagues did, you have a serious illness. Realistically, you shouldn't be working with this, if only because lying still is the only way of relieving the vomiting often and exhaustion and stress makes it worse. Can you get a sick note? As Meerka and others say, it will get a lot better, but realistically not until a bit later than for ordinary ms, somewhere in the secnond tri for most people.
Have you got kestostix to check for dehydration? From chemists, and invaluable.
Back soon. Hope everyone is coping.

I'm gonna try and get a sick note today. I think it's the only way I can justify to myself being off work.do I just need to see a doctor and ask for one?

I didn't even have to see a doctor to get a sick note. Just rang the surgery and asked for one. May be different for you though. Good luck :)

Victory! Have rung epu and explained everything to them (she remembered who i was when I said I cried and they let me go home!) And she said she'd get a doctor to write me a prescription for ondansetron! She said to call in a couple of hours to see if it was ready, but then called me back within minutes to say it was ready now!

Never have a loved my hubby's boss more than I do now -when he arrived at work (he's responsible for payroll and today's the key day) she sent him home, so he's just gone off to pick up the prescription and collect the drugs.

Hopefully these will do the trick!!

eallison that sounds promising! Fingers crossed the ondansetron work for you

How is everyone today? I've actually managed to keep some soup down (small victory for someone 35 weeks pregnant I know but hey ho!) feeling absolutely dreadful now though. Ds (20 months) is full of cold and has a really nasty cough so I've been up most of the night with him.

Took my first ondansetron tablet around 11am and I feel relatively human now! Survived 4 hours at work and even felt hungry by the end of it and managed to eat a sandwich and a cookie! Saying that, I still can't eat much in one go. Think my stomach has shrunk after 5 weeks of barely eating! Is that even possible??

eallison- yay! Glad you managed to get the tablets too! Here's to hoping that they work for both of us

This is my second pg and I'm only 5+4. My first I had HG starting very early on.
I thought I might escape HG this time it today I'm feeling a little nauseous, but have other symptoms like extreme weakness and tiredness, when I stand I have palpitations and feel flushed and hot as I get when I vomit. I'm just cooking some food and I am experiencing smell aversions now. I want to cry. I know it's coming back only this time will be harder as I have a 21m old to care for plus I'm suppose to work full time. I have some cyclizine and ondansetron in the cupboard from last time should I have one and see if it helps?

glossy is your GP HG-aware? If so I'd go to them and speak to them. It's a good idea to start meds early, it stops the HG getting as far as it would otherwise, but I wouldn't start on Ondan first but on cyclizine and B6.

But it woudl be much better to go to the doctor and see if he will prescribe you them properly. Also, are you on any other meds?

If you doctor is not HG-aware then can you see another? Failing that, ring the Pregnancy Sickness Support helpline number above and leave a message; ask if the very experienced doctor there can give you a ringback.

It may be necessary to plan how to handle things if you become flattened by HG. We had to put our 5 yo into childcare part time and grandma and grandpa did a lot :( Work, a 21mo, a house and and HG preg is too much to handle usually.

When I went to one of the gps to confirm my pregnancy I told him I had severe HG and he gave the dry crackers and ginger talk.
I can make an appointment tomorrow to see the dr. I haven't actually vomited yet but I feel all the other symptoms and feel like it's coming. It was pure hell last time and I don't know what I was thinking getting pregnant again