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.

caspian that's 2 less weeks of possible sickness to contend with then .

Bad day for me today, the sun is not doing me any favours at the minute.
On the positive note I will soon be counting down weeks in single figures until meeting my little girl, just under 10 weeks to go!!

caspianI thought I'd done well to be moved forward 3 days! 2 weeks! Good work! I'm starting to get a little bump, which is making me feel better... though, to be honest it just looks like I've had a big meal! I'm going back to work on Monday and hoping I've got more of a bump... I know it's daft, but I'd like to make it clear that I'm preggers without having yo say anything (enough People know anyway cos people are dirty gossips!)

Glad ranitidine is working!

Just got home from my midwife appt. Been in tears for the last half an hour. My midwife - bless her - took one look at me and said I'm too sick, I need help. She filled out an OB referral form and sent it through, rang up the OB department at the hospital, told them I'm way too sick, I need help. They asked if there was any ketones in my urine, and there isn't, so said they won't see me.
I'm doing enough to keep me alive, but there's nothing else they can do for me unless I get ketones. So it's back to bed and trying not to pass out when I stand up and being unable to walk more than a few steps without getting breathless.

oh bloody hell mellee I can't believe they won't help you. How awful :(

You need help from the medics but failing that, are there any practical things that would make things easier?

for peeing, how far is it to the bathroom? Can you get a chair that has a pot (plus lid) in the bottom to make the distance shorter?

Is there any chance financially of hiring someone to help out in the house? I think that this would be difficult (hard to have a stranger in the house when you are so very ill) but better than you trying to clean or handle food or anythign else right now.

Its a real shame therés no support groups for HG in New Zealand. This thread is something, I suppose; have you looked also at the Help Her US-based forums?

I hope your husband is taking the very best care of you that he can .... thinking of you.

mellee, that's horrible. I'm sorry. I know from my own experience that my ketones are very eas to manage, and as such not a good indication of dehydration for me. I can get ketones of 4+ to neutral by eating a third of a tin of peaches. This by no means I'm not dehydrated. Whilst ketones can be a useful indicator of dehydration, they really shouldn't be relied upon as the be all and end all.

Take each day, each hour if necessary as it comes. It will pass. Though when people said that yo me in the worst of it it made me want to cry and/or hit them.

Hello, everyone, sorry about radio silence, the usual migraine. Some fine puking done, and that was just two days; some of you have had not only the foul puking but violent headaches on and off for weeks.
Mellee You poor thing, I do feel for you. What meds did you say they now have you on? How much liquid can you generally keep down? Are ice lollies and so on helphing at all? I did want to say, I so agree what eallison says about ketones not necessarily reflecting dehydration. I've just done an experiment on myself on the second day of the migraine. Not being pregnant, ketones aren't a serious matter for me, but though my urine was the colour of builder's tea by day two, with water coming back up all the time, I drank half a mug of banana milkshake and the ketones went down to 1+ because that lot happened to stay down, as eallison says of her peaches.
It's so complicated, I know ketones reflect starvation as well as dehydration.
Caspian That is great news.
Hello I'm happy that it's now single figures for weeks, my goodness. The Bile Run first thing is so dismal.
Congratulations those who have managed to develop bumps in these circumstances.
Waves to lovely Meerka and elizabethsmum.

Hi ladies I hope u don't mind me joining you. I came on here last year as we were thinking of ttc #3 but I got to worried and talked myself out of it. The thought of hg scares me so much. For any one who doesn't remember me I got pregnant in 2013 and suffered horrendously with hg at 9 wks I had an abortion which is something I have regretted ever since. The hg got so bad and I got so depressed. The want for another baby just won't go and I think about it all the time.
I'm going to go to the drs about pre meds so taking medication early to try prevent/ease it. What's the best to ask for and when should I start taking it. I had so many different ones last time but nothing worked not even a little bit.
Thanks for reading and well done to all you lady's currently going through it. I wish I had found this thread wen I was struggling xx

laura I remember you posting. I sincerely hope you get lucky and it goes very much better this time.

I would ring the Preg Sickness Support helpline and ask their advice - they can ask Dr Tony, who has decades of experience with HG, about the best meds. At a guess, cyclizine + Vitamin B6 to start with before you start trying to conceive. Then maybe taking ondan as soon as you get the blue line ... but I am not a doctor and you need proper advice!

Also, and I think this is important, ask him for the name of an HG-friendly doc in your area or even a consultant. I'm sure you know, but HG is 80% likely to recur :(

Maybe PM kalidasa who had utterly appalling HG and knew how bad it was going to be beforehand - she might have some tips.

Other than that I would think that eating very well, highly nutritious food, from today onwards woudl be a good idea to give you a good cushion for the non-eating months. Also get as fit as you can, same reason. it'll help your stamina and recovery.

best wishes

Thank you all for your lovely messages!
I'm only taking ondansetron at the moment, but I also have metachlopramide that I could take. I've decided to pursue the private OB route, will hopefully today set up an appointment for early next week. I feel I need someone keeping a closer eye on me.
My husband and family are all fantastic, keeping a close eye on me. I'm only left home alone maybe one day a week, in which he sets up everything I will need around the bed so I move as little as possible.
We are doing everything we can but I'm still losing weight, down more than 10% so far, and I was borderline healthy weight before getting pregnant, now in the words of my midwife, I look skeletal.
The worse part was when I did have high ketones in the er about a month ago, I was never seen by OB, and now I'm told that they were meant to see me. It feels like I'm falling through the gaps a bit.

Also forgot to answer Lucindas question about liquids. I have ice blocks, and ice cubes made up, but I managing about a litre of water a day, that I can keep down. I've read that water starts absorbing into your system as soon as you take it and in 10mins you can absorb most of it. So I drink, and then lie still for as long as I can to make sure I get the maximum benefit from the water. My ketones haven't made it past trace in 3 weeks. I'm eating small meals and often, keeping the majority down. When the nausea gets worse it's hard to eat, but as soon as I vomit, I shove more food into me. Last night I was so worn out, I got my husband to feed me as I didn't have the energy to move my arms.

Laura I do feel for you; hugs. It's a dreadful position to be in, abortion or dreadful suffering. I can't improve on Meerka's advice. Everyone is lovely and supportive on here.
Mellee That's very well researched, I had no idea water went in so quickly. Glad you're keeping those ketones down.
I hope everyone is coping OK.

:) I'm a biochemist, so I am interested in these sorts of things. Hopefully I can be of help to other sufferers because of my knowledge

sweatscience.com/how-quickly-is-water-absorbed-after-you-drink-it/

Here's the link for those who are geeky like me

Hi all

Sorry just skim read - off topic slightly traumatic day as found out about twins school places today- am very lucky that they got places as in catchment and sibling but lots of friend's children didn't (village school so a bit upsetting)...

Sorry to bore you with it-

laura I remember you also. you must seek some advice from experts as suggested by lucinda and meerka. pre-emptive meds are a must in your case also to try and stave off symptoms. It was a major decision for me to go through with another pregnancy so I know how important good medical support is. I had pre-conception counselling with a consultant - on the premise of other serious problems that I had also had in my previous pregnancy but my main concern was being taken seriously over hg happening again. as it was I got far more than I bargained for second time round with a twin preg and more severe hg at the start so I cannot over emphasize how important that support was to me xx

mellee hope you have got a referral sorted. good that you have the option to go private - although not good having to pay for what should be available to you in the health service. Not really much private obstetric care in a wide spread capacity in the UK so it would never occur to me.

eallison hope improving still?

waves to lucinda, meerka and everyone x

Hi all

elizabethsmum yeah, improvement seems to continue, or at least stay. had my GP apt this morning. She didn't want to prescribe any other anti emetics, just said to gradually lesson the ondansetron. She said if I gra dually drop to 4mg twice a day then once a day, I should be fine. I'm inclined to try it first, see if it works. If not I'll back slightly more forcefully. Reducing the doses this week seems to be have got more or less on top of headaches, and the being able to eat more means I'm in a pretty good position for managing the constipation.

I went to a pregnancy yoga class last night. it was so lovely to just be pregnant, if you know what I mean?

Mellee your family and friends sound amazing, I'm so glad that you've got such wonderful support. Thats interesting about water absorption, it probably explains why at my worst taking the tiniest sips of water and pretty much just holding it in my mouth helped a little.

laura preemptive meds sound like the way forward. If I do this again it will be fore armed with meds and prescriptions and a very clear care plan. It would certainly seem to be worth finding a HG friendly/expert GP in advance. And the advice about eating well and exercising now to give your body the beat chance sounds very sensible. also, might it be possible to have a sort of care plan with your family/friends; so they know how best to help and so you know you don't have to worry about food shopping/ironing etc? All things I will be trying to get in place if I decide that I can face this again. Interestingly, only weeks ago there was no way I would have another baby. Now I'm open, with the right planning and support. Amazing how a few vom free days can change your perspective.

Long post, apologies!
hope everyone I've missed is managing and getting thru each day!

ohh yes, we had to do that eallison, we had to put childcare arrangements into place for every single afternoon for our older son. It was necessary but difficult for him :( But he absolutely loves his little brother so much, it's beautiful watching them togehter. The little one tried to stroke his older brother awake at getting up time today ... bit clumsy but you could see what he was trying to do

Hi everyone, had 2.5 days of feeling much better... then yesterday eve the nausea came back with a vengeance, vomited everything I ate/drank and woke with another migraine. Feeling a bit better now, keeping small amounts down. Resting a lot.

Lucinda, hope your migraine's eased off. Do you take meds for them? I keep getting awful 2-day migraines as well. Nothing seems to help other than lying flat with cold flannel.

Ealli, glad you're still improving! Is it next week you're returning to work?

Meerka, how are you feeling now, have you recovered from GA and surgery?

Mellee good luck with finding a doctor. Its good you've got supportive hubby and family. I remember when DH used to feed me, at times when I was really weak and ill.

Laura it must be a really hard decision re trying for another baby, you have my sympathy. Before HG I always thought I wanted 4 kids close together, now I think I'll probably settle for 2 with a long gap between them. I never imagined pregnancy would be like this.

Does anyone else feel like they've almost forgotten what 'real life' was like before they got pregnant? I'm so used to staying indoors most days, the pattern of vomiting, the intense appreciation of a couple of nausea-free hours, that my old life seems worlds away. I think back to when I worked full time, ate what I wanted, planned things for weekends, went on trains, went to visit friends, went out for dinner with DH etc. I know this isn't forever but I do miss having a life that doesn't revolve around nausea and vomiting.

Meelebacca Fascinating - but I don't understand, I must be being obtuse, but if water can be taken in so quickly, how come though people battle dehydration by drinking after every vomit, it spirals out of control so quickly and it becomes a medical emergency after twenty-four hours of not being able to keep water down? The biochemistry thing is probably a bit complicated.
elizabethsmum It is very stressful about school places, a shame people lose out. Never used to happen, with village schools.
Meerka waves. Laura and everyone, too.
eallison I'm so happy things are getting a lot better.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

I was t sick this morning!!!!! Woo hoo! Fingers crossed this is a big turning point for me, FINALLY at nearly 30 weeks!!

Caspian - how far along are you? I feel exactly the same way. I am meant to be at a wedding today but knew there was no way I could handle the 3hr drive there, then the ceremony and reception. And I love weddings. I'm so gutted.
Lucinda - I think if you're vomiting everything during a 24hr period, you're losing water via saliva and bile and stomach acid. So you would need to drink more to replenish these. But that's just me guessing.
Unfortunately don't have an OB appointment yet, my city doesn't seem to have a private one. But my doctor did say 2 weeks ago that She will refer me onto one, so I spent yesterday chasing that up. My mum even rang the GPs office and gave them an earful. She's brilliant. She got really worried after seeing me on Thursday so weak and feeble.
On the plus side, I had a good day yesterday, kept all my food down, and had fast food for dinner. Only ate about a third of what I normally would but hubby was still impressed.
I hope everyone has a puke free weekend!

Hi all,
I was on here last year with my second HG pregnancy (waves to Meerka and Lucinda).

It was and still is such an invaluable support thread and I am still thankful to Lucinda and Meerka.

I am not pregnant again, but at that stage where we are pondering over whether to chuck baby stuff out or keep hold in case we want number 3. If it weren't for HG I would be keener but it has really put me off having another!! Two small ones to factor in and DH, it might not be fair on the family.

Anyway, I was wanting to say that at my worst when all I was having in fluid and solids was one ice lolly a day I didn't get negative ketones. I was definitely dehydrated for quite a number of weeks. GP wasn't much cop. Told me to eat even if it came up afterwards. Didn't seem to understand that I couldn't eat in the first place, let alone get vertical! Just wondered if anyone had similar. Makes it harder to get help. Is it to do with metabolism?

That should say wasn't!

Hi Pop - congratulations on surviving HG twice! Ketones appear when your body is using body fat as fuel. Your metabolism slows down when you are dehydrated and also when you are immobile. So it is possible by putting sugar or carb rich foods or liquids into your body, even at a small quantity that you can avoid the production of ketones. I've also found a website that says being dehydrated also slows down the breakdown of body fat into energy which would lead to ketones.
Hope that helps!

Thanks Mellee! I did always wonder why I didn't seem to get a negative ketone result and yet was clearly ill. Both babies bouncing and big though and I was very happy when my second came a few weeks early!!

I think if I had gone privately I would have got meds but GPs in UK are still terrified of anti sickness drugs during pregnancy.

Still feel envious when I meet glowing, happy pregnant ladies!

I popped on here a few weeks ago because facing a similar dilemma to Laura and Popalina. This thread saved my sanity during my HG pregnancy in 2011. DP and I have decided to try for a third and I'm having my IUD removed next week, but part of me wonders whether this is crazy. I'm planning to ask my GP about meds at my appointment next week. She's not the GP I had before, and I'm worried that she's not going to take me seriously and I'll have to wait until I'm really bad and get admitted before action is taken. Any advice about obtaining pre-emptive meds? I don't want the vomiting to get into an established pattern as it did before.
Waves to Lucinda and hope everyone coping OK.