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.

Hi Pop - done some more research as I lay here listening to the rain and hubby sleep :). Ketosis is actually desired by people on the Atkins diet (!). Anyways the longer you are in ketosis the less that appears in your urine. This is due to it being in a different form which can't be picked up by ketostix. So ketostix is really only accurate at picking up dehydration/starvation in the first couple of weeks.
This is so interesting, I think I've found my source of entertainment while I lie in bed today!

I've definitely felt a little shellshocked to be back in the big wide world this week. For the better part of 3 months I barely left the house, and a lot of that time was spent in bed/on bathroom floor. back at work on Monday. Nervous. But looking forward to it. I think one of the biggest worries is the kids asking me where I've been. Went in for a couple of hours yesterday to tidy my room and do a bit of work in preparation; I decided to have a dry run of the drive (feels like ages since I've done it!) And knowing my room is tidy, I know where stuff is, and writing a to do list and sorting thru emails makes me more confident for hitting the ground Running. Hoping being back at work will make the weeks go by faster. I feel like I've been pregnant forever!

Mellee, that would make sense for me as I went into pregnancy on the slim side due to stress and gastric flu so had lost weight over a month or two before conceiving....hmmmmmmm

eallison I felt so guilty whilst I was really Ill, my poor little boy didn't know what was going on, he certainly knew my 'sick bin' though as he used to point at it and say 'mummies'. He turned into a complete daddies boy for a while which was lovely but at the time hard as it was usually me he would run to if upset etc. Now I'm feeling a bit better he loves nothing more than to have a cuddle with me on the sofa and to give baby a kiss which is the best feeling in the world

Hi popalina and motherofpearl nice to see I'm not alone in wanting a 3rd. It's so unfair that wen thinking of having another hg is a major part of the decision making. Most woman just get pregnant but we have to weigh it all out and can we really put ourselves through it. How old are both of ur children? Mine are 8 and 5 so are a bit independent which may help. My one thing I need to do is to time it so it's not the summer holidays!! I thought wen I had hg b4 that it being the holidays would be good but It was so much worse, I felt so guilty stuck indoors all day everyday the kids would beg me to take them out. I could barley manage to make them lunch let alone go out!

Thanks for all your replys. I'm going to call the pregnancy sickness helpline and then book in with dr. We go on holiday in June so not going to start ttc untill after then xx

Hi Laura,
It does feel crap that we have to factor HG into the decision making process but then there are far worse things too so I keep reminding myself....it's only 9 months of hell. Mine are 1 and nearly 3 so leaving a bigger age gap this time!! Need the eldest to be at school and the youngest to be at preschool. I think in my heart of hearts we probably won't but I figure I will have to make that decision in a year's time. In the meantime I am passing on clothes but keeping the car seat, secretly, as mother said she would run a mile if I had a third ( they had us to stay for a bit when I couldn't get out of bed in the early stages and found my then 1 year old exhausting even though he is very easy!).

Welcome back to MotherofPearl and Popalina and best of luck with escaping the scourge one way or another this time.
Mellee and Meerka all this is very intriguing; I did an experiment on my non pregnant self with my last migraine. Although I'd been vomiting back water for twenty-four hours, with just a little urine of a nasty tea colour, I managed to keep down half a cup of banana milkshake and ketones went from 3+ to 1+ in a short time, but it took 24 hours after the end of the migraine for the urine to go to a halfway normal colour .

Hello Hey, that's wonderful. No morning puke? Your loo must have felt neglected. .
Sweet about kisses for baby.
eallison I suppose one is almost like a prisoner who's been released Wishing you all luck with that return.

Waves to Laura and everyone. I so agree about how unfair it is that anyone has to put up with this.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Ealli, good luck for your return to work on Monday!
I know what you mean about the shell shocked feeling. I went into city centre today for first time in months... everything was so much busier and brighter than I remembered but it was amazing feeling to be out of house. I was clinging onto DH's arm most of time so we didn't get separated in crowds! Went bra shopping (needed new ones for ages but hadn't felt up to it until now) then went to Costa, then walked around in sunshine. Managed not to be sick all day, though vomited as soon as we got home (probably due to car journey). Feel like this is a massive step forward! I was really scared about going out, and a few times begged DH to take me home when nausea struck, but he convinced me to stay out and let it pass and I'm glad I did.

Mellee, I'm 19+1. Didn't realise I was this far along until last midwife appointment, as I miscalculated dates before.
How are you feeling now, any luck with finding a good doctor?

We considered private consultation as well, when HG was so bad I felt I wasn't coping, even provisionally booked a consultation but then found out he didn't treat HG! Neither local Spire not Nuffield hospitals had obstetrician who specialised in HG, and we were told consultant at ThisIsMy clinic can only advise, not prescribe meds! The nearest obstetrician with HG experience was over 2 hour's drive away so we ended up putting it off and then I started to improve naturally. It seems really difficult to get help for HG in UK even if you go private. Unless our area is just lacking obstetricians. Has anyone else in UK found a private HG doctor?

BTW, I know it's normal to have some degree of low back pain in pregnancy, but mine is getting a lot worse. It's worse when I've been active like today, I was hobbling by time we got back to car! It's just in lowest part of back and buttocks, worse when I move, bend, climb stairs or stand up. It's really painful and difficult to take my jeans on and off, I have to lean on wall as pain is worse when I stand on one leg. My lower back gets really stiff as well. Vomiting jars it esp if I'm in an awkward position. Anyone else had this or got any tips to ease it?

Hi motherofPearl. Preemptive meds ... try your doctor and take a print out of the NICE guidelines sheet which says the goals of treatment is to let the woman continue as much of a normal life as possible. Dr Tony of the preg Sickness Support line has co-authored papers on HG and says it's 80% likely to recur so yes, its a good idea to prepare.

He also has a list of HG-experienced doctors so it's well worth ringing the number, leaving a message and asking him to ring you back.

The only HG specialists I know of myself are in central London, in Newcastle and in Warwick sadly caspian ..

mellee fascinating stuff about ketosis. I knew that it comes about through either dehydration or longer term starvation but not that it changes form.

hello isnt it wonderful when you see your older child, who had to do without attention during the HG, showering love on the baby ... it still gets me every time.

ealli good luck with the return !!!

Caspian I also had really bad pain in my lower back. I ended up getting a referral for physio from my doctor and its really helped. Turns out that where my pelvis joins at the back is a bit stiff and out of place. Much better now though

I've got pain in my lower back as well. doctor thinks I tweaked something with the violent vomiting around 6 weeks and thinks it's now the start of pgp/spd. Deep joy!

Thanks for all the replies. I will certainly arm myself with the NICE guidelines, good idea Meerka. I remember from before that once the pattern of sickness set in, I felt so awful and despondent that I didn't have the energy to push for better treatment. I was on cyclizine throughout, but was still sick every single day.
Laura in answer to your question, my DC are 7 and 3, so like you I feel that they will be old enough to cope. I am 40 so time not on my side, it's really now or never. I will keeping lurking on the thread to see how others get on.

cyclizine -is- good if you respond at all to it but there's other meds around too. Each work in a different way and sometimes a combination is best. the cyclizine is the first line med though and often helpful.

cyclizine (old fashioned anti-histamine; can make you sleepy)
Metoclopramide (empties the stomach faster, less to upchuck)
Domperidone (similar)
Prochlorperazine (stemetil) (works on your sense of balance; also a travel remedy; can be v good for some people).
Promethazine (called Phenergan)(stronger old fashioned anti-histamine, also sleepy-making)
Ondansetron (the strongest and many people find the best, but causes constipation).

Thanks Meerka. I am determined that if I get anything like as bad as I was last time I will insist on a prescription for ondansetron, and I won't give up until I have one: will try GP, hospital consultant, private doctor, whatever it takes!

Caspian I'm shocked; didn't you get to see a consultant at all? Sorry to forget, but remind me about your admissions and treatment.
MotherofPearl Don't you believe it about age. This is only based on some vague notions of mine, but I suspect that many woman routinely had babies up unitil their mid forties in previous ages. We know for a fact that Eleaonor of Aquitaine and Shakespeares mother did, for instance, and it was only in the twentieth century they completed their families earlier as a rule with effective birth control and so having a baby after forty is somehow perceived as odd. Great advice from everyone about pre-emptive meds and it's awful that eallison and others are suffering from backache/possible beginnings of spd, which really puts the top hat on it...
Back soon.

Lucinda, I was admitted for few days very early in pregnancy (when HG was diagnosed) and saw consultant once after that at early pregnancy assessment unit. I then changed to different hospital so under different team. Midwife put in a referral for consultant review on NHS, but 2months later I'm still waiting for appointment. We tried to find private obstetrician who specialises in HG but most don't have experience of treating it. Nearest HG specialist is 2 hours drive away!

Having a bad day after a really good one yesterday. Been up vomiting since 6am with a throbbing headache. Probably tried to do too much yesterday and am now paying the price... though it was worth it to get out in sunshine, go shopping and feel like a normal person for a day! Even watched TV for an hour yesterday without being sick (with my sea bands, which I'm sure make a difference though it could be coincidence).

Had a bit of a blip last night that involved having to run out of the concert my hubby was singing at. Luckily I managed to last til he'd done his last solo. And it was totally my fault. I know that if I get overly hungry I'm sick. Unfortunately, The timings and busy-ness of yesterday meant I just didn't get chance to eat anything between 5 and 10 pm. It was a good day tho, apart from the vomiting at 9. Oh well, perhaps it was good to be reminded of how easy it is to slip backwards before going back to work; went to the supermarket today and filled the trolly with food and snacks I can take to work!

Still no sickness for me so I'm really really hoping that im over it now - going to keep up with this thread to hopefully prove to people that the end is in sight plus offer support as having this thread has helped my so much over the last few months.
I worked out last night that I have been sick every day since around 5.5/6 weeks and only stopped at couple of days ago at 29+3!!!!

I'm so lucky that my sickness stopped so early. I feel I got away lightly compared to others!! I do worry about it coming back a
later though.

ealli I also found that when I started improving, I'd still be sick if I let myself get too hungry. I seem to be able to cope with it a bit better now

fingers crossed for you hello and dilly ... lovely that it stopped =)

Caspian getting out does the head a world of good! Just, if you can try to not overdo it. But once the good days begin to come then usually they become more and more common, you're on the up :)

I think I'm on the way up. Had a few good days this week, even managed the hour an a half drive yesterday to drop my poor puppy off for surgery. Lost my breakfast this morning though and have a killer headache, so getting payback for yesterday.
No real update on when I will be seeing an OB though. Midwife manage to get one to agree to see me as an outpatient, but I am waiting to see if that eventuates into an appointment.

Fingers crossed mellee. Don't be disheartened if you seem yo go downhill again after these good few days. I had a false start on my uphill turn;a good 3 or 4 days followed by an awful week before a steady incline.

After last night's vomiting I've had a queasy day all day, but only sick just now. I'm putting it down to aftermath of not looking after myself yesterday and nerves about tomorrow. Goodybag of food prepared (I didn't want to feel the need to ration in case I ran out, so probably have enough for the week!), clothes tried on the laid out (like first day at school as a kid!) and bio oil applied. A few encouraging comments from colleagues on Facebook has combated my nerves a little. I'll be fine once I'm there!

hello fingers crossed that you've finally turned the corner!

motherofpearl I feel the same that time is not on our side and it's now or never. I think if I don't have a third then I will look back and regret it. The only reason we wouldn't have a third is hg and I can't let it decide for me
Popalina I agree there is worse. A relative of mine is going through Ivf and struggling to get pregnant I feel ridiculous thinking I can't have a baby cause I feel sick! Last time I had it I got so down I've never felt so down in my life and I didn't like myself like that. I just hope with the help of pre meds and the lovely ladies on here I can push myself through it.
When I see all you ladies going through it I feel like I'm very weak to have given up last time why couldn't I just push myself through it like you all are.
Apart from feeling like I was dying it was the guilt I felt for my 2 children that I found hard. I felt they deserved better than a mum who can't even make them breakfast. Seems silly now I'm sure they would have been fine.

Does anyone know if u can get Ondansetron from gp? I got it from hospital last time and helped a tad more than the others. I was on that and metrocloprimide .
I found cyclizine helped a bit but shortly after taking I would get achy legs so dr said not to take it anymore. Has anyone else had that? Xx

laura please .. be gentle on yoruself.

Over the couple of years ive been here several women have had to make the saddest choice. On the HELPHER forums there are quite a lot of women who, usually with enormous sadness, have to do the same.

Sometimes it is just not possible to carry on.

You do the best you can, please do not beat yourself up. You are not weak. This disease is life-sapping and it's the illest most people have ever been. I came close to the same decision and we had wanted and tried for a 2nd child for 4 years. We would have liked a 3rd too but cannot go through that again.

You can get ondan from some gps. Some seem unable / unwilling to give it unless first prescribed by a consultant though. Other people have been able to get it without a problemif they have a record of HG already.

Laura Hugs. As Meerka says, don't be hard on yourself. We can only do he best that we know at the time, and a huge number of women do seriously consider abortion; almost everyone does think about it now and then when suffering horribly, and a lot of people on here have said that they were hoping for a miscarriage to decide for them when they were at their worst; it is also very hard to think straight when so ill and if you are dehydrated too, then your brain isn't even working properly. Almost everyone with lO's who has this feels that they are being neglected and worries about them; it's all very hard.
Caspian I'm shocked at such a lacksidasical (spelling?) attitude towards referral - it isn't something that can wait, for goodness sake.
Hello This is great news. And dilly too.
Waves to all; apologies for anyone rudely ignored.