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.

Oh forgot to add, from my online research, after the IV I may notice an improvement a week or so after, but it will take a few months to get my levels where they need to be, and to get me feeling properly better. Seems it's a slow process. My iron levels dropping did coincide with the sickness getting worse, so if it helps that and not the exhaustion, the would be something at least!

I work on a school a well penguin. I've gone back phased return; told my doc I felt ready to start going bavk with short hours and was given a "fit to work if..." note, specifying reduced hours. I then just gave the note to the head and told him I'd be finishing at 2 pm (rather than half 4 ).

I think as a teacher, returning does r start the sick pay process. Ring your union tomorrow, they'll be able to advise. Even if your not in a union, give one of them a ring and they should be able to unofficially advise.

I understand the financial worries, I was unsure how my pay was going to be affected as I've only done one (nearly 2) years where I am, so only one month on full pay. However, my school have been incredibly supportive and have given me two months full pay, despite me working practically no hours or not at all for most of those months. I think I'm on full pay currently,too,despite doing 2.5 hrs fewer each day.

Yes,there needs to a balance with sick pay.Bit with something like HG (!and many other illnesses) financial worries about sick pay etc should just not come into it.

can't believe your work have been so unsupportive penguin , your manager should be ashamed if themselves!!
sorry about annual leave idea- there are obviously a couple of bank hols coming up and half term I suppose at least. it may be different now but when I had hg both times my manager kept all the time off to one 'episode' of sickness in each pregnancy- for occupational health requirements - i.e. all the time off being related to the pregnancy. in first pregnancy I was off about four or five separate weeks interspaced with some time back at work so it was more relevant then but in second pg I had a continuous 10 week period off sick (although not relevant to pay it just looked better on sick record). I was lucky at the time in permanent nhs role for several years I was entitled to 6 months full sick pay. Are you not entitled to the same being a teacher? with regard to restarting sick pay are you entitled to only 2 months in a given 12 month period then or if you went back for even a day does it then 'reset'? if that's what you were asking i'm not sure now but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case with caspian, so would check with hr.
can you have a meeting with your manager tomorrow to discuss reduced hrs/phased return as it seems very unreasonable that they have not been in touch to see how you are xx

Just popping on briefly to say that the Pregnancy Sickness Support website has some good resources for employees and employers. See:
www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/help/employer-information/
Penguin, I wondered if maybe you printed these off and took them to your HR person, and/or your manager, they might have a better understanding of your situation, and also of their obligation of care. There is a section on 'phased return'. I really hope you manage to find a way not to have to go back to work yet, or at least not full-time, without having to go onto reduced pay. As others have said it does not seem fair to have to force yourself to go back when you're not well at all, just because of the money issue. Good luck.

Well I knew it was too good to be true, the sicknes is back. SPD is worse than ever so going back for more physio and will probably end up on crutches.

Feeling well and truly fed up

Hello Ladies, I'm totally new to this or any forum but I really need some support from people who understand, rather than 'have you tried...' Conversations with people who mean well but don't have a clue! I've been suffering with HG for six weeks, i'm almost 12 weeks pregnant now. I've just been back to docs today as I've been on 3 different medications but still being sick at night, feeling very faint (blood pressure is very low) and exhausted. I've now been prescribed stemitel to take along with buccastem, i'm hoping for a miracle that will give me enough energy to get out of bed and care for my 3 year old daughter! My husband is doing everything and is happy too but I feel very useless. Does anyone have any suggestions or are you all just taking it day by day?

Ems, there are lots of knowledgeable veterans on here who will be able to offer good advice. My understanding is that the best drug is ondansetron. It seems to be the most effective option, but it can be a struggle getting a prescription because it is expensive. I think Meerka knows how to put you onto a list of HG friendly doctors for your area. Hang in there and try to block out all the well-meaning but ignorant 'have you trieds'. When I was suffering my manager at work suggested ginger biscuits (!!) - after I'd spent two nights in hospital having IV rehydration and meds! Ginger biscuits! I nearly snapped! People just don't get it unless they've had it.

I definately would have snapped! First night on different meds tonight and i'm worse than ever...

Oh Ems. I'm so sorry to hear your suffering. I'm 14w and am on ondansetron, which I don't think has much of an effect (tastes awful when I throw it up). But I take it because even if it's just helping the smallest amount, it's better than nothing.
The only thing I have noticed that helps is rest. Copious amounts of rest. The nausea is unbearable if I'm tired as well.

Ems10000 Welcome, and so sorry you are suffering badly. Have you got kesostix to check for dehydration? It's very miserable and isolating. Things do get better for almost everyone at some point in the second tri. It's very
important to have as much support as you can get during the thick of this; what childcare arrangements do you have? Try not to feel guilty. This is like being hit by a truck. Meanwhile, don't hesitate to go back to ask for more meds if these are no good, there's a whole hierarcy of drugs which they can try (about which Meerka and others are better informed than me).
Penguin I'm dismayed at the lack of helpfulness of your employers, especially in a school. Is there a union? I don't think I can improve on the advice of MotherofPearl and others.
Waves to all, hoping for improvements all round soon.

Ems Ondansetron is the only drug that touched my sickness. Worth fighting for it. Unpleasant side effects (constipation and headaches) but it balanced out worth the side effects when I couldn't even keep water down.

Are you managing to keep any foods/liquids down? I'm 19 weeks and remember 12 weeks and the "oh it'll be better now you're past the first trimester". Feel free to smile sweetly and say something like "well maybe I'll only be sick a few times a day rather than a few times an hour". It really does get better eventually tho (I know that this is actually quite difficult to hear when you feel like shyte!).

When HG is at its peak, it seems the only way is day by day (hour by hour if needs be). every moment gets you closer to it being over. It will pass.

I found finding a couple of tried and tested foods/liquids (for me tinned peaches in fruit juice, scotch pancakes and chips from the chippy) meant that at least I knew I could something into me and that made me feel better about what nutrition I was providing baby. Though,throughout all off this, no health care professional has been worried about baby. rest assured that your baby is getting all the good stuff you've got stored up and any good stuff you get manage to get in!

There are more experienced people who ca offer more advice than I,but I can offer understanding and acceptance. Feel free to moan!!!

penguin how was today? I hope you managed to make arrangements for a phased return.

hi ems congrats and commiserations!

It's odd that you've got stemetil and buccastem because they're two versions of the same thing. What other meds have you been on? usually people start off on cyclizine which helps a lot of people ... though not everyone. Different drugs work in different ways, eg Stemetil works on your sense of balance and cyclizine on the sensitivity to the hormones that (probably) cause HG. Often people find that using a combination of meds helps best as each works in different ways.

On the NICE site that Mother Hen links above there's a list of recommended meds. Could you go back to the doctor and suggest something stronger? Ondansetron is the most powerful and effective of the recommended meds, but also very expensive so they don't like giving it out. But you can ask (and is there any chance of buying it privately?)

The basic news though is that you probably won't feel great until the HG starts to lift on its own. That's usually between 14 - 21 weeks. And to echo what motehr Hen says, please try not to feel guilty. It isn't your fault you have HG and most of all, feeling guilty doesn't help. If anything, it stresses you more which is the worst for HG. Sometimes tough patches just come along and i personallly think it's better to accept that and step back and wrok out how to manage without beating yourself up.

take care, this is a wretched, wretched disease and so unexpected for most people.

hello sorry to hear the nausea/vomming is back .. with SPD as well, you've really had a bad time :( if it's any help HG can come back a bit in the last weeks of a preg but never as badly. Hold on.

penguin hope work are being more helpful

Hope are you doing, ealli and MoP and melle?

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate you taking the time to reply. i started with promethazine, then cyclazine, then buccastem. I have been keeping down small amounts but then it all goes downhill in the evening. Doctor advised yesterday to take the buccastem first thing, then take the stemitil around 1pm and this should see me through the evening. I took one as soon as i got the script around 6pm but was really sick last night. I'm struggling with feeling so weak and faint but i think the meds are spacing me out a bit. Im trying to keep working to keep busy and pass the time but i think im going to have to admit defeat! Thank god for hubby and family and friends who are rallying around looking after my daughter! I said i wouldnt have another after being so ill last time but then it becomes a distant memory. Its all come flooding back to me now!!!

it's a good idea to stagger the doses yeah. hopefully keep something in your system 24/7 then.

The meds can take 2-3 days to build up in your system in some cases so it's worth giving it that long before you go back to the docs.

If you can, don't work. Don't keep busy. stressing your body will make the HG worse. Rest, rest, rest as much as you can, well given that you have a little one to look after. (We had to arrange afternoon care every single day for the time between school and husband getting home, looking after him was not remotely feasible). Meds and rest are the only thing that helps. And time, of course :)

Hi another newbie. I've just read the thread from the start and it inspired me to eat a tin of peaches which have actually stayed down! I think I'm suffering from the guilt that I should be coping a lot better with this than I am and that it is just 'normal' for pregnancy.

My last pregnancy I was sick 8-10 Times a day up until about 20 weeks then had less vomiting but relentless nausea until birth. I was told this was normal by a few different medical professionals (I could only eat wotsits and potatoes) and I was given no medication. I continued to struggle through work and took ml a bit earlier.

After reading this I think that was wrong. I'm currently 6.5 weeks and have been vomiting since before 4 weeks. I've also developed a travel sickness like vertigo where I feel like I'm on a boat all the time. I'm off work this week anyway as I had excruciating emergency surgery on my eye last week after an injury. I got given anti sickness meds straight away as I couldn't' keep pain relief down. They didn't really work to be honest, went back to gp yesterday and he's given me stemetil which has reduced the sea sickness but not stopped the retching and vomitting or constant overwhelming nausea. Feel a bit bad being here as I am keeping fluids down at the moment and some foods as long as I don't move after eating but vomitting just seems to happen at random any time of day or night.

Have a meeting with my manager later where I'm going to have to tell her as my job is intensely stressful, involves a lot of driving and dealing with families where children have significant disabilities which can be very emotionally draining. My manager is usually supportive so I'm hoping to try and negotiate some adjustments.

Wow sorry that was really long! Just glad to have found somewhere understanding :)

flamingoshoes welcome! I only posted last night and the responses have made me feel a bit more upbeat! Like you i looked out for this early after my last pregnancy, im glad the tablets are helping you keep things down, its took me a while to be prescribed something that helps. Ive just had some tinned peaches too, maybe they are the new ginger?! I have also found eating dry sugar puffs helps to keep my stomach from getting too empty. Having hard boiled mints after food seems to help it stay down too. After 6pm nothing seems to work so i'm trying to snack throughout the day. If you are throwing up before your tablets kick in it might be worth asking for tablets that dissolve between your top lip and gum, they are annoying but get into your system quickly. Good luck with your manager today, i hope they understand

Ems and Flamingo, welcome to the thread. There's lots of great support on here.
Did you find Stemetil helpful? I tried it earlier in pregnancy and found it didn't do much for me, though if I took it when I wasn't already feeling sick it seemed to prolong the 'feeling ok' period. I had Stemetil injections in hospital (into thigh muscle ouch) and they didn't help either.
I also tried Phenergan with no result. Cyclizine didn't seem effective at first, but when I tried to come off it the vomiting got much worse so I guess it does help. I'm still on it 3x day.
As others have said, the thing that helps most is rest. Once I hit 20weeks I noticed a definite overall improvement, but when nausea gets bad I still lie down and do nothing for a few hours. Movement makes it worse for me, and TV can trigger vomiting even on good days- I can usually watch up to an hour at a time but have to avoid shaky camera-work or flashing images.

Hello, sorry your sickness has come back on top of SPD! How are you feeling now?

Penguin, how was your return to work, did you manage to get reduced hours?

My good-bad days ratio seems to be 3:1 at the moment. I had 3 lovely days when nausea held off until 4pm and only vomited in evening. Today I woke up very nauseous, with bad headache and that unsteady feeling. Had 3 vomiting sessions this morn and the ranitidine for heartburn seems to be getting less effective. Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day!

Flamingo, I agree Hg is similar to being on a boat! It's very similar to seasickness. When I was a kid we used to get ferry from England-Norway a lot, I had some terrible crossings when I was sick the whole 24-hours.

Hi everyone, hope you're all as well as can be!

Sorry I didn't reply last night, I was just too ill. I managed to stay in until lunchtime, so I went home 1 hr 15 minutes early (taking lunch out of that).

I'm not a teacher btw, I'm a TA. They were a bit unprepared for my return, and my time table has changed now so I'm in more lessons involving standing up which makes the dizziness worse etc. I spoke to my deputy manager, my manager, and the business manager, but it doesn't seem like a phased return is an option. Tbh though, I don't think I'd manage one anyway. I felt ok up until about 1pm, and then when I got home it all hit me and I couldn't move out of bed. I was in such a bad way last night. In the end I decided not to go in today, although the fact I couldn't get out of bed sort of made the decision for me!!

Flamingo Welcome, my goodness, reading the thread took dedication, i'm glad you found tinned peaches helpful, and that juice...You deserve a medal for working through it last time, goodness knows how you did. I hope you and ems are monitoring those pesky ketones.
Meerka How odd that they are giving ems two drugs of the same sort - but I don't understand how they work myself, save I know that cyclazine based stuff is in travel sickness meds, I think...
Penguin I wish I could think of some really great suggestion about work. would it be impossible for you to be completely off a bit longer at least as it seems you are far to ill to go in. I know they can't count pregnancy related sick leave as sick leave for the purposes of records, but don't know the current rules regarding sick pay (Mother Hen flaps ineffectually).
Hello Oh no, that is such a disappointment after a few days off, and with spd, too.
eallison How are things? Have they been helpful about reducing hours?
caspian and others, I hope managing.
Great advice from Meerka as ever.
Waves to all. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked, cross posted with.

Just a quick post to say "yay for tinned peaches!"

Worst case senario is that I have a few weeks on SSP, and then start my ML at the earliest opportunity, which would be 10th May (and I wanted 28th June). Only problem with that though is obv less time with the baby, and there would be a wage cut as can't claim the other benefits until the baby is born.
I don't know whether to request that or not though, as they haven't actuall said anything about my wage dropping to half pay or anything, this is just what I've read in the T&C's, so I don't know whether to just 'wait and see'.
Phoned the Drs today though, and got signed off for another 2 weeks anyway. Feel rubbish about it, but realistically I can't do anything until I've had this treatment.

Penguin, sorry to hear you're feeling so unwell. Did you find out whether going in yesterday has re-set your sick-pay? I really hope you find a solution. When I tried going back to work a few weeks ago I ended up getting sent home early a few days in a row, then I suddenly realised I couldn't cope and wasn't fit to be there. Like you I just couldn't get through the day. The relief of taking more time off was incredible, despite the money worries I still feel staying home is the right decision for me at the moment.

Flamingo, I hope you're seeing a good GP now and it's not the one who told you your sickness in first pregnancy was 'normal'!! The first GP I consulted (very early in pregnancy) was dreadful. I had a telephone appointment as was vomiting too much to make it to surgery. He assured me vomiting 8-10x day was normal, claimed that meds could harm the baby, and if I could keep some fluids down everything would be fine, just 'drink sweet liquids'! Oh and he banged on about ginger and 'small bland meals'!! I only got help when I was admitted to hospital 2 weeks later for a suspected ectopic (it turned out not to be ectopic but on gynae ward they realised straight away I was seriously dehydrated and I couldn't stop vomiting. My BP was very low as well.) The gynae consultant diagnosed HG and started me on meds, and they kept me in on IVs for few days. I dread to think what would have happened if I hadn't been brought in, as I was too ill to get to GP and had believed him when he said vomiting that much was normal. I've now got a better GP at a different practice, although he wouldn't prescribe ondansetron and I'm still waiting to see NHS obstetrician months after he made referral!

It really annoys me how badly-informed a lot of doctors are when it comes to treating (and diagnosing) HG. It's scary to think women are often fobbed off with advice like 'eat ginger biscuits' and 'it's normal you just have to put up with it'... yet GP doesn't check their BP, ketones or hydration status. You're at your most vulnerable in worst stages and not always able to think clearly.

Penguin, just saw your last post. I'm glad you have option of taking more time off if you need to. How long have you got to decide re start-date for mat-leave?
From what I've read, the calculation period for maternity pay is the 8 weeks prior to the 15th week before your due-date (so if you count back 15 weeks on calendar from your due-date, the calculation period is the 2 months before). If you've been on full-pay during calculation period you should get your normal maternity pay without any reduction.

Thanks for the lovely welcome and all the advice. Have just finished my chip shop chips topped off with a glug of gaviscon and so far they have stayed down and th horrible hunger feeling has gin for a bit. Evenings between 6 and 9 seems to be my respite time. I've lived off salt and vinegar Pringles today I get so worried about having such a poor diet but it really is only what you can keep down.

caspian the stemetil has stopped my world from rocking and spinning but not done anything for nausea or vomiting.

My boss was lovely and said what an asset I was and that she would do what it takes to keep me at work so we have a plan in place to reduce my workload and see how it goes.

To be honest I'm not sure how I coped with the last pregnancy with no help I didn't have the vertigo feelings or an energetic toddler on top of working 4 days a week.

Finger crossed everyone has a nausea free evening :)