Hyperemesis 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.

any You poor thing, I could almost wish the ketones had been high as then you could be admitted and have a rest and good treatment. Like lilac I'm dismayed your workmates are so unfeeling. As she says, do keep checking. If the vomiting and dehdyration do spiral out of control so you have to go in, I think they like to take a urine sample there so you don't need to bring one in. Can be difficult to produce one if you're dehydrated.
lilac how are things today?

Thanks Lucinda I am also almost wishing they had too! I don't know what this chest thing is but its getting more and more sore and a little worrying! SO would be nice to be checked over. Will try and get a doctors app tomorrow and can explain my concerns about feeling so ill altogether

Amy hope you manage to get some rest over next few days, try to take it as gently as possible. Like Lucinda says, don't delay going to hospital if things get worse.

Lucinda I'm feeling a bit better thanks, less vomiting, just very tired and nauseous. Stayed in bed most of day so at least managed to catch up on sleep.

Sorry you're struggling so much atm Amy. I don't really have any advice to give, other than what's already been said. I hope you're at home now resting up :)

amy have you got anyone who can go with you to the doctors to act as an advocate? its so hard to really express how bad things are. I think you need to ask if you can have more meds too.

If you explain that you are running into trouble at work and are too sick to keep going, that might help convince the doctor if you're lucky.

I have managed to get an appointment at a drop in tonight about my chest so will ask them about my sickness too. Just realised all I have managed today is a bottle of lucozade and some ham!! Will let you know what they say :) Oh and I'm taking OH as I am a softy!

Just wanted to pop on to offer support Amy, especially about the work situation. When I had HG, apart from a few days when I was at my worst, I kept working throughout (although admittedly mainly from home), because I felt a lot of pressure to 'soldier on' and not let people down. I guess it was also self-inflicted pressure. Now I really regret pushing myself like that, wish I'd taken better care of myself. If I'm lucky enough to get PG again and unlucky enough to get HG again, I plan to be much less bothered about what other people think, and stay in bed. Sorry about the long essay, I guess I just really want to encourage you to seek help, and push to get signed off work so that you can rest properly - and can get away from your uncaring colleagues!
Waves to all!

Thanks a lot Mother, it's actually my fault for not being off my GP did say he would sign me off but I worried about the sick pay and the feeling of letting people down. I'm now off on holidays and only Tuesday to work next week so lots and lots of rest!

Just seen a nurse at our drop in and I'm sooo disappointed :( I'm actually really upset at how useless she was. I know for a fine fact this will lead to a chest infection, but she said I only had a high temp and chest sounded ok. I don't think she knew anything about hyperemesis. She said soreness could be the acid from all the vomiting, even though I told her it's not my throat it's my lungs and it's exact same feeling as chest infection. I told her paracetamol doesn't help my headaches at all.. so she then told me to try paracetamol. I told her I can only stomach lucozade so she told me try hot drinks and milk. I also told her I was concerned I had only had some lucozade and ham and she said well you're on cyclizine that will help I just want to cry I feel like no one is taking me seriously except you guys. Even my OH just sat there like a dummy although to be fair I did speak out and still got nowhere!

The 111 people I rang beforehand were great. I'm just going to contact them from now on.

amy I think a couple of days on IV would do you a world of good, can you ask 111 about being referred up to the hospital tonight?

Like hello said, could you ring them now? Sorry the nurse wasn't any use :(

IV fluids and antinsickness injections were the only thing that every made me feel semi normal. All the different tablets I took only ever seemed to take the edge off it

Thank you all. I've just tested my ketones and they are still only showing traces. Will leave it for today, see if I can stomach anything and test gain tomorrow. I don't want to get to hospital for them to test me and send me straight home iyswim.

sorry that you're having such a rough time amy. it is completely soul destroying when health care professionals are not seemingly knowledgeable about hg. the headaches are likely due to worsening dehydration imho. you may have a chest infection from being run down/pregnant as immune systems totally rubbish in pg. I had a terrible chest infection in later of with the twins (luckily for me hg had subsided for me by then ) but got very breathless and felt awful. just after that had dreadful sickness bug so it can unfortunately be one thing after another on top of hg which is so unlucky for you . as everyone else had wisely advised it does sound like you need some more help- if 111 had been your best source of help earlier I would ring them back. am glad you have a few days off. I know sick pay is a real worry but it might be better to have a couple of weeks off to completely rest up as you may then be much improved. struggling on with hg just isn't the answer unfortunately (hugs)) at unsympathetic work colleagues .

glad you have had a better couple of days eallison.

waves to hello, penguin, mother, meerka, lucinda, mellee lilac & everyone

Thank you elizabeths I'm so glad I found you ladies.

I feel rotten although I have had a bit of ice cream and touch wood it's staying down. I have read online that you can still be dehydrated but not show in your ketones. I feel like this is what's wrong with me. Has anyone actually experienced this?

My ketones are pretty unreliable as am indicator or dehydration. I can go from +4 to nothing with a quarter of a tin of peaches. Which clearly does not fix dehydration but sorts ketones out. That was a real problem when I was really bad. I got to the point where at times I would avoid eating anything (I say anything, I mean tinned peaches cos that was all that would stay down) before I knew I was gonna be tested cos most hcp don't get ketones aren't completely reliable. Which is odd, as my sister in law, a doctor, told me that ketones aren't a reliable indicator for everyone.

Keep pushing with the doctor. Tell them cyclizine is crap and you want to try something else. I found it works to cry!

Little bit late on the convo today, due to time difference. Ketones aren't an accurate way of measuring dehydration, as they are easily changed. If you want them to be high, test after vomiting and before you eat or drink anything, pretty much ensuring your stomach is empty. But even then they may remain too low to be admitted, especially if you've been mildly dehydrated for a few weeks. Another sign of dehydration is heart rate, if you have a racing heart rate despite little exertion, the doctors should give you fluids. I have had fluids 4 times, twice due to high ketones, once due to crazy low blood pressure and once due to mentally feeling worse than I was physically. The ER here has to see and treat you, and will give a bag of fluids regardless. My SIL with a previous pregnancy got fluids every time she went in with cramping despite not being dehydrated.

Also, in regards to the chest pain, when my nausea gets really bad and I'm likely to vomit, I get a lump/pain in my throat/chest between my lungs. I've never had a chest infection, so I'm not sure if it feels the same. Generally the feeling makes me cough or gag when I move and then I vomit until my stomach is empty.

Hope that helps! I'm feeling marginally better, at the inlaws today, freaking out mildly at the FOUR children under 4 who will be here this afternoon.

I've heard that ketones aren't completely reliable at all. I think kalidasa said that actually they don't show up at all if dehydration goes on too long and maybe if stavation goes on too long too. Sorry I can't remember exactly what it was.

from the NHS site:
light/moderate dehydration

dizziness or light-headedness
headache 
tiredness
dry mouth, lips and eyes
passing small amounts of urine infrequently (less than three or four times a day)

severe -

feeling tired (lethargic) or confused
dry mouth and eyes that do not produce tears
not passing urine for eight hours
dry skin that sags slowly into position when pinched up
rapid heartbeat
blood in your stools (faeces) or vomit
low blood pressure (hypotension)  
irritability
sunken eyes
a weak pulse
cool hands and feet
fits (seizures)
a low level of consciousness

amy can you ring the Pregnancy Sickness Support helpline on 024 7638 2020 and leave a message asking Dr Tony to ring you back? explain on the message that you are really struggling to get taken seriously. He is an elderly very HG-experienced doctor and he's got a list of HG friendly doctors and if absolutely necessary can prescribe himself - he was willing to for me. I do think you need help.

Keep going, one five minute segment after the next ...

Thank you so much for your help and concern ladies I really appreciate it. I thought ketones couldn't be that accurate after feeling so poorly but seems my health care around here only go off ketones. Luckily I am feeling a lot better this morning. Having lots of lucozade, haven't vomited this morning (yet!) And don't feel too sick at the moment. Headache is still there but can't have everything! Will concentrate on getting plenty fluids and some food in me today and see how I go.

im glad you are getting the lucozade down ok!! that will help. If you can get some food down that'd also help. After a while you get weak from lack of food

Yes I've found that Meerka although you wouldn't tell looking at me I'm a little podgy still! Especially standing up makes my head spin and my vision clouds over for a few seconds, but if I take my time like a little old lady I'm ok lol.

Amy - take it easy. The dizziness will fade once you start getting strength up. Aim to drink about 2litres today if you can, I still can't do more than 1.5litres, but the more you can do, the better. You will probably have the dehydration headache all day, but everything you manage to do today will make tomorrow much more bearable.
All the best.

Amy glad you're feeling better. Try to rest as much as possible, the dizziness should improve soon. Are you still having chest tightness? Hope you manage to avoid a full-blown chest infection, that's the last thing you need! That nurse sounds really irresponsible and dismissive, how horrible. I find keytones unreliable too, mine can change very quickly after a sugary drink or ice-lolly.

I'm planning to get out of house this weekend, as been indoors for over 10 days now! I know part of staying in is psychological (I get panicky when feel sick in public) but DH is convinced i'll become agoraphobic. And despite fear of vomiting, I do miss getting out! We've planned a few outings... short walk on moors (lots of bushes to discreetly vom in) a trip to city centre and picnic in local park. I know it will do me good to get out but I'm really nervous already!! DH cannot understand why I hate throwing-up in public, he thinks it's fine to use a sick-bag even if we're inside a shop Luckily this relapse seems to be nearly over, only been sick once today. Still have a throbbing headache but feeling less nauseous, really hoping it's a sign of good days to come...

I think actually the dizziness can stay, becuase the heart is working so much harder than usual when preg it simply takes a few moments to stabilize when you stand up. ( Maybe someone medical on here could confirm or negate that?)

lilac I hope your trips out go okay.

lilac I hate to think anyone can even hear me being sick! So i totally understand. Although I actually have a serious phobia of other people vomiting so I am a lot more concious that I could be causing stress to someone else! I hope you do get out and have a lovely time :)

I do still have a sore chest, im sure it's going to turn into a full chest infection. I'm a little less angry today though I guess they have rules and guidelines to follow and can't just take my word for it!

Thanks Meerka and Amy, I'll let you know how i get on. I'll be armed with sick-bags, frozen water and snacks so hopefully will be ok

Yes I think some degree of dizziness is normal throughout pregnancy, I often get dizzy if I stand up suddenly or stand still for a long time e.g. in a queue. When I have my blood-pressure checked it's much lower than pre-pregnancy, midwife says this is normal. I find dizziness much worse when I've been vomiting a lot or in bed for days but gradually improves once up and about and drinking more, I guess body takes time to re-adjust.