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.

I'm not an expert on meds! just read up some and worked as a pharmacy tech assistant a very long time ago! :)

miss martin welcome. Congratulations and commiserations.

Technical definition of HG doesn't matter so much as the fact that the sickness is getting very much in the way of your life.

MoP covered the ketostix nicely. About cyclizine, it is absolutely safe. it's a oldstyle anti-histamine. Its sister drugs in the US and Canada are the only ones which are guarenteed safe by the US Federal Drug Agency. The other commonly used meds are considered in practice safe, though.

What people don't like to think is that actually, dehydration and severe sickness itself can be dangerous to the baby and occasionally to the mother. That's why doctors started prescribing meds. While no drug company will officially state that a particular med is safe in preg (the threat of lawsuits!) except for the cyclizine-sister, some of these drugs have been used decades with no ill effects.

It comes down to knowing the situation, knowing the med and knowing the risks of dehydration v meds.

I hope that you can feel a bit better about taking a med if the doctor prescribes it. Cyclizine (+ vitamin B6 if you can get it) is a really good first line med. It won't take away the sickness completely but it may very well help take the edge off it and cushion the worst of it.

good luck

I know it goes against every instinct to be taking meds, but it really can be the best thing. If you deteriorate and can't keep fluids down its far worse for you and baby than the meds. Meerka is the expert, but from what I can gather the Normal starter med, cyclizine, is one that is safe for mum and baby, if not always affective. It's one that of started early than its more effective - better for prevention than when you are well in the cycle of vomiting.

Meerka, you certainly are the meds expert! You always seem very well informed. :-)

I'm not medically trained!!! so I have a little knowledge ... and that's all :)

Hi ladies, sorry for being missing for a little while.

Welcome to the newbies but sorry you have had to join us :(

Hope everyone is well, will have a good read back today.

Have been feeling all sorry for myself as sickness has been getting worse and worse and I'm back to losing weight again, the few pounds I managed to gain over the good (ish) few weeks have now came back off and more! Bump is quite big though so hope that's a good sign its not affecting baby? (Im only 19+6 and FTM)

Still taking cyclizine every day but maybe due to change to something else? I had mentioned while at the doctors last week but as I can eat and drink a little on an afternoon she wasn't interested. My mornings are a living hell though and it has finally caught a hold of my mood and I'm bloody miserable!

Sorry for the moany 'me me me' post just wondering if anyone else is/was feeling so down?

Hi Amy, my sickness is worse at night, though ondansetron is really helping. I'm 19+4 with my second child (not sure why I thought a second would be a good idea!!) I feel the same as you, just really fed up. Seems a long time until November! I'm hoping for some relief soon, I think it came around 25 weeks last time but I wasn't as bad as I have been this time. I would push the doctor for something else, ondansetron is the only thing that has helped me, I've tried them all I think! Are you feeling much movement? I have felt some at night and think it makes the sickness worse. Hope it lets up for you soon, it will honestly be a distant memory once you've had the baby and you may even be crazy enough to have another!

Glad you got the hospital treatment you needed confused; hope you feel much better now.

I'm feeling rubbish today too Amy :-( I think it's my own fault for fiddling around with my meds without advice!

The story so far... I was put on Avomine which has mercifully stopped the vomming altogether within a week and with upping the dose to 2 a day, one at night, one at lunch time. The issue was the drowsiness which was debilitating in the afternoons. I went to GP last Thursday to say I'd go back to work if it wasn't for the killer drowsiness. She suggested trying cyclizine over the weekend to see if it was less drowsy. By Sunday I was feeling headachey, weak and dizzy so I thought these are not for me! Called GP yesterday and got a phone appointment. Decided to start taking avomine again off my own back. GP call didn't come. Called the surgery again, apparently he tried to call. I had no missed calls on my mobile! Anyway that was my chance to chat about it yesterday overwith. He'd left another week's sicknote in reception. Took 2 avomine yesterday, passed out on sofa in evening, slept til 10am today. Feel as sick as a dog right now. Not taken lunch time one yet as afraid I'll vom it straight away. Not really sure what to do, or which to take. Hate the side effects of both, hate vomiting even more. Doesn't feel like I will ever be suitable for going back to work :-( 15+1 today, so flipping long to go until I get actual much wanted baby in my arms. Not even got a bump so I don't feel pregnant, just bloody ill! Sorry for moan, I know a lot of you are worse off than me. Hugs all round x

Hi Ems, Very brave to have a second! Lol at the moment I just can't see me having a second which is very sad :( Maybe if I was in a new job where I could work from home I might see it as a little more possible. Great to hear you started feeling better around 25 weeks! That gives me hope as I was beginning to think it would just be bad the whole way through. And November does feel sooo far away! I had a few movements around 16-17 weeks then a couple of quiet weeks... then over the last couple of days he has become very active and I'm feeling lots of wriggles and kicks which is very reassuring, and a nice reminder of why HG will be worth it in the end :)

Chops sorry you are feeling rubbish too and having trouble with your meds :( cyclizine still makes me drowsy so I don't blame you for going back to avomine but may be worth trying something else? It's weird isn't it you almost forget you are pregnant because you are so poorly! If its any consolation its usual for sickness to ease around 16-18 weeks, so just take each day at a time and hopefully you will start to notice an improvement. I know I did around that point... just a shame for me it came back!! But it gave me the chance to enjoy some food and put some weight back on.

I started my antenatal classes yesterday (early as chance of baby being small/not growing right and could miss the next ones just before I'm due) and I was the only one there who had HG. In fact the girl next to me was saying how lucky she was she never had any sickness at all. I was green with envy haha

I have no desire for a 2nd child, even though my mum and sister went through it twice and they were horribly ill.

I do feel awful wishing the time away until baby is due In December. I don't want to wish away this glorious summer that I've been looking forward to. I've been too ill to enjoy it thus far though. The sun has been shining but it's all I can do to get a wash on the line to make the most of it!

My dh is also ill and has been for many weeks now too. So he can't look after me, I can't look after him, no one is looking after the housework! Our summer plans for walks and picnics are falling through. Urgh.

Oh chops that must be so difficult! I couldn't have got through this without my OH he has literally had to do everything in the house! Hope you are both feeling better soon and cam enjoy the summer

MissMartin if you are that bad I'm suprised your still going without meds. If you have got HG then it's some times better to take medication to get out of the cycle of sickness otherwise it can just keep getting worse. I know it's certainly a shock to the system if it'd your first. I know I thought pregnancy would be fun!

Any way hi again everyone. I'm feeling like a bad mum I'm lying on my bed I have my two kids watching TV instead of having a bed time story as I can't move without being sick. My husband has been really good but he is working late tonight. I have been managing to go to work in the morning but have been coming home in the afternoon as my sickness gets worse as the day goes on. I had to tell my boss and a couple of other people as I'm only 9 weeks but had to explain. I'm really annoyed they have now changed my timetable for September ( I'm a teacher) and taken away my A Level and GCSE groups. Normally they would not even know.
I'm finding things difficult afternoon and evening. Luckily it stops when I fall asleep.
For those that were asking others how long the sickness lasted before, on my first pregnancy it got a little easier but I was still being sick until the end I had lots of problems with acid it used to burn my throat, I could not sit up and eat towards the end. I gave birth and did not feel sick i ate toast and drank tea its was so good! My second pregnancy was a little better but still rough. The sickness eased a little earlier but I had problems with my hips. My son was also 6 weeks early I spent 3 weeks in hospital with him one week was in intensive care. As far as I know this was not to do with the HG. I am not doing it a fourth time. I'd love to have a little girl so this is my last chance after 2 boys.
I'm still hoping my sickness will stop at 12 weeks this time. My husband just laughed at me when I said that!
It is all worth it in the end. It's a bit like giving birth you do forget the worst bits when the baby comes.
I am trying to take it a day at a time.
Hope you are all having a good/manageable day I now have to work out how to get my boys into bed!

kayme I'm in exactly the same boat, had to tell head at 9 weeks due to hg then I had 3 weeks off work (still having to send in cover) but in the meantime they have taken my a level off me for next year! I am a single subject teacher so they can't take my GCSE which is something but they've given a level to another school :( (we have a consortium sixth form) I was really upset as lots of them are my students wanting to do the subject with me, feel like I'm letting them down.
My meds are really helping me and I feel much more normal, so long it may continue! To those who are not having as much luck with them do go back to the doctors and get them to try something else, cyclizine just didn't work for me but since the change I am much better.
Waves to all and hope everyone is having a peaceful evening.

To be honest, I think they've done the right thing takibg your gcse/a level groups off you. It's fairer for the kids. And more importantly it's better for you; you've not got to think about dragging yourself in cos you've got an a level heavy day, you've not got to stress too much about keeping totally on top of marking etc. I work in a school too, I get the frustration of not teaching your subject at gcse but I think it's better for everyone that you won't next year.

Amy sorry you're going through a bad patch! Hopefully it's just a brief relapse. Around 20weeks I relapsed and felt very very down, but felt much better from around 25weeks. I've heard others say 25weeks is often a turning point. I agree changing meds might help, Cyclizine doesn't work for everyone. What other meds have you tried? I'm finding metoclopamide helps now, though earlier in pregnancy it made no difference at all! Seems to help with reflux/heartburn as well as nausea. Are you seeing an obstetrician? I'm being reviewed every few weeks by doctors at antenatal clinic, they seem more knowledgable about meds (esp adjusting meds/trying different combinations) than GP. Due to frequent vomiting and weight-loss they offered me extra scans, even though baby good size at 20-week scan. So I'm having another scan at 28weeks and one at 32weeks, more for reassurance than anything. I managed to gain some weight, but every time I have a few bad days it seems to melt away again! I try to eat extra on good days.

Ems I found baby movements made me queasy at first, but I'm used to them now and like feeling him kick and wriggle. Only makes me feel sick when he's kicking in certain positions e.g. kicking high up under my ribs. I've noticed he moves and squirms a lot to music as if he's dancing to it!

Chops Hope you get some relief soon! Which other meds have you tried? Must be really tough with your DP being ill too. Are you able to take more time off work? It doesn't sound like you're well enough to think about going back yet. I strongly advise taking as much time off as you can, getting plenty of rest is essential with HG. I remember how ill I felt at 15weeks so I really sympathise. Like you I didn't have a visible bump at that time but once it 'popped out' around 23weeks I felt more 'pregnant'. Now it's very noticeable (even strangers have asked me when i'm due!) and I feel much better, like i have more space to breathe.

Kayme sorry you're suffering. It must be really difficult looking after 2 children when feeling so ill! Sounds like you're doing an amazing job so please don't feel bad. When I was in first trimester it was all I could do to stagger to and from bed to bathroom most days!

Laura glad your meds are helping and you're feeling more normal! Which meds are you on now?

lilac I'm on prochlorperazine now, much much better. Not sure if it's because I'm further along but I was really bad in the first trimester in comparison to now.
Unfortunately eallison my class have been given to a non specialist teacher and have been lumped in with their class. They didn't even try getting me cover before they did this. Fair enough if another teacher can pick up your timetable but this isn't what's happened in my case, it makes me feel so guilty that they are going to get such a raw deal next year. I wish I had a job o could leave at work when I came home sometimes.

Hi Laura and eallison88 I'm mostly annoyed as I have been waiting to get A Level for years and they were really good GCSE group that wanted me to teach them A Level. It's actually harder work with all lower school classes as I teach Art so it's hundreds of different kids that we have to do loads of assessment and reports for each kid, and single lessons so it's hard work. It's going to be a hard slog. I'm hoping in September I will be back to full days. I know I would be going on maternity leave at Christmas but I will be back the following September. I've not even heard the babies heart beat yet! I know the school is thinking of the kids but it's basically a demotion. Any way enough of teaching end of rant!

Thanks LilacWine7 I just have a sick bucket that goes every where with me. I must say I am being a very grumpy mummy as I just can't wait for them to do things as I have about 5 min slots that I can move before having to lie down again.
chopsface sorry to hear your struggling and that your husband is ill too. A big part of HG is getting your head in the right place as well, maybe looking forward to Christmas is not a bad thing. Maybe start making plans so you have things to look forward to. When you feel so I'll that's all you can do try to stay positive. The washing and cleaning can wait, one advantage of not going out is you can wear scruffy comfortable clothes!

Hi to everyone, especially to newbies to the thread. very sorry you are sufferering. I am not pg but a veteran of two hg pgs, the second being twins. myself, meerka and mother hen lucinda generally cluck around and scold making sure everyone is looking after themselves and not overdoing it.

to those having 2nd trimester relapses- I went through quite a bad phase in first pg between weeks 15 and 24 (after I had initially suffered up until approx 13 weeks, then seen quite a big improvement, it all went completely downhill again for quite a few weeks unfortunately culminating in two admissions at weeks 19 and 23. I then gradually improved after that- although was never what you could well, I existed and managed to carry on most of the time. took meds on and off throughout though. I don't think ondansetron was widely used then (10 yrs ago).

second of was a completely different ball game but I have ranted on about that enough times before.....!

Quick update - baby arrived safely today at 11:38 weighing 7lb 6.5, she is perfect

Congratulations Hello!

Congrats Hello! So happy for you and your wee family. All the best

Thank you, I'm exhausted. The poor little baby in the bay next to me has been screaming for the past 5 hours pretty much non stop. Poor mum is doing all she can but it's keeping everyone awake

Ah hello congratulations to you Mr and little hello. Hope you managed a bit of sleep. that was my baby that used to be screaming the place down while everyone else slept..... probably a couple of days old where all they want to do is feed all night when milk comes in. Hope you get home nice and soon and your not too sore from op xxxxx