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.

mirabelle ~~ stop the metoclopramide immediately until you can speak to your doctor.

The weird twitchiness is an uncommon side effect but does happen to some people; usually it wears off when you stop taking it but in a very few people it actually never goes away and it is most unpleasant! Now the chances are you'll be fine but do stop it until you speak to your doctor.

Please do ring them as soon as you can about the Metoclopramide. if you can't get them ring your local chemist and ask to speak to the pharmacist - they actually may be a better bet as they know more about the effects of drugs on the bodies than doctors, who are more specialists in finding out what's going wrong within the body.

Phenergen is good stuff for most people, but when you speak to your doc you could ask about that too. You could ask to go onto promethazine, which is a stronger anti-histamine like cyclizine. Domperidone is also an option, I believe; like metoclopramide it helps you empty your stomach faster so more gets into your system and there;s less to upchuck.

chopsface I hope you're feeling a bit better today. I got sent to a psychologist too. what use is talking about vomitting? You need meds and to feel better, not to talk about how ill you're feeling.

Your mother is mistaken. Was she of the Thalidomide generation? The awfulness of what happened has traumatized several generations unfortunately and led to more babies lost through dehydration or desperation terminations :/

casablanca it sounds like the cyclizine is helping but I think you could quite reasonably ask for further meds too. Metoclopramide or prochlorperazine would be good ones to ask for. Meto. empties the stomach faster and prochlor. works on the inner ear and sense of balance.

amyyy really pleased you got a good doc and even better that she gave you the choice. Feeling like you have some tiny measure of control really does help. kayme is right though about the effects of promethazine, watch for the sleepiness (though it's wonderful at nights!)

jen glad the antenatal appointment went so well. You are so brave going through all this again so quickly. Remember envying you 18 months ago because you were so close to the end of your preg! :)

ealli glad you survived the day. yes, the 3rd trim can get miserable but the HG is -never- as bad as the 1st ... and it's such a relief to be nearer the end

lilac I hope it's just a one-off bad day. It varies from person to person when the sickness returns, if it's going to, but some people seem to get it coming back from around week 29, or some from around week 34.

Do watch out for twitchy legs or restlessless or suchlike on meto. Quite important, that.

ems lovely to hear the scan went so well. Half way too. Completely agree that unsympathetic / unaware doctors really don't help

mellee good luck with work!! Funny, quite a lot of people have found McD's stuff good. Odd that.

laura it sounds like with the right meds you're managing really quite well?

greeneyed the travelling sounds an awful effort. Suggest you take a lot of bags with you and rest every moment you can.

hoping everyone else is alright.

kayme belated happy birthday. Next year's will be a lot, lot better!

I do seem to be falling in to a cycle of bad days where Im really sick then a better day where its more managable then a bad. I'm not sure how long it will last just really hoping I get more good rather than bad. Does anyone else have that?

Wow thanks meerka I think I should probably stop that one then and try to see doc or pharmacist Monday

And happy birthday ???? Kayme !!!!!

That was supposed to be cake not question marks!

Happy birthday Kayme!! Next years birthday will be amazing!

Lilac - I'm going back to work on phased return, half days for 2 weeks and then re-evaluate how I'm coping. Fingers crossed! Doctor will sign me off if I show any signs of relapsing.

Keep it up ladies, another day completed!

meerka with these meds I feel so much better. Cyclizine didn't work for me very well and I was still being sick throughout the day and signed off work. Whereas now, I am sick but it'll be more likely once a day rather than ten times. I tried to reduce the dose but I just felt awful so having to keep on the maximum amount. I long for a day I don't have to take pills and I'm not sick!! I do urge people to keep going back if what you are given isn't helping much. I had to see a few different doctors to get the right meds for me.

Hi to all hope everyone surviving the weekend? belated happy birthday kayme- I can remember 'celebrating' my 35th laying on the sofa feeling terrible! as others have said next year's will be better...

mygreeneyed- hoping the build up is still gradual for you- 6 weeks on the dot for me is where it became pretty awful both times am afraid. are you on pre-emptive meds? wish I had done that second time round in retrospect to allow some build up in your system. poor you with flights- I can sympathize- I flew long haul in weeks 11 and 13 in first hg pg and at week 19 -20 second time round. second pg hg had pretty much settled (luckily). first time round I was in a slightly latent more morning-sickness rather than full on phase and managed ok dosed up, just tried to sleep and it was a night flight- picked seats right next to the loo . took lots of little snacks- fizzy haribos were my saviour at the time. didn't get a Dr note as it never occurred to me and also didn't really want any issues with travel insurance. as we were on hols although I was pretty sick some days I just about managed ok - easier than going to work at that point...

Welcome to Mirabel and that sounds horrible about the side effects of metaclopramide, great advice from Meerka about contra indications.
There are meds they can give you to help with the constipation with Ondansetron, it seems to vary how badly it affects people, some find taking those supposatories (spelling) enough, I think you have to get someone else to get them as chemists won't issue them to pregnant women though they are routinely used in hospital.
Kayme Oh dear about absent minded family and belated birthday wishes from me, too. Cyber hugs. Next year will be better. As you say a party then will be the thing. The alternate good and bad days must be frustrating, but maybe they are a sign things will soon get better?
Melleebacca Mother Hen will say her usual thing - I hope you are well enough for a return to work, even a staggered one, don't rush back, cluck, cluck...
elizabethsmum Good advice about flying for mygreeneyedboy. I am even more impressed that you managed to go on holiday suffering from what they show such tact in calling 'normal twin pregnancy Hyperemesis' and a borderline stage in the one before. ...
Apologies if I've missed anyone.
Laura and Eallison Again, I'm impressed you managed to survive rather appalling sounding school trips...

mygreeneyed can you request the seats right at the front so you can be next to the loos, and have the stewards on hand? I've been on flights before where there has been a poorly person sat there. Fingers crossed you're ok for it though.

mellee good luck with the phased return to work! I'm planning on doing that from this week too! The stupid thing is I asked my boss about it last week but he sounded like he'd rather keep me off. I told him I was drowsy from my meds so he probably thinks I can't do my job properly. He asked how long I was likely to be on them. How long is a piece of string?! Anyway he wants a fit to work note from the GP, which they couldn't date in the future so I can't go to work tomorrow, I need to phone them and get the note for the rest of the week!

kayme good on you for planning a big birthday bash next year to make up for this one. The sickness will be a distant memory!

I had a wierd birthday this year, my 35th. I had the day off work with dh and dinner booked somewhere posh in the evening. I was expecting af on the weekend before my birthday on the Tuesday but it hadn't arrived. We had been ttc several years and were going to try iui, calling the clinic when af came that month. Tuesday morning, my birthday, I thought I'd better actually buy a test! So I hid my fmu in a pot in the cupboard and when to the local chemist when it opened. It was only bloody positive wasn't it?! Me and dh went to the garden centre and I think I got delayed shock and had an anxiety attack! And I was still in too much shock to go out for our posh meal!

Chips face, get the doctor to indicate on their note they want you do do reduced hours for so many weeks. The doctor can stipulate what hours too if you think you need to be clear with your boss. That's what I had to do. 3 weeks and 2 days to the summer holidays, can't come soon enough!!

Lol stupid phone! chopsface not chips face!!

Mirabal glad to hear you've stopped it for now, has the effect worn off? Do hope the doc or pharmacist can help tomorrow.

laura really glad that you managed to get the right meds in the end. things -will- get better in the end!

elizabeth'smum I cannot imagine how you managed with twin-baby HG and a little one already and flying.

chops good luck with getting the note. At least your boss isn't trying to force you back when you're really not really for it. What a birthday surprise! how long was it before you told your husband that day? :)

Lol told dh straight away! Put the test under his nose. He just said what does that mean, so I had to hand him the instruction sheet too! He wouldn't believe it until I peed on the 2nd stick in the pack too!

To be honest I don't know if I do feel ready to return to work. I feel obliged more than anything. I'm not throwing up at all on my pills so I feel like a fraud being off for morning sickness if I'm not sick. I'm still getting bouts of nausea and extreme tiredness from the pills though. Had to have a lie down at 3pm today. Cant do that at work! I'll speak to GP tomorrow and see what they give me.

Hope everyone is ok today x

You don't feel ready for it, your body doesn't sound ready for it, your boss would rather you don't come back until he and you are both sure you can do your job well and your doctor supports you ...

In the nicest possible way ... why are you thinking of going back again?

Tentatively going to join but feel a bit of a fraud after reading some of your posts! I am 7+3 second pregnancy - last pregnancy ended in miscarriage at this stage almost exactly a year ago. No sickness last time and mum and sister both had not a jot of ms. At 6 weeks I suddenly started getting g unbelievable nausea all day but was only being sick in the morning. Also had some diarrhea. Thursday I was sick 3 times and felt so nauseous I couldn't sip water. Friday called GP and was asked to give urine sample but she said it just sounded like normal ms then was told I was being admitted to hospital as ketones were maximum level. Was on a drip for 15 hours and given iv meds and allowed home last night. Now been prescribed 50mg cyclizine and 10mg metoclopramide 3 x day each and hospital said I have hg. Is this possible if I'm not actually vomiting all the time? Feeling quite low and this seems like such a good thread, if it is what I have!

Hope everyone has had an Ok day!

Today I've realised that there is something I will miss about being pregnant... The times when I lie down and have some time with me and baby having a little dance. I'm not really a fan of bambino wriggling when I'm trying to do my life (as it were) as it can make me nauseous. But when I get my head in the space of having a chat and a wriggle, it's really lovely. I'll miss that. I think it's cos it's the only bit of my pregnancy that is totally mine and isn't horrid. The vomiting is shared with whoever is around me. The back ache and spd is horrendous. But the wriggling when I'm taking the time for it is lovely.

welcome mrsm :) you're very welcome here! In a way the official diagnosis doesn't matter, the point is that the sickness is debilitating and if you were max ketones then you really needed help.

How are you doing with getting liquid down (and a bit of it staying down?) Sucking ice chips can help. Mother Hen swears by flat coke. Very hot or very cold drinks can help, as can sipping through a straw.

Do post whenever you want to.

ealli lovely to hear that there is something good in this awful endurance test! Go TeenyEalli :)

Hi ladies sorry I've been missing have been tucked up in bed all weekend after leaving my new tablets at work on friday, doh!!

I will catch up properly tomorrow but have skimmed through and just want to thank you for the kind words! Thinking about taking one tablet when I get to work (so after driving ) and one tablet on an evening before bed? With the hope to remove the one on the morning so I'm not too drowsy for work. Unfortunately I can't afford to take more time off work so having to suck it up and hope these tablets work! If not I'm thankful I have the option there for ondansetron.

Sorry I can't remember who asked about if I were still taking tablets so just wanted to say I'm now 20+4, and trying my third tablet now. I started them at 9 weeks. I have had weeks here and there without tablets but it has always led to a relapse! So I don't recommend stopping them. Next time round if I feel like I'm getting better it will be a very gradual process of reducing tablets.

Sorry to those who are feeling poorly. I hope it's brief, and I love the phrase on here that today is another day crossed off and a day closer to the end! It helps me through the days :)

eallison I couldn't have said that better myself. Lying here before sleeping feeling baby kick is just magical. And probably the only thing I will miss about pregnancy once he arrives!

Waves to everyone, thinking of you all x

Hi everyone. After initial hopes the cyclizine might be doing something, I've gone on to have my worst day ever today. The nausea hasn't subsided all day and I've been sick about 6 times (just yucky bile as not managed to eat much today). Felt blinkin rotten and very sorry for myself. Think I'll give it another couple of days in case today was a one off but otherwise I'll be back to the doctors to try something different. Feeling scared about tomorrow as I have to go to work really after having last Thursday and Friday off sick. No one at work knows and I'd like to keep it that way for now but it'll be very hard if I have another day like today. Keeping everything crossed for some improvement tomorrow for me and anyone else on here suffering x

Thanks meerka :) I can only seem to drink really sweet orange squash at the moment so going with that. Can't manage water or anything hot at the moment. Was doing ok with crisps last week and weirdly pineapple but after a particularly nasty vomiting sesh can't look at either now. Sticking to toast and watermelon - thank you so much to whoever suggested freezing it! Think I may need a few days off work as feeling really knackered and still nauseous but just a bit stressed as I had quite a lot of time off this time last year after miscarriage and trying to keep this pregnancy quiet until a bit further on. We did pay for a private scan last week and was such a relief to see a heartbeat but the whole hospital experience has made me quite anxious again. Had been really hoping for a straightforward pregnancy this time and at the moment I can't move without retching. Reading through some of this thread has really helped though.

MrsM - sorry to have you join our ranks, while vomiting is the worst, the ladies here are the best. I had to tell my work at 4w4d because of the chemicals I was exposed to, it is awful having to spill the beans early. The upside (?) was when I got sick, I could take the time I needed (16w).
I'm not sure if your doctor informed you of numbers etc, but at 8w my midwife was convinced I was carrying twins due to the exceptionally high hormone levels, which is what the HG is responding to. Despite feeling like I was dying, the baby was doing fantastically - still is, measuring big at the moment.

I'm not sure if that really got across what I was trying to say. Just had my first half day back at work, also have the sniffles so feeling really tired. So excited to only have 54 more days at work until Mat leave!

to everyone for surviving another day!

So glad I've stumbled across this thread!
This group was so invaluable to me during my hg pregnancy, with so much great advice from posters. I had baby Willow on 17/6/15. She is perfect. &I the birth was v close to a sneeze birth!

Keep going guys- as lucinda says-"this too shall pass"

Morning ladies, just a quick update for you all and hopefully something to motivate too.

My little girl is perfect, such a good little baby! I'm starting to feel a bit better now, recovery has been tough this time around as I developed an infection so I'm on antibiotics for that plus the pain is a lot worse.

Those horrible horrible weeks of HG and SPD are quickly fading from my memory and when I look at her little face I know it's worth it