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

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.

twodrifters I hope you are feeling a little better for having been signed off and able to rest

On that note, barmee it's really good that you've been signed off. It's not 'giving in'; it's looking after yourself. Taking some time now means that your body will be less stressed, less drained and in better shape for the rest of the pregnancy. If you kept going (somehow!) the physical stress drains your reserves further.

mrsM can only echo everyone else ... it often takes til week 18 - 22 for improvements to start ... I found that if I thought of the HG-state as the new normal, then any good days were a gain and bad days were sort of 'normal'. Helluva thing to think of the HG as 'normal' but it did help mentally to cope with the inevitable setbacks. The PSS support website that Mother Hen linked in the first post has some good ideas for possible foods. Eat what you like! some people have found that McD's are the only thing they can stomach. it's all calories ...

lilac so sorry about the water birth

daffodil if you and your partner survive HG together you're really, really going to have overcome quite something!

MoP definitely worth getting cyclizine I reckon. Though when I was in the UK a couple of weeks ago the pharmacist tried to tell me it was an prescription only med .. fortunately I knew better. But actually, never mind HG it's good for hayfever :)

ruby how are you now?

laura the little dresses sound lovely! :) some people do find that craft work / working iwth their hands at least lets them focus on something when they're stuck at home ill. I used to do needlepoint.

SliceofLime How lovely of you to come back to encourage people. It's a lovely image of you typing with the baby on your knee (I never had the confidence to do that).
MotherofPearl Best of luck with pregnancy test.
I hope everyone is surviving. I'll be back to catch up in a couple of hours.
Waves to all.

Hi all, hope you're all doing ok. Nice to hear its all worth it slice and i sure do look forward to being able to open the fridge without gagging! Managed another morning at work and that's the week done, whoop. Had tickets for the theatre tonight and the hen do of one of my best friends tomorrow but have had to cancel both. Realised I just need to slow down until I really do feel better and I just can't do anything at night at the moment realistically. Disappointed but relieved to have made the decision to focus on rest.

Feels like I'm in limbo a bit at the moment. There was so much excitement and nervousness leading up to the 12 week scan and telling people but now nothing really happens until the 20 week scan I guess. I cannot wait to start to feel some movements but this is my first and my friend who is pregnant didn’t feel anything until about 22 weeks. When did you all start to feel things?

Lilac Poor you about that water birth class disappointment. It's not fair!
The puking in the middle of the night sounds really horrible, too. SPD must be agony. What meds are you on now? Do they need increasing a bit, do you think?
MrsM14 Congratulations on the end of that week at last. I'm glad you got a good sleep, it must have been needed. OH sounds very understanding if he didn't moan about being forbidden that smoked sausage in the kitchen.
Laura That sounds really nice about baby clothes; those little dresses are very sweet.
Mirabel Remind me - sorry about poor memory - didn't the Pregnancy Sickness Support people help you to get the meds? I was thinking that whether they did or not, they might be able to help sort out this ridiculous lack of communication between GP and hospital doctor's treatment schemes if you rang that famous number? I hope all was well looking after DD today (comparatively).
eallison I am so glad the chiro understands; the thought of paying for a missed appointment is very dismal.
Daffodil That sounds horrible about the vomit going up the sinuses. So perhaps mygreeneyedboys sore eyes are due to blocked sinuses? That is a painful condition, too.
MotherofPearl Best of luck for holiday and pregnancy test.
I hope RubyReins Mellebacca BarmeeMarmee TwoDrifters and everyone is coping today.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Ah, and I forgot to say, Daffodil I so second others, don't try and push yourself and make yourself very ill; women on this thread are too hard on themselves, that's for sure.

women on this thread are too hard on themselves, that's for sure.

so so true, lucinda.

Lucinda I'm on metoclopramide and promethazine (max doses of both) unfortunately can't take ondansetron as it triggered migraines. I've tried most other meds too. The night-vom sessions are strange as night-time used to be my best time I think it's partly caused by heartburn/reflux despite being on meds for that too. Down to 1-2 vom-sessions in day but 2-3 at night. Excitedly awaiting first glimpse of Pink Castle, not far now!

MrsM your decision to focus on rest is very sensible. This was something I struggled with earlier in pregnancy as have always been very active, but HG started improving when I slowed down.
About first movements... I felt them at 14weeks so you might not have long to wait! They felt like gentle taps or tiny twitches at first, always very low down and not like any sensation I'd ever felt before. At first I wondered if it was the wall of my womb twitching as 14weeks is early to feel baby, but they gradually got stronger until it was unmistakably baby. He didn't develop a pattern until around 25weeks but from 16weeks I was feeling regular prods and pokes, and from 20weeks he started doing somersaults!

Eallison it's good your chiropractor doesn't charge for missed appointments. I contacted a local one (the only one within easy reach by taxi) but he said he charges for missed appointments unless given 24-hours notice.

Hope everyone else is managing ok!

Lilac That residual heartburn is torment. I'll be so glad when you can enter the drawbridge of the fabled Pink Castle, and head for the nursery...
Meerka Waves. Great advice, as ever. On the next thread, I'll put up your wise words about the order in which meds are generally prescribed; it's invaluable.

MrsM - I started feeling consistent movements around 15/16w. I think the amount of weight lost due to HG helped me feel them earlier than expected.

Ealli - I haven't been diagnosed with SPD, but I have been seeing a chiro for a pinched nerve in my hip. Can walk normally now which is great, so I highly recommend seeing someone if anyone gets joint pain.
Lilac - you're doing so great! Not long now.

I had my 28w midwife appointment this week, and she's concerned at the size of my bump so I have a growth scan next week. I'm not concerned at all as baby was measuring big at 20w.
I also have amazing abs, best I've ever had, from the months of puking. Surprising the silver linings you find.
Definitely still having waves of mild nausea, but haven't started vomiting again yet, so slowly making it through the third trimester!
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

I also have amazing abs, best I've ever had, from the months of puking

as silver linings go, that's ... that's .... like loosing the winning ticket and finding a fifty note!

Meerka - I'm an optimist! After so much puking, I find joy in the smallest of things

Mellebacca [grins]
MrsM14 Sorry, I missed that question about movements; it's a long time ago for me, but I remember well it was around week 13, very early, and like Melleebacca I put it down partly to weight loss. The blood test came back with a high risk of Down's for my age, 1 in 33, so I had an amnio, and it was while I was waiting for the results, which was a bit sad. Anyway, all was well, and even that was only about 3 1/2 chances out of 100. Definitely 'feather like movements'.

Hi all, I'm new here - 17 weeks pregnant and have been off work for 3 weeks now with HG. Have read through the thread and everyone seems so supportive - a lot of you have it much worse than me and I can't imagine how that must feel!! Doctors have been very supportive and have put me on Phenergan - which seems to work to a point as my sickness and vomiting was normally limited to post 3pm (I do feel very lucky about that and so not sure I have 'real' HG - feel like an imposter) however since I hit 17 weeks my nausea has got much worse in the mornings as well. Has this happened to anyone? It's really starting to bring me down and start most days with a pitiful sobbing session!!! I have to go back to work on Monday and am dreading it as have a relatively long commute. Also struggling to eat anything other than bagels or toast and apples and feeling very guilty about it, poor baby.

Welcome bear congratulations and commiserations!

The hormones vary wildly so it's not a surprise if you start feeling sick at other times of the day. Unfortunately therés not a huge amount that can help :( Phenergan is good stuff. Ondansetron might be even better but it's hard to get as it's expensive.

Is there any chance at all of getting signed off sick?

The babies of people with HG are usually fine nutritionally. ~everyone~ worries, but they are actually parasites; they ruthlessly strip you of nutrients for what they need. The only problem occasionally if starvation goes on too long is the water-soluble vitamins which can't be stored in your body for the baby to plunder; sometimes if people go into hospital they get put on the vitamins. But generally, that's at the fairly extreme end.

Do post here whenever you need or want to. HG is a very lonely illness, only other people who've been through it really get it.

mrsm14 first time of feeling movements was around 19 - 20 weeks. This time it was much earlier, around 15 weeks. Like little bubbles gently popping inside your tummy. The first time it was hard to believe that was really the baby!

BearGrower Welcome, and so sorry you are suffering still at 17 weeks. Of course, you are not a fraud; the doctors wouldn't have put you on medication if you weren't suffering badly, not because the meds aren't safe, but because there's still a tendency to think those who complain of violent nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are exaggerating. Suffering from 3pm onwards sounds bad enough, and I am so sorry you are starting to get sickness earlier on now. I wonder if it might be worth asking for more or stronger meds? I don't actually know which medicine group yours belongs to - but there are a lot they can try, and in combination too.
I take it you are managing to keep hydrated with whatever liquids you can stand - and have the famous kesostix to test your urine on bad days?

Goodness, this thread is quiet! I hope BearGrower and everyone is coping today,and the silence is due to people being relatively OK...

lucinda and Meerka thank you so much for your posts yesterday - I was having a very bad day (emotionally as much as anything else!) and they gave me comfort.

I managed to eat some asparagus yesterday which I felt very proud of (lots of folic acid) and luckily I do seem to keep water down during the day. I have my ketones checked and recently they've been ok - thank you Phenergan!

I'm just finding the unknown timeline so hard to deal with - 12 weeks felt manageable but rapidly approaching 18 weeks and worst than ever nausea feels really hard to deal with.

I'm sorry for what everyone else is going through! At the moment whenever I'm sick it's with such violence I actually wet myself (so lovely) and that is a big fear about when I go back to work!!! Any tips anyone? Oh the glamour.....

uff, that. yeah. the ligaments are loosening in your pelvis and so accidents do happen!

maybe some Tena lady will give a bit of peace of mind. The other trick is that whne you upchuck, crouch. Put your heel into the crotch against where you wee from. The pressure of your heel stops the wee quite effectively

With any luck you -will- start to feel an improvement between weeks 18 - 22. You'll probably get good and bad days but the general course will be upwards.

All fine here, having a very quiet weekend - slept 11 hours last night! Thanks everyone for the answers re first moves. Feel excited I might feel something in the next couple of weeks.

bear sorry you've had to join but a warm welcome to you! After struggling with hg for the last 8 weeks (which I know is nothing compared to others) I think the biggest help of all is rest. I now nap every afternoon for an hour or so and get at least 8-9 hours a night too, with more at weekends. I've told work I can only manage half days and have finally caved and cancelled all evening or long day plans with friends and family, as I just was just making myself worse. It's so hard not to feel guilty and to ignore the crappy judgement of people who don't get it but I'm starting to realise this really is the time to put yourself first and be selfish! Don't go back to work full time if you're not ready - can you do a phased return? Your doctor can give you a note to say you're only able to work reduced hours if necessary.

Mrsm14 Congratulations on all the sleep - you need it. I'm so glad you're only going to work part time; that's tough enough.
BearGrower Congratulations on asparagus. Great advice from Meerka as ever and Mrsm14 too. I so agree about a staggered return; you don't seem at all well enough to go back to work tommorow; it takes a while to recover from this; can you get the doctor to extend the sick note and then go for the staggered return? Lots of women pee themselves because of the violent retching with this - I got into the habit of whipping off knickers when heading for the loo .
Waves to Mereka.

Thanks all for the advice - particularly the heel in crotch trick, I shall try that later!

I'm going to ask if they would be happy for me to do 8-2 at work and make the time up when I feel a bit better - if not then back to the doctors I go!

You guys are great. Wish I'd found this earlier.

P.S hadn't thought of tena lady - good plan! Will send poor husband out to get some before shops shut. I feel very lucky to have one who is unphased by this!

Hi bear so sorry to hear you are suffering, and yes it does feel gutting to be worse now than at 12 weeks. Really hope this horrible period doesn't last too long. I have done a lot of pee puking but also found that the heel in crotch trick does work quite well and also strategic wees when you feel like a puke might be coming on. I am much much better regarding pukes (not really nausea unfortunately) since taking ondansetron. It was a bit of a battle getting it but the pregnancy sickness helpline found me a doctor in the next borough who could help. Might it be worth trying that?

Thanks for remembering Lucinda, the hospital has now come good and sorted me out a repeat prescription. I know next time to go straight to the nurses in the EPU who sorted it out for me - I should have known.

BearGrower I'm glad he is being so helpful! Do try and take it easy.