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:
links.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy#!scenario

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.

AButterrflyLightsBesideUs
Corss posted. Congratulations on that drive...

Can I join? I am definitely not at the really bad end of the spectrum but I am starting to struggle. I about 8 weeks and on my second pregnancy and the sickness/nausea is difficult while trying to be a SAHM.

I am actually doing alot better than my first pregnancy. I spent two months mostly in bed then vomiting up to 10 times a day and barely eating. I lost over 5kg in 6 weeks. With hindsight I was pretty ill but I thought it was just part of being pregnant and the midwife didn't really pick it up because of short appointments. I was off work anyway so just avoided seeing a doctor. I only really realised it wasn't very normal when I met people at my antenatal classes. And then seeing the doctor at my 6 week check who described me as uncomplaining.

The extra complication is DD was born with a birth defects that may have been related to my poor nutrition during that time (in particular folic acid). She is fine now thanks to NHS but would prefer to avoid again if possible!

Starting to vomit again but only once a day plus the ever present nausea. I have got a doctors appointment tomorrow but am not really sure how much I should push for medication. I am nervous to leave the house with DD on my own now and feel rubbish alot of the time. But am managing to keep myself hydrated via flat Lemonade and watered down orange juice. Can eat pizza, baked potatoes, bread although pasta makes me vomit does fruit and veg now. So it isn't really bad either. Not sure on strategy for tomorrow really.

Should have thought about this a bit more before getting pregnant again but happened super quickly again which I am super thankful. The thought of the sickness was putting me off ttc.

Hello andagain, sorry you had to find us. Glad to hear your little girl is fine now. Are you taking high dose 5mg folic acid daily? If not get yourself to the gp asap for a prescription. It should be prescribed to all women with HG, but in your case it sounds you should def be on a higher dose. You can take ordinary multivitamins as well as it. Were you taking antiemetics in your last pregnancy? You have my sympathies, all nausea and sickness in pregnancy really sucks. Have you got anyone to help out with childcare if you get bad again?

Hi Lucinda, how are you getting on? I don't want to be whinging about the heat as I am glad for some good weather. Currently sat dabbing myself with ice packs and drinking ice water. Dh texted to say how good the air con in his office is. Smug git. :-/

Abutterfly good work on the practice drive! Hope drop offs and pick ups are manageable for you this week.

ickle hope you're coping ok today. HG and hip pain together isn't fair!

Anew welcome. I know what you mean about work. I love my job to! You need to prioritise your health and your baby's health.

flower glad you're feeling better than you were!

Special I'm struggling to sleep in the heat which makes my nausea worse. I'm a real hot weather person normally as well!

almond glad to hear you're home and that you'll get the monitoring you need now. I loved being in my best so much when I was discharged, I cried! How you manage to find another option for your DH's birthday.

AButterfly well done on the driving! My balance is rubbish at the moment- if yours has come on suddenly after taking the medication though, I would definitely go and see your GP.

And, welcome. It's up to you obviously but I think I'd push for meds in your position. The earlier you start the more effective they are. It sounds like the sickness is really affecting your quality of life already Glad to hear that your DD is ok now.

I'm really good today! Probably the best I've felt since before I had HG. I can't quite believe it! I'm sure it's a fluke- I've had good days before and then gone backwards, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. I also think I felt the baby kicking for the first time last night

I'm determined that I'm not going to get carried away and overdo it this afternoon- will just stay on the sofa and relax.

Hope everyone else is ok, thinking of you all.

Hello ladies,
I've just joined MN because I'm desperate to talk to someone about this who isn't going to recommend ginger biscuits!
I feel so dreadful & I feel like I'm not coping at all well - despite what other people keep telling me.
My doctor switched me from one drug to another this morning (now on Stemetil) as I couldn't even keep down the other tablets. Have finally caved & called in sick to work since last Thursday.
I'm 11 weeks & it's my first pregnancy to have got this far.
Had surgery Feb 22nd on a ruptured Fallopian tube as 1st pregnancy was ectopic. Was very ill with that pregnancy too, however not just with the sickness, but mentally (thought to be the internal bleeding, had been going on for weeks & I didn't know).
My question is this: how long should the drugs take to work?
TIA, Lucy.

Hi Lucy, sorry to hear you've had such a rough time this last year. I'm not an expert with stemitil, and didn't find it helped me much, but usually a couple of days of taking every dose is enough to figure out if it helps. Glad you've called in sick, though sounds like you powered on for quite a while- rest is so important. Are you keeping any food and drink down?

Thank you, SpecialStains. I have no idea how to link your name, but thank you for replying 😊
I've been eating & drinking through it & the doctors have said they were pleased with how much I've kept down, even though it really doesn't feel like I have done. My urine samples are okay, not showing the ketones they thought would be there on Thursday or this morning.
No, I've not had the best year. Lost two close friends who said I was just being 'overdramatic' with how ill & upset I was during the first pregnancy & stopped talking to me. They knew I collapsed & nearly died (was a close call), & I thought one at least would get in touch after I was told to message the people I wanted to before my surgery (it really didn't look good), but he blocked me instead. Hard thing to cope with all in one go.
The surgeons saved my internal organs though, which they thought might not be the case. Really does sound like an awful year when I write it down!
I'm feeling a bit wobbly, literally & mentally, today. Hoping it passes soon as I keep rehashing it all in my head when I feel unwell. Wasn't intending to get pregnant again straight away at all, so it's a bit soon to cope with. We only had sex the once as the doctor wanted to check everything was OK 'down there' after all the surgery. Plus, with all their talk of IVF, it didn't even cross my mind that the once, at the wrong time of the month, would result in a baby! Not that I'm not thrilled, I am, it's just a bit soon. Feel like I've been at death's door for a year.
See, I terribly dramatic 😉

Big hello and love to you Lucy and congratulations on your pregnancy after such a tough time.
In my case (I think we're all different), the cyclizine worked immediately and I have gone from puking 10-11 times a day to 1-3, which is now reflux not food related. I know how stressful and disorientating it is not being able to eat, not feeling like yourself, not knowing how to fix it, but we're all here and on hand to chat as you find out what works best for you.

Thank you, almondbutter.
I think I'll give it 48 hours & go back to the doctor.
A friend recommended a drug called Ondansetron - anyone had any luck with that?
I really want to be able to eat by Sunday (ambitious, I know) as I'm going to the Queen's birthday party & I really don't want to miss it. Honestly, I may just go either way. Kate had it, right? Hopefully she'll understand.

Gosh, that is a lot to go through. Congratulations on your pregnancy though, and as much as the nausea and vomiting sucks it has been associated with positive pregnancy outcomes. I have no experience of the things you've been through, but it can be very difficult for friends and family to understand pregnancy related problems. My own father (admittedly, who I tolerate at best) often comes out with the phrase 'Pregnancy is not an illness'. No it's not, but if you felt as shit as someone with HG at any other time, you'd be thinking there is something seriously wrong with you. Don't worry about the dramatics, I spent a lot of time hugging the toilet and telling my DH that I was dying and I couldn't cope any more. I haven't died, feeling much better now (week 30, but it took until halfway through second trimester before I noticed a big improvement) and I can cope (even if coping means sleeping huge amounts and sitting very still to not cause any more nausea). I felt really dizzy and wobbly until about 16 weeks - it's all so scary if you're used to being very healthy!

Good that there's no ketones showing, and it sounds like you're being monitored by your doctors. Don't hesitate to go back if stemitil doesn't work. I recommend lots of time dozing on the sofa, with a good box set (if screens don't make it worse), some ice water/flat coke/tinned peach juice and whatever you can eat.

In terms of drugs, below are the NICE guidelines for HG:

^All anti-emetics are unlicensed for treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

If an anti-emetic is required in pregnancy, prescribe oral promethazine or oral cyclizine, and reassess after 24 hours.
If the response to the treatment is good:
Continue treatment with the chosen anti-emetic (promethazine or cyclizine).
Review the woman once a week thereafter.
If the response to treatment is inadequate, the woman is not dehydrated, and there is no ketonuria:
Switch to another anti-emetic such as oral metoclopramide, oral prochlorperazine, or oral ondansetron.
Metoclopramide is not licensed for people under 20 years old and is known to cause oculogyric crisis, especially in young adults. Treatment with metoclopramide should not be prescribed for longer than 5 days.
At the time of writing, ondansetron is significantly more expensive than metoclopramide or prochlorperazine.
Reassess after 24 hours.
Seek specialist advice if the response to a second anti-emetic is poor.
Continue with the second anti-emetic if the response to treatment is good.
Review the woman once a week thereafter.^

Fwiw, cyclizine and ondansetron both worked for me (particularly ondansetron). However, cyclizine made me far too drowsy and ondansetron gave me really awful constipation.

Ha! Yes, I may have used the words 'I can't cope' recently. Mostly when I was sick ON the cat & then had to hose down said cat so she didn't get it all over the house. Needless to say, I was not popular.
I think my doctors are being super careful as the week before everything happened last time I went to the doctors 4 times & casualty 3 times saying I was really ill & was convinced I was dying & they just gave me antidepressants & sent me home. Luckily I was in hospital for the 4th time when I collapsed, or I don't think I'd be writing this.
Funnily enough, I really fancy peaches. Drank the juice yesterday too. I think I'm after the sugar.

Welcome Lucy, congratulations on the pregnancy- so sorry to hear about the ectopic. I was initially put on cyclizine, which made me feel a bit better but I was still vomiting 30+ times a day. I'm now on ondansetron and cyclizine together- I think I felt better within a few hours of starting the ondansetron (though it was given through an IV to start with, so I guess a tablet would've taken longer). I think giving it 48 hours maximum and then going back is sensible. For me, ondansetron has been a revelation- it does give you pretty bad constipation though! Glad that your ketones are OK for the moment- make sure you keep an eye though.

Special my cousin had HG and was off work for 6 months. I will never forget our aunt marching into her bedroom and saying "come on now! You're pregnant, not dying!"

I am avoiding said aunt at the moment for fear of what I might say if I get a similar judgement from her!

Tinned fruits are one of the favourites some of the veteran hg sufferers recommend on here (it never appealed to me personally - I drank lots of coca-cola). It's good because the sugar helps to keep ketones down and fruit is always good for you.

I've vomited when feeding the cat, but never on the cat itself. That's some good going! I'm imagining one very pissed off cat having been vomited on and then having to be washed!

Have you been able to chat to a HCP about your missed ectopic pregnancy? It is a big deal, and sounds really traumatic. I think it would be very reasonable for you to ask your gp about some counselling or cbt therapy.

Have you had scans already to check this pregnancy?

Almond sorry about your reflux. I've only suffered from a few bad days of acid reflux, but my god is it painful and make sleeping a nightmare.

Rae My mum had really bad vomiting and sickness with me, and still went on about me taking time off work. Told me you just have to get over it! She's been hugely supportive since (me going into hospital seemed to make her take it more seriously), so I think she must have forgotten how bad it can be! Are you still having a good day? Doing anything nice while you're feeling OK?

Thanks, ladies. Been outside trying to get some fresh air, but it's a little too warm.
The first drug I was on was the Metoclopramide you mention. Was on it for 4 days but it only worked for the first day.
You're right about the cat, not only did that happen, but then we had to rush to Denmark as my husband's grandfather passed away, so she had someone popping in to feed her. I was in big big trouble! She's back to obsessively sniffing me now & pawing my tummy. It's very odd, she definitely knows I'm pregnant. Funny little thing.
I had scans at 4 & 8 weeks. Baby is in the right place & there's a heartbeat. Next scan is Friday next week. Hoping they bring my due date forwards as I know exactly when we conceived & it doesn't add up to the 'official' calculations.
Rae, I don't blame you! My grandmother was very ill in hospital with HG up until she was 34 weeks, when she developed preeclampsia & my mum came along. My mum was ill with HG up until 13 weeks, so I'm being hopeful 13 weeks will be my cut off too. My mum has been very supportive though, well, other than the 'why do you think both you & I are only children?'. Thanks for the warning with that, mother!

Special I really think that other women can cause the biggest problems for HG patients sometimes- glad that your Mum supported you in the end though! My aunt sent me a text the other day reminding me how long it's been since they've seen me. I'm trying to view it as coming from a place of love and concern! I'm literally just resting on the sofa- I didn't want to get too excited and overdo it, which I've been guilty of in the past. I'm off work tomorrow so might go for a little walk or something if I still feel ok.

Lucy glad that your early scans have gone well. I'm really lucky with my wonderful Mum too- she's been a lifesaver with both practical and emotional support.

I've just booked a session with a personal trainer (gulp) for late July. Went with her as she's part-time midwife and specialises in exercise in pregnancy as a PT. I was a bit of a gym bunny before HG, so I'm hoping that she'll be able to show me some super gentle exercises to regain a bit of my strength without making the HG worse. I guess the worst case scenario a that I'm very sick and have to halt the session and lose my money. She's also said I can move the date free of the session free of charge if I'm having a bad day, which is nice of her.

Hi Lucy, sounds like you have had a really tough time. You want to be thankful for getting pregnant quickly but also makes it alot to deal with.

I didn't have anything last pregnancy. I really just hid away from everyone. My experience with medical people has been mixed and I just assumed they would think I was making a fuss. Will mention the extra folic acid tomorrow so thanks. I have been keeping what I have been taking down which is better than last time. I am too scared to take anything else - the pregnancy vitamins last time were the thing that started off vomiting.

Childcare can be found in an emergency but we live a couple of hours at least from family and they have their own lives. My husband works long hours. He has told work though in case he needs to help. They asked him if he was happy! He is really but just not looking forward to the next few months.

Exercise! I ordered a rising machine just before finding out I was pregnant. Mistake - I doubt I will be doing any this pregnancy.

Hey Rae exciting stuff with the personal trainer! I've been out cycling a few times lately which has cheered me up no end. Trying to get round to going to aquanatal classes, but need a low-nausea day to be certain I won't vomit in the pool! It's nice you have that to look forward to.

I am also resting on the sofa. Cat is resting on the sofa. It's just too warm for us both! He's being unnaturally docile at the moment. It's making me worry he's plotting something. My cat is definitely too stupid to know I'm pregnant, unlike Lucy's.

Lucy Glad you've had two good scans already. It's funny how hg can run in families.

And it was the Pregnacare that made my sickness loads worse- the midwife said that the iron in them can cause it? I'm just taking folic acid and Vitamin D now- midwife said I needed to take Vitamin D too so it might be worth asking tomorrow? We got a pot of 90 from the supermarket for less than £1 if I'm remembering correctly!

Special I really fancy a bike ride now! Unfortunately I'd need to ask DH to get my bike out for me (it's behind a load of stuff for the house renovation currently). No way will he be happy with me going off alone at the moment. Maybe I can persuade him to come with me at the weekend! At least you have a cat-shaped sofa buddy .

And I second Rae with the pregnacare making it worse. For the first few months I took prescription 5mg folic acid (the prescription tablets are smaller than over the counter ones and easier to swallow, this makes no sense to me as the prescription ones have more folic acid in them) and the vitamin D tablets (got them in sainsbury's). Don't be afraid to ask for meds if you need.