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.

Sleepy I hope you manage to get a decent rest

ickle I'm definitely better than I was- coughing a lot less and not as hot and bothered. Hot black currant was lovely! I' not surprised you're at tipping point. When is the work due to finish?

Snow just to pick up worries about ondansetron - It's generally considered safe. Very, very few meds are licensed for primary use during preg (thanks to the old, dreadful effects of thalidomide, a drug prescribed in the 1960's that would never pass the testing now).

but ondansetron is considered safe and there has been a massive Danish study in 2013 that essentially came to the conclusion there was no adverse effect. Previous studies had been much, much smaller.

The effects of dehydration can be much more worrying, and of starvation if it goes on long enough.

No one wants to take meds in preg. But faced with the awfulness, and sometimes awful consequences of HG, it's generally much the lesser of the two evils to take the meds you're prescribed

Sorry for general silence - bit of a tricky patch at the moment, plus very busy. Although nothing compares to the trickiness of 8 1/2 months of HG

Wishing everyone the best

Agreed on the painkillers. When I was first pregnant I still had the internal stitches from my ectopic & the early pregnancy unit were happy for me to take cocodamol for pain & temp, so I'm sure there is nothing to worry about with paracetamol. Try getting some fluids down if you can at all (ice poles?) as being dehydrated won't help.

icklekid Glad you like the badges.
Rae I so agree with SeaEagle SleepymrsE and others. Those headaches are awful - that sounds like a migraine type one .
I hope everyone is surviving.
SeaEagle Lovely to hear from you, and I hope things are less fraught soon.
Waves to all.

Sorry ladies. Been wanting to post but generally completely exhausted as still not keeping food down (although drinks ok so not ketonic).
Will post properly tmw, but much love to you all.
ickle sending a big hug, sorry to hear you've been feeling so down, at least having experienced PND you will be alert to it and seek help if you need to again, I hope you don't have to.
34 wk and counting... So frustrated I can't do much and panicking that I'm not ready for baby yet. Feel like I'm failing DD even though she's mostly at childminder. Every time I think things are getting a bit better it all goes tits up again! Seeing consultant tmw so will see what he says.
I can't rem who asked about cramps but could they have been bowel related rather than uterus?? Generally that's what mine are. V unpleasant though.
Will be back tmw with proper messages - look after yourselves ladies xx

Thanks for the replies :)

SleepyMrsE Hope that everything still stays down... I remember my first few days of things staying down seemed like an absolute miracle! I also found I felt full for longer - I remember it took me two days to eat a tin of tomato soup!

SpecialStains That sounds like me! When's your due date? I found out I was pregnant on a work trip to London and I went on a major shoppping spree the day before - unfortunately all of those clothes make me wretch so they're relegated to my mums wardrobe haha! I've also been getting cramps randomly for the last few weeks - the midwife said the babys head was low and it was the pressure from that... It's been like it for a few weeks so I guess thats just happening now...

AliceKeach I have a weird association of Sure Deodorant which is probably the same reason!

LucyHMK what party were you at?! My way of explaining hyperemesis is 'I have hyperemesis... it's what Kate Middleton had' haha!

SeaEagle Thank you for taking the time to confirm what I keep trying to tell myself - I was initially prescribed the ondansetron in France who were very very very clear that it was much worse for me to not take it than to take it. Then when I moved back to the UK everyone seemed very touchy on the topic - different consultants said different things and overall made me feel a bit guilty for taking it if I'm honest! (One consultant even told me to substitute it for milk as if that was even a possibility!)

Hope everyone sleeps well tonight!

Urghh, I'm awake with bad acid reflux and I feel sick.

Snow My due date is 17th August. Getting close now. When's yours? I know it's easier said, but don't worry about the ondansetron. From personal experience, older GPs are much more jumpy about it, but DH said it was prescribed all the time when he worked on an obs and gynae ward, and younger (therefore more recently trained) GPs are happier to prescribe.

MrsMonkey I think the cramps are definitely uterus related, though that was the first thing DH suggested as well, before telling me to check for UTI. It hasn't happened again, so I think it's just one of those things.

I can't remember who suggested an irritable uterus, but that phrase makes me laugh. Everything else about me is irritable at the moment, so wouldn't surprise me if my womb feels the same way! As I said, it hasn't happened again, so I'll mention at my midwife appointment tomorrow, and then write it off as an unexplained pregnancy malfunction.

There is a solid bit of baby sticking out of me atm. I presume its a head or bum. Very uncomfortable!

Night everyone else, hope you get better nights sleep than me.

special the stabbing head/bum or even hand/foot is a very common complaint of mine to dh. This baby seems determined to do everything in its power to make me feel uncomfortable I'm sure!

snow baby dropped very low for me too yesterday- going to get an exercise ball to bounce on as walking has become waddling and pressure is really painful!

Agree with seaeagle without ondansetron I would certainly not be coping! Very greatful for drugs that keep me hydrated and able to attempt work/getting out of bed!

mrsmonkey I go through cycles of feeling like I'm hugely letting ds down but when hes at childminder I just have to let go and know he's happy and that's all that matters. Before I know it he will only have me for summer holidays +mat leave and will be no doubt doing less than before! Here's hoping for sunny days so can just throw him in the garden each day and be easily entertained!

seaeagle hope you are doing ok. Really kind of you to pop back despite obviously dealing with so much. Take care of yourself

rae pleased your feeling a bit better. Everything should be done by the end of next week. I know it is no time at all but right now with a fridge in the hallway, living off microwave meals in the living room and the other day not even being able to get in the kitchen (I had to buy plastic knives and forks because I forgot to get some out) without even starting to mention the dust was just too much! The flooring is nearly done and then this friday all joinery is finished. Then the decorating begins properly...I know I won't be able to do much but really want to try.

ickle I'm renovating our kitchen myself - painting & retiling because I'm super picky & the cupboards scream 'bachelor pad', but they were clearly not the cheap option, so I felt too wasteful replacing them. I feel your situation however, stuff everywhere! Mine is on hold for another few weeks until I hopefully feel up to it. Then I shall be back to painting on the weekends - fingers crossed.

Snow the Queen's 90th birthday party. Was excellent fun. Plus I was not sick on the Queen! 🎉🎉

Bit excited today as I have my third scan on Friday. 13 weeks. Already seen the heartbeat at 8 as being very closely monitored, then have another at 16 to see if we can SEE. First time in weeks that I could say my slightly sicky feeling might actually be excitement 😁 Did anyone else have a private early scan to see the sex? I feel like I owe myself extra peeks given what the pregnancy has put me through!

Have good days, all.

Enjoy your scan lucy we didn't find out sex so can't help you there but all scans I've had (3 in total) have given me a real boost to get through hg horrors!

Right ladies I'm not keeping anything down and been sent home from work. So this week I will have managed a total of half a day 😥 is there any point going to gp other than if I have to get signed off again? I'm on ondansetron and cyclazine that was working well. I guess this is third trimester hg back with avengance. Don't want to waste gp time but if there is anything they can do will jump on it...

ickle I've managed half a day this week too. Sucks doesn't it? Slept solidly yesterday until 4pm, got up and ate some potato waffles and watched a harry potter film, then went back to bed at 9ish. I'm debating asking about taking ondansetron again. I am vomiting much less, but I feel so nauseous all the time. 31 weeks today. Only 9 weeks to go...

at this stage it might be difficult to get them to give you anything ... Most HCPs aren't even aware that it can come back so badly.

But if you have a sympathetic doctor then you could ask for Avomine (promethazine) or metoclopramide. IIRC though they're reluctant to give meto. close to the birth ... though my memory is fading a bit and I can't get to the BMF site as I'm out of the UK, so that might not be right.

Hi seaeagle, my GP is lovely and very sympathetic and been very happy to hand over the good drugs so far (I think he mentioned his wife suffered badly in pregnancy with HG). Will book an appointment for a chat.

I've probably got some avomine somewhere as what I was prescribed at first will give that a try. Good suggestion seaeagle

special 29 weeks here so also on countdown- grateful I'm not the only one suffering if that makes any sense. I'm back in bed having just dosed the last hour. Going to check ketones but as water staying down probably fine...

Ickle I really am on countdown. Only next week of work, and then I'm on annual leave until I start mat leave at end of July. A few people have made comments about me not waiting until the very end to start mat leave so as to spend more time with baby, but I physically can't. I'm so tired and miserable and even on my good days I feel constantly nauseous.

I'm in bed too, but will need to get dressed for a midwife appointment today. I have no idea how you are doing this with a child already, Ickle. You must be super human. My cat is too needy for me at the moment. Hope the avomine helps.

You poor things. My pills say they aren't suitable for the third trimester, so I think it's worth checking with the GP. HG is no waste of time for them - just us!

Special My due date is 20th July. I cannot wait!! My friends due date was 8th July and she had her little boy 7 weeks early. Part of me was slightly jealous (especially as he is completely fine!)... Completely understand the early maternity leave, if I didn't work from home I don't know if I would have ever made it into the office!

Lucy We had a private scan to check the babys sex - I felt so detached from the baby because I'd been so ill it really helped me gain a bit of a connection with her and to comprehend I was actually having a baby (She was a bit of a surprise and the fact that I was so ill made everything seem very very surreal - like someone else was pregnant and I was just ill. I couldn't really comprehend how a baby could survive when I was just constantly vomitting).

ickle I feel your pain. Everyone kept saying 'it should be gone by 12/15/18/20/24 weeks...' which meant I kept putting deadlines on it as 'only 4 weeks until I might feel better!" which just meant feeling frustrated when I felt the same (I did have a month of improvement but it didn't go completely). You are super human to do this with a child already! Did you have HG in your first pregnancy?

Having a hard morning but managed to keep down a packet of mini cheddars and put a wash on.... so healthy and productive. Am now watching the wright stuff - do they get all their topics from Mumsnet?! I have no idea how you are all renovating/moving house - I can barely be bothered to clean the bathroom!

Hey everyone, in a taxi on my way to hosp for my check up (no energy for public transport! This is costing me a fortune!) so checking in properly.
Welcome to snow, sounds like you are very nearly there! I'm also still on Ondansetron at 34w, have been since 12w and been on almost max dose since an admission 3w ago! I've got over the worries I'm harming baby now, she seems to be doing well in there, existing on goodness knows what cos not much is staying down. How are you feeling today?
rae hope you're on the mend from the virus, def not what you need on top of HG. I had a bog standard cold in 1st trimester which turned into sinusitis and I've never felt so wretched as couldn't sleep, was at the GP on Xmas eve literally begging for help!!
sleepy how are you doing now? So tough with a toddler isn't it. Sounds like your, mine and ickle 's little ones are all v similar age! I've been planning DD's 2nd bday party (at home) but am dreading it as fear I've foolishly invited too many people. It's going to be toddler carnage. At least I've got away with no overnight visitors rule!
special sorry to hear about the uterus cramps and generally feeling uncomfortable - how is your sickness now? Must be handy having DH on hand with his GP knowledge - also one more GP in the world who will be super sympathetic to HG patients in future 😊 You are quite right to start mat leave early - getting as much rest as poss will get you into best state poss to tackle birth and newborn. Hope MW apt goes well.
ickle how are you feeling (emotionally) now? You've got so much on with building work and I'm worried you're going to be one with an HG resurgence for 3rd trimester, I hope not. It's not much fun. Do go to seek help to see if anything can be done on meds front, eg increase Ondansetron dose perhaps? Doubling mine has helped. Get as much rest as you can. Hope ketones are ok.
lucy how exciting re the Queen's party! I'm glad you were able to make it. Good luck for Friday scan. We had the harmony test so found out the sex that way.
Waves to seaeagle lucinda and anyone I've missed! X

The BT engineer is here (rhyme unintentional) . BT have given up insisting they could remedy it form their end. Hopefully, be able to catch up on the thread properly soon.

lucinda fingers crossed bt man gets it sorted- ply him with biscuits and tea and don't let him leave until its done!

mrsmonkey hope hospital check up goes well. Been up and sick since 3.30am which is doing my mental health no good! Went to work but was sent home after less than an hour because I just wasn't well. Have already booked a gp for next mon and if not well will be getting signed off which is a major pain as got lots booked in however have to put me first. I am resting all day and then mil will be coming tomorrow so I can rest then...

snow no I had sickness throughout and was on cyclazine but was only really bad in evenings so I could work then collapse. Doing worse no doubt in part because of having ds to run around after/entertain. If it helps I'm not really cleaning the bathroom (just nagging dh!) And trying to keep on top of dust in extension.

With a bit of luck will have a kitchen back today- plumber is fitting new tap and flooring will be all sorted. Can actually cook again and have running water in kitchen. By end of next week will have dishwasher and washing machine again...revelation!

special only one more week sounds amazing...I think I have 5 more...only 3 days each week. All seems too much right now though. Feeling dehydrated but ketones only + so nothing dr will worry about.

snow I completely agree, the only thing vaguely exciting my end has been the tiny shopping which I started after seeing the heart beat at 8 weeks. Feels like someone else is having the baby & I have norovirus!

mrsmonkey yes, it was very exciting. A great party. Was sick all morning but completely determined to go. It's not often you get an invite like that one. What's a harmony test?

mother Hen good luck with the BT man!

aww the tiny shopping online is about the only good thing about it all, isn't it? :) even then it all seemed rather unreal to me. We were lucky enough to be given quite a bit of stuff too, which helped.

Thank you for the advice I got the other day. Have medication from the hospital so hopefully it kicks in soon.

to you all.

mrsmonkey how did you get on at the hospital? I'm a lot better today virus-wise. Horray!

Special hope you managed to get some sleep in the end.

ickle I absoloutely get that then end of the building works feels like forever away- I hate mess on my house when I'm well, let alone now. So sorry that you're struggling at work. I think I'd go to the GP anyway, just to have it recorded. Sorry that you're also having work issues Special!

Hope the scan went well Lucy! I had an early scan at 7 weeks when I was admitted. We aren't finding out the sex.

Snow I know exactly what you mean about feeling ill, not pregnant! Hope you've managed to keep more down now. Are you drinking ok?

Lucinda good luck with BT! I'd ask how it went but I guess if it went badly you won't be able to reply! Got my fingers crossed for you.

Vixx I'm glad you've got help. How are you feeling now?

Had a real high pressure situation at work today- I've been kept away from them since I've been back but I was asked to do it as if would've taken someone else twice as long and there was a tight deadline. I loved it! Weirdly, I miss working under pressure

Hi all,

mrsmonkey how did the hospital appointment go?

ickle it really does sound like you should get signed off work until your mat leave can start. Not ideal but you don't seem well enough to be at work. Hope the ketones aren't too bad and you've managed some rest.

rae glad to hear you're feeling a bit better and that you've enjoyed work today. Fingers crossed you continue to feel better and HG tails off a bit.

special pleased to hear the cramps have settled. Sorry that you're struggling with work too.

vixx really good news that you've got meds, hopefully they help significantly with the sickness.

I'm shattered once again, had headache once again too. Just successfully managed bedtime with DS on my own, had a bowl of cornflakes for tea and I'm just trying to motivate to move myself off the sofa to bed. Feeling stressed at work at the moment. Usually do 4 days a week but working tomorrow evening, this weekend and then 5 days next week plus the weekend. I'm dreading it knocking me back but no one else to run the events. I really hope I'm not poorly for DS's birthday at the end of the month.

Hi to everyone else, snow lucy lucinda - sorry for those I have missed.