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#!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.

How are you getting on MOP?

Sleepy - If you're struggling with vitamins, the smallest and easiest to swallow I've found were the seven seas trying for a baby 1 month pack from bodycare. I think they cost 99p, contain all the same vitamins as in pregnancy multivitamins (folic acid, vitamin d, iron etc) but are the smallest I've found. I hope you feel better soon.

Rae - you are working too much. Stop it!

LightTripper - I shouldn't whinge too much, I felt much worse at your stage of pregnancy. Fingers crossed at your scan they put your dates forward. My scan dates put me a week ahead of what I thought was my due date, and not complaining about a week less of knowingly being pregnant!

LucyHK - How you holding up? How are you coping with your EDS and being pregnant?

I'm ordering spicy food for dinner, which will be washed down with raspberry leaf tea and followed by a dessert of pineapple. I then may try and stop being grumpy for 5mins and down some gaviscon to help with the fire the spicy food will cause, before trying to convince DH to dtd. I think I'll give nipple stimulation a miss though, as I read online you need to do it for between 1-3hrs for it to take effect, and that just sounds like a recipe for chapped nipples. Can you tell I want baby out?! Any further suggestions of getting labour going will be gratefully received, no matter how odd they may be.

Special I hope you aren't waiting much longer! You must feel so down. I know it doesn't help, but you are so nearly there. The end is in sight. Your 'not suiting pregnancy' comment also made me smile- I said exactly the same thing today!

ickle I'm so glad you're home! I know what you mean about the relief of being in your own bed- I cried with relief when I was discharged after the HG admission. Must be wonderful to bring your baby home with you!

Lucy yes my boss is amazing, she's a very close friend as well as a manager, and has been telling me to take it easier too. She's the main reason why I'm working as hard as I can though! If I don't do it, she will get it in the neck or have to cover me.

Light I'm 24 weeks so ahead of you, but know how you feel about the length of time ahead. I've just tried to take it one day at a time all the way through, so that's the only advice I can give! for you. I also had the issue of not being as far song as I thought, it sucks Hopefully your HG will improve in the next few weeks.

Sleepy which vitamins can you tolerate? Anything with iron in seems to make my HG worse! Let us know which ones you get on with. Good idea about working from home- I think just losing my commute would help my energy levels. I have had a risk assessment but it didn't cover hours, just things like no heavy lifting, prolonged photocopying (!), etc.

Mother not at all! I think you were the voice of my conscience I do feel worse when tired and struggled today, so left at 4. Early night tonight I think. Haha at the pac-a-mac. Sounds glamorous! The weather has been awful here today too.

Special I don't know what you're feeling up to physically, but one of my friends went for a walk up a big hill near us at the end of both of her pregnancies and went into labour a few hours later!

Special that made me laugh! You never know, it might work! Long walk? Star jumps?
My EDS isn't actually too bad. I usually dislocate things all the time (as in 20+ times a day), but since I've been pregnant I can only recall a few times - notably my little finger which I got stuck in a door handle (expletive!!). My consultant did say that it tends to go either way with pregnancy seeing as it's relaxin that I have too much of. She said I could either become 'normal' for the duration of my pregnancy, or I could be completely bed ridden. Glad it seems to be behaving. Interesting stuff though.

Rae as long as you aren't over doing it, I'll quit nagging 😉 I worked 9 hours today trying to sort something - I have no idea how you do it.

Sleepy , Mother they are a bit pushy about it. I've skipped a dose each week. Unpleasant.

LT I'm 20 weeks on Thursday so midway there. Hoping you're one of the lucky ones where it magically disappears. There needs to be a fingers crossed emoji for that.

Hi ladies,

I'm quite late joining this thread! Currently 34 weeks dead on and have had hg throughout this pregnancy. Been in hospital for the last month being fed through a tube in my nose and iv fluids and meds. I take 3 different anti sickness meds via iv as well as 9 other meds and still vomit around 50 times a day. My potassium levels are so low that they're adversely affecting my heart.

I have my c-section (third section) scheduled for Thursday at 34+2, depending on whether a special care cot will be available, but it still doesn't seem real if you know what I mean! He's going to be a small one, especially in comparison to my previous two big babies.

I really can't wait for this to be over. Thought I'd join the thread for some hand holding! for all of you who are suffering.

Hues, welcome - never too late to join, and plenty of hand holding available here. But my goodness, it sounds like you've had a really very extreme case of HG. 50 vomits a day at 34 weeks, and on all those meds - you poor thing. Glad you've got a section booked so the end is in sight. I hope you've had plenty of support in RL to see you through. Do keep us posted on how you get on.

Thanks Motheofpearl.

It's the worst case my team of Consultants have seen and they have been absolutely fantastic throughout. I've had plenty of support but it's been difficult with two DS's at home and a DH who usually works away through the week. It's meant ringing in some major changes to the usual routine. I did manage to book a weekly cleaner to sort out the house whilst I've been in hospital though so that's been one less thing to worry about!

There's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel now but I'm trying not to pin my hopes on Thursday being the definitive section date as it all depends on the availability in SCBU. It'll be a case of finding out on a day by day basis post Thursday if there isn't a cot available.

I'll keep you updated!

Welcome hues does sound like you've got a very extreme form of hg so sorry to hear. I keep popping back as had hg throughout pregnancy but wanted to comment as I had my dd at 34+6 last Tuesday and spent some time post natal unit in transition care. Mine was spontaneous rather than planned so bit of a shock but dd is doing brilliantly and we came home on mon eve! She was a good weight which helped but feel free to message if you had any questions.

Hello everyone. I'm after a bit of advice.

I had awful HG in my 1st pregnancy with DD - sick up to 40 times a day and delirious most of the time but somehow I avoided hospital (probably down to the sheer number of ice lollies I lived on).

This time, it's nowhere near as bad, but I still feel awful. I'm sick 5-10 times a day, can't keep most foods down (as in, I'm sick directly after) and I'm also throwing up a lot of fluid. I was prescribed Cyclizine, but I swear it just makes me worse! I end up throwing up really violenrly every time I take it, which is strange.

Basically, I'm not sure if I have HG again. I'm signed off work atm (it's a 2.5 hour round commute and pretty full-on) with hyperemesis but I can't help but feel like a fraud because it's not as bad as last time. The nausea is still crushing and I have no energy but doesn't this just sound like bad morning sickness? Feeling a bit pathetic for not going into work but just can't manage it right now!

Hello hues and cwtch
*
Hues* Hand holding here! Not long to go now, and sounds like you've coped amazingly well so far. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Cwtch Sounds like hg to me, even if it isn't as bad as last time you can't work if you're vomiting 5 times a day. It's not just the vomiting, it's the constant feeling nauseous and the lack of appetite that also makes you feel tired. Plus you already have a Dc to look after! I am always in awe of people that manage a hg pregnancy with children already. How far along are you? Did it ease up for you after the first trimester last time?

Waves to everyone else. Curry, pineapple and raspberry leaf tea have not helped one bit. Raspberry leaf tea is also making me gag, but I'm persevering! I'm just going to go and walk to the post office (only 2mile round trip, but I get breathless lying down at the moment). There's a steep hill, maybe that will set things off.

I've got an engagement party invite about an hours north on Friday - surely Sod's law of being 1hr 45mins away from the hospital I'm booked in at should set things off?! I'll pack my bag and baby's car seat in the hope it does!

Bloody bump hasn't dropped yet. Realistically I don't think I'm ready to go into labour, but the idea of staying pregnant much longer is very depressing.

I apologise for the bold fails on my last post!

Hues that sounds diabolical - poor you. That sounds really at the extreme end of things, I can't imagine. I'm sure you know lots too, but I know lots of babies (including my niece and nephew) born at 30 weeks or earlier who've done really well. I hope you can get to the end soon and start enjoying newborn snuggles xx

CwtchyQ if it makes you feel less fraudulent, I have only been sick a couple of times a day, and am sure I just have "bad morning sickness" and not HG, but I still struggle to cope some days and everybody here has been really welcoming to me and very helpful figuring out drugs etc. Please don't feel a fraud. Can you go back to your GP and try something else? I am now on cyclizine and metoclopramide, and I found the meto really helped and pushed me back to being sick once a day when it had been creeping back up to 3-4. Fingers crossed so far (5 days in) I seem to be stabilising at that level and life is so much more bearable now. Seems like you may need something stronger in the end, but it's worth going to the GP and trying the first/second line stuff first so you know what does and doesn't work for you. Please don't struggle on alone. Whether it is or isn't "officially" HG you still deserve help and support.

Thank you both for your kind words! I'm 9.5 weeks atm, it started bang on 6 weeks with pure nausea and awful lightheadedness and then the sickness came!

I had it until 24 weeks with DD, it slowly petered off and I had the "occasional vom" as we used to call it. Dh says I'm just so used to the idea of being sick loads that anything less doesn't seem like much, but it's still not good.

The GP hasn't been hugely helpful and has just said that there's no "magic pill" to make it go away, but has referred me to an obstetrician for more guidance. Not sure when that will come through.

Really hope you aren't struggling too much - I don't think people that don't have it understand how bloody awful it is.

hues you must be an incredible woman to cope with all that you have. You have had such a bad case of HG. I can't really add more than what has been said but I think ickle's story is what you need to focus on. I also know two women at work who had their little ones early (32 weeks and 35 weeks) and both were well over 5lb. Good luck with the csection tomorrow. Many of us on here will be thinking about you.

CwtchyQ def don't feel like a fraud. I agree with what others have said, bad morning sickness and HG comes in a variety of shapes & sizes. Nausea can be so debilitating. The nausea tends to continue for most of us even on meds but it doesn't sound like the cyclizine is working so I would suggest going back to the docs to try something else. There are lots of medication options.

special feeling sorry for you at the minute. Those last stages of pregnancy are awful anyway but I know this time I will be desperate to get little one out. I cannot wait to enjoy food once again and meet baby, of course. I never took raspberry leaf tea last time but apparently you can get tablet form of the tea is making you gag? Others have suggested lots of walking up and down stairs? I will admit I did do a bit of nipple squeezing last time as my friend did hers and colostrum came out so asked me if I was the same. So I did but it freaked me out when stuff came out so I promptly stopped. Haha. Will keep sending labour vibes your way!

Hope everyone else is doing ok. The iron tablets are making my heartburn worse and I can't take them within an hour of having milk or cereal, which considering my diet is mainly cereal means I will struggle to take 3 a day. Also majorly worrying about my constipation levels.

CwtchyQ Snap! 9.5 weeks here too (10.5 on dates but I had an early reassurance scan which put me back - boooo). Do you have a different GP at your practice you could try? I found having a read of the Pregnancy Sickness Support website information on drugs really good and this document which has the advantage of being UK-based, "official" and up to date:

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/green-top-guidelines/gtg69-hyperemesis.pdf

Things like metoclopramide and stemetil (and cyclizine) have been used for years with no evidence of bad effects for the baby (there can be some side effects from some of them for mum - the link tells you about those). Your GP shouldn't just be fobbing you off like that, especially given you were so bad last time. I think your DH is right, you may be minimising it because you had such a bad time last time, but what you are facing isn't normal and there are drugs that can help a lot of people, and might help you.

Something I've found comforting is that a few women I know through a Mumsnet group had worse sickness with their second BUT it lasted less long. I was throwing up every day until 20 weeks in my first pregnancy, so it just feels like a long haul ahead. But just because it didn't ease until 24 weeks last time doesn't necessarily mean it will go so long this time - you just never know.

I am pretty confident the meto is taking the edge off at least so I definitely think it could be worth you seeing another GP. If none of your GPs are helpful I think it may be worth phoning Pregnancy Sickness Support as they maintain a list of GPs who are sympathetic to Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP) and know about treatments, so they might be able to put you on to somebody better.

SleepymrsE do you like sugar free mints? I am eating a lot at the moment but always find they make me a bit loose - don't know if they might help counteract the iron?

LT xx

CwtchyQ Totally understand what you mean about people having no clue. I have one friend who had full on HG and have been talking to her as she really understands, and my Mum and my OH have both seen me in the throes of it so they really know what it is about. Otherwise it's very hit and miss.

This morning my boss e-mailed me to see if I was OK (she knows about the p/g and that' I've had a coupe of m/cs, and I think she was worried I may have m/c'd again as I've been "quiet")

I said I was fine, but the sickness is worse than before hence not hearing/seeing so much of me, and she said "Oh good!" Which obviously she meant well (she just meant Oh Good that's a good sign for the pregnancy) - but she had no sickness at all in her pregnancies - in fact never felt better in her life - so it's hardly surprising that she says that. I think it's hard to understand unless you've been through at least a little bit of it.

Thanks ladies, your kind words are much appreciated. Just had my pre-med for the section tomorrow and at the moment, there is a SCBU cot available. Fluids have been upped as there's a worry I may be too dehydrated for the anaesthetic so my drip is running at a litre an hour today!

Waves to everyone else

Exciting Hues - really hope everything goes to plan. Great that the SCBU cot is still available - hopefully means everything is coming together. I got to cuddle a 1 week old at the weekend and it was LUSH. Hope you are snuggling your newborn very soon.

Let us know how you are when you can! xxx

Thanks LightTripper I'll keep you posted!

Thank you all so much and thank you light for all that info. Very helpful!

I've actually just got back from venturing out with my Mum for a couple of hours - which is the first time I've been properly out in weeks - and actually realised how awful I feel when out and about. Very faint, very nauseous and unfortunately was sick! Thank god for nappy bags is all I can say.

Again - thank you so much for being so kind and understanding, it really makes all the difference.

Sleepy Thanks for the labour vibes! I had my walk this afternoon, and dh is on instructions to bring home more pineapple tonight (I'm well aware this is the obsessive behaviour of a madwoman). How are you feeling? I'm sorry to hear about heartburn and constipation. I can empathise most emphatically with those!

CwtchyQ It sucks that most people don't understand that hg is not just a bit of morning sickness. Have you had the constant suggestions of eating ginger yet? I also had my manager ask if I couldn't just throw up in the morning then come into work later on, like his wife did. Even my mum, who apparently suffered quite badly with me, trotted out the 'pregnancy isn't an illness line' a couple of times.

My dh is a gp, and while he knows of and has treated women with hg in the past, he said it was a real eye opener watching me go through it. If cyclizine isn't working, do go back and see a different gp. Maybe take the NICE guidelines with you? Ondansetron is often a good option, but sometimes GPs are reluctant to prescribe.

It is fair to say there isn't a magic pill that will make it all go away, but ondansetron stopped most of my vomiting so I could keep food down. You and Lightripper are currently at the stage I felt the worst (I'm fed up now, but god I felt awful at your stage). It will eventually get better, even if it takes 9months (really hope it stops sooner than that for you both).

Hues Good luck with everything. Keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you. It's obligatory after you've had the baby to tell me how good the tea and toast tastes!

for everyone. You're all doing so well. This won't last forever (however much it feels that way!)

Feeling rubbish this evening. DH is currently doing bedtime routine with DS as I just don't feel great. Hard to put my finger on it exactly. Have the usual nausea, tiredness, heartburn etc but just don't feel well. Urgh. Feeling emotional and angry too for some unknown reason. Think I may just go to bed soon.

Welcome Cwtchy, and sorry to hear you're suffering. As others have said, any level of sickness is wretched, and morning sickness and HG are on spectrums which range from mild to extreme, meaning it isn't always possible to distinguish them from one another. What's important is that HCPs take you seriously and offer appropriate treatment that allows you as much of a normal life as possible. Try not to feel guilty about being signed off work and make the most of getting some rest. Meanwhile please stick around on here for plenty of support and understanding.
Hues, good luck for tomorrow. Really hope everything goes smoothly for you.
Sleepy, sorry you're feeling so bad tonight. I hope you're OK. An early night sounds like a good idea.
Light, that was a pretty insensitive comment from your boss, but I think you are right - nobody really understands how truly debilitating HG is unless they've experienced it themselves, or witnessed it at close quarters (as Special's DH acknowledges). When I was suffering, apart from the horror of the voms and nausea and exhaustion, I felt like a different person: I really felt like everything that I usually enjoyed was devoid of joy or pleasure. It's so miserable.
Special, I hope all the labour-inducing tricks eventually take effect. That pineapple diet must be getting you down, apart from anything else ;)
Rae, how are you today? And Lucy?
Have had a nice day with the DC - played tennis in the morning, and then popped them on a bouncy castle in the afternoon while DP and I watched them from a bench, reading our books, and me feeding the baby. This baby is the most vommity of my 3, and I note with interest that she's always at her worst with crying/reflux/vomiting in the late afternoon, which was always when I was at my worst with the HG.

Hues welcome. You sounds like such a trooper. My HG has been a walk in the pro in comparison to what you're dealing with. Hope that all goes well tomorrow.

cwtch also welcome. Sounds like HG to me. Please look after yourself and ask for help if the cyclizine isn't working.

Hope you didn't overdo things on your walk Special. Thinking of you and hoping that the engagement party triggers something!

Sleepy sorry to hear about the iron tablets. I'm living off cereal too (diet of champions!)

Light I agree totally- I think it's impossible to understand HG unless you've been through it (or someone close to you has, like Mother says). My Mum is telling anyone who will listen how bad it is, she's a one-woman HG awareness campaigner!

Sleepy hope that you get a good rest tonight.

Mother sounds like a lovely day! Glad that the weather seems to have improved for you.

I'm ok today, probably the best I've been in a while- still nauseous but I have more energy, which makes a change! It's really improved my mood. Poor DH is not well though (Sod's law). I have my 25 week midwife appointment tomorrow so am finishing work early (for once). Hope that everyone is coping tonight

^ that should be "walk in the park" . Time for bed I think!!