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.

My midwife and perinatal consultant have got involved now! They are horrified that my mental health could dip again so are helping me sort it out. Fingers crossed I get some news today.

Its an ok day thanks I am Serious. Sick this morning but nausea isnt toooooo bad. Off to meet a friend this afternoon so hoping the distraction will help. Glad you're enjoying your time off. Sure its lovely to spend time with DD, if not a bit tiring!

Good!!!! Hope they manage to sort it out for you. It's madness.

I'm sooooo bored today I'm getting cabin fever stuck at home.

Is there anything that ever helps or serves as a bit of a distraction? Do you have a garden for example? I, admittedly on a good ish day, went to a garden centre and just looked at lots of flowers. Got one to plant out if I'm up to it this weekend. Could that be an option? I know only too well the horror of sitting in on your own all day, everyday. Its awful. Wish we lived nearer each other!

Hollyhop I'm so glad that the consultant and midwife are going to take up the cudgels about ondansetron. A garden in London is so relaxing - I loved mine when I lived there. On that - I used to make myself fresh mint tea when suffering - but not everyone finds it helpful - and one day, my vision was blurred and I left a snail on the mint .
Lemondrop It is very nice to have you about, anyway. Mother Hen is glad you are taking it easy - I am so glad you enjoyed the choir practice. It''s admirable you were able to sing. I can't sing well anyway, but I was very cautious about opening my throat wide- it seemed to be tempting fate...
Oklahoma There's a few people, true, and hopefully you will soon be moving up that list.
DevilWearsPrimark Pot noodles make me feel unwell at the best of times, so well done on those.

Melleebacca and IAmSerious Ha, Ha, about keeping legs crossed - a vulgar part of me sniggers that is a bit late now for everyone on this thread [winks].
Blondes Rice horror indeed...
Apologies to anyone overlooked. We haven't heard from pauseplayrepeat in a while. I hope she is -relatively -OK.
Watch me cross post.

I decided to march down to the GP this morning and demand something stronger than cyclizine before the bank holiday weekend. Made sure to highlight that I was unable to work, dehydrated and losing weight. Accidentally got admitted to hospital.

Getting some drips and odansetron now. Feels pretty great. I've just eaten a sandwich! Been dreaming of sandwiches for weeks. Maybe I'll even have dinner when they bring it round :)

Great news Satsooma. Well obviously not that you've been admitted, but that you're getting the help you need. Dehydration is the worse, a drip should definitely make you feel better for a bit. And hopefully the odansetron too. Don't forget it can be combined, several of us need to take other drugs too (mostly promethazine). Definitely a good idea to get in there before the bank holiday.

I'll never understand why I never ended up on a drip. Some how I didn't get ketones in my urine, yet I was obviously sooooo dehydrated. I was barely drinking anything, hardly passing urine, my blood was so thick they couldn't get it out, my lips were cracked, my tongue coated in white. But I never seemed to be deemed dehydrated "enough"

Good idea Holly. I've been working today so was house bound. I'm toying with the idea of going for a short walk but despite the sun, I think it's actually deceptively chilly out there so that's putting me off.

Good news Satsooma. I hope it is providing some much needed relief! Keeping down sandwiches is great, they have been a life saver for me at times.

Not heard back from the gp so starting to hoarde my dwindling supply. Only had 1 today so far and leaving my friend early as the nausea has kicked up a notch

Lemon, it is a bit cold but I find since I'm pregnant I'm a million degrees anyway so bit of fresh air is nice! I do hope you have stopped working now. Could you go for an evening stroll, perhaps with DH/DP for a bit of company?

Satsooma that is probably a good thing longer term as it means they'll take you a bit more seriously now and will hopefully five you useful meds. Also the drip and IV drugs will definitely make you feel better.

Ah sandwiches - I miss them. Bread is on my blacklist from having thrown it up too many times. So sandwiches, toast etc are all out of the picture for a while.

Bad day here. Not hugely sick but the nausea is just awful. No idea why. Hey ho. Tomorrow is another day.

Please can somebody advise me. I've been violently sick pretty much every day for as long as I can remember, maybe 8 weeks? I'm 13weeks now. It has now become so bad that we're paying someone to pick up the kids from school. I have 7yo 5yo 9mo. Today I had telephone appointment and Dr prescribed me something, began with p. But then later I get a phone call telling me that because of the results of a urine test I took in (ketones) if I am sick tomorrow I need to go to out of hours at the hospital. We don't currently have a car so I would have to leave my husband with the kids and baby and go wait in our of hours next to a&e. If I don't do this will I be going against medical advice and will I be putting baby at risk? The sickness is really getting me down, I've only been sick about 6 times today but the idea of sitting in hospital being sick will be like hell.
I don't know what to do.

Lemon - ketones are fickle things. They're produced when you're burning fat to stay alive, rather than from the food you're eating. The body can get used to this state (called ketosis) and thus drop the level of ketones in the urine. Especially if your level of sickness has been the same for a long time. I only get ketones when I have a couple of really bad days after some ok-ish day because the metabolism change is drastic. That's just my interpretation of it though.

Holly - your messages seem more positive today, despite the sickness, so hopefully your mental health is improving with the time off work.

Lucinda - way too late to cross legs now 😂 As I begin to fret about labour.

Satsooma - the IV fluids and ondansetron helps a bunch. Try to keep up fluids once you come off the IV and well done with the sammie. I'm like Oklahoma and am still wary of bread.

Oddsocks - ketosis is not a good state for the baby to be in. The severe dehydration can make the body a less than ideal growing environment. Especially so early on. The IV fluids will help you feel so much better and also help you to function better. It should only be a few hours in hospital and it is well worth it.

Oddsocks, the short answer is yes, you should be going into hospital. A drip could help you feel an awful lot better for a while.

Well to cure my cabin fever, DH and I made plans to walk to a local pizza restaurant for dinner. However that didn't happen because when I got out of bed to get dressed, I threw up everywhere. Now back in bed again I'm SO BORED!!!!

Oddsocks I'm afraid I agree with others, if you are still bad tomorrow then yes you should go. I know it's a massive PITA though. X

Lemon Sorry to hear of the cabin fever, I remember it all too well! I went several weeks without leaving the house and did go a little mad. I found chatting here useful, and phoning someone so at least I had talked to people.

Also I have a terrible confession... today I ate a gingerbread man (which is essentially an bloomin ginger nobhead biscuit!). Am I still allowed in the club?! It belonged to my DD, and I can confirm was of no use to my sickness....

Get out I Am Serious

What she said. Out. Right now!

Ugh, sorry about your plans Lemon. Can you make some tentative plans for tomorrow to have something to look forward to?

Mellee, yes I am feeling a bit better mentally. I have seen some friends lately and I think that has helped massively. Being so close to 30 weeks helps as well.

Sorry today is so awful Oklahoma. Excellent attitude you have though. I hope tomorrow is a better day. And its a day closer!

I haven't posted for a while but when I read that there had been ginger biscuit eating I felt compelled to post as the thread has clearly taken a sinister turn!

It really sounds like a lot of you are having a really tough time at the moment, I really hope you find some respite with the right drugs/fluids/foods/talking that you need. This is such a brutal illness.

I'm still plodding along, nearly 13 weeks and had my scan and got to see a lovely healthy wriggling baby which really lifted my spirits. I keep thinking I'm improving but the reality is the patterns are changing. I'm now sick first thing and then from 5pm onwards until I give in and go to bed but means I can force some food into me during the day. I'm still nauseous all day and just lying down and watching box sets/snooker. Got another week left of this sick note and then need to decide whether to go back. As supportive as work have been, I think they have assumed that I will be fixed as of next week so I'll need to manage their expectations slightly.

Husband has headed out to the pub tonight (much needed respite from his single parent/carer lifestyle) slightly worried about how he will smell when he gets in as it may well set me off!

Hope you all have restful and hydrating weekends x

Thank you ladies. Do you find that bedrest helps? My husband isn't at work tomorrow so I could try a bit of bedrest or is it better to just go on as normal so that I can be checked over when I'm sick?
I hope everyone gets some sleep tonight.

Hi Kate, good to hear from you. Glad your scan went well, it makes you remember why you're going through all this, doesn't it? Wait till your hear the heartbeat, that's awesome. Do you have a spare bed you can banish stinky beery DH to? Or the sofa? Lol. I find my patterns change all the time, I went through a period of being worse in the evening. I think my work are waiting for the magic point when I get better too (first 12 weeks, now 20....) not sure what they'll do if it actually goes on for the full pregnancy! Even though I'm WAH, I think they expect me to start functioning normally soonish.

Odds, rest is SO important. Resting and keeping yourself as hydrated as you can see the two most important things you can do. I notice I crash backwards if I do too much stuff. I basically spent weeks 5-13 in bed and I'm still having to rest an awful lot. If you're struggling to keep down liquids then try sucking ice cubes, ice lollies or jelly. Sometimes other drinks like Lucosade or flat Coke stay down easier than Coke. Further if your pills (promethazine??) don't help within a few days, go back and ask to try something else. Be aware that promethazine can make some people very drowsy, another reason you might need to rest as much as you can.

Oddsocks, I find rest so important. It's a balance as getting out and feeling like I've done something can lift the spirits but I soon need to retire to bed.

Stinky husband is next to me but I managed to create a pillow breath barrier so it's not been to bad. Annoyed I'm.wide awake now!

Not suffering any more (baby is 3 months old) but need to shout out with a little sympathy! It's the worst thing ladies, so sorry if you're suffering, I brought up every meal time, must have spent a fortune on food!
The worst bit for me was that when I was really wretching, I couldn't control my bladder and would pee all over the floor! Made going out pretty scary!!!
Now it's making me wonder if I could ever bear another pregnancy

Oddsocksforeveryone Welcome. I am sorry you need to go in - I expect you will be admitted by now. I so agree with the advice that you must go in and will feel so much better. Also, do get some kesostix - available from any chemists - to check for those pesky ketones at home. Do you find flat full sugar coke, ice lollies, Elderflower water, Lucoazade, ice cubes and the juice and fruit of tinned fruit, maybe peaches or pears? Crisps and cuppa soup and cheap ice cream, too - junk food seems to be the rule, salty or sweet.

Some swear by sips of chocolate milk and slices of melon.
SparkleandSunshine Thank you for your kind message from the Pink Castle, which all Hyperemesis sufferers reach at the end of the hideous board game of one move forwards, two back... Ah, yes, that peeing onself is so dismal. I lost count of the times I wet the floor, and I didn't suffer for that long. I think Blondes won the medal for never peeing on the floor.
IAmSerious Congratulations on a ginger biscuit! Ha, Ha, I think you will be forgiven that ...But you didn't find the ginger acid?
Satsooma I am sorry you had to be admitted, but so glad you've got Ondansetron. Do sent someone for those pessaries for the constipation side effect that can be such a torment if left too longy, or ask for some pre emptive meds for that. Laculose, I think?
katemesiter Mother Hen hopes your doctor keeps signing you off for yet awhile. So glad the scan gave you a boost.
Waves to Lemondrop and Mellebacca Hollyhop and everyone.

Hi everyone, sorry I didn't manage to reply yesterday. I was distracted first by a sulky DS and then a driving lesson and then I read a book.

Oddsocks: resting is vital. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to spend as much time lying down as I did in the first trimester. I hope you manage to go in for some fluids if you need them.

Kate: sorry about the stinky husband and I hope you did manage to get some more sleep. I bet he appreciated the time off as it were

Holly: I'm glad mentally you're a bit better. I could do with some time with friends I think. It's been about a month and I've not been keeping in touch that much or ringing as I was at the start. We're going to a wedding reception tomorrow night with a bit of a day out before and after so hopefully I will be OK. I'm sure it will make me feel better about having to be at work

Lemon: after being admitted, I never had ketones again even though I wasn't drinking and was dehyrdated. I was told they are more to do with starvation really.

Satsooma: glad you're feeling a bit better after being admitted. I found the fluids so helpful.

Hope everyone is ok. I had a better day yesterday but am not enjoying the mix of constant dizziness and lightheadedness wth painful pelvis, especially as I know both are going to get worse

How's everyone today?

I'm ok-ish at the moment. Managed to have a short wonder around the high street today and now resting up (and trying hard to resist picking up the hoover and ignore the hairy carpets - thanks dog) inthe hope I might get to go for the meal tonight that we had to cancel last night.

Bought our very first baby item today Was going to wait until after the 20 week scan, but I don't get it until the end of May (closer to 22 weeks).

Yes, we're geeks in this house!