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.

Lemon: great choices! Fingers crossed for the meal tonight

HaichM Splendid, Ha, Ha, about purchases. I am glad you had some fun. It's really weird about ketones, the explanation I once had from a trainee doctor was that they measure dehydration before starvation sets in, and after that, they become unreliable. I don't know if that makes sense, not being medically qualified. I have even done tests on my non pregnant self with a migraine, when obviously, it isn't serious medically if I have ketones - and with a bad 100 heaves a day one (thank goodness, I don't get those often now) I will have 3+ ketones within 12 hours. I'd have a dehydration headache with that, but surely can't have had starvation in just twelve hours?
katemeister This scourge gets you like that - everything, including people, smells strong. Can you stand a lavender scented sachet? Invaluable, if you can...

Sorry,HaichM and Lemondrop , I mixed things up - it was Lemondrop who had some fun and had that explananation about ketones - I'm glad to hear of the OK day, anyway...

Kate I often tell my DH of for breathing near me at night, it's not good! And my colleagues at work seem to keep themselves shut up in a fusty office with no circulation, and they keep eating... I'm not being rational, I know, but it's not helpful! I might be trying that tip myself about the lavender, Lucinda!
Lemon those pacman bits that you picked up look awesome!

Devil: your work space sounds fun smell wise. My sympathies.

I started to lie down on the sofa this afternoon as I was feeling a little off and by the time it was tea time I was feeling terrible. DH has gone out but thankfully DS has been perfect. He tidied up and went to bed without arguing, he gave me cuddles and read me a bed time story and then I started feeling better. So I've watched a girly film with a fruit beer and popcorn with melted chocolate as I think I deserve it.

Hope everyone's Saturdays have been good/better with some good moments. Take care

Are you feeling any better Haich?

I'm feeling sorry for myself today. I started to feel awful around 4pm yesterday. Sick and hungry but eating made it worse, stinking headache. Went to bed early, woke up at 4am with baby dancing on my bladder. Ended up awake till 5am feeling really itchy (I don't know why but I've been sooooo itchy for the last 3 days) and still with a headache. Woke up this morning, headache finally gone but still feeling sick and lost an unsuccessful hour in the bathroom battling constipation I've gone back to bed.

Thing is, I'm supposed to be at a friend's baby shower this afternoon but I don't think I'm going to make it. Problem is, DH was going to drive me and 3 other friends there, so if I drop out it's tricky

Morning all. Lemon, you are literally describing my life right now. I had painful Braxton Hicks last night but I've now got the dreaded constipation so sat on the loor for an hour last night while battling waves of pain (I an going to be so rubbish during labour). I woke at 5 this morning and felt awful. Was sick (I never am early in the morning) and the nausea has been horrific. I have been rationing my ondandsetron as im running out so only had one yesterday . Feeling really rubbish this morning and tired. I really sympathise.

Can you get back to sleep? Sorry you're having a bad time. I do absolutely love the pacman stuff you got, we saw that in Mothercare and was very tempted!

How are you this morning Haich? I hope you enjoyed, and kept down, your well deserved treats last night.

Hope everyone is having a good day. Waves.

Mellee and Lemon: I'm sorry to hear about your sick times and fun in the bathroom this morning. I hope you're feeling a bit better. I would suggest rest Lemon and then go to the baby shower. I think you'll feel guilty and disappointed if you miss it, it might take your mind of how you feel and you can't forget how good seeing friends and getting out of the house can be for your mood and mental health. IM sure everyone will be sympathetic about how you feel and just be happy to see you.

I'm feeling better today. I'm glad I got out of bed and had my girly time last night, even if I felt rubbish afterwards. I managed a bath this morning and even had face and hair mask on and then moisturised and did the ironing. DS has been wonderful for me this morning again which really helps.

Hope everyone has a good Sunday

So I am out of hospital with Cyclizine and Prochlorperazine (buccal) prescriptions.

Has anyone ever heard of Cyclizine actually making vomiting worse? I swear I often feel fine until I take cyclizine, but often start vomiting within 30 mins of taking it.

Thank you for your advice, I didn't end up going in. In fact, I slept for most of the day yesterday and it was the first day in I don't know how long that I wasn't sick! I felt as rough as usual until I woke up after a nap at 4pm ish (a full day into taking tablets) and I felt almost human again. I can't believe I went so long without looking for help. 9mo dd was up every half hour in the night but I had my day naps to fall back on.

The strange thing is I have urine test strips but have always been negative for ketone. I am still very dehydrated but sipping water as often as I can remember.
I'm back in bed. Thank you again ladies and I hope you all can find some rest and medication that helps too x

Haitch and Oddsocks: Glad today is a good day, enjoy! Commiserations to those having less good days like Holly and Lemon though.

I am feeling sorry for myself today, the good day last week really was a fluke. Today is my worst day in a while, haven't kept much down, including my medicine which is obviously not helping, and haven't moved from the sofa. I really just want to sleep, but my little girl wants to play, and is climbing all over me. This morning she woke at 4 and decided the only way she would go back to sleep would be lying on my chest. Then when I had to run to the bathroom for my customary wake up vomit she had the mother of all meltdowns. So, so tired. Sorry for the rant.

Hollyhop and Lemondrop Oh no - an hour? That's so miserable. Have your doctors given you anything for constipation like lactulose, remind me?
Also, much sympathy to Oddsocksforeveryone and Pippasnippa over sleepless LO's - no joke when you feel generally awful.
Satsooma Glad you are out. I hope the fluids made you feel a lot better, at least temporarily. I hadn't heard that so far, but that does seem to be rather a co-incidence. It might be worth checking on the side effects leaflet and if so, perhaps they can prescribe something else along with the ondansetron?
Devil I thought my OH smelt strongly of roast pork, so I used to hold it to my nose, keeping well over to the side of the bed. I hope the work colleagues don't eat really strong flavoured food...Pity they're not all on diets!
HaichM So glad you enjoyed yourself and that today is a good day.

I'm back in bed feeling really sick. I was foolish enough to think I'd cracked it and found a cure.
I was ok until I ate a peice of cake and within minutes had a lump in my throat.
This is so frustrating! I really wanted that cake and it was only madeira.
Sorry for those feeling terrible.
@pippa ive been sick whilst holding my baby it's awful. I feel like going through this with a baby is good and bad, you look at them and know what good will come at the end but it's hard when you just want to be left alone for a bit.
I'm trying not to think about the fact I've got another 27 weeks to go. I wonder how much philadelphia cheese I'll have gone through by then as it's one of the only things baby seems happy with.
According to my urine test sticks I'm still really dehydrated, even though I've not been sick. Does it take a while to rehydrate when you've spent a long time being sick several times a day?

I'd still consider going in for treatment and fluids oddsocks. I didn't have ketones when I got to hospital but was dehydrated and felt awful.

The first hour was a bit rough but after that I started feeling great and had a lovely day lying in a hospital bed and actually managing to eat the food they bought me. Best day I've had in weeks. I appreciate that it is harder if you have kids.

I have found it easier to keep hydrated since. Once you get really sick you get stick in a vicious cycle of being dehydrated because you are vomiting and vomiting because you are dehydrated. A drip can break you out of that cycle.

Satsoooma - that's so true. The rehydration is amazing for the sickness and gives you a good base to continue on from. Hope the meds help, otherwise head back and get stronger ones.

Holly & Lemon - I feel for you with the constipation. I found that a hot water bottle on the lower back helps get things moving, as does eating licorice and drinking lactulose. Good luck.

Oddsocks - I recommend heading in for fluids, will just help you function better as a mama. And you need all the rest you can get. I spent the first 3 months in bed, DD has gotten very good at using the iPad because of my sickness. Sometimes these things are just essential.

Only 8hrs till Hubby is home. I'm looking forward to giving him quality bonding time with DD while I have a long, quiet soak in the bath.

Pippa and oddsocks: sorry to hear you're not having a good day.

Oddsocks: i agree with mellee and satsooma, going in for fluids may be a really good idea and it will make you feel so much better. I understand that it might be difficult childcare wise but I felt the best I've felt after they rehyrdrated me. It didn't last too long in my case but it definitely helped.

Ive made it to the wedding reception but feeling very uncomfortable. My bum keeps going numb and i have pains/bloated feeling at the top of my bump so sitting feels awkward. On top of that they're serving indian street food which is too hot for me to eat so my tea has consisted of cake. Thank goodness I managed a good lunch. Another half an hour till the 1st dance and then we can start thinking about leaving. I might be enjoying it more if we knew people other than the bride and groom and I was involved in convos that are distracting. Sorry to those of you having a much worse time than me.

Sorry to hear of so many rotten bank holiday weekends. I hope Monday is kinder to all.

And very grateful to be allowed to stay part of the group despite the gingerbread man incident. And yes Lucinda he did give me heart burn the little sod. Lesson well and truly learnt... he just looked so tasty...

Have had a lot of irregular and random contractions this weekend. Hoping it's a sign it won't be too much longer for me, but also pretty sure this baby is quite happy where it is....

Waving to all. Xx

Oddsocksforeveryone You must feel dreadful, and its not good for you or the baby to stay in that state too long- I do hope you managed to get in for fluids.
Haichm Poor you, so uncomfortable at the wedding, and unable eat the wedding breakfast. Sciatica type pains are miserable.

Melleebacca Great that your OH is due home. DD will forget all about this period of comparative neglect.
Satsooma This ketones thing is so complicated - I mentioned the convoluted explanation I once had from a traineee dr about it - it is weird that you could be severely dehydrated without ketones if it was early on, but I'm not medically qualified.
IAmSerious I feel for you over that Gingerbreadman induced heartburn. I did miss tea and biscuits when suffering, and goodness knows, I only suffered for a short time compared to most. I do hope all isn't too bad with all the stresses and strains.
I hope Hollyhop and everyone is coping OK today.
Apologies to anyone I've rudely overlooked...

Question for you all: at what point do you consider yourself well enough to a) stick with the drugs you're on rather than going back to GP b) go back to work.

I'm feeling a bit better on cyclizine and prochlorperazine. But still throwing up 3 times a day. Think I might go back to my GP for ondanestron.

I am also lucky enough to be able to decide for myself if I go back to work. I don't think I am quite there yet. I spend a lot of time sleeping to keep from throwing up.

Satsooma, I went back to my GP within a few days when I felt the cyclizine wasn't helping. It's worth trying different combinations. Give it a chance to work, but don't leave it too long. Given your earlier concerns that cyclizine might be making you vomit, I'd ask to try something else and see how you get on.

Waves to everyone. Just dropping by quickly but haven't got the energy to read everything I've missed so feel. Generally feeling crap, crap, crap but not vomiting too much.

I managed to get to the baby shower yesterday, but half an hour late after a rough start. Toilets in the pubs were miles away from our table and upstairs. Had to make a hasty exit during paying the bill to lose my lunch so that was a waste of money, and embarrassing as everyone knew where I'd gone. Must have looked bad as a stranger turned to me at the sinks and asked if I was ok. Glad I went though, it was nice to see people.

Just flopped around today (aside from nipping to Boots to try and find something relive this bloody itchy rash!). Got two friends dropping by at 7pm to say hello. It's nice of them but I feel so rotten, I'm hoping they don't stay tooooo long.

Hope everyone else is having a better day. I'm going to bed as soon as friends have gone.

As an aside, a friend I saw at the shower yesterday is a cancer patient and has just as much trouble getting odansetron out of her GP, who insists only hospitals can prescribe it.

Jesus Lemon, cant believe that about your friend. DH is working from home tomorrow so he can come with me to the GP for round 2...

Sorry you arent having a great day. I'm sure your friends will be happy to leave whenever, but I bet them being there will cheer you up. I have thrown up while my best friend was here. Good friends will understand.

Satsooma, I think I've gone back too early in the past and it has resulted in patchy attendance, which they are unhappy about. I think previously Lucinda has suggested two weeks of 'good days' before returning, which I think is very wise. Tuesday last week is one of my worst vomiting sessions and I think its partly because of how soon I returned, full time. Is a phased return an option? After a week of cyclizine not working the first time I went back to the GP. In hindsight I should have gone sooner. Best of luck.

Waves to everyone else, I am having an ok-ish day. Hope everyone is having a good day.

Ah Lemon, sorry about the wasted pub lunch, but hoping your friends visit is a nice distraction!

Satsooma, I think it's down to how you feel about the meds. I've decided to stick with what I'm taking for the moment as I don't particularly have the energy to push for something else (however, where I am the Dr's will only seem to consider one other treatment option which I tried last time to no effect)....If other drugs were more readily available I would probably give them a try just to see. I think Holly gives great advice about return to work, pushing yourself can make things so much worse. I'm not working this time round as am a SAHM, but last time I persevered through (I was working from home part time so felt it would look bad if I took time off sick). It was a huge mistake. Stress and tiredness made it worse and though I could flex my hours around when I was most ill it meant all my time when I was feeling vaguely ok was spent working which just made me sicker. In hindsight I think my colleagues would probably have preferred it if I'd taken the time off rather than trying to soldier on and doing a pretty bad job. I kick myself now and wonder why on earth I did it.

It's an ok day here, much better day than yesterday anyway - my other half has taken care of the toddler to give me chance to rest after yesterday and its helped a lot just to put my feet up. Hope everyone else is having an ok day.

Sorry you are having a bad day Lemon hoping for better things tomorrow for you.

Satsooma I completely agree with all others, not worth going back to work too soon. I tried and failed miserably. I would say that 2 weeks of good days and a phased return from there would be about right.

Good day here I'm pleased to report, background nausea, but risky manageable. Might have to do something about that stupid heartburn though. My daughter has been in a great giggly mood today too, so that's helped.

Waving to all. Xx

Ok ladies I just had a real scare. Was lying down with my husband and then started to get up to go get some gaviscon when it felt like I'd pulled something inside my bump. It felt like it was being pulled down with a sort of burning stretching pain. It hurt every time I breathed or tried to move and was quite strong. Baby was moving and kicking/punching as normal during. It has stopped but it feels like baby or something has moved back into position.

How worried should I be? I've now put all the midwife numbers in my phone for easy access.

I will reply properly soon. Trying to relax and recover