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.

Welcome to User and Flossyfloss. User I think we have had a couple of different people with the name 'User' and numbers, but I think you are a new one? A number of people do unfortunately find water hard to endure - but sugary stuff much less so. Apart from the ice cubes and ice lollies, there's soda water, Elderflower water, Dr Pepper, Lucozade, the juice and fruit of tinned fruit (esp. peaches and pears), sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya) and sips of flat coke - you can freeze it as ice cubes. Also, there's by cheap ice cream and nibbles of crisps or chips and cuppa soup and slices of frozen melon, or jelly. Did you say you had asked for meds? A good idea to check for kesostix for dehydration in the early stages.
Flossyfloss My goodness, you are brave, a fifth Hyperemesis pregnancy. I think you are only the second person in the thread! As you are such a veteran, I certainly don't need to give you the above adivce!
Melleebacca Much sympathy over that dreaded hormonal surge.
Lemondrop Sympathy also.
Pippasnippa Oh no, a teething toddler, defective washing machine and The Scourge. Some have said the suppository form is really effective.
satsooma That is an awful feeling. I hope you are a bit better today.
Hollyhop I hope you enjoyed the hairdressers. Embarrassing about the dentists. Glad you feel less desperate today.
KatieGator Great advice - I'm glad you were able to avoid admission through pre-emtive meds.
DeadDoorPost That is disappointing. I'm afraid another trip back to the doctors might be indicated.
Oklahoma It seems a long way away now to that Pink Castle, but gradually it draws nearer.
Apologies to anyone overlooked.

Pippasnippa I am glad the washing machine is mended if its owner still feels broken. Did you say you were in NZ? There was an almost barbaric attitude towards Hyperemesis and its treatment probably until a few years ago, but thank goodness it is definitely improving. Sorry it's so hard to get effective meds.

Pippasnippa That was badly put - I meant in the UK the attitude has recently improved, but Hollyhop's experience shows how attitudes can vary...

Thanks Lucinda, I'm in Belgium and agree - seems like there's been progress, but definitely a long way to go in most countries!

So I'm back. I managed to drag myself to the GP, in fact I forced myself to walk there and back as I thought the fresh air might wake me up and the exercise might help the constipation.

What a palaver. Luckily saw a very nice GP who gave me a full MOT (urine, temp, blood test, poked and prodded!). He thinks thecrash is probably an allergic reaction but concerned as some spots don't disappear under pressure so I've got to go for blood tests tomorrow, and a review next week, with a warning that if it gets worse or I get a temp over the weekend to go to hospital.

He renewed my prescription for promethazine and odansetron but was a bit twitchy about the odansetron. He wants me to check with the midwife whether I can keep taking it long term, even though I said my midwife had zero involvement with my HG management. He said its normally a hospital prescription - I started thinking I was going to have Holly's problem!!! But he did give it to me.

Also got omeprazole for the heartburn/acid reflux. I'm positive that's contributing to my vomiting, so hoping this will reduce my HG symptoms a bit?

Finally, Satsooma I spoke to the Dr about constipation. I explained softness wasn't the issue and I needed a stimulant, but knew there were risks. He couldn't find anything concrete about stimulants, but NHS guidelines say senna can be used if softeners haven't worked. I've seen stuff online which says not in third trimester due to uterine contractions, but he didn't say anything about that. He said its the usual issue - lack of data/testing on pregnant women. He's given me bisacodyl. I'm not 100% happy about taking stimulants but can't see any other choice except giving myself a prolapse! So I'm going to try it but not too often if I can help it.

Phew knackered now and wondering how many more drugs I'll end up on

lemon bisacodyl is what I took yesterday. Worked great and don't seem to have any negative effects. GP wants me to try lactulose though. Even though I said I'd rather not take anything with a texture or taste.

Also going to try switching from 2 x 8mg to 4 x 4mg ondansetron. Not sure why it should help, but maybe a more constant dose will be good. At the moment I am fine after morning pill and massively sick after afternoon pill.

Lucinda - I'm in NZ, and they are fabulous at handing out meds here. Although not so good with communication. Got a text yesterday saying there's something up with my B12 levels from my blood test that was 2 months ago! Will be ringing the GP to complain about that later.

Lemon - Even though your sickness has greatly reduced, your body is still worn out. With a normal tummy bug, you are sick for a couple of days and then very weak for a couple of days, so I apply the same theory to HG. Every day of vomiting (even just once) is another day of recovery. I vomited for 10w this time around, so I give myself another 10w on top of that to be as recovered as I will get.

Satsoooma - I take lactulose too, I find I can manage its sweetness. Also was given Laxol tabs this time around which really helped keep me regular. 2 tabs every night before bed. Not sure what the brand name will be in the U.K.

Deaddoor - I found metachloropromide stopped working for me after 3 days and I felt uncontrollably anxious on it. But ondansetron seems to help. Sometimes you only notice how well it is helping when you forget to take one.

Pippa - sorry to hear about the struggle for meds. Hope you can find someone who can help!

DD is still sick here, feeling under the weather myself too. Thank god it's Friday!

Waves to all.

Holly: so sorry you're fed up. I find myself wondering the same thing quite often about myself and also fed up a lot too. Sometimes I feel guilty for such feelings when you're going through such a rough time but as someone said, it's not a competition. I hope the GD test turns out to be negative and that there's some other reason for the blood sugar result. I am fed up of hearing the same stuff as you have been hearing too.

Pippa: sorry to hear of the rough time. Hope the scan went well and that things are improving. With DS I was sick as soon as I woke/got up in the morning with bile so I had my tablets after that initial vomit. This time I've been doing the same thing as the others and letting the tablets settle before getting up. I'm sorry you're drs aren't taking your mental health more seriously, same as your family. I'm glad your OH is though. I'm not sure i would have made it this far without mine and this thread. Is there anyone you can talk to and have a vent with -mental health professionals or friends?

Daffodil: great news about the little boy.

Iamserious: great news about DD and I hope she is recovering well.

Lemon: hope the rash turns out to be nothing serious. Glad the dr was taking you seriously though and did give you your meds. Hope the bisacodyl helps.

Mellee: sorry to hear about the under the weatherness.

I have felt absolutely rubbish today. Survived the day at work but am so glad it's over. Lots of dizziness and lightheadedness and nausea. Not looking forward to tomorrow and another workday but at least then it's the weekend.

Hi to everyone and hope there is some improvement or better days taking place

Welcome user I totally relate to water tasting grim. I found tonic water a lifesaver last time, it cuts through the nausea well. You sound like you need to go to your GP and ask for meds. They normally start you on cyclizine which a lot of people on here find doesn't help enough so don't be shy about going back if the drugs don't work after a few days.

DeadDoor sounds like you need to ask the GP for ondansetron. Tooth brushing is the absolute worst. I'm always 50:50 puking when I do mine.

Lemon the nausea is utterly debilitating. It doesn't matter if you're throwing up or not. And very helpful info on the senna - thank you.

Pippa I thought metoclopramide was ok to take for longer periods of time so long as you don't have any of the side effects but as soon as you start feeling twitchy or anything like that you had to stop taking it. It's interesting how much conflicting information there is out there.

What about the tablets that melt on the tongue? Then you can't throw them up as they've already been absorbed.

It's so tough when people don't get it. Until people have really seen it first hand I don't think they can grasp that it isn't just a bit of N&V Iran utterly debilitating. Lots of sympathy from all of us.

Haich hope you feel better soon and try to take it easy please.

Luxinda your comment about attitudes is so true. 3yrs ago when I was pregnant with Oklette I couldn't get useful drugs for love nor money, the GP didn't care one iota about me it was all just if the baby is ok and I was very very ill. This time the same GP has been amazing and is giving me all the drugs and support I need so while the HG is still miserable I am at least managing it and staying out of hospital and not losing weight. Such a difference in such a short space of time. Now we just need to get all the GPs up the curve!

Hello all.

I haven't been on for a while but was wondering - have any of you experienced a surge in symptoms around 23 weeks? The past two days have been horrendous and today appears to be the same. I haven't been able to get out of bed for the past 2 days. Have had to send my toddler to my mum's and get my husband home early to help with bedtime as I just can't do it. I am finding it really hard just now. Is it common to see a surge again later down the line?

LIttlePooch yes the '24' week hormone surge / relapse is very common with HG don't worry. It shouldn't last long, so hopefully you'll be back on your feet soon. Take it easy in the mean time

Hi little pooch. Sadly yes. It massively happened to me. The doctors were at a loss as to explain why, but annoyingly for me it came back a lot worse. However, it being worse meant that I was finally prescribed ondansetron, which has made a huge difference. What meds are you currently on?

Does anyone know of a relatively tasteless/textureless heartburn remedy?

I am taking ondansetron 4 times a day and am basically fine in the mornings, but absolutely miserable from late afternoon. I think that heartburn might be exacerbating things and bringing on vomiting. I just cannot stomach gaviscon when I get like that though. Even those chalky tablets would be difficult. Why isn't there a pill?

Oklahoma I do recall your being neglected by dr's in your first pregnancy- I am so glad that it's been easier to get meds this time.
Satsooma I am sorry to say I can't think of any tasteless heartburn remedies. My GP would only let me have Gaviscon, and when that didn't work, I sometimes got desperate and took a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in water - but you really shouldn't - too much salt in that.
Pippasnippa and Melleebaca. Glad that they are humane about drugs in the NZ; ah, I got mixed up about Pippasnippa and she's in Belgium. Unfortunately, OnceaMeer who used to be on here and lived in the Netherlands, had a great deal of difficulty getting drugs as they insisted on 'things being natural'.
Someone in Greece had the same problem, plus they told her off for having a baby at 35, which was really upsetting.
In the UK, not so long ago, women with Hyperemesis or severe MS were told off for vomiting, unfortunately!
HaichM Sorry about awful day and bile run. I hope today is a bit better.
Lemondrop I am glad you got meds. That does sound a thorough check up; I am glad the GP was conscientious.
littlepooch Unfortunately, as others say, that does seem to happen; a hormonal surge, I believe; for many, it doesm't last long, and I hope it soon eases with you.

Hollyhop How are things today? Everyone?
Watch me cross post...

Satsooma, there is a pill! My GP gave it to me yesterday, as I'm also convinced the acid reflux is contributing to my sickness and nausea. I've been given omeprazole. There is also ranitidine

Hi just coming to introduce myself. Im 8 weeks into my second pregnancy and iv been sick since Sunday. My first pregnancy was truly horrific with me being sick continually from week 7 until just after my son was born. I have no idea how I'm going to cope this time with a toddler, who I might add has decided it's a good day to poo every few hours 😷. I know I should just get meds but was wondering if any help with the general neausea or do they all just stop the sickness as I recall the sickness being curbed a little by the pills but not getting any relief from the constant feeling of being sick? Oh and thank god ginger rage exists honestly it's one of the worst things for my sickness.

Hi introducing myself too. First baby, 8 +1 today. Had a day/night in hospital yesterday after becoming dehydrated, currently on metroclopramide 3x daily. Feeling better than before, but not entirely myself. Have a safety critical job which I'm not allowed to carry out full duties while on these meds so word is pretty much out at work. Starting to get bored at home yet know I'm not fully fit to do everything I want to!

What's people's opinion on these?

Oh god Annie that's awful. Trust me though do too much too quickly and you really do reap what you sow!!! Take as much rest as you can, go a gentle walk to break up your day with someone incase you take a turn for the worst. Can you believe we might have until December to deal with this crap?

Hi everyone
I haven't been here for a while. I'm 26 weeks and had my HG under control with meds. I managed to get a d and v bug / food poisoning on Tuesday and it seems to kickstart it back off. Currently feeling very sorry for myself at home. Thankfully my MIL is looking after my daughter.
Sorry to hear that there are so many new joiners to this group.

Oops, I'm 16 weeks, not 26!

mustang I'm hoping very much that I'm one of the lucky ones and it tails off after the first trimester.
Have an irrational fear I will have a mmc so having an early scan next week.
Thinking of everyone else feeling awful.

Annie supposedly the sickness is a good sign so take solace in that and il keep everything crossed that both of us are sickness free after our first trimester. Good luck with your early scan it's do amazing to see your baby for the first time even if the look a little bean shaped

Thanks Lemondrop! I am so pleased to hear there is a pill for this. Just had DH get some from the pharmacy. Hopefully it will help. I feel like I am 50% of the way to getting on top of this, but the heartburn is still exaccerbating things.