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.

Spongey! Think i need to go to bed!

flossy I've been prescribed them, I can take 3-4 x 5mg tablets per day

Floss FIVE?! HG pregnancies!? How!? Why!?

Sunshine I'm so gutted for you that you were pretty much told to put up and shut up. It's a bloody sin and so bloody backwards. I did lose a lot of weight to begin with my first then by the end of the second trimester all that made me feel better was eating not meals but constantly grazing on syrupy flapjacks and cheese sandwiches so I totally ballooned by the end I looked awful. I had a lovelyspecialist who asked me if I was genuinely being as sick as there was no way as I was so fat!!! My midwife nearly fell off her chair and instantly stood up for me saying that she was seeing me nearly weekly and each app consisted of me vomiting at least 3 times she said she can't fake that. I cried for a week and started googling dieting during pregnancy. I never but for someone who has fought with an eating disorder since the age of 11 I think it was pretty thoughtless.

Does anyone feel that if it was just the sickness they could deal with it, it really is the nausea that kills me. Had a really rough few days stupidly got up and took a short trip round aldis as my wee one needed fruit and me more tonic water and I thought it would maybe make me feel better iv done nothing but puke and retch since 7 last night. Help!!! Lol

Also I'm taking a pregnancy vit and iv bought B6 and magnesium to take but I'm not sure I can take them all together where could I check that?

Flossy 5?!
I am genuinely in awe. One of the things I've found hardest about this is that I don't think I'll have any more children after this one. I've always imagined having 3/4 but I don't think I'm strong enough to go through this again.

Holly what's the reason you're not eating carbohydrates? Was that medical advice re the constipation or G.D? I'd be really cautious as a diet higher in protein will also be really constipating. You're also going to need calories and energy.

I'm now past the 12 week point, have my scan on thurs. I'm still in an upside down routine. Will eat most before 8 am, potatoes are still my safe bet. (Am often ketotic first thing but can resolve this gradually with lucozade). After 2pm vomiting takes hold and I have to stop eating till the next morning. This results in zero energy and a 7.30pm bed time. It feels like this battle is just my new normal. Back to work next week all being well, will have had 7weeks off which seems madness.

Putput - with my first pregnancy, I had 4 months off work. From week 6 to week 24. You have to do what you have to do, and with HG, rest & strong meds are the only way I survive.

Magnum - that's a lot of different vitamins. I can barely stomach my prenatal, anything with B vitamins turns my stomach. If your prenatal has b6 and magnesium in it, I wouldn't take any more. I also don't believe an excess of those vitamins cause any damage, but could be worth googling.

Got told by my mother to eat more today. Trying not to take it to heart, she means well. Still 2kg under my pre-pregnancy weight at 25w, and bump is still non-existent. Oh well.

Waves to all.

Mellee, my nausea is now down to 1-2 times a day at worst. In fact I haven't thrown up since Friday which is the longest period ever! I'm hoping I'm hitting the 20 week turn around. But totally agree that the nausea and the exhaustion is far worse for me than the actualvimiting (which is now much reduced in frequency and over in a few minutes). Like Holly, there are also times when I thought I'd take the vomiting over the constipation too. I'm really wanting to cut down on the odansetron but worried I'll send my self backwards by trying to early.

Crumpets? Nah. I can categorically state that the projectile rice nose vomit was the worst thing to throw. Ever!

I went into this with a high BMI. I don't know if I gained as I ignored the scales but I'm still fat. Mainly as the one food I've never ever thrown up in all this was pizza! A staple diet of ready salted crisps and crappy salty noodles hadn't helped either.

Now I'm feeling a little better, assuming it lasts, I'm going to give myself a few weeks to feel stronger then might look at commuting into the office again in June. Watch me get to cocky after three good days and be vomiting by tonight now....

Morning all. No one told me to cut carbs but I am so desperate to avoid what ive just been through. I feel like labour cant possibly be as painful. Perhaps I just need to cut down and try to drink more.

Mustang, I completely agree with you, for me the nausea has been the worst. I have suffered less than you ladies, 17 times is my all time record high in terms of being sick. I was averaging 5-10 times a day and largely kept fluids down. But the nausea has been dibilitating. I have felt like I'm going mad at times. I would gladly trade the nausea for being sick more. That said, my chocolate throwing up session is one of the worst things I've ever experienced... recent stint in hospital aside . SO pleased to have avoided s rice vom as they sound incredibly grim.

Waves to all, hope everyone has a good day.

Lemon I was no more than 12st and at 5ft 8 with a baby bump it was not the fattest I could have been but it was drastically heavier than my 10st start point (fell to just under 9 in first trimester). I just don't think it's remotely responsible of any health professional to say to a pregnant woman they are fat!! If it was constructive or worded that I should try to watch what I was eating as my weight was creeping but nope just out right fat lol. I laugh now but it wasn't funny at the time.

Iv tried pizza it's a nope 😢 Iv tried cheese on toast with really salted slices of tomato that stayed down for a little while and was quite palatable but not on the way up.

Yeah il be avoiding rice at all cost 😷.

I'm in awe of any of you ladies that are managing to go to work, it's my one relief this time that I don't have that added stress.

It is a lot isn't it? I had read that extra B6 and magnesium can really help the sickness but my prenatal vit does contain both it's 137% of rda on B6 and only 16% of rda on magnesium so the latter is not so much of an issue but the B6 is quite high. Honestly doubt it will help but seriously I'm up for trying anything. Anybody know any witch doctors or a shaman

How are you feeling now Holly are things improving? You could try eating things like sweet potato and stuff for your carbs if you can stomach them? Iceland do bags of microwave sweet potato mash which is actually quite nice, quick and doesn't smell to bad. I'd normally have that and a steak, a seasoned piece of chicken or a couple of decent sausages as a quick meal. Sweetcorn is also quite high in fibre and good for movement lol, sorry I'm obsessing about your bowel clearly a weirdo.

Can I honestly say I had a really good labour, I was in the birthing pool with gas and air but unfortunately it relaxed me too much so was forced to get my waters broke which was a bit crap but 16 hrs in it made sense then my wee one was there 3 hrs later did have a third degree tear but only gas as Pain relief i felt pretty good afterwards and sickness was gone it was amazing.

Morning all.

First just want to say it's nice not to be alone although I certainly don't have it as bad as most it would seem. I'm sick up to 5 - 10 on a bad day but can have days of nothing but nausea and gagging/heaving.

What is kesostix?

Hope you all have a relatively easy day and get some rest xxx

SunshineandLaughter Thank you for your lovely supportive message. For 99 per cent of sufferers, the sickness does indeed vanish very soon after giving birth, as you say, and indeed it is worth it. I am sorry they refused meds; that was standard a few years ago, but I am sorry to hear it still happens now. My own view is that rice and pasta are two of the worst things to have reappear, but crumpets do sound foul!
Mustang27 I so agree about those tactless remarks from that doctor - probably they are obliged to inform a patient about increasing weight and potential health problems, but to doubt you had Hyperemesis when your records must have showed it - oh dear.
Flossyfloss My usual list of suggestions: ' Some liquids/foods people find helpful are flat full sugar coke, soda water, tonic water, ice lollies, ice cubes, Dr Pepper, Lucoazade, the juice and fruit of tinned fruit, esp. peaches and pears, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps, cheap ice cream, slices of frozen melon, maybe custard and sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya)''. Some say chips and soda bread and on good days, home made potato and onion soup (there was a nice recipe I meant to copy and forgot). To ask for pre-emptive meds certainly seems the best thing.
OnNature'sCourse Kesostix, available from any chemists, can be used to check for dehydration through ketones in the urine, very useful in the first tri particularly when symptoms are worst, Later on, if unfortunately, one has long term malunutrition, I think they start to measure starvation as well. Is that five/ten separate sessions or heaves? It seems doctors count 'vomits' as heaves, so it makes a big difference when reporting the number.
putputput I'm glad Lucozade helps.
Waves toHaichM Lemondrop Hollyhop Melleebacca mrs and everyone. I hope you're all having a bearable day.

OnNatures -ketostix are urine testing strips you can buy from a pharmacy. They detect if you're producing ketones, which can be a sign you're body is starting to break down your muscle/fat stores to compensate for not taking in enough calories. It can also be indicative of dehydration. If your ketones are high then you need to seek medical help.

I've found them a really good way of knowing how my body's coping with the amount of vomiting. It gives you something concrete when you need to go to a&e.

Oh yeah, I have urine stick as I have a lot of UTIs and kidney trouble.

Two weeks ago the ketones were as high as the stick went. But GP wasn't bothered by it neither was midwife. Yesterday I didn't self test but another GP tested and said I had moderate ketones so it needed to be monitored. I'm a little annoyed nothing was done the first time I mentioned it to them.

mustang that's awful they said that - I def put on loads of weight but was vomiting all the time. The eating made the nausea go away (until it came back and I was sick an hour or two later). I think it was because I didn't get dehydrated they thought I could cope but it was so horrendous - I know now if I got pregnant again what to fight for and also there's loads of good tips on this thread which I didn't think of at the time. It's a bit like the labour ive forgotten quite how horrendous it was but sort of objectively know it was freaking awful puking for 9 Months.

Thinking of you all and wishing you you as less sickness and nausea as possible for the rest of your pregnancies!

Bloody show today at 36+3, hope it won't be long! So glad I never have to go through this again. In two years time I'll be a new woman my old self again!

I've rediscovered freeze pops. So cheap!

Oh peace that is so exciting!!! Just get to doing some squats on a gym ball to encourage your little one to come lol

Waving pom-poms for Peace. You'll be fab, labour is a cake walk compared to HG.

Labour def is a walk in the park next to HG and it's the biggest incentive ever to get them out to stop feeling so awful!

Ooooh fingers crossed Peace! I'm excited for you....and a little bit jealous! Let us know what it's like on real other side.

I keep saying that I'm not too bothered about labour after thin, it can only going on a few days max and will be the end of HG and obviously your baby - so bring it on!

Good luck Peace! Xx

Good luck Peace! Xx

Been to the midwife and have protein in my wee. It's being sent off to test for UTI though I don't think I have any symptoms and I've been told to get my eyes tested to rule them out as to why I'm suddenly having lots of headaches. Been told to go get checked out at the hosp if I start swelling or having vision issues like seeing lights which I guess means I'm on the watch for pre-eclampsia.

Had to have a little meeting with my manager thanks to the 2 days off - worried Im not fit for work, which I'm probably not fully fit for but gonna have to keep going. Hoping the whooping cough vaccine I've just had doesn't make things worse.

Holly: glad you're home. Hope things are moving ok

Peace: good luck and keep us posted!

Onnatures: keep an eye out for the signs of dehydration too. I apparently managed just enough food that ketones weren't really an issue but when i looked it up later, I'd probably been quite badly dehydrated.

Mustang: sorry about your experiences. I put on loads of weight and got to 15st in my last pregnancy. No one implied I should watch what i eat (which was mainly cakes in the end) and I'd stopped vomiting pretty much at week 20.

This time it seems to all just be in the bump and I'm hoping it stays that way.

Waves to everyone and hopes you're all doing well

peaceloveandbiscuits Good news - I have known some families who always have 36 week babies.
HaichM Did they say if they headaches might be to do with hormones/periods of dehydration? I'm not medically trained, but isn't that as likely as sudden eye problems?
Sunshineandlaughter It's a shame you didn't find your way to this thread.
Waves to Lemondrip mrs and everyone.

Mustang - B6 is meant to help with vomiting, but it's also like the mythical ginger. It actually makes me vomit.

Peace - fingers crossed for a quick and easy labour and a feast as you enter the pink castle.

Haich - oh goodness! I think they do UTI testing all the time as it's some common in pregnancy. Good luck with all your tests. Hope they're easily fixed.