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.

Holly - I'm so sorry, you really are having a rough time of it. We are here for you.

Haich - you have to put yourself and baby first, it's so difficult to do, but it's the only way to get through. And having a little cry is good sometimes too.
My blood work generally has results to the midwife in a couple of days. If I don't hear anything, I bring it up at my next appt.

Quest - I pulled DD out of swimming for the term when I was at my worst. She played in the paddling pool at home to make up for it, but it's now torture to get her used to swimming again. Hopefully you make it through today and there can't be many more lessons left?

Annie - most of us get signed off for weeks if not months. You really should wait till you been feeling ok for a couple of weeks before returning to work as that will set you back.

Lucinda - it's my friend from Canada, he stayed late last year with us for a month, and although perfectly polite, with HG, I don't want house guests (esp ones who stay up late) I'm very tempted to go and stay with my mum for a couple of days just so I don't get too stressed. Probably just over thinking it.

Lucinda

Thanks for the reply, I don't have pre emptive meds, do they just give ondansetron and other HG mess early to prevent onset?
Of course when I went to the doctor a week ago and told her I'd had HG before she just said "ok" and that was that. I should probably have been more pushy but I was hopeful it wouldn't come to this.
The ketostix are on their way

Does anyone have any not too smelly, quick meal ideas that I can get my 12yo to make for himself and his 3yo brother? My DH doesn't get in until 19.00 every night, how does everyone else with other DC cope with cooking their dinner?
My poor DS has been through having a bed ridden mummy before but DH used to get in earlier last time. I'm dreading my dc having to be pretty much self sufficient.

Holly
I'm sore you're having such a hard time. I was where you are last time, I remember thinking that if this feeling was forever I would kill myself no doubt about it. But just hold on to the thought that it's not forever and you will soon have a beautiful baby to replace the evil HG.
Is this your first pregnancy? How far along are you?xx

Mellee: the cry did help, as did some time with DS and DH kindly went to get my tablets, surprising me with some ice cream. The fact that he thought of something like that made me nearly cry again. Having some now and I'm determined to eat and enjoy my treat.

Maybe see how it goes for a day or two and if it's too much, then go to your mums?

Quest: i think you have to ask for preemptive meds. Can your 12 year old use the oven and the microwave? Could he heat things like fish fingers and chicken nuggets etc and soup and things? Or were you hoping for healthier more interesting things?

I'm feeling really sorry for myself I still haven't actually vomited yet but today was a lot of retching! The nausea is so debilitating has anyone actually found a medication that improves the nausea?

I know the vomiting is coming with each day that passes, I've done this 4 times previously I know the drill - I think I was living in the clouds thinking that I might escape it this time. Had a good cry on dp, he is also feeling overwhelmed as he realises he will be doing everything in the house for the next few months. How do you all cope with house work etc? Do you just force yourself through it?

After the elation of finally being pregnant I am now feeling pretty miserable .

I am considering doubling up with cyclizine and stemetil together - has anyone done this?

Flossy: I'm afraid DH pretty much did all the housework himself at my end for the first trimester. The nausea and dizziness was horrible and I felt I had enough to do trying to eat and drink and keep going. Then I started helping a bit with washing up and bathing DS or the bedtime routine. Then I started helping with the washing and the ironing but the cooking and cleaning are still mainly DHs tasks. I've hoovered once and that caused me too much pain (I have diastasis recti) and avoided it before that due to vertigo. I know other ladies on here have done more either with the house or with children during that first horrible bit

Flossy, lots of people say the ondansetron only helps their vomiting and not their nausea - but for me, I definitely found it made a difference with my nausea. Promthezine too to some extent (although only took that today and not ondansetron and feeling pretty crappy).

You'll want to check with your GP but I'm fairly sure you can take cyclizine and Stemitil together (I know I was able to take promthezine and Stemitil together). Cyclizine did absolutely nothing for me, promethazine was more effective. You might want to consider revising your meds in a bit if you're not happy that your symptoms are being controlled. Mother Hen will be here soon but DON'T push yourself with housework. Just vacuuming would wipe me out and send me vomiting. Either poor DH will have to do it all, hire a cleaner or sod it. Don't you do it!!!

Sorry, I can't remember who was asking about pre-emotive meds but please push for some! Don't wait until your symptoms are in full flow, treat them before they flare up too much.

questabelletreetopI so agree with Lemondrop in recommending going at once for pre-emptive meds. There is seemingly a neurological aspect, the brain becoming used to vomiting, so that it is best not to get into that cycle in the first place.
As Lemondrop predicts, I flap and cluck at women on here doing any housework while e very ill. Even on good days, you must be very careful. Squalor must be the order of the day if you can't run to a clearner. I so second:
' DON'T push yourself with housework. Just vacuuming would wipe me out and send me vomiting. Either poor DH will have to do it all, hire a cleaner or sod it. Don't you do it!!!'

Flossy I'm doubling up with those the now!!

They helped give me about an hour each day that nausea was bearable for about 3 days now nothing back to the same situation. Seeing dr in the morning hopefully he sees how desperate I am and gives me something else as I'm really struggling.

My oh is useless does nothing about the house, I try to load the dishwasher every night so I don't come down to dishes as that really ends me before the day has even started but I really need to consider a cleaner but companies are so expensive, just need a wee self employed Nana to come help out lol.

Quest ready meals like macaroni, roast dinners, sausage and mash would probably be the least smelly. My oh tried a micro bolognese and I'm still struggling with the smell of that. What about stuff like quiche (can eat that cold) and ready made salad or micro baked potato no smell in those. I also buy frozen veg as my oh doesn't eat veg so less waste and easy for him to cook hopefully will get some veggies into them.

Thank you

I have no had my first vomit! I predicted Wednesday so I wasn't far off! I have just thrown up my tea from 6pm, what is the medication called that helps you digest food quicker? Is there something I can ask for acid as well?

I am going to go back and explain the medication isn't working and ask for something else as I can just feel this is a downward spiral. I really cannot afford to be off work as we don't get sick pay and I really would be unable to pay my bills.

I know I need to take each day as it comes but the thought that this is just the start is really depressing me .

I'm so glad for this forum - I never had a support like this in my previous pregnancies

Go and get something else. I personally gave up on cyclizine after about 5 days as I knew it aaant doing anything. You can try promethazine or, if the GP agrees, straight to ondansetron (which can be combined with cyclizine/promethazine). I don't know what speeds up digestion. Ondansetron tends to slow the system down (hence the constipation) and closes valves to reduce vomiting.

I was given omeprazole for the acid but I didn't really get on with it. It neutralised the acid, so while it didn't burn my chest, I could still feel it rising up. I've got on better with Advance Gaviscon which lines the oesophages and keeps the acid down. But the liquid is a disgusting texture so it depend if you can keep it down. Worth trying the omeprazole, you might get on with it better.

I know it's peanuts, but would you not even get stat sick pay?

I am doing nothing in the house. I have to force myself to get the older kids to school then I just sit on the sofa all day. Thank god DP does it all when he gets home, but god knows what he thinks :S we've only been together six months and he's doing all my laundry, housework, cooking!

quest I bought a huge Tupperware box for the fridge before I got sick. It's full of snacks that don't need cooking. Brioche, drinks, yogurts, meat, cheese. My DC help themselves to that (they're 8, 6, 4 and 14 months)

Flossy its metoclopramide that speeds up emptying of the stomach.

Hello everyone, have previously been lurking but having read Lemon's article and seeing how kind and supportive you all are to each other, I wanted to come into the light. I'm lying in bed feeling wretched and so sad for how horrid this is for everyone. But the tips, experiences and information shared are great. Thank you x

Quest we invested in a new freezer, bought a load of freezer bags, did huge lots of batch cooking (pasta sauces etc). That was pre-pregnancy though, part of our pre-planning. But if you have any family or friends that could help with that one weekend it's a good option as then you always have something for dinner to pull out of the freezer. I am so grateful, all I have to do is reheat.

Flossy cleaning is impossible. Our flat has gone to hell. My DH does food related cleaning (dishwasher etc), and I do the rest when I can which basically means getting used to lower standards of cleanliness...!

Taking the metoclopramide alongside the meclizine seems to be helping here (only day 2), and a definite improvement from the weekend, but it's got me feeling a bit weird and jittery so think it will be a short-term fix. Hoping for a good day for others!

Bellaara welcome, sorry to hear you're having a bad time, how many weeks are you?

Hello Pippa, I'm only 7 and a half weeks. Jumping on the bandwagon very early, I must have only been 6 .5 weeks when it started. I'm not made of very stern stuff to be so fed up, only a week in.

Oh no, don't feel bad for being fed up after a week, you're perfectly entitled to feel down, it's horrible! I know Lucinda and others will be along with lots of useful advice soon, in the meantime, have you taken a look at the pregnancy sickness support website at all? There are lots of medications which can help, and which are safe to take, so don't despair totally!

BELLARA Welcome. As you have been following, you wont need my usual spiel about 'have you got kesostix' to check for the early stages of dehydration, and recommending tinned peaches and flat full sugar coke and crisps, Elderflower water, etc etc. As others say, are you on any meds? Take heart; for most people, even for those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout, things do improve a lot somewhere between fourteen and twenty weeks. You will get there.
questabellatreetop I've just thought - baked potatoes don't smell too bad, and really nutritious.
Hollyhop My goodness, I am sorry, I forgot to type up my sympathy over the needle phobia. I am amazed the the medics didn't suggest how to deal with it. You would appear to be unlucky, in that a phobia usually goes once you have to do whatever it is (believe it or not, in my case, meeting someone with leprosy still having treatment- that was due to reading about Father Damien!). If it is lingering, surely they can offer a counsellor or an ex-sufferer or something or as others say, maybe OH can do it? Much sympathy. You have not had an happy, glowing pregnancy by a mile, and deserve a very easy baby.
Great advice all round.
Apologies for anyone rudely overlooked.

Hello Lemon, on day 1 I pre-empted the way this would go and got prescribed a 9 day course of metoclopramide at an OOH clinic. I rang my GP on Monday to discuss a plan for what would happen after day 9 and after discussing with an obstacle/gynae colleague she decided to change me to cyclizine. I actually trained as a midwife and do you know didn't come across one women with HG in my three years. Not sure what to make of that, of course I didn't see every woman in the world, ever but reflecting back it seems odd.
Hollyhop not that my sympathy helps you in any way, but your posts have really pulled at my heartstrings. I wish it wasn't so for you. X

I'm so sorry Bella that you are struggling so much and I completely agree with you that Holly is a trooper. I loved your vomityrant lemon.

So I finally have been prescribed ondansetron and lactulose but my Mil and partner are being really unsupportive of this and have demonised me for even considering taking it due to potential risks to baby.

Mil is a doctor and oh is a mummies boy. She has said to me this morning that I'm being selfish and she can't understand why I wouldn't wait to the end of my first trimester to see how my HG is as the risks to baby are less.

She saw how ill I was last pregnancy and already worse and how the guilt of not being able to spend as much time with my wee boy is killing me at the moment.

There has been times I have been so down I have really contemplated abortion and I don't say that lightly as I'm pretty against this route.

I'm sitting here crying and feeling truly awful about the supposed fact I'm willing to risk my babies health to be better.

It's only another 2 weeks they keep saying but they are not the ones suffering from 4am to 12pm every day with constant nausea and exhaustion.

Sorry for the rant.

My god, so sorry Mustang. What is their objection? There are so many of us taking it, it clearly is safe?

Will reply properly later, just waiting for my whooping cough vaccination. It never rains it pours...

There was a study that supposedly linked for every 1-100 births that mother took this med that there was a heart defect and of cleft palette especially if started within the first trimester.

Obviously she is far smarter than me and has access to information that I don't but she is also highly risk adverse in daily life so it's a bit of a focus.

Sorry I don't mean to transfer this fear to everyone else now. It's not changed my mind I'm taking the meds I need to be better or I'm going to go completely crazy.

Good luck with your injection