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.

Bigger. Somehow managed to write a post that missed the last two pages of others posts! Sorry for any confusion!!!

seren thanks, it has slowed down but yesterday was a rather bad day vomit wise. I always lose a lot when it's like that. Now I've got more tablets and can eat I'll probably gain a few lbs again this week. I've got some extra weight (not lots now but enough) so it's not too bad but the midwife hasn't seen me for a while so she's going to get a huge shock when she checks up on me next week 😂 only downside is that I don't really look as pregnant coz my stomach has shrunk. Oh well.

Seren I'm a teacher, I was signed off completely for weeks 5-20 and then had a phased return until 24 weeks.

I ate myself up with guilt about it... by 20 weeks my classroom looked like a bomb had gone off and it took the school a frightening six weeks to find suitable supply (shortage subject and rural area) BUT you know what... the last data capture before mat leave kicked in the kids had caught up. All will be well. However much time you think you need right now, double it. The world will still turn

Helpful comment bingo grid underway. .

Keep the helpful comment suggestions coming! So far we have

1. I filled the fridge with 18 varieties of sugar filled drinks and the snaxks you mention you can sometimes tolerate

1. Let me take your toddler out for a few hours with no expectation of being invited on for tea and a chat when we get back

1. I cleaned the toilets for you so you have a nice shiny bowl to admire

1. I'm sorry.. that sucks

1. No let me rinse that bucket

6. here's a hair bobble/hair clip/my hand to hold your hair back

7. I made chips.

8. just whatsapp me from bed if you want me to fetch you something up from the kitchen

9. daily "can I get you anything from the shops " to meet the ever changing acceptable snack options which means we can't stock up on particular foods

10. I promise I won't ever use that facecream/shower gel/handcream again that you now say is the worst smell on the planet and makes you instantly sick (even though I have been using it for the past 20 years)

Ooh, another one for you flap:

• A hug (well, maybe not when feeling really rough), but still, so nice to feel human and know someone cares (even if it's the toddler who really just wants to bounce on your belly)!

deaddoor unfortunately my next appointment's not for another 2 weeks - may see if I can get seen earlier if things continue to be bad. But it'll be nice as get another scan (they give you a scan every appointment here which is a lovely bonus and good motivator!).

Just had a cola flavoured calippo and feel like a different person, why didn't I try that sooner? Thanks for the tip about the cola ice cubes Lucinda, it inspired the calippo choice! Hoping for a better day tomorrow, headache gone, dehydration better, next step is working on keeping food down.

I've not posted for a few days - been feeling pretty grim nausea is pretty bad - vomiting still contained due to the ondansetron. I have a serious lack of energy and feel like I have a permanent hangover.

Really don't want to go back to work tomorrow

I keep getting really strong cravings for different foods - it was dairylea but I'm going off that now. If I eat too much of something it then becomes disgusting!

pippa that's cool you get a scan every time. I won't have mine til week 20 probably but DH has promised me he'll come to this one (long story about the first).
flap I dunno if this can be added but my nan phones me every week from the other side of the country to ask if there's anything she can do to help. The phonecalls really help when I'm feeling lonely.
floss when did you start having cravings? I don't think I've had any yet but I do love me some cold drinks and cold fruit and lollies. Just cold.. except when I go to bed. Then I need to be warm.

12. Here's a pile of ready to heat meals for DC/DH so they can focus on looking after you.

13. Any Netflix/audiobooks etc suggestions that don't involve food.

With DD, my step mum (who's had HG) sent me a parcel in the mail with a blanket and a print that I look at when sick in bed, or attached to a chair breastfeeding (hence why it's already in the nursery in preparation

Serendipper Just dashing on to welcome you. Certainly, that is not normal I'm glad you are going to get an appointment to get meds. There are several meds they can try. You've had great advice already -do invest in those kesostix. If they measre at more than 3+ ketones then you are generally thought to need fluids. Glad you have come across tinned peaches. Do you find flat full sugar coke, ice lollies, soda water, Lucozade, Elderflower Water, sips of chocolate milkshake, cuppa soup or nibbles of crisps or cheap ice cream any good?
FlapAttack What marvellous lists! They sum up the bad and the good in remarks/attitudes perfectly.
pippasnippa Glad that OH got kesostix (they tend to admit at 3+ ketones) and that coke helped.
DeadDoorpost I am so glad you have got meds and feel a bit better.
Waves to all...
Did everyone have that downpour today? It is certainly cooler now.

Four, I'm 32+5. I have been told I can be induced at 39 but this week has been so awful that at my consultant appt tomorrow I am going to ask for 38 instead. Does that make me a bad mum?

Holly Good Lord, no it doesn't. I think life with a newborn is challenging enough without another week of wearing yourself down.

At last, the weather has changed here, it's cooler, what a relief! I think I have found my new 'food' of choice (for this week anyway), calippo's, they're amazing.

Mellee your step mum sounds lovely, what a thoughtful gift.

Holly that doesn't make you a bad person or mum in the slightest, you should do what feels right for you and whatever allows you to go into labour feeling positive and in control, as a wonderful midwife I know says you can do this!!

Flossy sorry to hear you're feeling awful - did you make it into work in the end?

Sorry, everyone, I missed a lot of posts yesterday, my PC just seemed to scroll by. I did get Serendipper's one, at least.
Hollyhop I so agree with others; of course that doesn't make you a bad mother; you have had a particularly bad time. I knew a family who always went into labour at 36 weeks - all was always fine. I have heard that babies have fully developed lungs at 36 weeks and don't know the reason why they are sometimes reluctant to induce before 38 or 39 weeks, I suppose it is to do with their reaching that five and a half pounds or whatever it is?
fourcorneredcircle I missed a lot of posts yesterday too. I suppose you are still suffering from the bile run, you poor thing. This may be a silly suggestion - but if you were to wake earlier and take an anti acid at once, would it make that less painful (even if foamy)?
Melleebacca That's a lovely thought.
FlapAttack Here's another: 'I'll read to you. What would you like me to read?' But that's only when people are about to do that, which oftne isn't very long...And another; getting a lovely ornamental card with a sympathetic message. There's flowers for the bedroom: but even the non scented ones smell awful for some people.
flossyfloss Do you have to go in, says Mother Hen, but too belatedly? It does take a good while to recover from this even when the vomiting stops. It is very debilitating. It can take as long as you spent suffering badly to feel halfway human.
pippanipa Cyber hugs always on offer, if anyone wants them! Or gentle pats, if that is too exuberant.
Yes, that downpour (not sure if everyone had it) made it a lot cooler.
I hope everyone is coping today.

So I have had a good couple of weeks - plenty of tiredness and nausea, but pretty limited vomiting. I'm about to try and do some work for the first time in over two months. I still feel best when lying down, so I've actually bought a little table that lets me use my laptop in bed without touching my stomach. My work is physically undemanding, but requires a lot of concentration. Wish me luck!

satsooma Wishing you lots of luck. It's so nice to do something normal.

Ok so today I'm just angry!!! I really want to be able to be fit for this pregnancy I love doing things like body pump, yoga and walking, with my fibro I'm used to taking it easy and iv had it for so long I self manage my symptoms most of the time and do pretty well. I can normally manage 2/3 hrs a week actual fitness over and above my steps goal.

HG is a totally different ball game! I'm nearly 12 weeks and I'm barely walking 2000 steps and it's only that bloody high due to my mad dashes to the loo. It's just another thing effecting my MH.

Really I know this is a stupid thing to stress about as Christ I can't even do my housework but you read everywhere keeping your general fitness up is so much better for labour and it's so bloody depressing. I'd punch something if it wasn't so much effort!!!

Oh iv found a way to combat the ondansetron constipation I'm coeliac and lactose intolerant so I'm drinking an actimel in the morning and occasionally eating wheat and it's not making me feel worse as that's impossible and it's helped ever so slightly with my bowel movements not any where near normal but better than passing only what can be described as 'gravel' once a week .

Offs another mustang pity post. Sorry peeps

Oh Mustang it's so frustrating... you have every right to feel angry and fed up. I was like this for a few weeks where I was so weak I couldn't open the stair gates and I jusy walked from bed to toilet on ensure and that was it. One day when dh was out I couldn't even get to the kitchen to get any food or fluids in my good 45 seconds of the day.

I was googling the dangers of too much bed rest and was getting in a panic at how weak I was and muscle loss etc... researching bed exercises to do to try and keep my circulation ok.

Its such a scary isolating time and I have no advice really :( I am back on my feet a bit more now and my strength and ability to walk is coming back.. I did loads more last pregnancy. . Was cycling and doing pregnant yoga etc but it's just not happening with this one.

I guess maybe to try and have the same midst to exercise as you have with food? Imagine what the denrisks and nutritionists woukd say to us with our suggestions of full fat coke with extra sugar added to make it flat. . And surviving off salt and vinegar hula hoops. But that s the best we can do and any food is good food. Well don't you on your 2000 steps I say! And the ab work outs from all the vomiting. And your heart is beating faster so that s a work out. You'll be fitter than you realise xx

Sorry if any of this is mega unhelpful to read.

Sorry for the typos!

Mustang Poor you. You know, quite a high number of women who have had Hyperemesis and weren't particularly fit before, have had surprisingly easy labours - something to do with the hormones loosening things? But I so agree it is not at all fair when you a prevented from doing the best thing.
Plus, if this is any comfort, I've always been atheletic too and when I recovered but for the awful residual heartburn, I walked three miles a day, etc - right up to week forty. But guess what - forced induction, labour problems, forceps delivery,infection, very ill etc etc. In a way, it is a lottery.

You are right Lucinda it is just your luck at the end of the day and I had a brilliant labour with ds and was super ill until 42 weeks so hopefully it will be similar or better this time.

Thank you flap that was actually a really kind and supportive post. I did expect to be flamed having a moan about the lack of exercise. You are also completely right on the fact that most of what we are surviving on would never be a recommendation so it's just another thing to accept and move on from.

mustang the lack of exercise really bothers me too. I worked really hard to get into shape before getting pregnant (partly as a coping method due to some fertility problems). And it has all gone to waste. I can't even walk to the end of my road without having a sit down and getting sore muscles the next day.

Lucinda no... I hadn't thought of that with an antacid... hmmmmm... I'll see how experimental I feel tomorrow. To be honest now the thing that's worst is the dry heaving build up. I tend to empty the bile in one or two good heaves after a while and then feel pretty much fine immediately. Feeling nauseated comes and goes at random across a week and I throw up every other day or so... sometimes while I feel nauseated... but mostly at random... it's like vomit roulette!!!

Not to mention all the work I put into getting my diet really healthy for conception/pregnancy. Now I live off doughnut and chips

Four I laughed at vomit roulette what a great way to describe it.

Oh Satsooma it sucks doesn't it. Plus I find if I'm active my heads in a better place. Now I want doughnuts lol.