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 great: 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 was so worried about poo and pubic hair before Oklette was born but I promise you it's really not worth even thinking about. No one (including you) will care about how hairy or not you are

Hi all, popping my head round the door as selfishly looking for some support!

HG is still under control at the moment but I've had a few other health knocks recently. My relative has been around me with shingles and I've never had chicken pox. Booking bloods have been sent to be tested so I'm trying to keep calm about it. Had a very botched confusing appointment with the midwife today (not my usual one) who gave me different advice from the Dr when I called.

However my main concern is the dr wanted my bloods taken again today as my last results showed I was low on B12 and folate and I was advised depending on results from today I may need injections?

Feeling the familiar HG guilt because I'm wondering if this has been caused my not getting enough vitamins in my system when I was so ill?? Just feel like I went in slightly worried about Chicken pox and came away with fresh worries!!

Anyway sorry for being missing and coming back when I need you. I know a lot of you are in a much worse position

My thumping headache is less of a headache now and luckily I didn't throw anything up after the first time yesterday so dinner stayed down.
Also glad to have woken up in a cooler area.
MagnumI haven't bothered taking all the pills and stuff they tell you to and my blood works have been fine so I don't think it's that you didn't get enough when you were ill. Considering I could barely manage anything and lost so much weight it's a miracle I'm not anaemic so don't feel bad. Sometimes the body does weird things I don't think it's your fault at all. Step mum would do everything she could to keep iron levels up with my youngest brother but it didn't make a difference. Bodies are weird.

Hi all, sorry to butt in. I'm 9wks today and have been off work all week after not being able to even sip water without vomiting. I researched online and saw that promethazine is available OTC so DP bought some for me on Sunday. It worked really well but obviously I wasn't happy taking something that hadn't been prescribed so I phoned my MW and GP on Monday. GP said he wouldn't have prescribed promethazine and he prescribed metoclopramide instead. Now I've looked at the NICE guidelines posted in your OP and it seems that promethazine would have been advised in the first instance.

I'm really just looking for reassurance. My first pregnancy (DS is 2) was so very different to this. I'm also getting a lot of judging for taking the meds, which doesn't help when my mum guilt is through the roof and I feel like total shit already.

Hi Robin. Sorry you're having a rough time. That seems like odd advice to me. Promthezine is a first line drug and can be given long term. Metaclopramide is second line and often limited to only 5 days. Most GPs would give promthezine or cyclizine first.

Here's some useful links

www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/green-top-guidelines/gtg69-hyperemesis.pdf

The Pregnancy Sickness Support helpline is great for advice. If promthezine helped you, I'd push for that.

Welcome Unborn. Hope baby stays put for a long time. If you make it, we're very close together

Thanks Haich! I'll look up the group. I'm very nearly in my third trimester

Btw, waxing? What's that? I've been lucky to shower and wash my hair for the last few months lol

Sorry Unborn, didn't finish my sentence properly there. What I meant is our due dates would be very close together

Awww Magnum don't feel guilty. Firstly it's not your fault that your diet has been limited in though HG, further that's probably nothing to do with it. Lots of women have various deficiencies which is just one of those things. When do you get your results back? Hopefully all will be fine and show the reason you haven't had chicken pox is because you already have immunity

Yep look like a fecking yeti here ladies, I'm dark haired to boot so my moustache and eyebrows are crazy looking. Monobrows are in right? I use a mans beard trimmer for my fanjo waxing is way to painful and threading for my eyebrows and tache but that's also unbearable at the mo plus I'd have to leave the house which does not happen often.

Haha porridge lasted a good hour which I'm pretty impressed with but it came back was no where near as bad as I thought it would be second time round. Yeah it's weird isn't it how things you tolerate suddenly just do a u-turn Haich. Oh Pippa cereal is the worst and it smells bad second time round, poor you.

Lemon is right robin that is a little odd on the advice front as cyclizine or stemetil is their normal go to.

Magnum that does not sound fun sorry for the extra stress you are under worrying about illness and B12.

Is it odd because metoclopramide is more risky than promethazine? I'm so worried.

Don't worry at all robindeer both are safe, but they work quite differently (the factsheets on pregnancy sickness support are quite good at explaining how each one works). I think the main reason metoclopramide isn't given as the first line drug is that the side effects to you (not baby) can be worse than promethazine and other drugs. Please don't worry or feel guilty, although I know that's difficult.

Mustang you're right, tastes awful and it was my own stupid fault too. Although at least it was chocolate flavoured cereal. It's totally set me off for the day and am feeling awful and can't eat anything else, funny how one bad spell seems to set off a downward spiral so quickly!

I've been pretty good with eyebrows and top lip (use nair for top lip) since the horrible beginning where my focus was simply on showering and washing my hair every few days. The heat and wearing of shorts etc the last few weeks has made me do something about hairy legs but I react badly to shaving so it had to be a wax this time. Wasn't as painful as I feared. Just waiting for my skin to calm down now.

Holly, oaklahoma is right, when it gets down to it, you won't think about it, you'll be so focused on getting baby out. I can't even remember if I had had a trim or not last time. I'd like to be nice and tidy this time but I can see me going into labour the day before my next appointment just for giggles lol.

Magnum: try not to worry about the shingles or feel guilty. I think someone was on tablets for a B vit defficiency not too long ago on here but I might be wrong.

Goodness, this thread is busy.
UnbornMortificado Welcome. Sorry you are suffering badly with your fifth. What meds did you say you are on? Have you got kesostix to check for the early stages of dehydration? Do you find ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit - or the fruit, flat full sugar coke, Elderflower water, orange juice,coconut milk, cuppa soup, Dr Pepper, Lucoazade, soda water, slices of melon, nibbles of crisps or cheap ice cream any good? Also, chocolate milkshakes, maybe soya?
robiner Welcome. Please don't worry. Read those links others have given. Meto can sometimes cause twitchiness in the mother, which is why dr's often avoid it long term, but it is regarded as safe for the baby. Only one two women on here have had it and it stopped the minute the came off it. See the list above for suggestions for liquids, and my question - have you got kesostix to check for the early stages of dehydration?
HaichM Congratulations on the HG Graduation Group. Sounds a fine idea. Lol, will it be conducted from a Pink Castle?
MagnumAddict Sorry to hear you are so worried. You mustn't blame yourself for your bodies vagaries. Welcome back and keep us informed.
Hollyhop If you normally hate the summer, could we swap so you have my winters? I feel the cold...
I have to go out, but back soon. Here's the updated Due Dates list.
Due Dates
Babyand 23 June
Captain Warbeck 24 June
HollyHop17 6 July
whoate 1 August
HaichM 1 August
SociallyAcceptableCookie 5 August
JimmyJay Early August
Daffodil 11 August
SickRose 18 August
Pip1982 20 August.
Melleebacca 22 August
Mardybum2017 25 August
MagnumAddict 1 September
littlepooch 2 September
MamaBear 7 September
MrsK8541 15 September
MuvaWifey77 17 September
UnbornMortificado 25 September
Lemondrop09 30 September
RubyReins 3 October
Passthesickbucket 4 October
FlapAttack 10 October
Heartburn247 23 October
FluteyTootey 26 October
mrsgembles 27 October
putput 17 November
NonStopDisco 17 November
DeadDoorPost 19 November
pippasnippa 19 November
Oklahoma 21 November
NonStopDisco 23 November
OnNature'sCourse 23 November
Satsooma 4 December
Mustang 18 December
BeautifulLiar 29 December
millsbynight 20 December
Can'tdothisagain late December
Thingymaboob 10 January
mrsb87 13 January
Flossyfloss 13 January
Presh1234 16 January
weasledee 28 January

Lucinda I would gladly have your winters. Two Christmases, which is my ultimate favourite time of year/thing about being alive!!

Also, it is NEVER hard to sleep in the cold, but the summer...

If I feel up to it I might get a wax soon, if for no other reason I'd like to go swimming. Apparently the weightlessness feeling is awesome at this stage. I am sure my scan is going to show my LO is huge today...

Thanks for the support! I found out earlier I don't have immunity for chicken pox so have an appointment to go and get vaccinated. Was a bit overwhelmed earlier but feeling much calmer now.

Still haven't heard about my other results yet. I know deep down there is nothing I could have done differently with any deficiency I might have because of diet. I'm not even 100% sure it's diet related. Just panicked when I felt that familiar guilt feeling that HG gave me on a near daily basis.

On a lighter note thanks for the laughs re body hair!!!! I was almost proud of the growth on my legs.... I don't think I'll ever see the likes again!! I used veet to tackle it in the end then razors. It was a big job! I've noticed I'm a bit more lax in general even though I am a lot better. Probably as much to do with having a toddler running around! My eyebrows could definitely use some work too mustang

Im on prochlerperazine (s.p) I seem to have reacted badly to a lot of medication in this pregnancy. Cyclizine and metacloperamide didn't agree with me.

Touch wood I've avoided dehydration that's resulted in hospitalisation but I'm very lucky in the sense I have a lot of family around able to take DD2 so I can lie in bed and sip milkshake.

I can't imagine having to cope with DD2 (she's 4 and "spirited") when I was at my worst. I really feel for anyone struggling with older DC and sickness.

The pregnancy from hell continues. Back from my scan. He is fine (but big) and has turned sp is breech again. They think it unlikely he'll turn again now. I am booked in for a 'manual turn' next week but if that doesnt work then the induction is off. My options are c section or wait for labour naturally and either hope he turns or I try to deliver him breech. So thats a c section which I dont want or another potential 5 weeks of HG which I dont want.

I dont know why I'm so upset. Nothing about this pregnancy has been normal, why should it start now? I am, once again, completely devestated. I always think it cant get worse and it always does.

Holly I'm sorry to hear that. Have you had a C-Section before?

They get bad press on here sometimes but I've had two (and am having a third) and I found them better to my two natural births.

Of course it's a very personal decision no one can tell you what to do or how you should feel

Unborn prochlorperazine is also called stemetil and is one of the better / more useful anti-emetics available (I caveat that massively with "it depends from person to person"). Have they given you the ones that melt in your mouth?

Holly that sucks. He may well turn though so don't lose hope!! I also know lots of people who have had c-sections and there are lots of advantages to them too. They do get bad press sometimes but it's like breastfeeding yes breast is best but formula is also a most excellent choice. A c section with both of you healthy and HG free is a far better outcome than a lot of other options! Please try not to worry or beat yourself up xx

I'm never going to be pregnant again though, so this is my only chance to experience labour. I just cannot understand why I am not allowed to experience anything normal. I am always in a small group of shitness. Tiny % of people who get HG, smaller % of those who have it the whole way through, small % of those with a breech baby at 36 weeks. I am so depressed and so tired of everything being a massive struggle.

robindeer Sorry, I had your name wrong when I was hurrying. Mother Hen is making a lot of mistakes recently.
Hollyhop That is upsetting, and certainly you have had all sorts of misfortunes in this pregnancy. You won't get birth damage in the vagina at least - that's a huge plus. Here's my winters and Christmases, says Scrooge Lucinda!
Mustang I hope the porridge stayed down. A hot choice!!!
DeadDoorPost I'm glad the headache is better. Headaches and sickness is hellish.
Unkown I so second what Oklahoma says about stemetil really helping a lot of people on here.
Oklahoma Reflexology sounds interesting.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked...

I wrote a lovely long message and lost it 😞

Holly - I got my red raspberry leaf pills from an online pharmacy shop, but I'm in nz so can't really help you out. I can't drink tea ever, so the pills were great, but a bit chunky, no taste tho.
Don't worry about modesty. I had my legs in the air and 10 doctors/nurses come rushing in as DD was blue. Modesty came back a few hours later.

Magnum - I had a B12 shot at 24w. Might need some more as I get closer to the end. Will probably have bloods done at 36w.
Also nephews caught chickenpox the day I got my BFP, and 4 days after playing with DD. We went into lockdown for 2w, which happened to be Christmas break.

Holly - sorry to hear about the potential c-section. How I would love to be in your position. The recovery may be longer, but I'm nervous about leaving DD without mummy and daddy for too long while I'm in labour. Family is around, but not exactly reliable, especially for long periods of time.
I hope it works out for you.

Haich - will check out fb page soon.

Oh Holly I'm so sorry, what rubbish news. I can understand why you're upset. If it helps at all my friend had a very positive experience with a planned C-section, but it must be incredibly hard having spent all this time (whilst being poorly) preparing for something and then the plan suddenly changes out from under you. Hope baby decides to spontaneously turn, or failing that, that the manual turn works instead.

Everything's so unpredictable with childbirth and there always seems to be a surprise along the way. My DD was whisked off to neonatal after she was born for several days, I remember being upset and worried, having imagined I'd be cuddling her for those first few days. But, I promise you that when my little girl came to join me none of that mattered much any more. I know that's not any help now though, but take care of yourself, can you treat yourself to a massage or something when you go for that wax?

Okla yes the 3mg ones, my only worry is they are supposed to be addictive. I've past issues with medication (I have bi-polar)

It has reduced the vomiting a lot but not the nausea. I've only actually been sick twice today which is a new record.

That does sound tough Holly I'm sorry I will keep my fingers crossed that baby turns 🍀

HaichM and everyone. When I joined, I did upload photos and a profile. They vanished at the time when MumsNet went offline when some weirdo launched a campaign against it. I didn't even know they'd gone, but I knew that there used to be a sort of 'befriending' feature that meant the person could view your photos and details. As I said below, keeping in touch after the birth is a great idea.