Hypermesis chat with Doctor

[Ts27]

Hi,

I'll start with a little bit of background. Earlier this year, I fell pregnant and had Hypermesis for a few weeks before I lost the baby. During that time I was bed bound and lost 6kgs in less than 2 weeks. I would be lucky if I could manage a sip or two a day and a bit of plain bread in the morning. Everything was an effort and the nausea and throwing up was relentless. I knew something wasn't right so I called up 111 and they prescribed me anti nausea tablets. They made me very drowsy but didn't work. I then ended up at the hospital and the doctor there told me it was normal to feel the way I did. I asked him how was it possible when I was losing weight and taking in less than 100 calories a day. Anyway soon after I lost the baby.

It was such a shock to my system and simply the most horrific physical experience I have endured.

I felt let down by the doctors who told me it was normal when the women around me, my cousins, friends, aunts, mother have never experienced what I did.

I have finally found the courage to go to the doctor today. I am on my way now to speak to him and see what options I have for when I start trying again.

To be honest I'm not entirely sure what I am asking. I think I want what I went through to be diagnosed and going forward, I want to know if I can do anything different to prevent it from happening again. Also maybe being referred to a gynaecologist so I am seen by one person when I am pregnant rather than a different doctor each time- that's if I'm able to get out of bed.

I know the docs can't do anything to take away the condition but surely they can help and at the least not dismiss me by saying 'it's normal'.

Any tips on what I should say/focus on would be helpful.

I have hyperemesis and am wondering how you got on with your GP...

if you are have HG and are throwing up as much as you say you do what I had to do every time was go to hospital and get admitted and put on a drip. The hospiiral sorted out my medication (metoclopramide and cyclizine) or ask your Gp to take a urine sample. This will show the level of ketones in your urine. Then they will have to sort it

they probably won't be interested until it happens though as it doesn't necessarily happen every time (they will tell you..I found it did!!)

Hi Ts, I'm so sorry you had to go through that awful experience and I'm really sorry to hear that you were told it was 'normal' when HG is anything but normal and is a horrific and traumatic thing to go through. I am also so sorry to hear of your loss and can't imagine how hard that must have been for you, even more so after being so unwell.

In terms of what can be done, there are various different medications that can be tried, and many women find that the first line meds the doctors prescribe do not help very much. The difficulty is when you are so poorly it's very difficult to advocate for yourself and ask for what you need. I really recommend calling the helpline at pregnancy sickness support (just google that and you will find them), they have loads of info and experience of hyperemesis and will be able to support you through your experience of trying again and help you when you do get pregnant.

Wishing you all the very best with everything x