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, phone them on:
024 7638 2020
Lastly, the NICE guidelines on treatment are useful:
cks.nice.org.uk/nauseavomiting-in-pregnancy
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.

That's how I felt yesterday lol the waiting sucks doesn't it. I'm glad I'm not alone though. There's about 5 of us all so close together it makes it easier to cope for me at least

So I've finally managed to pass a bowel movement after over a week of trying. Only I can't tell if baby has moved further down now or not 😂 either way I feel a bit more comfortable and I think I should be able to sleep finally. But my leg went to sleep I was sat there for so long.
(Not apologising for tmi because tbh I'm just happy to have it sorted. And we've all been vomiting loads anyway and seat with worse)

Thanks ladies. I have tried Omoprazole throughout the pregnancy but stopped it since it wasn’t helping with my heartburn.

Certainly going to give it a go again. Gaviscon doesn’t even touch this acid reflux issue, is that normal?

I’ve heard acid reflux isn’t actually heartburn though and that heartburn is just a symptom of it?

Been sick 3 times last night and feel very close to vomiting now... all I’ve been doing is sipping water. I’m sitting up and still getting awful waves of acid.. It’s like battery leakage or something

Absolutely awful, feels even worse than HG sickness for me. It’s torturous.

Being sick with it is even worse because of the permanent perfume taste it leaves.

To top it all off, I can’t stop thinking of food, I’m so hungry. Nothing I try stays down though, and I pay for even trying with very severe burning. Water is just about manageable but even that makes me gag sometimes because it seems to make the acid issue worse.

So bloody fed up.

Morning sufferers!

Well, after 8 months of TTC, I finally received my BFP this morning!

I am simultaneously elated and terrified as I know only too well the horror of the HG that is coming. Only this time I have an almost-22-month old to contend with as well!

Last time I was too worried about baby development to take any medication before the 12-week scan so by the time I "caved" and went to the GP, I was really in the throes of hyperemesis.

I am already pre-armed with industrial strength sick bags and water wipes for carrying around with me. And I went to my doctor for pre-emptive cyclizine the moment we started TTC so I'm all ready to go…

My question really is, when would you start taking medication? I still - stupidly - have a tiny tremor of worry about taking anything before the first 12 weeks are over. Please can someone sensible put my mind to rest on that front?!

And that aside, would you start taking cyclizine straight away, i.e. now? Or wait until the first signs of nausea, in the (let's face it, extremely unlikely) hope that I might be one of the small % of people who don't get HG a second time?!

I really don't know what to do.

I am still grinning ear-to-ear from the test result - I literally just took it and I’m only 1-2 weeks according to the test - but have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach too.

Huge hugs to everyone currently undergoing this nightmare

(My secondary worry is, as it was seemingly taking so long TTC, I’d half given up, and after a negative test on the day my period was actually due - Monday - this week I’ve drunk a LOT of wine as I expected my period any day now. And now am feeling terrible and kicking myself for doing that until I’d got it for sure. Can anyone make me feel better about that stupidity?)

TwoDrifters Hello there.
Congratulations on your BFP!
I can totally understand the fear you are nursing atm after having suffered once and quite harshly from what I can make out of your post.
However I would say don't let this great news be marred by HG or even the wine you have been drinking.
Re the wine, I know lots of women with unplanned pregnancies who actually did drink and babies turned out all fine & healthy! Alcohol that early hasn't been shown to affect the fetus, mostly because a vast number of pregnancies are unknown by that point anyways. Mention it to your Dr and he/she will tell you the same thing and it's nothing to be worried about.
Re HG most of us on this thread were diagnosed as early as 5 weeks and started our meds from that time. I personally started since week 7 with stemetil and metoclopromide. Then added phenergan to the mix by week 12 and still on the same cocktail in my current week 20.
Had my 20w scan yesterday and baby is fine
You will have some veterans who will come along with better advice and some of them were taking the meds since the beginning till the very end and had healthy babies.
I received great advice from this thread and a very sound advice was to start with the medecines from early to combat HG as it helps to delay the onset. There are lots of success stories where early aggressive treatment led to better overall outcome.
Do make sure you have lots of support in RL especially as you have a toddler to take care of now. Fatigue only makes things worse.
I am crossing everything for you so that you avoid HG this time.

Goodmorning fellow HG sufferers! Hoping all of us have a good or atleast tolerable day today and things get moving for Door, Pippa, On Natures Course,Blue and Oklahama. You all are so close! Still cheering for you

Shehz21 Thank you for your reassuring message! It’s ridiculous to be so happy and yet so terrified at the same time

Morning all!

blue that sounds horrific

onnatures sounds pretty exciting! Hope it's all kicking off for you!

door congratulations on your poo baby! I was on the loo for so long yesterday the cat joined me for support .

two congratulations! The advice from the PSS is to take cyclizine 3 times a day alongside 10mg of b6 4 times a day preventatively- so NOW! This mimics a (Canadian?) drug called diclectin that we can't get here. Don't wait for sickness to start otherwise it's too late.
Advice on cyclizine safety attached but it is safe and far more dangerous to baby if you get malnourished/dehydrated.
Regarding wine- you don't share a blood stream with the baby until the placenta develops so it makes no difference that you drank this week! Literally none.

Yaaay @TwoDrifters so pleased

Elephant so glad you're feeling a bit better!

onnature it could be the start of something...though also possibly not. I had the same lower back ache / period pain etc for a few weeks before DD was born and am getting the same on and off now - in my case was just things gearing up (it's more of a constant thing than a clear contraction thing). When I finally went into labour I also felt all the contractions in my back, so it can happen that way (they weren't sure if baby was back to back, or just the way I feel them). I was lucky though, waters went before contractions started properly, so I did at least know for sure when I was in labour and was already in hospital by then! It's so hard this waiting game, reminds me of TTC, constantly symptom spotting.

Blue sorry to hear of another awful night, it does sound truly unbearable.

Huge congratulations twodrifters I wouldn't worry about the drinking at all, so many people drink before they find out, I know I did with DD! I hope you avoid HG this time. I didn't take medication until very late last time round, but this time took the tablets the day after sickness hit (it came on so quickly and violently this time that I didn't hesitate to take them).

Thanks for the thoughts Shehz, counting down the days!!

justtheonethen Mustang27 and pippanippa Thank you all so so much! You are really helping!

I think my only (probably ridiculous) hesitation with starting cyclizine right this second (!) is how will I know if I don’t have HG and didn’t need to take it?! Does that even make sense?

If I’m not being sick, will it be a case of “oh that’ll be because I took cyclizine so early” or how will I recognise I’ve no need to actually take anything?

I do realise odds are that I will get HG. I suppose I’m just wildly clinging on to a faint hope!

Congrats TwoDrifters! I'd start the meds now, try and prevent HG getting bad at all. And don't worry about the wine, so so many women drink in the early weeks before they realise they're pregnant - I did with DD (and drank a lot as I was on holiday) and she's perfectly fine.

Not taking my medicine last night was a big mistake, was in bed two hours and then horrendous vomit session, took the med after that but the vomiting and the acid combined with what seems to be the start of a cold made for a very poor night's sleep :(

Natsku Thank you and sorry to hear about your poor night.

two I think the idea is that it prevents HG from taking hold. If you wait to feel sick it's often too late. They are safe meds so it doesn't matter you taking them. Much better to be in a position to wonder if you got it or not as you don't feel ill! I wouldn't hesitate taking them. In fact if I ever do this again is going to be solely determined by how supportive my gp is about giving meds to take preventatively. Well that and if I can afford the IVF

natsku . Definitely try and get more meds to see you through. You will be exhausted if you go on like that.

two definitely try and take b6 with it. There is really good evidence that helps alongside cyclizine.

just I'm sure if I had a cat he'd have joined me too 😂😂
twodrifters congratulations! I didn't get any meds until week 8 and by then I'd already lost about 3kg so definitely take them at the first sign of nausea..if they don't work you've got a better chance of getting stronger ones and if they do work you'll get some respite at least!

Yeah if I ever do this again it'll only be because I get a prescription for the very start, otherwise not a chance! At this point though its not just the HG that is putting me off doing it again, its the sheer discomfort, I don't remember it being this bad last time but I'm so uncomfortable all the time now my belly is massive, don't know how I'll manage another three months!

Oh god, natsku I hadn't even considered normal pregnancy woes! I suspect I'll feel the same if I'm really uncomfortable in the 3rd trimester.

I have to get DD to pull of my socks and trousers as I can't bend down to do it myself!

Thanks just and Dead I’ll head for the chemist for B6 today x

TwoDrifters Good idea, off you go girl!

Natsku Argh it's good to have a reminder of what lies ahead! I have started getting really bad hips and tailbone pain. Just ordered a pregnancy pillow,hoping it helps.. I know it can get worse with PPGP or sciatica.. As if HG wasn't enough.
Do try and take your meds on time, it's not worth adding to your woes :(

justtheonethen is the relapse phase almost over for you? I think I might be able to control it again now! Though I had mine sincd 18w and now 20+2 and just starting to feel tentatively better..

shehz yes! Today is the first day I feel I have it under control, not great but under control! We are twins!

Blue I have acid reflux anyway (like, as a chronic condition pre-pregnancy) and have been taking Omeprazole for years which controls it well. However, if that hasn't been helping, please return to your GP about it because there are other similar medications that work better for some people (e.g. lansoprazole, pantoprazole). I don't know about their safety during pregnancy but they're all a similar type of medication so I imagine they're pretty safe but doctor will be able to advise. Sorry you're having such a bad time of it atm .

Two Congratulations! I am nearly 8 weeks and been taking medication since week 6, the GPs, hospital doctors and nurses that I saw all said the medication I'm taking has been shown to be safe during pregnancy as soo many women have been taking them for years so I would try and focus on taking what you need to take to look after you, after all baby needs you to be healthy.

When I was in hospital most of the staff assured me I'd be fine by end of first trimester except I can see from this thread that doesn't appear to be the case for most people...when does it start to get better?! Apart from going to GP & hospital I haven't been able to leave the flat for around 2 weeks which is thoroughly miserable.

Hi MeadowHay thanks for the comforting words. Sorry about your current state of house arrest!

In my first pregnancy, my hyperemesis started at 8/9 weeks and I was signed off work from 11 weeks until 21 weeks. (I did try going back around 18 weeks but they sent me home after half a day!)

Based on my diary from the time, week 15 was the worst for me. I honestly felt like I wanted to die. I think partly because I was so ill but partly because everyone kept saying it should have been finished by 12-14 weeks and I didn’t see any end in sight.

But not too long after this, it did significantly ease up. I still had sickness and nausea the whole way through but nowhere near as badly as in the beginning.

And when I finished work at 32 weeks, I felt even better because I could get needed rest. (Which was good as my cheeky DS was almost 2 weeks overdue!)

Hope that hasn’t depressed you too much. Everyone is different but hardly anyone suffers as much in the second and third trimester as the first.