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.

Missed that your family are coming over for Christmas , how lovely. Bet you can't wait! Must be hard with them so far away.

Can I please join in, so I can stop lurking. Just got an unexpected BFP this month ( on an OPK though) after many years of unexplained secondary infertility. DC1 is 5 and at the time I had 6 months of exhausting all-day nausea, and retching. I am wondering when it will kick in this time (I feel it starting) and that i will have to do more to cope with it, and ask for help if needed. Last time round I was terrified of taking any medication, or to show weakness at work. But it is just so surreal and I am so grateful to even be pregnant again, as I thought it would never happen. I have been reading that low protein can be to blame, and I am definitely low on protein in my diet, preferring roast potatoes 😁

Congrats on your positive Harebell. I think secondary infertility could be the worst thing so frustrating as you know your body can do it

Absolutely ask for help and get yourself to the gp ASAP they will probably offer you something like buccastem/stemetil which will likely do nada. Dw about work they have to cope when you are on maternity so they will just have to cope sooner.

Low protein is not to blame as all I could eat was bits of cold chicken and ham. Bread, pasta, potato mostly in chip form always ensured sickness for me. Most of the women on here do survive on carbs, fruit, ice lollies and fizzy juice of some sort. It's so hit and miss what's tolerable one day is often off the menu completely for the rest of pregnancy or at least the worst first weeks.

Oh Just hugs my love I hope you say has got better.

Every thing is all good Nat baby has been quite wriggly this afternoon could be because I ate a jar of jalapeños. Weird craving all day for them.
*
Shehz* How lovely sounds like a great baby shower. I'm so anti social iv never allowed one lol. I used the Angelcare bath sling they are fantastic and can pick them up immaculate from gumtree from between 5-10 quid

Tie dye! Done too many hats, will have to give some to other babies!

They look amazing Natsku!

Oh my gosh I love them!!!! He is going to look so cute in them Nat.

Justtheonethen Mustang
Oh yes I did see the Angel care one! Would need that one for the main bath definitely!
I like the baby monitor from the same brand but will probably get that from facebook market for less than half the price! Can't find myself justifying a baby monitor at £100..

justtheonethen It's fun getting organised for the baby's arrival right? Gets our head off this bloody HG for little while and makes it all the more real.
I got my eyes on the angel care baby monitor, the gro company white noise machine(though I just googled Ewan the sheep and finding it stinky adorable!),some zip up sleepers and swaddles(keep watching YouTubers who swear by zip up ones as apparently it makes life a whole lot easier) and the fisher price rock 'n play sleeper! Still no idea which nappy bag to get but just anything that can fit baby's stuff neatly, doesn't need to be fancy or anything. Oh and the Medela Breast Pump!

Mustang In RL I am a very reserved person too,don't like being in the limelight at all but it seems to mean a lot to DH and sis-in-law so I am going with the flow though I might just sit in a corner and nibble on my safe food list on that day
I need to keep an eye on gumtree as well!

Have put one of the vests in my hospital bag for his going home outfit :) DD is going to wear one of her shirts to school tomorrow, she's very excited!

Natsku !! I love these!

Welcome to NoRoomForALittleOne. Congratulations on BFP. Goodness, you brave thing, four Hyperemesis pregnancies. I can only echo others, do get meds. You are such a veteran,I am sure you are going to be great at advising others.
Welcome also to Harebellmeadow . What a lovely name; isn't that the Yorskhire for 'bluebells' , as I recall from the Brontes? Congratulations particularly on your BFP after five years! Wonderful . Do get meds. There are several safe ones to try; no need to soldier on. There is a neurological reason, too. The brain gets into a neurological pattern which is harder to break the longer it goes on.
Do invest in some kesostix to test for the early stages of dehydration.
Some liquids that have helped others - ice lollies, flat full sugar coke - maybe frozen as ice cubes, ice cubes, soda water, the juice of tinned fruit, Elderflower Water, Lucozade, orange squash, fizzy orange, Dr Pepper, sips of chocolate milkshake, maybe soya, and some say full sugar lemonade, just remembered that one. Food, of a sort; tinned fruit, nibbles of crisps and chips, cuppa soup, jelly, cheap ice cream and slices of melon and mango.
Shehz21 You will all indeed reach the Pink Castle! Very nice here, too. Sorry about cold, that makes you feel so much worse.
Mustang I hope you can get quick reassurance about movements. Sorry about horrible symptoms, and watermelon baby.
Natsku about a hippy being sick on your washing line.
justtheonethen I am sorry about your dry heaving. That is the worst. Remind me what meds they have you on now? You are certainly in a bad way, poor you. Hugs.
BATMAN Waves. I've written a message for you,a nd now can't read my own handwriting.
I hope everyone is coping today. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Thanks Mustang and Lucinda, these are very good tips. I really should go to the doctor sooner rather than later. Last time round I lived on crisps, chips and cokes, and had a bottle
of coke continually with me. The baby was thankfully totally fine though, not damaged by the minimal nutrition.
I know this time round to avoid crowded spaces and no loo access (or private space to retch) - no flights or train journeys for me. And there is no shame in cancelling social engagements.

I live in the country (hence the wire-stemmed harebells that sprung up on my wild lawn) and driving is essential. I couldn't take a medicine that made me sleepy and unable to drive. I would rather have to be signed off sick or work from home. I hope there are some sickness tablets that don't make you sleepy.

Wishing everyone good rest and self care (didn't practice much last time, now with an active child it'll be even harder)

Mustang - glad to hear about wiggles. 😍

Natsku they are brilliant!

Mustang glad all is well

Lucinda I'm on ondansetron, metoclopromide, cyclizine and ranitidine. Seeing the consultant tomorrow so hopefully he will have some new ideas.

Harebell congratulations! Isn't infertility the worst? This baby is 4 years and ivf so I get it! Avoid cyclizine or promethazine as they are drowsy ones. I find metoclopromide and ondansetron have the opposite effect so they could work for you.

I can report that after eights are on the list of things that taste the same on the way back up

Shehz totally missed your post! I have the angel care monitor- given by a friend. I wasn't sure about having to hold the gro company one to baby's ear? I have heard great things about myhummy white noise toys but they are expensive. I have some zip up swaddles, doubt I'm dexterous enough to do it otherwise .
I got given a pacapod changing bag. My friend again! It's fab but I don't think it's worth the money. I liked the look of the backpack type ones - saw some on amazon.
Also want a medela breast pump- are you going single or double?

Welcome Harebell hope you can get signed off or work from home then - living rurally must be difficult when pregnant!

Had my midwife appointment today and am not feeling very reassured by her. I told her about the pains and she just said well maybe the baby is going to come early, just go to the hospital if they come again and don't go away by lying down in a warm bed. Apparently they don't try and stop labour any more after 34 weeks which surprised me - is it the same in the UK?
Fundal height still hasn't changed - it's been the same for 6 weeks now and I asked her about that and she decided I must be smoking or taking drugs, when I told her quite clearly that I'm not she decided it must be my sickness meds slowing the growth but said nothing about having a growth scan to check it out and then just wrote a higher number on my chart to make it look a bit better. I wish there was another midwife but she's the only one for my part of town. Told her about the panic attack too and she went back to questioning drugs - clearly has drugs on the mind!
Think I'll write a question on the hospital's 'ask a midwife' web page and ask about the fundal height thing, once I figure out how to write it in Finnish (ten years and I still can't write in Finnish, can read but not write, it's silly)

About breast pumps - I got a manual one last time and couldn't even get an oz out so if I get one this time I am definitely getting electric! I've been given a manual one but I'm not going to even bother with it. And you lot have reminded me I still need to get a changing bag!

Natsku she sounds awful. I wouldn't be happy with her at all. Especially writing down incorrect numbers. Could you use google translate to phrase it?

I'm not the only one not happy with her, all the mums in town are hoping she retires soon.
Used Google translate to help, now just waiting for an answer. Thinking about looking up how much a private scan would cost.

I feel your pain Nat I was really lucky with my bf relationship with mini but I could not pump to save myself. Even engorged I'd still struggle. Hopefully an electric one is better for you. Also that bloody midwife what is she all about. Silly woman, I'm sure she thinks she has seen it all before and it's been well but why risk it. Oh and the drug obsession, is have said are you on fecking Drugs?? Lol

Haha I found that out but with fry's peppermint creams Just. They do increase my acid though.

That's so nice of you Shehz and I like the idea of squirrelling away in a corner with some safe snacks and letting them get on with it. I hope they do. I barely used my monitor last time then it broke got a new one expecting this one will get more use.

Hi all! So sorry to see some new joiners, my sympathies to you, but you’re in the right place for solidarity and comfort.

Just delurking with some brief advice on breast pumps for those who have been discussing them.

I, too, found the manual ones excruciating and inefficient. But I can wholeheartedly recommend the Medela swing pump. Given the difference in price between the single and double, I went for the single and almost immediately regretted it. Anything that saves time and gets you to bed quicker in those early days has got to be worth it, imho.

But! In case any of you have made the same erroneous purchase, or are given one, all is not lost! There is a YouTube “hack” out there for converting the single into a double pump. My DH did this for me after much of my voiced regret over not having bought a double pump and it worked brilliantly. Just thought I’d share that useful info!

:: waves to all old timers and Lucinda ::

justtheone and Harebell I do feel for people who have waited so long for their babies, only to be struck down with Hyperemesis.
TwoDrifters Lovely to hear from you. You know, I really am a primitive sort of person - I never thought of a breast pump, I just expressed with my fingers. Also, for some reason that seemed to bypass the hormonal surge which made me slightly nauseated with the let down. I should have thoght to recommend that to poor Oklahoma - but she is a veteran, and it may not have worked for her.

I have caught up, welcome to new ladies, I have dyslexia which makes my short-term memory really bad so unfortunately I can't remember the usernames yet but welcome and sorry you are feeling bad and to the lady that already has 5 kids I am in so much admiration of you!! You are a stronger woman than I. I think I'd like to have a large family but I really don't think I could face the pregnancies .

My birthday was actually a lot better than I thought it would be tbh. DPs and DB and DSis came over and I got far too many birthday cards from family members bless them. We watched Hotel Transylvania 2 which was good if you are like me and still enjoy funny animated movies and then we got a takeaway from my fave vegetarian Indian restaurant. I could only eat a little bit and I sicked up all my lunch and snacks before then which was grim but ah well. This week will be harder as DH will be quite busy with work so I will be on my own a lot so I'm anxious about managing but I have had a 'good' weekend so trying to stay positive. Feeling much better like mentally even if not physically.

DB is a final yr pharmacy student and he has suggested stopping the ondansetron because he reckons it's probably not doing anything for me. I think he might be right but it's difficult to know and I'm worried to stop it for a few days and then end up super sick and back in hospital, especially over Xmas period when the hospitals are notoriously short-staffed. What do you all think? I don't seem to be any worse on days when I take one tablet as opposed to 2 but might be coincidence/because I sleep more on the 1 tablet days, idk.

I even had diarrhea the last two days, wtf??

I've got a new fruit I can eat too to add to my list: pink grapefruit! Just in case anyone needs more inspiration for fruits they might be able to stomach. So my list is quite good now:

• Granny Smith apples
• Green grapes
• Pink grapefruit
• Raspberries

Only in tiny quantities but still, some vitamins and fibre in me that way. Gone off strawberries and kiwi after vomiting them up a bunch of times.

Natsku Your midwife sounds terrible, is there not a more senior one she reports to that you could complain about her to or be seen by? You poor thing. I also love the tie dye!!

I've heard so many scary things about pumping the idea makes me anxious eek! I want to breastfeed and then switch to mix-feeding after a few weeks but I've heard so many bad things about breastfeeding that I get anxious thinking about that as well! I wish I wasn't such a worrier.

Natsku Omg what's that midwife on about?! Tad crazy imo :/ I wouldn't be able to tolerate her but then again I'm usually the quiet shy type so would just be seething inside.
Private scans are anything between £59-£199 pounds at the pvt clinic I had been to for the early gender scan. Hope it's around the same in Finland and not exorbitant prices.

justtheonethen Definitely going for the double! Had a hard enough pregnancy and though I am mentally prepared for sleep deprived nights and the general life changing event of having a baby, I would like to add ease wherever I can in my life after baby is here! I had a look at that changing bag and saw one in mint condition on facebook for £45! Might get it..
Hope you getting on okay today.. I am having an okaish day physically but mentally battered tbh..
Where are those surges of energy of 2nd trimester? I am almost at the end of it and can confirm I had NONE so far..

Mustang I reckon it was you who mentioned having a next2me and found it brilliant? I think it's high time I get my hands on a cot now but my indecesiveness is digging DH and my own head in.

TwoDrifters Waves. Glad that read that you are all for the double medela swing one!

Meadow Happy to read you are feeling mentally. Healthy positive MH trumps the physical state sometimes(most times?).
I do love green grapes from your list but strawberries instead of raspberries for me. And like you, kiwis have been horrible. Being my pre-pregnancy most favourite fruit, I am quite heartbroken about how I cnt stomach them at all now.
Re ondansetron, I have read from a couple of posts from sufferors that it has a cumulative effect and so you must never miss a dose?
Wouldn't know for sure. The ladies on ondansetron will dedinitely be able to advise you better!

Meadow to be honest unless you're taking it at least twice a day every day I doubt it's doing anything! It does have a cumulative effect. You could always try something else though, or a combination of meds. Don't just give up on them, it's really dangerous to get dehydrated from constant vomiting.
Glad you had a nice birthday, or as nice as it could be

Shehz tell me about it. Definitely didn't get the second trimester glow either! Although my spots did clear up so small mercies!
Going to also look on fb and go for a double. Especially after what twodrifters said!

Appt got cancelled as the consultant was off. They tried to tell me they had called which they hadn't. So annoying. Tried to give me the 8th Jan but I argued it was supposed to be urgent so I got the 27th December. Really annoyed as wanted to ask for steroids as next treatment and start them before Christmas.

No senior midwife unfortunately. Hurting again, but more in my upper middle back and middle chest, well between belly and chest.