Suffering with HG / extreme morning sickness

[nicole26]

Hello everyone, I'm just looking for a bit of moral support really. I'm new here, just over 8 weeks pregnant with my second, and suffering from the worst morning sickness I could have ever imagined. I had what I thought was pretty bad sickness with my son for almost 20 weeks but it was nothing that constant nibbling couldn't resolve. I managed to keep a good job all the way to my maternity leave so day to day life wasn't particularly affected. This time however it's a completely different animal. I'm struggling to keep food and water down, spend literally every waking minute fighting the constant urge to vomit, sometimes I just can't stop it, and have become completely unable to function properly. I'm so lucky I'm now a stay at home mum because there is no way I could work like this. It takes everything out of me just to care for my 2 year old. I cannot begin to imagine this continuing for another three months like last time. My GP has been surprisingly understanding, diagnosed HG and prescribed rehydration sachets and Phenergan (promethazine hydrochloride) three days ago but it is doing little to even take the edge off the problem and only for the first hour or so of the day. I'm at my wits end and genuinely feel like I'm dying. Any words of support from former or fellow sufferers would be really appreciated! Thank you. 💕

Hi Nicole so sorry you're suffering so horribly with HG, it really is the worst. There is an HG support thread on here called 'hyperemesis support' with lots of fellow sufferers who can give you great support and advice. I also really recommend the charity pregnancy sickness support - they have a website with loads of information and also a helpline if you need it. It sounds like the meds you've been given aren't working so I would go back to your GP asap, they should give you an emergency appointment. There are lots of different meds that can be tried, PSS has a treatment ladder on their website showing the different options. You may find that sugary drinks are more tolerable than water, or ice lollies (I lived on Soleros for some time!). You will get through this, though it might not feel like it now - there is lots of support out there and you're not alone. Sending you a gentle hug

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and be so kind Emu, it's actually brought me to tears I'm in such a state! It's so reassuring to hear that someone else has experienced this and survived. It's hard to know you're not alone when you're surrounded by people who haven't experienced anything like it. You're right, I'll make an emergency appointment with the GP tomorrow and take a look at that thread and the PSS website before I go. I'll stock up on some sugary drinks if I can make it to the supermarket afterwards. You're totally right, this too shall pass, it just feels like such a monumental mountain to climb with no idea how long it will take! Thank you for all your advice. I really appreciate it. xx

Oh bless you Nicole I know first hand how awful it is and it's so isolating because it feels like no one understands but there are lots of us who (unfortunately) do. If you join the thread you'll likely also get the very good advice to get some kesosticks (not sure how to spell), so you can check your ketone levels at home to make sure you're not getting dehydrated. I hope you have some support in real life as well, do lean on anyone you can - remember you are not being weak you are very unwell and will need all the support you can get. Also rest is the most helpful thing, which must be a big challenge with other dcs but try to get as much as you can and don't push yourself. 8 weeks is one of the worst for the hormone surge so you are likely going through the worst right now, you will survive it I promise x

Poor you, I really feel for you. I'm 30 weeks with my second and only just out of the sickness though can still be occasionally sick in the evenings.
It's very debilitating isn't it?
I've been working all the way through and looking after dd but go on maternity leave in three weeks.
Honestly nothing really worked for me. I was on cariban up until a few weeks ago. Rest is so important.
Even being your toddler in to bed and give him the iPad for a couple of hours if he doesn't nap,
Is there anybody that can take toddler once or twice a week for a few hours?
I drank coke and lucozade to get me through the worst of it.
Def get back to gp and see what they can give you.
Hopefully it will pass quickly for you

Another HG veteran here. So so much sympathy, it is MISERABLE and it feels so lonely.

Did you get a GP appointment today? As others have said there’s a lot of different medication options. I found that ondansetron + cyclizine together worked the best, but has to try a few different things to get there. It really varies (I know other people who found Stemetil worked brilliantly but it did nothing for me), so do t despair that you’ll find something that helps.

Thanks everyone for the replies and support. Lorelai, great idea about the iPad. My toddler already knows how to turn the Amazon fire stick on and put on In The Night Garden, so there is some respite for both of us! I have no idea how you have managed to work throughout your pregnancy. You're very tough!
I went back to the GP today who prescribed something called Prochlorperazine instead, which seems to be working a little, managed to keep some Ribena down today. It's quite a high dose and she said it would take a few days to properly kick in. I'm keeping everything crossed it works!
It's funny really, I spent my entire last pregnancy worried about something bad happening after a MMC the year before that, but this time, worrying about that sort of thing couldn't be further from my mind. I'm sorry you've all had to go through this miserable experience. It's so tough. xx

Fingers crossed for you that they work, and rest up when you can!