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.

emelsie I really don't think you are gate crashing the thread. If you have been sick 20 times today you are having a really hard time. It sounds like hyperemersis to me!

I think you have a good chance of getting some medication. If you don't go and see someone else. You should hopefully be give an anti emetic and an ant acid.

If you are really struggling you may need to go to hospital to be given fluids. It's sound like you are managing to keep some food down but liquids are much harder and you need to be aware of dehydration. You can get Leto sticks to measure your ketones which gives an idea of how dehydrated you are.

Early pregnancy is the worst. Most people have some easing in symptoms as they go on. There are also lots of different medications you can try. I was given Stemtil at first which I vomited up but cyclizine worked for me.

You will get lots of support on this thread.

Emelsie you definitely need some help! As said above may be worth getting some ketostix from the chemist to check you are keeping enough food/fluid down to stop these developing. I would definitely push for a doctor's appointment tomorrow, the sooner you get some meds in the better. If they will not see you/you stop keeping anything down then go to A&E - it sounds dramatic, but even if they do not feel you are bad enough for fluids they should start you on meds, usually injecting the first dose so not relying on you keeping tablets down straight away!
The charity Pregnancy Sickness Support is well worth looking up before you go to GP - lots of good advice on website about suitable medications. If you have problems getting meds from GP then call them and they call you back - really helpful and knowledgeable.
The early weeks are especially grim, you have my deepest sympathies.

Hi, I'm 4+4 with #3, 3rd HG pregnancy.

I woke this morning to my first bout of nausea, managed to walk the dog and go for Sunday lunch. Got home and vomited, feel so sick and cant move from my dark bedroom, I can't drink , just lying here still, it's taken me ages to write this s this it?
BUT I have a slight temperature, my body is aching so much and I had some diarrhoea earlier, could it be just a 24 hour stomach bug? Or is it all down hill from here. I'm absolutely praying that the HG hasn't set in, I thought I had at least another weeks or two

emelsie Welcome. Sorry you are suffering so badly. You have had great advice already. I so agree with others, you need kesostix to check for dehydration and meds and the Pregnancy Sickness Support no is great for advice at getting meds if you have diffiuclty. Was that 20 heaves, or twenty separate sessions of several heaves (I hope not!) The reason I ask is many doctors count each heave as a separate vomit, and you don't want to underestimate. Just below I left some drinks and foods people find helpful for AW12345.
I hope everyone is coping, after a fashion...

questabellatreetop There is a bug going about. Wishing you all luck in avoiding the scourge.

Hello! I've been having a tough time in my first trimester and have been in hospital this week with HG. I'm on anti sickness tablets. I've been sick today but nothing like I was earlier in the week so that's better I guess. I'm back at work tomorrow and I'm so exhausted the thought is actually making me want to cry. How do full time workers cope? (Not to undermine anyone who stays at home with this and runs after kids I don't know how you cope!). I just don't know how to get up and ready for a certain time and commute on a bus for an hour have a 8 your shift and commute back for an hour. It's going to be such a long day and I don't know how to cope with the tiredness, the sickness and work 😫😫

booandbump hyperemersis makes you really tired. I have gone into work most days. It is only manageable because I have can run to the toilet when I need to. I take sick bags and baby wipes in case I am sick on my way into work. I think it is inevitable that you will need to have some time off work. It is much easier to cope with the sickness when you are lying down and you often feel sicker when to try to move. If this is you then don't go in.

@Elephantgrey thanks for your reply. I've had this week off sick, and the doctor said she would sign me off if I needed more time. I'm just conscious of my paid sick leave time and the impression work must be getting of me. I know it's silly - I know my health should come first. I'm just a ball of weepy exhaustion and anxiety tonight. I need to snap out of it and just see how I am in the morning. It just seems so bleak feeling this sick and tired day in and day out.

booandbumpp you poor thing, HG is just so horrible. I have to say I have found this group so helpful and I've only been on here a very short time! It's so nice to have people who know how you feel!
Totally know your pain of going to work (and also about how hard it must be to stay at home if you already have kids!). I absolutely hate going to work some days, feel like death 24/7 and sometimes I definitely should not have gone in - I went in anyway and my only advice is this- Dont! Dont force yourself to go in if you feel that unwell, I did and it was not worth it. You and baby are more important :-)

I was sleeping on store room floor on lunch, vomiting everywhere in the car (now stains that wont come out), feeling very faint and dizzy etc and what did i get in return? a boss who lectures me on other people coping better with pregnancy, who heard me vomiting into the bin and told me I was 'wasting time' at work, who told me that I'm being a drama queen and 'threatening the business' when I talk about my maternity leave!? Honestly, should not have gone in! Save yourself and think of yourself first.

@LucindaE thanks so much for food advice, I've send the other half out to shop for supplies!

@Aw12345 your boss sounds awful! Can't you speak to your HR dept as they should not be speaking to you like that at all.
I'm definitely getting the "you need to just not think about it and get on with it" from some family members. I'm trying to be patient but I have ended up snapping and crying at them a couple of times.
Today i was crying to my mum about it (I'm crying a lot) and I had a horrible thought of I'd just rather not be pregnant which is horrible because DP and I have been trying for 9 months for this.
I don't know. I'm very down today and can't seem to stop crying now I'm thinking about work. I think it's best I don't go in I just don't know if staying at home on my own throwing up and wallowing is the best plan either.

Thank you @LucindaE

@emelsie it sounds as though you have HG, I really hope your GP is understanding and sympathetic but yes it does sound as though you need treatment ASAP.

I know how difficult it is to face getting out of bed, leaving the house and travelling to A&E but I really think Tuesday is too long to wait.

@emelsie can't you speak to a triage nurse or phone your local EPAU? You might be able to self refer and they can check your urine to see if dehydrated. Or ring your gp first thing and ask for an emergency appointment.

Hi, I've been lurking on this thread for a while. I hoped that my hideous morning sickness would pass and that I wouldn't have to post!
I'm 20 weeks pregnant and have been on a combo of ondansetron, metochlopramide, and doxylamine plus B6 since I was 5 weeks. This is my 3rd pregnancy and while I had morning sickness with the other 2 it was nowhere near as bad as this time.
Over the last few weeks I've been feeling good and managing on just a nightly dose of doxylamine and B6. (I'm not in the UK) My GP has encouraged me to try and stop taking it - I skipped a dose last night and ended up vomiting lots this morning and feeling awful. Just wondering if anyone else has much experience of doxylamine/B6? I'm not sure if this is withdrawal or if I'm just not ready to stop the medication yet....

I so sympathise with the pp and the feeling of "I'd rather just not be pregnant" as I have to admit I felt like that the last few days too. I switched from metaclopramide to prochloperazine about 10 days ago - for a few days I felt way better but I've now been sick again every day since Thursday. I'm regularly throwing the meds up too - after doing that again this morning I've taken a metaclopramide and forced down a slice of toast in the hope it makes it stay.

10 weeks on the nose today - last time my hg was only first trimester but I don't really remember when it peaked.

Goodness, this thread is busy. Welcome to all the new people! Sorry that you have had to join the thread that nobody wants to be on.
booandbumpp Welcome. Sorry you have had to be admitted. I hope the fluids helped. I think you should definitely get your sick note extended until you feel a lot better, unfortunately. It is very hard to struggle in and movement makes you worse, though being isolated at home is grim. What meds are you on? Are you on an anti acid? That can make an amazing difference. Have you got kesostix yourself to check for the early stages of dehydration - I know the causes of ketones are complex, but hospitals do take those measurements seriously. I hope, though, this was your last admission!
On liquids, the juice of tinned fruit, flat full sugar coke, ice lollies, ice cubes, soda water, orange squash, Lucozade, Dr Pepper, fizzy orange, Robinson's fruit drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake, Elderflower water, lemonade, and for some, despite its acidity, orange juice have been found helpful. On foods of a sort, nibbles of crisps and chips, cuppa soup, cheap ice cream, slices of melon and mango, for some, as you say, baked potato, tinned fruit, cornflakes and jelly have helped.
Ohlwa Welcome. Sorry that you have got this scourge. As you are anyway a veteran of pregnancy sickness, you will at least have coping strategies for that, and a list of drinks you can stand. Have you got the famous kesostix? My ignorance is limitless, but I believe that's an antihistimine and it''s supposed to be more effective with B6. How is the acidity? Has he given you anything for that if it's a prob lem (it usually is, with Hyperemesis). I haven't known women in the UK to take that, but I have known them to take other anthistimines, which if they're able to use bed rest, at least make them drowsy. Have you got any left? I don't want to sound bossy to a veteran mother, but you must let the doctor know you've had a bad relapse and are not ready to come off it!

AV12345 I am shocked at that boss's attitude. That goes over from insenstivity into abuse. That's plain bullying. As others say, have you got an HR department or union? It might be a good idea to phone Pregnancy Sickness SOS on 024 7638 2020 . They will phone back with good advice.
Elephantgrey You deserve a medal for managing it, even with a loo nearby.
Nobody should blame themselves for 'bad thoughts. If we were held accountable for those, we'd all be in gaol, beginning with me serving several life sentences!
I have to go out,but I hope everyone is coping today. Waves to Bored Anitidae and everyone...

Ok the thread has way too much too catch up on right now. I'm definitely suffering a bit with kind of PTSD I think (obviously mildly) but I have contracted the rotovirus from my babies immunisations  I feel at the point of panic being this sick again I know it will be short lived compared to my HG but Christ it makes this stuff so much less manageable.

I also realise you'd all kill just to have a virus and be over and done with this in a week or two I'm so sorry too moan on here.

@Natsku sorry to hear Mr Justice is refluxy I hope you are both doing ok.

@Endora44 so sorry to hear about your mumma that's hard at any point but so much worse whilst you are expecting. I hope she is still improving. Stroke recovery is so complex.

Oh no Mustang that sucks catching rotavirus - got that vaccine coming up soon for Mr. Justice, must remember to be careful. We're both doing ok - he slept 8 hours last night!

Thanks for all the advice , managed to try lots of different foods on the list but nothing is staying down for long , was awful this morning couldn't even keep down dry toast , throwing up my own spit. Didn't manage to get a doctors appointment today , OH is at work but my mum is coming over so if I need hospital will go tonight and she can watch my DD or else my appointment is tomorrow. What medication should I be trying to get? Don't want to leave with something that doesn't work at all. Thanks again

I just had my scan and baby is looking good. The doctor wants to start me on steroids (prednisolone) I think so I stand a chance of keeping my thyroid drugs down. Has anyone else taken steroids?

mustang I hope the rotavirus doesn’t last long. How awful to get it so soon after HG.

aw12345

I have changed line managers since my first pregnancy. The old one was a nightmare. The new one is fine.

My advice for you is not to flog yourself into the floor for a company that treats you like that. I did first time and it damaged my health - and the awful LM demoted me when I got back anyway. (Have since gone sideways and back up the ladder under newbLM.)

My advice:

EVERYTHING in email or writing. Everything. Keep a record of what was said, by whom and when. If people are witness, record that too.

Any meetings with boss you follow up with and email ‘thank you for your time today, just to follow up we discussed:’ and bullet point it.

Get signed off - make sure all your paperwork is in order

HR - depends on how your company works. Be aware that HR is there to protect the company more than the employee. Thus it is VITAL that you keep written records and document everything.

@hotchocolate86 @justtheone took steroids there have been a few others and all have felt vastly better. I can't say I know anything about thyroid though. Hopefully someone will be on soon that can help,

Thanks mustang I’m going to take my first one later but fingers crossed someone will be along to let me know how they got on with them.

emelsie I hope you get some help tonight if you need to go to the hospital. Try to get an antiemetic like cyclizine and an anti acid like ranitidine. I’m not sure what antiemetic they are likely to start you off with but if it doesn’t work don’t be afraid to go back and ask for something else. You may need a combination of drugs to get some relief.

Brilliant news on the scan hotchocolate86

I was prescribed prednisolone last week for my asthma flair up.
It was a short course of 30mg for 6 days and I didn't take it in the end as my asthma settled. But they were happy to prescribe in pg.
I guess if they are wanting to prescribe instead on more thyroid meds it must be the better option??