Morning sickness - when to go to hospital?

[DanaNakers]

Before I start, want to make it clear that this pg is very much wanted and I'm more than happy to be sick 24/7 as long as I have a healthy baby at the end of it! The health of me and little one is my main concern...

Suffering from morning sickness and feel absolutely awful. Vomit within 20 mins of eating/drinking despite desperate attempts to keep it down for as long as possible in the hope I'll take some nutrients from it. DP thinks he knows it all and isn't really worried. Told me if I cut out fizzy drinks I'll stop being sick (one can of ginger beer when I'm feeling nauseous... ok!). Somehow don't think that will work. Stemetil not working. Now on metoclopramide which doesn't seem to be any better.

My question, how do you know when it's past the point of normal? I'm off work and rapidly running out of sick leave. Only 9+2. Doc was lovely and told me the first tri is nearly over and to hang on in. He just said head to hospital if you keep being sick but that seemed very vague... any ideas?

Thanks all in advance!

When I had HG I was told to sip water every 10 mins and if I kept most of that down then it was fine and I could stay at home. They don't care about food just liquids (well with me anyway - unless you are underweight?). Also fizzy drinks helped me - I sipped fizzy water and when a bit better full fat coke for some sugar and it stayed down. Good luck- hope you feel better soon.

@KatnissK I'm not underweight at all. Very healthy size 10 but I have lost 6lbs since I became nauseous. I've had 2 miscarriages and am so happy to be pregnant. I just want to make sure I'm as healthy as possible. I wish there was a tear you could do at home to determine whether you are dehydrated or not! The idea of a&e makes me feel even worse...

If you show signs of dehydration , going more than 6 hours between urinating , not keeping fluids down , dark urine , funny smell on breath , weight loss , if you feel weak , if you feel the anti sickness meds are not working for you , i always felt weepy and shaky when the dehydration got bad , just go to hospital if youre not keeping anything down and point your husband in the direction of the pregnancy sickness support website

You can buy ketostix but that just tells you if you are in ketosis

Thanks @Mymouthgetsmeintrouble - I did have an episode yesterday when I became extremely shaky and had to eat to stop it. It all came back up about half an hour later.

I will send DP a link to that website in the hope that he will read!

@Mymouthgetsmeintrouble is this what determines whether you need iv fluids or not? I don't want to sit in a&e for 4 hours to be sent home I'll have a look at ketostix, thanks!

Have a look at ketostix I think a reading for 3 + is admission worthy. Are you keeping water down?
I had to be admitted because I wasn't keeping fluid down but I went to GP not a&e.
Fingers crossed you feel better soon!

Thanks @booandbumpp and where on earth do I get them from?!

I think boots pharmacy or Lloyd's pharmacy do them! Or amazon if you can wait for delivery x

I think you have to ask for them over the counter though. They might ask why you're buying them but if you explain then there should be no problem. They're usually for diabetics x

@booandbumpp thank you. I've had a quick read and a lot of people have stated they've been refused when they asked for them. Going to call around now before I make an unnecessary journey!

You need to call your doctor. This isn't 'normal' MS. The medications you have been given aren't working well if you are still throwing up.

At 9 weeks you are in the thick of it but you have at least another 3 weeks until it generally gets better. That's a awfully long time!!!!

@Want2bSupermum I just got back from my docs this morning. Literally an hour ago. He just gave me another tablet and told me to go to hospital if I keep being sick. Very vague but don't want to go to a&e if they're not going to do anything for me... a bit of a loss here...

Can you self refer to your local EPAU? It might be worth calling them. My local one you can self refer to and there are some that do clinics for women with Hyperemesis for fluids etc.

@booandbumpp they unfortunately don't take self referrals (Stoke) so would have to go through my gp! My dad is a gp but haven't told him about my pregnancy yet. So frustrating that his advice is a phone call away yet I can't call him 🙈

Oh dear! I had to tell my parents because I needed them to drive me to the hospital hahah so I feel your pain. I would ring your GP and say it's got worse and ask for a referral to the ward. It would be so much easier for them to pick up the phone and talk to the SHO than you go to a&e!
Or have you met your midwife yet? Could you call them? X

@booandbumpp midwife is a good shout. Meeting her for the first time on Thursday! Thanks.

Ah my parents live 300+ miles away. We are very self sufficient!

You probably need Ondansetron it was only thing that helped for me

@booandbumpp I didn't mean that in a bad way btw! It's rubbish being totally self-sufficient. Lovely you have your parents nearby 

@foodFood I've heard a lot of people suggest this! I'll definitely ask if it doesn't settle down soon!

I found that when I was getting to the stage I needed to go into a&e I’d be very confused. I literally wouldn’t be able to string a sentence together and we always knew it was time to head into a&e. If you feel like you are keeping down no fluids or if your urine is very dark in colour go in. Also if you are feeling very weak it is likely you need to go in. Ketostiks are helpful. I got mine delivered next day on amazon prime but I’d already been in hospital by then. I went in at 6 weeks because I had vomited everything up since about 5pm the following day and had retained nothing for 24 hours. The last time I was in they asked me to come in for rehydration as I was vomiting up green bile and I rang them concerned about that.

Also I was told if you are questioning whether you are bad enough to go to the hospital then that probably means you should go. A couple of people on the hyperemesis thread told me that when I was unsure.

@hotchocolate86 the green bile is the worst, its like throwing up bleach. Sounds really awful. Sorry you went through that.

Do you have to have high ketones for them to give you treatment then?

If the medication isn't allowing you to keep food or water down then I'd head to hospital.

Thanks @megletthesecond - my concern is that I will get there and ketones etc will be ok and will be sent home after a 4 hour wait. I'm exhausted! Will see how I go...

My hospital would treat me if I went in with 2+ ketones. I was told that some will treat at 1+ but I think most are 2+. I would imagine if you are throwing up within 20mins of eating or drinking that you would probably be showing ketones. It might be worth popping onto the hyperemesis thread. There are a few people on there who have quite a lot of knowledge of the hospital treatment and there are also some helpful lists of fluids and food you might be able to keep down. I’ve found it a great source of support.