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.

Hope you feel better asap lucinda that sounds awful :( x

Hoping you feel better soon Lucinda, take care of yourself.

Hope everyone else is having an ok weekend and that you all aren’t feeling too awful.

Thanks, everyone, for the kind wishes. Now staggered up.
OH kept saying, 'Dont you want some tea?' so he was trying his best.
. As with Hyperemesis, tea is not bearable with a migraine.
I hope everyone is coping today.

I have not been diagnosed with HG, but feeling extremely ill most days since week 6, I am now 9+4. I have been on cyclizine, prochloroperazine and now ondansetrone since the weekend. I am still nauseous all day with Ondansetrone and still gag and have dry fetching, still vomited once a day, I think i had extremely high expectations given the reluctancy to prescribe it and that it's for cancer patients etc. I am able to eat, but only bland food and very small quantities. Toast and crackers actually makes me gag, but have to have it. I really struggle with liquids. I am loosing weight, was 98kgs beginning of June and I am 92kg now. I know my BMI is high but I am not loosing by choice. I feel miserable, easily cry twice a day cause of discomfort. Husband is very unssportive, don't think he believes me much. Or he just expects me to sick it up and do all the same as before. He has even said that I don't need to eat, I am fat so it's fine & that skinny women eat like this all the time. Both our parents live away & I have told some friends but can't constantly complain, they dont have much to say other than oh, so sad. I never though being pregnant can be so uncomfortable and such a sad and tiring time.

What more can I do besides ondansetrone? Can I take cyclizine at the same time?(I would ask the GP first )

Hi aleena when I was at my worst I was on ondansetron, cyclizine and metoclopramide all at the same time. I’m still on both ondansetron and cyclizine but I’m not taking metoclopramide anymore. Sometimes a combination of medication is what you need to help you get through the day. Have you looked on the pregnancy sickness support website? There’s lot of useful advice on there about medication and things to eat and also a section for partners I think. Maybe your husband would read it and it might help him understand. They also have a helpline you can phone that’s supposed to be very helpful. I’ve never called them but I believe others on the thread have.

Hi aleena so sorry you are going through the rough part you sound like me I to expected more from ondansetron and constantly feel nausea and gagging and hg defo gets no sympathy from the outside world no one understands what we are going through how cruel of your husband to say that about your weight though if only men new the physical and mental pain we go through to have children! I have spoken to the pregnancy sickness support they are very good and are very clues up on medication combinations you can try they also help advise you before you go to gp so you know what to say and what to ask for and they can connect you to a mentor in your area to help. It is a very lonely time and you are not alone with the crying Im with you on that and so are most of the others on here don't feel like I can say much to help other than don't feel alone we are all here in it with you x

Aleenam just to echo what the others are saying- so sorry for your experience but you are certainly not alone. I find the dry wretching worse than actually vomiting! I'm on all the same drugs as you and not having much luck either. Definitely speak to your GP and don't take what others say to heart. Unless they've had this they don't understand so just put yourself (and your baby) first and do what you can to get through...sending love xx

AleenaM , Hi!
Sorry you are having such a rough time.
I think around 9 weeks is a peak worst time for many, so hopefully things may ease off in few weeks.

Sorry your partner is not being that supportive.
Would it help to not try so hard at getting on with everything and not hiding the heaving/wretching/vomming out of embarrassment or anything?
(It did for me)

Hi Aleena

Just to echo everyone, lots of people take ondansetron and cyclizine together. Cyclizine is an old fashoned anti-histamine and has very few interactions afaik, and not with ondansetron.

Anyone who hasn't had HG doesn't really understand. It might help your partner to read these forums: www.helpher.org/forum3/viewforum.php?f=44&sid=f835a10795223c84b6a293e6b9959143 and there is a special dad's section half way down here www.helpher.org/forum3/index.php?sid=54cf6e9c89a4a8c9004cec9f78a3e87f

Take it as easy as you possibly can. Overtiredness makes the sickness much worse.

aleena Just a quick one to say you're not alone in feeling awful, though it must feel like it. Your husband is being a prize berk. I read your post to my husband and he is angry on your behalf. Your husband needs to step up and support you. Yes, you're the one doing the heavy lifting, as it were, in that you're the one growing the baby (And having a horrid time doing so), however,hubby has the incredibly important role of caring for you. Physically and emotionally. He is being hurtful and unkind. Could you speak to his mum about his actions? Perhaps she could help him see the error of his ways.

Hi Aleena! First off, congratulations!

Secondly, make sure that you're hydrated enough. If you don't think you are, or you can't keep fluids down, go to the hospital. I didn't and I really should have. My midwife told me off. I lost 35lbs in 6 weeks because of the sickness, and didn't get diagnosed until AFTER the birth. HG really does suck I'm afraid, but as others have said, you can take more than one anti-sickness tablet together. My DF does (for different reasons obviously).

Thirdly, your DH needs to step up and accept that what you're going through really is horrible. There is such a thing as Ante-natal depression. I had it. I wanted to kill myself many times during the pregnancy. Or just die. I spent most of my time sleeping because that way I didn't have to think. A lot of women just suffer through but when you've got HG it's much harder. Definitely get him to try and understand, and the same with any other family members. If it helps, try and push for a genuine diagnosis. That way you've got "proof" of having it.

I can't believe he said that though... I'd have punched my DH. Not that I could eat at all. I went off most foods...

@AleenaM I'm new to this thread but I feel the exact same as you. I haven't been diagnosed with anything but since 5 weeks I've felt sick literally all day everyday. Work gave me a laptop to work from home but I just end up crying most of the day. Some days I'm sick only once, others loads but I always feel on the verge of being sick no matter what.

I've lost 10lbs now and my lips are really dry and cracked. I'm finding it hard to keep liquids or food down but I am trying. Sometimes I feel dizzy when I move and i can't stand up for more than a few seconds without needing to sit down. Starting to get flashing lights when I open my eyes. The only time I've left the house in the last few weeks was for an early scan yesterday. I'm 10 weeks so just worried that there's so long to go before I feel better, and just hoping that I do at some point.

I tried Cyclizine which the midwife gave me at 7 weeks because she said I didn't look right but it didn't help at all. Starting to see flecks of blood in my sick too (sorry TMI) and just feeling so miserable. I'm wondering if I'm depressed

melissa You really need to get to your GP. There are other, stronger, meds you can be prescribed. Aalso, get your GP to sign you off so work aren't expect you to work - ,You need to be concentrating on looking after yourself.

Feel rubbish moaning about this as others are clearly worse than me at the moment, but I have just tried not taking Promethazine the last two days and feel awful.
I have not been properly sick yet, but feel rubbish.
Got that overwhelming exhaustion and dizziness at times as well as intermittent aversion to the kitchen and I just can't eat my tea.

Also scrolling on fb is making me nauseous again
Am 33 + 3 and was really hoping to be meds free before baby arrived.
I didn't manage it last Time, but was still hopeful

Also heartburn and relentless burping

melissa agreed really strongly - please get to the doc and tell him. Take someone with you if you can, who knows how bad you are.

You really sound dehydrated and you need treatment. Please don't try to be brave when you go to the doc. Tell her or him everything.

If you pinch your skin, does it go back flat quickly or does it kind of stay up and go down slowly?

My skin seems to go back to normal ok when I pinch it. I tried to ring the doctors today but they said they had no appointments but to ring back at 8am tomorrow and they will try and get me in.

I feel guilty if I got signed off work as I'm on annual leave from next week for a week 😟 I just feel so awful all of the time

@melissa112 you need to go back to the doctor, I am not strong at all and each time I felt that things are working I went back or phoned. If cyclizine is doing nothing, please please do go back. Blood in your vomit does not sound ok. Cracked lips are not ok. White flashes are also not ok.

One of the GPs I have seen has been very patient, she let me tell her all my aches and bothers, she tested me for ketones in my blood, tested my urine ( she found blood in my urine Friday and put me on an antiobotic), and she reassured me that I should def come back if something does not work, and they can do more for me. Please don;t suffer alone, go back to the doctor. Ask for them to test ketones in urine and blood. It takes them very little time. Make a list from home of things are wrong, and another list of questions. I also keep a diary of what I eat everyday, what I can drink, my bowel movements, if any, how many times I throw up and after what food. This will help you understand what you can tolerate better.

I hope the doctors can help melissa. It sounds like you desperately need some stronger medication. I do think it would be worth being signed off as well so you don’t have to worry about trying to keep on top of work.
foody sorry to hear you can’t come off the promethazine. I was hoping I’d be able to come off my tablets but I still feel sick all the time taking them so I haven’t even attempted it. I am with you on the heartburn. I’m finding rennies to be pretty helpful with that. Also I don’t have the burping but I have wind It’s mortifying at times. I’m getting a lot of Braxton Hicks now too.
I hope the rest of you have had better days today. The early stages are really horrendous.

Thank you Aleena I will definitely tell them all my symptoms and see if they can help me. I'm sorry to hear how bad you are feeling also. I'm really placing all my hopes on the second trimester being better. My mum told me that hers was all the way through until she gave birth with me (not what I wanted to hear!)

Thank you all for your responses and welcoming me into your thread despite being new and not actually having HG and having it as hard as some of you.

@Hotchocolate86 I have looked on the website and I take some food suggestions, other times I just eat whatever crosses my mind at the time and doesn't make me feel nauseous. I have also read their section on drugs, and have asked GP about B6, she wasn't into it. I also asked if there is something which can make me digest better(as I read about Domperidone (works on the stomach to speed up the emptying process), maybe I should have specifically asked for this? The medicine I have so far somehow keeps me from vomiting and that's it, I still get nauseous and I still cant up my intake.

@Ttc2017 thank you so much for the kind words. If I feel really low I might phone them. I feel that GP have been comparatively understanding, they gave me cyclizine on my first visit and keep changing my medicine and don't seem to belittle me like I thought they would.

@Lucybex I actually feel relived if I retch !? I feel so strange.... Also when I feel nauseous, I cough and if I cough enough the retch comes on.

@Foodylicious honestly speaking none of us are good at caring for sick people and I know that, on top he was never keen on having kids so I don't feel he fully appreciates everything. I am doing very little, but he insists I should walk more and do more to distract myself. Don't hide much, in home I stay in nighties, I walk around burping and always look half dead. He's now sleeping on the couch half of the nights ( his choice, I think he is scared to be in bed with me).

@SeaEagleFeather thank you, I really feel like trying this - do you suggest I just start taking it, or should I ask GP first? I was given Ondansetron 8mg x 2 a day.

@eallison88 I don't really hold back so I have told him he is very unsupportive. I have considered telling his mum that he is not particularly happy about the baby and gives me a hard time for not being able to do things, but I feel she would either worry (more than she already does), or say my mum should come and take care of me, or she might also say to accept it, she has had bad sickness herself in her pregnancies.

@DeadDoorpost thank you!

I think I am doing better with liquids, I carry a flask with icecubes and have milk weakened with water and add a little coffee to make it taste good. this afternoon I was able to add a pepsi can in the leftover ice. I might have said some hurtful things back to DH.... I am also hoping he softens at the scan ( bit naive I know).

@Foodylicious scrolling is funny, isnt it ! At my worst I could only sit and scroll on instagram, but seeing the food would just turn my stomach upside down, and the dizziness from scrolling as well

ring your doctor. Honestly, it's safe, but ... meds in preg .... just get the doc's ok. Try to get started soon, it takes 3 days or so to kick in and if you respond at all, it can definitely help.

Welcome to AleenaM and Melissa112. Sorry you have had to join us,but you've already had great advice, and you can see how nice and supportive everyone is. Mellisa112 I so agree with others, you sound dehydrated, and that needs checking asap. Things can change quickly. It is best to invest in some kesostix online or form a chemist yourself, and if your ketones measure more than 3+ (and I know that ketones are tricky things) they do take it seriously at hospitals and give you fluids. I so agree with others, too, that you need something stronger than cyclizine. Blood in vomit should be investigated, though hopefully it is from the throat rather than stomach if it is red.
Never worry about tmi.
AlannaM Sorry OH is being so unsympathetic. That's awful. Though you are on some good meds aleady, an anti acid might help. Don't despair, things get better for most sufferers between 14 nd 20 weeks. Even for those who suffer throughout, things are almost never as bad as they are in the early weeks.
Some liquids that might help both: I thnk Alanna mentioned pepsi and ice cubes, those are often good, full sugar flat coke seems to help the nausea if you're not diabetic. Also ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, orange squash, Lucoazade, fizzy orange, orange juice if not too acid for you, Robinson's fruit drinks, Dr Pepper, lemonade, Elderflower water, soda water, fizzy water and sips of chocolate milk (maybe soya). For foods of a sort, tinned fruit, especially peaches,

baked potatoes, Scotch pancakes, cheap ice cream, nibbles of chips and crisps, cuppa soup, slices of melon and mango, and some swear by sweet biscuits (when people mention crackers I'm not sure if they mean them in the UK cream crackers type sense, or the sweet biscuits US sense).
Foodylicious I'm sorry you couldn't get off meds, but don't blame yourself or make yourself if you feel so awful unless the doctor insists on it. You tried.
Great avice from SeaEagleFeather eallison DeadDoorPost Hotcholocate Lucybex and everyone.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

@LucindaE like you say, it's a shame we meet in these circumstances, but a blessing at the same time.

I never did well around acid things like orange, tomatoes, honey. Strawberries make me puke even if I have one! And OH eats fruit everynight so I crave it :( I tried lychee and peaches, tinned, but they have a terrible taste ( with my heightened smell and taste senses). Lidl did have really tasty 'giant' peaches for a while and those went down well.

I think crackers (cheese board biscuits) are like sawdust! So try and then it clumps into a ball in my stomach. I am having some success with Dr Karg Crisp bread as I have liked this from before.

I also have some success with having more liquids at night ( or when I wake up to take my antiemetics) as I am less conscious and sleep it off.

So last question : what laxatives or stool softeners can I buy myself without seeing the dr? i did mention this as I was going every two days and they said that maybe it's because I cannot eat enough, so there is not enough to pass, and things should be moving once I eat & they don't want me depending on it. Now I am eating a bit more, but haven't been since Friday am (!) , I have passed wind ( sorry tmi) but no stool. Help?

Lactulose! It's about £5 for a bottle but it tastes nice and it works. Just remember to keep taking it to help because HG and anti sickness tablets together really don't help at all bowel-wise... I didn't go for 3 weeks at one point. That was... possibly worse than the birth...