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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Hyperemesis Support

985 replies

LucindaE · 22/06/2018 11:19

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.

Hyperemesis Support
OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Unbreakable2017 · 11/09/2018 11:38

Hi can I join?
I’m 7 weeks pregnant with my second. Had pretty bad sickness last time (mainly in first trimester but was throwing up every day until I gave birth) but it was manageable without meds. This time the nausea and sickness kicked in straight away (was the reason I did a test!) and has been much worse.
Not sure if its HG or just bad morning sickness but went to dr and have been prescribed cyclizine. It does seem to be working in that I haven’t thrown up since taking it, and have been able to eat and drink a bit more, but I do still feel pretty sick and drowsy. Those of you who have taken it, does the drowsiness get better? Currently off work sick and can’t imagine being able to go back any time soon if I keep on feeling like this!
Hope everyone suffering feels better soon - I’d forgotten how crap this is...

Hotchocolate86 · 11/09/2018 11:38

Hi silversplodge I was on ondansetron in my last pregnancy and again in this one. It is the only thing that has worked but it does cause constipation. If you haven’t been prescribed anything ask for lactulose to try and ease the constipation.

Hotchocolate86 · 11/09/2018 11:44

I’m glad to hear all is going well for you bored.

SeaEagleFeather · 11/09/2018 13:27

I've been trying to look up what the increased risks are. From all I can see, cleft lip isnt much of a risk but there is a very small increased risk of heart defects. Very small. Often the slightest risk to a baby is picked up on on forums and a huge amount written about it (while often completely ignoring other risks, I think!)

I think though that the risks have to be weighed up; a very ill mother is also not good. Your wellbeing matters to the baby as well as to yourself. There's a lot to be said for being able to leave the bed, it helps you both physically and mentally!

Btw ondansetron is used a lot in EUrope and Scandanvia and the UK as well as the US.

one thing about Metoclopramide; if you get unpleasantly twitchy, restless legs then contact your pharmacist immediately. It's perfectly safe for the baby but the twitchiness can (very occasionally) be serious for the mum

BirthdayKake · 11/09/2018 17:35

Hey - can I tentatively join? I'm about 4 weeks pregnant. I was on this board last year but ended up having a termination due to the sickness :( I've just got married and this will be mine and DH's first baby together (apart from the termination) so I want to be able to cope. It's hard as I already have four DC.

I've had awful sickness in all five pregnancies so I have no doubt that this one will be the same. Feel like a ticking timebomb until the sickness starts in a couple of weeks - and I'm going on honeymoon a week tomorrow!

Hope everyone is ok x

LucindaE · 11/09/2018 22:18

My goodness, three new people at once.
Welcome to SilverSplodge Unbreakable2017 and BirthdayKake.
Sorry you are all suffering.
SilverSplodge Bleeding and fever sounds really traumatic. I am glad you got fluids. It is awkward about ketones, as while they can indicate dehydration in the early stages, I gather that later on they often indicate what is dramatically known as 'long term starvation' ie, eating badly for a good while. Others on here often say that the symptoms of a dry mouth and skin, a headache, feeling confused, and scanty dark urine are more reliable symptoms. How are the fluids going down and staying down? Much sympathy over worries over birth defect worries. I have yet to encounter any birth defects, even in the many women who have been on a cocktail of meds, as other say.
The risks are very small, and doctors have to weigh up how bad it is for you and the baby for you to be constantly dehydrated - which it is.
Unbreakable2017 Sorry it is bad this time. I am glad the Cyclizine is helping the nausea. Most find the dizzy, sleepy feeling does get better in a short time. If not, there are other meds whichwill possibly help as much.
BirthdayKake Sorry you had to have a temination last time. Have the doctors worked out an effective pre-emptive meds plan so as to try and avoid your getting that desperate this time? How old are the LO's? Can you get help with them from friends/family or chldcare?
Unbreakable2017 and BirthdayKake are veterans, and don't need my advice on 'Have you got kesostix' and 'do you find full sugar flat coke any use' but for SilverSplodge some lqiuids that people have found helpful. Full sugar flat coke, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, ice cubes, soda water, Elderflower water, fizzy water, orange squash, fizzy orange, lemonade, orange squash (if not too acid), Dr Pepper, Lucoazade, Robinson's fruit drink and sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya). Some foods (of a sort) cuppa soup, slices of melon and mango, tinned fruit, baked potato, Scotch pancakes, cheap ice cream and nibbles of crisps and chips.
Great advice from SeaEagleFeather and Boredoftryingusernames and Applesin and Hotchocolate and everyone.
Boredoftryingusernames So glad all is going well. Always lovely to hear from you.
beanhunter I am very sorry you have had to give up Ondansetron because of your bowels being so locked up. Could they suggest nothing to help at the GP's?

applesin I hope you able to get some Ondansetron asap from the GP.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

OP posts:
BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 06:17

Veterans :) I like that! Advice is still always welcome. And thanks for not judging!

I'm seeing the GP on Friday where I plan to practically beg for medication. Is there any that you don't have to actually swallow?

BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 06:19

I don't have any family to help, but from October I will be paying a school mum friend to do all the school runs and a bit of cleaning. It will hopefully be a lifesaver!

silversplodge · 12/09/2018 06:44

BirthdayKake there is buccal prochloperazine which dissolves slowly under your lip and you don't have to swallow/keep down. Not convinced it is doing anything for me but might work well for you. Am also too scared to stop in case it actually is doing something!

Thank you for replies. I appreciate that risks are small - it says from 1 in 1000 to 2 in 1000 for heart defects, but i would feel very guilty if it actually happened. I've not been well enough to go to the chemist to get the ondansetron yet so delaying deciding whether to go with it or not, although I do feel lucky to have been prescribed it relatively easily from what I can see on here. Seems to be the holy grail! My doctor's seem to be happy to throw any meds at me, just not to send me into hospital. That said I specifically asked at the time if it can cause constipation and the gp said she's sure it is listed as a side effect as it is for most drugs but she's never known it to, which doesn't fill me with confidence about her knowledge. She also said my urine specimen had no ketones but i'd tested it myself before going and it had 4+

Boredoftryingusernames · 12/09/2018 07:21

Silversplodge if you have that level of ketones and feel awful I would bypass the GP and go to hospital - either via A&E or EPU depending on your hospital policy. Especially if you are reluctant to take the ondansetron, getting rehydrated and hopefully getting some injectable antiemetics on board to settle things down a bit would be really helpful. Hardly anyone on here seems to be warned about the constipation with ondansetron by doctors, so it certainly isn't just your GP. I wonder if it is much more likely in pregnancy/with HG anyway and so the ondansetron makes it worse (I was certainly already constipated before taking it). Think GPs are probably more used to using it with patients on chemotherapy where maybe that side effect is less common??

BirthdayKate great idea to get extra help where you can. I hope the GP is helpful on Friday. I think knowing as much about the medication options as possible before you go is really helpful in getting helpful treatments from them. Don't know if you have heard of/used Pregnancy Sickness Support before - they have info on their website, but are also really helpful to discuss drugs and getting them from GPs directly over the phone.

BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 07:38

Thanks silver. I know how you feel about being too scared to stop! I'm also worried about heart problems as I'm taking Sertraline and that can carry an increased risk for the baby. We've also JUST got a rescue cat (after I had several negative pregnancy tests!!) who seems to poo as soon as DH goes to work so changing the litter is worrying me too.

Ooh thanks bored! Will definitely try them. I'm not very assertive so would be good to go armed with info.

Olivecake · 12/09/2018 07:41

BirthdayKake - So sorry to hear you are suffering again. I also had a lot of trouble with pills as everything I swallowed came back up - I had some that dissolve in mouth like silversplodge mentions which are better than swallowing but weren’t as effective for me, especially when I had a very dry mouth or putting anything in my mouth made me gag. Most medication is also available as suppositories which I had when I was at my worst. Not very glamorous but worked quickly and totally bypassed the whole swallowing issue. I hope the doctor is cooperative and that you’re able to have a better experience this pregnancy.

silversplodge with that many ketones you should definitely be receiving fluids! As Bored mentions, probably worth skipping past GP and asking midwife or EPU/Hospital. With regards to the Ondansetron most on here have found the benefits of the drug to outweigh the constipation (which can also be horribly miserable but hopefully easier to remedy than HG) Hope you’re able to get help and start feeling better soon.

Hope everyone feeling rough starts to feel better soon and has a good day.

Unbreakable2017 · 12/09/2018 08:08

Thanks for the advice! Tinned peaches is a great tip.
I think I spoke too soon about the cyclizine as was sick a couple of times yesterday. Will give it a few more days then will go back to dr and see if I can try something else.
Has anyone tried acupuncture? Have read some good things but it is so expensive. Happy to throw money at this if it helps though.
Birthday - I went to dr armed with the page on medication from pregnancy sickness support but the dr was sympathetic and I didn’t need it.
Hope everyone has a better day today!

BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 10:12

Eek suppositories?! Were they... Erm... Easy to use when you were feeling that rotten?!

Olivecake · 12/09/2018 10:13

They were easy to use (and small!) and after being totally grossed out the first time it got easier, but yeah definitely not what I would have chosen as a first resort!

BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 11:05

Ha, thanks Olive! The things we do to have babies...

SeaEagleFeather · 12/09/2018 12:02

unbreakable the cyclizine may well still be helping. Sometimes people think it isn't, stop it and then suddenly discover that they feel worse again. It just isn't a cure-all though :/

Foodylicious · 12/09/2018 13:18

Yeah. I intermittently think the Promethazine either isn't working or that I might not need it anymore.

I forgot to take it the other night...
My god did I feel awful the next day!

Mammabear13 · 12/09/2018 15:27

Hi everyone. I see there has been a little flurry of new sign ups and hope you don't mind me joining in as well.

I have just found out I am pregnant - 4 or 5 weeks, this is my third baby. Both my previous pregnancies were hyperemesis pregnancies. I have started on the cylizine already and am hoping that building them up in my system will help. My little girl is going to be 5 next week and my son will be 1 two days after. It is odd to think that I was pregnant and sick this time last year too! But also encouraging I made it through.

I am feeling pretty nervous about coping with two little ones to look after too Confused

Thanks x

BirthdayKake · 12/09/2018 15:58

Hi Mamma. We must be at the same gestation :)

Adnama1234 · 12/09/2018 17:35

Hi new to this. 15 weeks pregnant and have been prescribed promethazine which today has been changed to cyclizine due to ongoing sickness. Does anyone have any experience of cyclizine - is it good? I found promethazine made me feel worse in morning after taking due to sedation

applesin · 12/09/2018 19:23

I'm feeling much more positive today, went to the drs again and saw a different doctor. They were much better, knew about HG and prescribed me ondansetron on a repeat prescription thank goodness. So hopefully that will help. 😊

SeaEagleFeather · 12/09/2018 19:34

cyclizine is the little brother of promethazine. It's less strong and might well have less side effects. Its a really good first line defence especially if you can take it with thiamine - Vit B6.

Many many people find both really good, though they don't work for everyone. They usually take 3 or so days to build up in the system so you won't get the full benefit until then. Sometimes the side effects pass so it's worth persevering unless they become unbearable.

appelsin really pleased to hear you got some ondan.

My sister is trying for her second and I'm really hoping she escapes the horrendous HG that hit me

Chivari · 12/09/2018 19:58

Hi @Adnama1234 I have been taking Cyclizine for about 3 days and it has massively helped me. I did have constant nausea and vomiting 2-3 times a day. But since taking Cyclizine, my vomiting has stopped and for the majority of the day so has the nausea. I had my first day back at work today and although it was so tiring, I managed it!

tinyradish · 12/09/2018 20:28

Hi all. Sorry everyone's having such a hard time!

Has anyone taken cyclizine more than 3 times a day? Can you do that? It's definitely helping but still being sick once or twice a day atm & nauseous for chunks of the day... Its just not quite enough if that makes sense.

@chivari - well done! In the same boat here! Went back to work today. Made it through! Then came home & threw up Grin heaved while trying to force food down & have been in bed ever since.