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.

Thank you LucindaE. Yes she's put me on cyclizine which I started today. By ten vomits I mean vomiting bile/clear liquid every 45 to 60 minutes from early morning until the evening.

Thank you for the helpful list. Feeling rather miserable and fragile mentally right now. I can see everyone's been there so I'm in good company :)

Congratulations statistically. That’s wonderful news.
bean great news on your scan. I’m so pleased for you. I hope the sickness starts to ease soon.
Sorry to hear your news applesin. Do take care of yourself.
I am home from hospital with baby. She is doing really well so far, just a hint of jaundice. I am still in a fair bit of pain. I suspect a lot of it is trapped wind. It’s getting better by the day though. My nausea is mostly gone.
It really is worth every minute of it but it’s so hard to think that when you are battling through every day.

Thanks Lucinda I'm going to try the Boots in town as I have to pop into town for something this morning and it's not where I get my prescription normally and I don't look pregnant so hoping I will get away with it. If not DH will have to go - last time he had to get me a Caneston pessary for thrush a few times and that's another thing they won't give to pregnant women even though it's exactly what the GP would prescribe.

Silversplodge that sounds a very frustrating work situation. Don't worry about going back for Wednesday, just stick to what the Dr says and take it easy - work was silly to schedule you like that and if they have to rearrange appointments so be it. I hope the Dr is helpful for you today.

Statistically Huge Congratulations! Well done - you made it! I bet she is absolutely lovely - enjoy her and take it easy. I hope they are not trying to rush you out!

Hi everyone!

I haven’t been in touch for a very long time now but I just wanted to check in .

I am now 38+1 and still suffering with the sickness. Thankfully it does subside, I am now sick once a day instead of 8+ so remain positive everyone .

Just on countdown now to meet our little boy - we can’t wait! Every twinge I hope is me going into labour but no such luck - I’ll probably end up going 2 weeks over but here’s to hoping that I don’t.

Hope everyone is doing okay, keep your chin up - HG is definitely the worst part of pregnancy in my eyes!xx

eallison Sorry, we cross posted! Good advice.

StatisticallyChallanged That is happy news! I am so glad baby thrived on the bad Hyperemesis diet - they do tend to!
I hope you are feeling OK?
Bobbielee91 Lovely to hear from you. I am sorry the vomiting is still once a day, but so glad that it is a lot better than it was. What meds did they have you on? Wishing you a speedy and easy labour.
Hotchocolate Lovely to hear from you, too. Do keep us informed how things are going. I am glad the miserable nausea has mainly gone. Only a tiny amount of women get nausea with the let down reflex.
8DaysAWeek Don't hesitate to ask for other meds if those don't work within a few days. Have you got an anti-acid? They can make a big difference.
Mamabear Did you get the pessaries?
silversplodge How did things go at the dr's? It's awful that work can't even be bothered to read communications properly. Have you got an HR department or a union who might be helpful? It can't be helped if you are off again. If you can't sit watching television, you are in no state to go back in.
Apologies if I''ve rudely missed anyone.

Guts given up again. Worried i should give up the ondansetron but it works better than the other two drugs. Not convinced the steroids are working. Still not keeping down any food at all. Looks likely I will need a picc line on Monday as they can no longer get cannulas in to me. I really don’t want it but equally it’s so stressful when it takes hours and multiple people to succeed. Was meant to be going away in 3 weeks time, not sure that will be possible now which is expensive and upsetting.

Oh bean!
That sounds awful.

You must be so fed up

Wish there was something we could do to help

bean that sounds really awful, you have my complete sympathy.

mammabear Did you manage to get what you need?

I think I'm about 5 weeks now (hard to guess as never had a post pill period) and not yet feeling sick. Don't know if It's cos the cyclizine is doing it's job or cos it's not going to be as bad this time. I think it was about 5/6 weeks that it started last time. The anticipation of if/when I'm going to start puking is really difficult.

Hope everyone had a good night

Oh bean you poor thing. I expect you are battered and bruised from being poked and prodded for cannulation. What is it about the picc line you don't like? Is there a chance it might help enough for you to be able to go away still?

Thanks Lucinda and Eallison I had no trouble getting the suppositories from boots but like I say I don't look pregnant..I got the 24 pack so hopefully that'll last a while. I also got some lactulose so the plan is that I take a maintenance dose of that every day and use the suppositories to assist when needed.

Eallison I totally get that unnerving feeling of waiting, with my first I wasn't sick until around 6 weeks, but my second I had one day after we found out until I was puking everywhere and for this one I thought it would be similar but it was more like 5 weeks and I also found the medicine worked enough that it wasn't too bad. I am now at 8 weeks and struggling a lot more but the ondanestron seems to be helping -this point last time I was very much considering a termination, whereas now I feel like I can get through slowly. Are you just on Cyclizine now? I would get an anti acid like ranitidine lined up if you can - they can help when all you are bringing up is stomach acid, particularly in the morning I have found.

mammabear I'm already on daily lansoprazole for acid reflux - a legacy from my first pregnancy! Just cyclizine atm, but as soon as it doesnt seem enough ill go to GP and ask for different. The only meds that made any difference last time were ondansetron.

Bean I can see why you wouldn't want a PICC line but maybe it'll actually make things easier and quicker when you do go in. My Dad needed one for chemo and it was good for that, although when he was admitted to non-oncology wards no-one knew how to use it so he ended up having to have a cannula as well
Maybe check the wards you are likely to be on would have trained nurses?

Morning LucindaE.

They would only prescribe me enough cyclizine for a 2 week period and then told me that the cons outweighed the positives for me. So I only have omeprazole everyday now (and tonnes of gaviscon) haha.

Thank you for your well wishes - I am hoping it all goes smoothly but ready for anything 🤞🏼💪🏼.

Hope everyone is feeling okay today

Rationally I know it’s the right thing. It’s just admitting things are that bad. I guess I had hoped that past 12 weeks things would improve rapidly.

Seriously what is going on 😂 I went on holiday and apart from side effects of zofran (constipation) I was doing ok. Still felt sick sometimes and did very little, oh had to pick up a lot of slack with our son. I ate quite a variety and I’m talking even a 3 course Mexican meal. Home at 4am and feel rough as chips again. I feel like I’m allergic to the smell of my own house. Maybe it’s because it’s new build? My oh says it smells of new wood but I can’t say that’s it. I just feel really sick again! Tired probably from the journey home, but could any of it be psychological? (Sorry I don’t know spelling) how can I feel so much better on holiday and so awful at home x

So sorry to read your post bean, I appreciate that I sound like a right moaner in comparison!

bobbielee Its nonsense that you can only have 2 weeks of cyclizine. An awful lot of women take it for most of their pregnancy to no negative impact. May be go to the GP and ask for this xonvea that's been licensed for use specifically in pregnancy.

Thanks for your reply.

I know, I was not happy at the time but by this point I was 20+ weeks pregnant and had been told it will get better (which it did).

9 months of being sick every single day definitely isn’t my idea of fun and I won’t be rushing into having another baby haha!

I only have 12 days to go now until due date but still been sick 3 times already today! I am just going to ride it out until the little man arrives .

beanhunter I am so sorry that things are still bad, that you have to go back in and get the picc line and that the steroids are not working as well as they might. Twelve weeks would be early for Hyperemesis to improve, most people get an improvement between fourteen to twenty weeks. I remember one sufferer called Kalidasa who was terribly ill and in hospital for weeks at a time, suddenly felt a lot better round then and even insisted (to my horror) on returning to work, so don't despair that there is no improvement yet. In fact, with most of the woman I have known with ordinary nasty MS, it went on to 14 or 16 weeks more often than 12. I join with Foodylicious in saying I wish we could do something. Even those who suffer throughout, almost never feel as bad as they did early on.
eallison Much sympathy about apprehension. In some ways, apprehension is worse than anything...
Mamabear Glad you got the necessary!
Bobbielee Poor you. I don't at all understand why they refused you cyclizine, when it's been used safely since the 1980's at least. I so agree with others that asking for that new pregnancy anti emetic might be a good idea, if only because you can build up a bit of stength for labour if you feel better.
Foreverblues Sorry that there seems to be a 'conditioned reflex' (or whatever the physchological term is) aspect for it. Interestingly, people do often feel better on holiday. I have often wondered, too, if it isn't to do with sea air, as people tend to go on holiday by the sea. I wish holidays by the sea could be offered as part of the treatment...
Great advice from eallison and everyone.
Waves to all.

Getting an appointment at my doctors surgery is almost impossible so I’m just going to sit it out now.

My family think I could be in slow labour.. I have no idea though! I’m just playing the waiting game now 😬.

I kinda hope I am, need to feel normal again!x

I thought I was doing well at avoiding the HG. Turns out, 6+4 was roughly when it got vile last time and I'm rapidly.heading for repeated commuting. Already had a few dry heaves today. Contemplating getting signed off work if it gets as bad as last time, but end of year and auditors are.in from Thursday for a week and a half. Just have to keep going until then

Eallison - I agree, it's horrible playing the waiting game as to when it ramps up. I'm on edge constantly.

Just off the phone to my boss. I've been signed off for a couple of weeks. I emailed him last night to let him know and to schedule a time to chat on the phone. The call has left me a bit deflated. I think he was somewhat sympathetic but there was a lot of focus on when I'd be back at work. Which I totally appreciate as they need to plan cover for me etc. I just feel guilty about the whole thing.

Oh well. Just going to try and forget about work for a bit and focus on the day to day.

8days, I feel you! I emailed work on Saturday after seeing GP with a pic of my latest sick note which says I am only fit to work from home and when I do go back they need to do a phased return (they'd put me down to go back full time from this Wednesday without checking with me). I suggested they may want to ring me about how to make this work in reality (as I'll need to get a laptop and 'dongle' from work to work from home) and reminded them of my phone number.
Nothing so far, no call or response to email.

I just keep telling myself work is just work, not the biggest thing in my life, and they have to keep their business viable so they are never going to be fully supportive of someone off sick.
It does raise anxiety levels though, which I find makes my nausea worse which makes me less likely to get back to work!

And then I pee myself while vomiting for the umpteenth time and the guilt fades

I called the pregnancy sickness support line and the lady was lovely. She told me about standards of care at my local vs other local hospitals, admission criteria, pointed me.in the right direction for literature.to wave at drs to demand treatment pathways, and was just really nice.100% reccomend them. I don't meet most of the criteria for day admission to my local but may meet some of a nearby other hospitals criteria. I'm hoping to avoid it but I'd rather know in advance.

Waiting on Dr call back to try and get some better meds. Been sick 5 times this morning despite my stemtil and sent home from work to rest on HRs orders. I just need something so I can continue working and functioning. Driving is hell