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.

Thanks all feel million x better now. Still grim but a hell of alot better.

Just managed to eat some potato. Never thought id be so excited for such a bland meal

But I am so so grateful to the nhs for their wonderful treatment.

Now to just think of a longer term plan. As I cant come here every day.

What have they suggested so far?

They havent really just concentrated on getting my ketotes (sp?) Down and been on a drip all day. 2x anti sickness injections.

They have said they think it is as I am very small build so hormones etc are more concentrated for me. They have said to exspect it to last until 15w but not guarantee longer.

They are talking about starting steroid treatment to help me gain weight along side my hormones growing so hopefully balance things out.

But so far that is all they have spoken about.

that's okay then rota, just keep an eye out for the twitchiness

notquite I think it was hotchoc who had steroids for a while along with other meds and found they helped

I did have steroids. They were brilliant and I actually pretty much stopped being sick while I was on them. However my sickness had eased off a little bit by then and so I wasn’t at my worst. They were a lifesaver for me as once I was on them I could eat and drink much more normally and keep most things down.

Oh that is good. Thanks so much for your input. @hotchoc

Does anyone know how long these anti sickness injections last for? As I have been told once my last drips finished I can stay and be properly admitted or go home.my shout.

I am worried I will go home and it will wear off. Then back to square one again.

Anyone any advise? Thanks so much. All so new to me just trying to get my head around it all/find what works for me.

Can you ask them specifically what they can prescribe you in tablet for at this stage?

They have suggested a few differant tablets. The issue they seem to be having is with me keeping them down as I am being so sick. So they said they need to sort it short term first to let me at least keep a tablet down to help long term.

I am waiting for the dr now anyways so we shall see what they say.

As I am now thanks to injections I could proberly keep a pill down. 🤞

Olivecake and Ohiwa how are things now?
Notquiteagandt Welcome. Sorry I missed the drama of how ill you were. That sounds like a very bad case of Hyperemesis, retching every ten minutes and being so dehydrated that you needed all that fluid. Are they going to send you home with steroids? As was said by Hotchocolate and others, she was helped a lot by those. As long as they are sending you home with meds generally found effective, that's good news.That's interesting that they suggest it's your being so small that might effect it. That's the first time I've heard that suggested, but I'm not medically trained and maybe it's new research?
Once home, do invest in some kesostix - you can order them onlin e, or get someone to buy them foryou from a chemists - to check for the dreaded ketones. They do take the measurements seriously in hospital, as with you today.
On liquids many have found helpful: sips of full sugar coke, ice cubes, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Elderflower Water, Dr Pepper, sips of chocolate milkshake- maybe soya, fizzy water, Robinson's fruit drinks, Lucoazade, fizzy orange, lemonade, orange squash and maybe orange juice (if not too acid). Foods - of a sort - include nibbles of crisps, chips, cuppa soup, Scotch pancakes, baked potatoes, cheap ice cream, jelly and tinned fruit - especially peaches (I swore by pears).
Great advice from all. SeaEagleFeather You are a veteran indeed! I will never forget your and Wilhelm's close shave with that infected uterus!

Rota I so agree with SeaEagleFeather and others - do have that twichiness checked, just to be safe.
Apologies to anyone I've rudely overlooked.

Ah,and Foodylicious great advice from you as ever, and others...

Hi all. Im completely fed up. Im nearly 15wks and still being sick daily. It is normally only a couple of times a day but today it is non stop. I havent been able to keep anythimg down, even water. I dont know if this is just morning sickness (although they lie when they morning).
Im already on cyclizine, but i dont think they are working.
Any advice welcome.

Pob, around 15 -16 weeks many people have a marked improvement. The hormones vary day to day though so some days will just be better and some worse.

The cyclizine is quite likely helping and you'd notice it if you stopped, though there are some people it just doesn't work for.

Rest as much as you can. Overactivity makes morning, afternoon, evneing and night sickness worse. Can you try sucking ice chips or very hot drinks?

If this carries on though, go back to the doctor because you do need water. But at nearly 15 weeks it's probably a brief blip

-----

lucinda I will never forget your and Wilhelm's close shave with that infected uterus!

It's fading a bit but if it comes up for some reason, I still tear up.

The little bugger's completely unaffected as far as we can tell though, tearing around like a mad thing on his little bike leaving me far behind, and going to the park on his own without mama.... we have to lock the front and back doors the whole time now!

@SeaEagleFeather thankyou. I lost 5lbs yesterday! Constantly sipping water now but have been sick a couple of times.
Im hoping the heat is a big factor aswell.
This better be a cute, well-behaved baby!

Thanks LucindaE and everyone, the support from this group is so lovely. It really makes a different to talk with people who know what it’s like rather than (well meaning) people who don’t understand why you just can’t drink some water or have a cracker.

I have to say I keep thinking to myself ‘this won’t last forever’ and that really helps but I also really wish I could just have one day without the crippling nausea to just get my hair done or paint my nails or meet a friend, something to feel a bit more like myself than this gross sicky mess I’ve become.

SeaEagleFeather nice to meet another NL expat! Sorry to hear you also had to endure the horrible HG. You’re so right about different attitudes from doctors - my GP means well and is very concerned for me but actually googles Hyperemesis every time and suggested ginger... my midwife team are amazing and supportive and the gynecologists at the hospital have been good but just seem a bit hopeless on treatments. I can read Dutch ok, what was the site you mentioned? Certainly worth a look.

Definitely will be calling the PSS line on Monday. I have follow up appointment at hospital on Friday too as they seemed quite concerned I shouldn’t get to dehydrated as last time.

Oh god someone please help me!

3rd pregnancy and again with the HG. Not only do I suffer from daily vomiting but EVERYTHING SMELLS RANCID.

1st pregnancy I was sick everyday till I lost my son at 20 weeks. I was vomiting so much for so long I torn the lining of my oesophagus and began vomiting blood.

2nd pregnancy horrendous sickness and vomiting multiple times a day from Week 5 to about Week 12ish. Couldn't hold down anything, lost weight, stayed in bed all day everyday till I felt better. Lucky I didn't have a job as no way I would have been able to leave the house to commute. DD is 6 months old

Current pregnancy. Everything fucking stinks again - washing powder, the dog, the oven, the fridge, sometimes even fresh air in the park sets me off. Vomiting is worse mid-morning and late evening. I'm finding it really difficult to look after DD in my state. The only time I don't feel nauseous is when lying in the foetal position wrapped in a duvet with the air con blasting. Currently 7 weeks pg.

I find what helps is super icy freezing cold water (or even super icy freezing cold sparkling water) stays down, flat full fat coke, really cold and icy chocolate milk, really cold and icy lemon water.

@emoji that sounds so horrible :( so sorry to hear about your loss in your first pregnancy 💐

Smells are so bad for setting off the vomiting for me too. Have you already been to the doctors to get medication?

emoji if it's that bad - can you get to the doctor immediately? you really really need meds to reduce the sickness. It's so debilitating, you need support to keep your system in as good nick as possible.

olive the original site itself seems to have vanished but there appears to be a magazine leftover from it here www.steunpunthg.nl/docs/Steunpunt%20HG%20magazine.pdf

This looks good though www.zehg.nl/wordpress/hyperemesisgravidarum/ though I dont know if they have phone lines like the old organisation did.

There's also this place www.oudersenzo.nl/hyperemesis-gravidarum-ernstige-vorm-van-misselijkheid/

sorry, the first place was great, it's shame it's disappeared in the last four years

Oh dear. It’s such a shame there are so many people feeling ill. I’m sure this heat doesn’t help. I feel bad complaining about the hot weather after The long winter we had but I really can’t wait for it to cool off a bit. I have been very queasy today.

Baby has been so active though for the last two days which is really lovely. Sometimes I think it’s trying to kick it’s way out through my abdominal walls though! I am seeing the midwife this week at 27 weeks so nearly in the third trimester.

emoji Welcome. I so agree with SeaEagleFeather. You need meds asap. Which ones did you have in your first pregnancy? I am so sorry you had an mc in your first pregnancy after such a dreadful time. You may well still be debilitated from your second pregnancy, so definitely you need so see a doctor to get effective meds asap. Can you get an emergency appointment with a doctor where you are? As you are a veteran I am sure you know all about kesostix and how much a good anti acid can help. I so agree about full sugar coke and chocolate milk. Other things that have helped many on here are the juice of tinned fruit, soda water, ice lollies, ice cubes, soda water, fizzy water, Lucoazade, Dr Pepper, Elderflower Water, Robinson's fruit drinks, lemonade, orange squash, fizzy orange and orange juice (if not too acid). It must be very difficult trying to manage with a small baby. Have you got any friends/relatives who will help nearby?
Pob13 That sounds awful. Like SeaEagleFeather I hope it may be a glitch,but if its as bad tomorrow, you will probably need fluids. Can they give you any other meds asap? An anti acid might help. Do any of the fluids listed above appeal plus full sugar flat coke? You can make it into ice cubes; that sometimes helps. Losing five pounds in a day sounds dreadful.
SeaEagleFeather I hope my mentioning that misadventure didn't upset you. It's wonderful that Wilhelm is such a sturdy boy and so naughty - fancy going to the park by himself! Great advice from you as ever.
Olivecake I am so glad the thread helps. I do hope that PSS might be able to help you out with getitng efective meds.
Hotchoclolate How are things? I hope you are able to rest a bit now.
Waves to Bored Foodylicous and everyone.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked. Watch me cross post.

Hotchocolate Sorry, I somehow missed that post too. I've done that about four times recently. I am so glad baby is happily kicking but sorry the nausea is bad. It was a very hot summer when I was expecting DD and it is hard to cope with even though I only had residual chronic heartburn after week fifteen, so much sympathy for current sufferers in this heat. Using a paddling pool like Bored is the only thing.

Thanks for the welcome ladies and so nice to know others understand (although not nice that we are suffering!!).

In my first pregnancy I had no idea what hyperemesis was! Just thought I was one of the unlucky ones who suffered more than other women. With DD I was prescribed prochlorperazine which dissolves in the mouth as the GP said no point in giving me a tablet if I'll throw it straight back up.

Alas I never took it, our neighbours brother only has one arm because his mother took thalidomide while pregnant with him in the 70s and DH also went to school with a boy who had half a limb missing because of the same thing so he is petrified and paranoid and is against me taking anything in case something happens to our little bean.
He did say though that if I suffer prolonged sickness beyond the 1st trimester then we will get a nanny for DD. We could just about afford it but it but it's a huge expense. We have no family around to help me out but DHs job is flexible in that he can work from home/start late etc to help me on the days I'm really struggling.

emoji, thalidomide was not given the very very rigorous testing regime that new drugs are now. The 70's, with respect to your husband, were well over 30 years ago now and things have changed a great deal.

For instance, Roaccutane (sp?) for severe acne was tested and found to be dangerous for a foetus and the levels of care they take to ensure that a woman is not pregnant is extreme.

In absolute truth there are no guarentees in pregnancy. Sometimes it's a balance of risks, but those risks are tiny. Dehydration also carries risks.

Would it help your husband to look at some other fathers' forums ? There are some excellent US forums which have a section for partners, and also a registered-users-only specifically for dads.

www.hyperemesis.org/forum3/index.php?c=1 Home page

www.hyperemesis.org/forum3/viewforum.php?f=44&sid=cc9d87a7d7329f92c00ca3ff1fb07c46 for partners

Registered section for dads only www.hyperemesis.org/forum3/viewforum.php?f=51&sid=cc9d87a7d7329f92c00ca3ff1fb07c46

Seriously, your level of sickness is profoundly debilitating and will need a lot of time to recover from. It's in your interests and the baby's to have you in as good condition as possible. Rest, not overextending yoruself and the right meds really make a difference.

emoji Please do not let the bogey of the Thalidomide scandal put you off taking meds doctors use these days - as SeaEagleFeather says.
I am shocked that it was still taken in parts of continental Europe as late as the 70's, as it was banned back in the UK in 1961 after being released in 1958! In those days, they weren't as rigorous with drug testing as they should have been. Cyclizine, the first line anti emetic used in pregnancy, has been used safely since the 1980''s. Some women on here have had to be on a whole cocktail of meds - it's that, or be dangerously dehydrated and taking in no nourishment, and the doctors see the latter course as very dangerous for both mother and baby. There have been no deformities reported in the years these threads have been going (since 2010). How are your ketones testing? Have you got kesostix?

Waves to SeaEagleFeather.

Gosh, sorry to see so many new sufferers on here. Hope everyone is managing to feel better after fluids and hopefully getting effective treatment on board.