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.

I have been perscribed something new to try. Metoclopramide. Has anyone tried it?

I cant find much research on them online and being the big researcher I am...

Had injections and fluids at hospital friday which seemed to help. But it came back this morning with a vengance. So hoping these do the trick. 🤞

Notquiteagandt Lots of women on this thread have been, or are, on metocloparmide. I believe it empties the stomach quickly - in the right way , that is! It has helped many. The only problem is that you have to watch out for twitchiness- in the mother, not the baby, who is unaffected - as doctors don't like ot keep you on it if you have that. For all that, one women on here some years ago Kalidasa, had it for weeks without reporting it, not knwing that it is taken seriously, and was unharmed. Still, it is best to play safe.

Bored There have been a sudden upsurge of new people.I believe that conceiving is more likely to happen in the latter part of the summer, with July the peak month! I don't know why.

Thats funny you say that about muscle twitching. The injections the hospital gave me the other day made me twitch. I didnt notice it but my DP said my eyes and face where twitching and I was jerking.

So deffiantly something to watch out for by sounds of it.

And thanks for heads up about emptying stomach.

Not been sick had really strong waves of nausea and few near misses today.
Funny and light headed At times too.
Different to my usual ongoing, intermittent nausea. Though I do remember feeling a bit more sick yesterday.
Can't quite remember taking my tablet last night.
Really hoping I did forget it and I'll be better again after taking it tonight!

N otquiteagandt That sounds as if you should monitor it, annoyingly. Were the injections stronger doses, I wonder?
Foodylicious Congratulations anyway on not vomitng; but nausea is as bad in its own way, and a weak, shaky feeling is not nice,.

Hi all - hope you don’t mind if I join. I’m around 12 weeks with my second (unplanned) pregnancy. I had mild hg (is there such a thing?!) the whole way through my first pregnancy - I even threw up a few times during labour. This time round it has been even worse. I’ve been on metaclopramide 10mg 3x a day since I found out as cannot keep anything at all down without it. On it, I feel constantly nauseous and am still vomiting 2-3 times a day. Am living on pasta jelly lollies and sprite as everything else makes me sick. Ugh!

Home this morning from work as am feeling so rotten and am starting to panic about my job - I have a senior role, am only 4 months into this new company and I am being completely shit and seem to be getting worse. Trying to drag myself out of bed but just can’t do it I think I’ll have to tell work soon as they must be wondering what is going on.

Has anyone else taken sick leave? It’ll go down so badly at work but not sure what else to do.

Hi stealth sorry to hear you are feeling so rough. Hopefully at 12 weeks you will be starting to feel a little better soon. Is it worth seeing if you can try some different meds alongside the metoclopramide. At my worst I was taking that with cyclizine and ondansetron. In terms of time off work I had 10 weeks off initially and am now signed off for another 2 before I start annual leave and maternity. Luckily work have been quite understanding. Hopefully yours will be better than you expect if you do take time off.

stealthbanana, Welcome. Sorry you feel so bad. Did things turn around in your last pregnancy? A lot of people feel a lot better somewhere between weeks fifteen and twenty. Is there a human resources department in your workplace? It is against employment law for most firms to discriminate against a woman for taking time off for a pregnancy related illness, but you do need advice. Failing a HR department, the links in my introductory post give good advice about sick leave and Hyperemesis on their websites. Are you taking an anti acid, as that can help a lot? If you are sitll vomiting a lot and bed bound on metoclopramide, do ask for another medication. Also, have you got kesostix to check for the early stages of dehydration? As you are now a veteran, you proabably have.
Some other fluids that can help sufferers are: flat full sugar coke, the juice of tinned fruit, ice cubes, lemonade (sorry, I can't remember if Sprite is a form) Robinson's fruit juice, fizzy orange, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid) sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), Lucozade, Dr Pepper, soda water, fizzy water and Elderflower Water. Some find cheap ice cream, tinned fruit, cuppa soup, Scotch pancakes, slices of melon and mango, nibbles of crisps and chips and baked potatoes.
Hotcocolate Fine advice. How are things?
Good advice fo

Hi lucinda and hotchoc - thanks for your kind words and advice. Helps to know that people understand.

I’m mostly sitting at my desk feeling dizzy and sick. Last time it did get better but not grrrat - the main difference was that in my last job I had my own office with a sofa so I could lie down for 10 mins when I needed / take a nap at lunchtime which really helped. This time round I’m out in open plan which is awful.

No proper hr department, I’ll just have to man up and make my demands I think.

Plus I think the vomiting is even worse this time round. I will ask the doctor when I see him next week to think about other meds, it’s dizziness, hunger (o the irony) plus sickness. Ugh. Hate this!

Sorry to hear how ill you are stealth. Sounds like you've got a good idea how to deal with it although that doesn't make it any easier. All I can say is get some good meds as soon as you can!. I also really struggled in my role as I work in a specialist area with quite a bit of responsibility so it was not really possible to hand it over to anyone else (even finding mat leave cover has been very difficult). I was lucky that by around 14 weeks the meds helped me manage the sickness to a level that I could function at work.
35 weeks now and feeling quite queasy and nauseous after a few weeks of feeling relatively well. I've been vomiting some mornings again too. It's got me quite down mentally, I've had a tearful few days. Which I imagine is hormonal as well. School holidays here now too and looking after two kids is pretty exhausting.
I had to go see an obstetrician yesterday about my low iron and she reassured me that I could stay on my meds until I deliver which made me feel better as I've been worried about trying to wean off them.
And I have my appt for an iron IV drip in a few days so I don't have to take any iron supplements, thank goodness.
Feeling for you all in the first trimester, hang in there

Stealth sorry you are feeling so rubbish, another one agreeing with going back to try and get different medication to see if it helps more.
I had 12 weeks off work - from week 8 to 20. Although meds helped decrease the amount of vomiting I couldn't function properly with the exhaustion, dizziness etc that goes with it. Work were luckily very understanding and didn't want me to come back until I was sure I was ready. I really believe that rest is as important as the medications in some ways so please don't push yourself too hard and take some time off.
I'm 32 weeks now, and although still having some pretty rough feeling days when I over do things, I've had the best week of my pregnancy so far. Quite worried it will be back as ohiwa has found though. I hope the iron drip helps, and the sickness doesn't get any worse ohiwa - almost there!
Hi to everyone else!

I’m not doing too bad thanks lucinda. Much better now I can just rest at home without worrying about work. I still feel very nauseous but it is more manageable when I am at home. There is apparently a lot of glucose in my urine so that’s a bit of a concern.

Glad to hear you are having a good week bored.

Hi

Looking like another hospital trip for me.

I have some ketosticks and the measurements on the side go 1.5, 4, etc up.

Now my local hospital said for me to be put on a drip my levels need to be over 2.

The strips look exactly the same as the ones they use at my gp surgery.

So if I am measuring 1.5 how do they know if I am over 2? Or is it safe to ashume this is enough?

Has anyone had this issue.

Just really dont have strength to sit in a waiting room for ages to be turned away.
If I go down I want to make sure I will be given fluids.

Can you post a pic of the stick against the colour chart notquite?

Hotchocolate thanks. Glad you are feeling a bit better now you aren't worrying about work, sorry to har about the glucose, are they going to do a glucose tolerance test?

Notquite hoping you have maybe gone in anyway, completely know why you wouldn't want to if they weren't going to do anything, but unless you manage to eat anything those ketones won't be going down so by the time you are there and assessed they probably will be high enough anyway. Good luck.

hotchoc I've got my 28 week appt next week and I think that's when they decide if they need to send you for glucose tollerence test?
If you are worried can you call the MW and ask her about it?

Sorry for everyone that's is feeling so poorly.
From an HG pov I'm not too bad, but am seriously exhausted today.
Feeling grumpy and like I need a sleep.
OH not back to 10.30 though, so I just need to get a grip and cope (and hope 4yr old is not to trying)

I have an appointment booked at 31 weeks and if there is still glucose in my urine then I will have to have the glucose test bored. Fingers crossed there won’t be.
Hi foody this was my 28 week appointment. I am 27 weeks but it couldn’t Be done next week so I had it early. The midwife said as it’s the first time I’ve had glucose in my urine it will be ok to wait until the next appointment to do the test.

Notquiteagandt I so agree with others; I can imagine why you don't want to go in to be turned away, but if you are unable to retain even fluids and in hours those will be steadily raising, surely?
Stealthbanana Oh dear. That is a shame that you have had to abandon your private office. Sorry there is no HR department. Is there no one person in charge of staff, though, you could approach? It is very difficult having to explain things when you feel terrible, but you definitely need some time off, as others say. Will the doctor sign you off?
Ohiwa Oh dear, poor you about returning symptoms. I hope it is a hormonal surge and they go away again, rather than a dreaded milder return - as if this scourge can't endure to go away.
Ohiwa I never knew you could get iron via a drip, though it makes sense, as I knew you could get vitamins that way.
Hotchocolate Good advice from Foodylicious. I am glad you can rest and hope that the glucose in urine is a one off.
Foodylicious Much sympathy about a four year old in this muggy weather and OH away till 10.30.
Bored Congratulations on a good week!
emoji and others - how are things?

Thanks Lucinda, fingers crossed it lasts!
Hotchocolate I hope things are ok by your next check and the glucose is a one off then, fingers crossed!

I have had 2 days of no sickness or nausea. After the most horrendous week of constant sickness i am now convinced something is wrong. Can it really just stop like that?!

Hi new to this thread I'm only 7 weeks but had couple weeks of horrendous nausea dizziness hot tired death feeling docs gave me cyclizine which did nothing if anything felt more sick and tired on it now on metachloride I think it's called only taking one a day as unsure of effects think it's helping ever so slightly but still a mess needing to sleep and even lifting my head and sitting up right is such an effort thinking of upping to twice a day today as need to get through the day with other dcs to look after

Thanks ladies. So I went and got fluids etc. And given yet another anti sickness meds so fingers crossed they work.

Had a lovely dr who was so reassuring. She was like you are a warrier woman you can do this. Its only tempary, it will get better etc. I was so hormonal and emotional. I honnestly could of hugged her.

Made me realise that one of the things I am struggling with. Is people not understanding it. Realising quite how ill i am. I am the type of person who never complains they are ill. Never goes dr etc. So it is a huge struggle to put my hands up and say I need help.

Notquite That is one of the hardest things about it.

I managed to drag myself to visit a relative the other day. Felt horrendous the whole time I was there, but obviously did my best to smile & make small talk. Now there’s the assumption that I’m somehow magically “better” & can resume normal life.

I also got lectured (whilst there) on the perils of aspartame & why I shouldn’t be drinking Diet Coke. My explanations of “the lesser of two evils” & “it’s this or hospitalisation for dehydration” fell on deaf ears.

(I can’t drink full sugar coke due to a leaning towards gestational diabetes so that’s not an option!)

But it’s just the chronic lack of understanding what HG is really like. Even my mother, who has mostly been helpful, said recently “I think you should see another doctor. This can’t be normal that you’re still in bed feeling ill”.