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.
On my image of a pink castle: that is an image I use because when I was little, my family had a Snakes and Ladders board with an image on the last square of a pink castle in the clouds. As Hyperemesis is so like a grotesque version of Snakes and Ladders - eat a meal, go up a ladder, first thing in the morning bile run, down a snake - I have used the image of that pink castle on the last square of that Snakes and Ladders board as a metaphor for the happy end of Hyperemesis.

Ondasetron doesn’t make me drowsy. Cyclizine and prochlorperizine did initially but now they aren’t so bad.

Can anyone give me any experienced advice about laxitives? I’ve been prescribed sennacot (or something like that). Some of you have been on several laxitives, was that all at the same time or one at a time until ome worked well for you? Which one(s) did you find worked best/most gently?

Reastie I take them all 3 times a day and I stagger them as I find that best. I also take rantidine. None of them have made me drowsy.

Bumblebee did you take the Cyclizine regularly and for several days? Often the body adjusts to the medicine with a little time but obviously everyone is different.

Laxative wise I find Lactulose works well for me and I take a maintenance dose daily but I believe it is better when you haven't already become too bunged up.

bumblebee We need an ex-pharmacist like *SeaEagleFeather' to advise you over that one; my recollection is that you can take prochlorperazine (stemetil) with several other drugs, and people on here have.
Reastie Many on here have had success with the Boots suppositories, but they generally won't sell them to pregnant women, though they use them in maternity wards, so you need someone to get them for you. Some say Lactulose is fine: others can't endrure the taste. Some swear by Movicol. Brave souls manage to get some Fybrogel down .
Sorry for those having such trouble with their prescriptions. Not at all what you need.
Waves to eallison SashaMonsta shouldIdoitspoilt Mamambear and everyone.
I still don't know who gave that 20 May date...

Oh my due date is 18th May Lucinda thanks x

Senna isn’t recommended in first trimester as it can cause cramping.
I would stick to lactulose/movicol/fybogel if you can. The supposetries are effective but quite difficult to do yourself. They can often be found on the shelf in supermarkets so no need to discuss with pharmacist.

@Mammabear13 mines the 20th 🙈

Tip/suggestion for those amongst us with padlocked bowels... a potty. In desperation this morning I squatted on my son's potty and had the 'easiest' toileting I'v had in over a week. I read online that the squat is the ideal position for straightening out bowels etc so thought id give it a go and it definitely made a difference. Worth a try?

Didn’t realise Senna wasn’t as good because of cramping. Sending dh out to see when laxitives he can find in the supermarket/chemist! Eal yes! I sometimes sit with my feet on dds stepper to make my legs higher up which can help too.

eallison and Reastie Great tips. When you think of it, squatting is the most natural position for urinating and defecating and for giving birth too (sorry to put that in the same category) if we watch our fellow female mammals...Cocoanut as in coconut ice or a Bounty or even a real one is a very effective laxative, but cocoanut is horrific on the way back. That reminds me; some on here have been helped by cocoanut milk.
Mamabear13 and bumblebee39 Ah - now I've got those dates and added them.
Due Dates
Two Drifters 28 November
Questabellatreetops 28 November
rotavixsucks 15 January
Olivecake 23 January
elpreggo27 20 March
Beanhunter 17 April
8DaysAWeek 1st May
tinyradish 1 May
Plasticgiraffe 10 May
Mamabear13 18 May
20 Maybumblebee 20 May
SashaMonsta 28 May
eallison June

My son peed on the sofa yesterday (potty trained 2 months ago and this was the first time, so not bad going I suppose). My husband 'dealt' with it. Except he dealt with it by mopping at it ineffectually with the clothes he'd just stripped off our son. And nothing else. So as it has dried overnight it absolutely stinks. And with my hypersensitive nose...you can imagine just how pleasant it is. I could smell it from our bedroom (directly above the lounge). Eurgh.

@eallison88

I know what you mean even with a bunged up nose I can smell the meat slow cooking for dinner and want to puke.

I am told my house smells normal and not bad at all in any way but all I can smell is food and my sons dirty nappies permanently even when the bins are out they've been Double bagged and febreeze has been sprayed liberally!

Literally all I can smell is poop and bins 🙄

eallison and bumblebee Oh dear, the poor pair of you suffering from that magnified sense of smell. Fridges smell dreadful. Actually, I thought my OH smelt strongly of roast pork. eallsion For an ordinary sense of smell washing with diluted carpet cleaner or some such would be fine,but with yours, that probably wouldn't be good enough,and then there is the smell of the carpet cleaner itself.

Hi guys, just dropping by to say scan went well. Due 5th May. So I’m signed off work for another week but I don’t feel ready to go back. I’m not being sick anymore but I know it’s only because of the drugs. I’ve dropped down to 2 out of 3 per day and even that makes me feel queazy so might need to up it again. And I just feel exhausted. But realistically how long should I be taking off work? If I’m not being sick I think they will want me to try and go in. They are coming round on Thursday for a welfare meeting x

Eal would bicarbonate of soda help I wonder? I think that’s suppose to be good on smells and doesn’t smell too strongly itself.

Forever if it helps I was signed off for my entire last pg. I tried returning around 23 weeks but found the rushing and stressing it caused made me feel so much worse. I wasn’t reliable at work and they preferred to have me signed off as it was easier all round for everyone. When I was sobbing to a gp last week she asked if I was worried about work and the year would without question sign me off throughout again if I couldn’t manage it and I wasn’t to worry about work as worrying would make me worse. I say just see how you go and play things by ear. You haven’t failed if you can’t work and they will survive without you.

forever I was off fully from week 7-17 last time, then reduced hours (4 hours/day)) til about week 24. As I work in a school I also had may half term off, which was needed, then 6 weeks of summer hols week 32-38. If I hadn't had the scheduled breaks of school holidays I don't think I'd have been in work as normal.

I've found a thing on t'internet recommending vinegar and bicarb, so that's for hubster to do this evening. Then baking soda and lavender oil, which I've ordered to arrive tomorrow.

foreverblues Realistically, you do need tme to recuperate. It takes a lot out of you to be that sick for weeks. Don't rush back and give yourself a relapse, as too many have on these threads.
Added you.
Pregnancy Sickness Support is asking for votes to win a charity grant. I include the link.
www.charityfilmawards.com/videos/hyperemesis-gravidarum-is-definitley-not-morning-sickness-animation
Due Dates
Two Drifters 28 November
Questabellatreetops 28 November
rotavixsucks 15 January
Olivecake 23 January
elpreggo27 20 March
Beanhunter 17 April
8DaysAWeek 1st May
tinyradish 1 May
foreverblues 5 May
Plasticgiraffe 10 May
Mamabear13 18 May
20 Maybumblebee 20 May
SashaMonsta 28 May
eallison June

I’ve voted for PSS, they’ve been so lovely and helpful and we need more awareness of this.

@Foreverblues I've been off work since week 6 (now 13 +3). I work in a school and there is no way I could work - constant nausea, tiredness from the anti-sickness tablets, low blood pressure and weakness from low blood sugar it's not only the sickness HG is bloody awful all round. My fit note runs out this week and have been given ones lasting 3 weeks at a time. I'm hoping for another 3 weeks this time and will try and make it back for the last few weeks of term. But if your work is as stressful and tiring as mine, please tell your doctor and don't risk a relapse

Lucinda thanks for sharing the link - I voted for PSS - the video made me cry, having hyperemesis has been such a horrible experience and it was touching to see it the severity of it acknowledged in that video.

Forever I missed about 4 months of work and am only now working 4 hours per day until I start my leave (6 weeks to go! Not that I’m counting down)
It’s not nice to feel like you’re letting your colleagues down but I honestly believe it’s so so important to rest to heal, even now I’m doing better but I get flare ups when I overdo it or don’t sleep well. Definitely take a bit more time and don’t go back until you’re truly ready - and when you do make sure it’s a very gradual, phased return.

Forever I just remembered that last time I tried to return very gradually and working only a handful of hours a week initially (I teach cooking so obviously this is a tricky job givennissues with smells and food). I wanted to be able to help my gcse students who needed me most. Long story short, I was making myself ill getting into work and teaching minimal lessons a week and because I was only paid for the lessons I taught and was not entitled to any sick pay as I was back at work, albeit on a minimal level, I was getting a lot less money than ssp. I was making myself worse through trying to work and I was getting less money than when I was able to stay home and look after myself and felt better. I’m usually a bit of a workaholic and work really diligently so it wasn’t easy to step down and admit defeat but I wasn’t coping but it was the right choice for me. But bear in mind the pay thing when returning as that hadn’t even crossed my mind. Although your workplace may be more generous than mine.

That's interesting reastie I also work in a school and last time was full pay when I worked my reduced hours. Interesting that we were treated so differently

Really? I work in the independent sector —and they’re really tight where I work— . I remember ringing my union and they were perfectly ok to do this with reduced pay. But it may have been because I had already been off for weeks so had used up paid sick pay?? Essentially I’ve discovered working for a private school I may get longer holidays but I get a lot less rights and benefits for everything else.

Ah, I'm state sector. Last time I had accrued 2 months full pay and 2 months half. This time I've been there longer, and have 6 months full pay and 6 months half. But being at work, on a sick note reduced hours, counts as being back and having full pay.