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.

Lack of sleep makes everything 100 times worse.

Woken by the dog at 11.40, to go in the garden for a wee. Woken by DH getting annoyed at his computer game at 12.45. DD wet the bed at 1.50 and mummy was the one she wanted. Then dh came to bed at 2.30ish which woke me again. Then throw in a few mad dreams, and DD who got up at 5.45am, and I feel vile. I am laying on the sofa bed watching crap on Netflix (Noddys Investigations) with annoying dog lying between my legs and DD waffling on so I can't go back to sleep.

HI all. Fellow sufferer here. Keeping tabs while @lucinda way

How many weeks are you all and how are you feeling

Hi blondeshavemorefun! I'm pretty much smack bag in the middle of the HCG surge around 10-12 weeks, due in June. Feeling queasy this morning, but not like I'm actually going to puke, which if you read back couple of pages you'll see is world's away from my last week or so. Steroids are a wonderful, wonderful thing!

sasseh a disturbed night like that is the exact opposite of what you need! Not good enough from your OH. I really hope your other half gets his head sorted and makes sure you have time today to nap, and tonight is better. Well done for getting up with your daughter this morning!!

OH the surge etc. I rem well. Everyone said it gets better 2nd tri so 13w. Sadly didn’t with me

SOunds a bad night with dog dh and dd. HOPe you getbrest today

I found sleeping /keeping still was the best thing to try and ease nausea

Not a happy bunny here today. 18.5 weeks. Weaning steroids (as being made to) and didn’t keep any food down yesterday including a 2am vomiting session. Feel so sick today and husband at work so me and the 6 year old are watching strictly inbetween heaving sessions. I was told by all the doctors that it would be improving at 16 weeks. Turns out they are liars they lot of them.

Hi blondes

I’m almost 31 weeks now and much better than I was but still struggling with nausea, food aversions and exhaustion - however miles away from how bad I was the first 20 weeks! Now just starting to look forward to the baby arriving in January.

eallison just been catching up on the thread and seems like you’ve been having such a shit time lately but glad it’s starting to get better. Like bean I was in hospital a lot in the first 12 weeks but once I got steroids I didn’t have to go back for rehydration anymore, it took a while for the nausea and sickness to get to the stage where I am now but it was never as bad again as it was before 12 weeks so I really hope the same for you. I believe staying in bed/on the sofa was a huge help too, I really barely moved for months!

Decamped to my parents. Have had a nap while my dad took DD out. Have given her a bath and just swapped with my mum as she's refusing to get out and I needed to eat there and then.

12 weeks today. I hope it continues to improve.

bean, out of interest, how long have you been on steroids? There is no guidance in the national guidelines about them on steroids. The hospital that prescribed, their policy states steroids up to 20weeks gestation - it might be worth asking your consultant why s/he is insisting on a wean when you're not at 20 weeks yet, in light of o The hospital policies being different. A 2am puke session isn't what anyone needs!

olive with my son things started getting better at 17 weeks - or a week or so before, I started a phased return to work at 17 weeks, so I'm hopefully for similar this time. Luckily, as I've said, I know my hospital is prepared to prescribe to 20weeks gestation before I might have to fight again, and I'm hoping things will have settled enough by this point to manage with ondansetron and cyclizine.

And yes, everyone is very c0rrect that rest is the best thing. I am about to 9gnore this and go to the park with my son nd hubby. We haven't done a family activity for a month, and after 2.5 days sat in a hospital ward I'm getting itchy feet! We've picked a park with loads of benches so I can sit whenever I need!

Cross posted;sasseh, I'm so pleased you've had the opportunity to nap and family are helping out

@easllison almost 7 weeks. By weaning them I will be off around 19. They were adamant and that’s from the hyperemesis lead who is recommended by pss so not really any choice here. I don’t have enough not to wean them
Worst thing is they gave me loads more energy and that has gone now so I just feel broken again which I hadn’t for a while.

@beanhunter - think i recognise your name. Congrats and yes they lie !!!

@olive so you are almost at the castle. Home stretch. Xmas and baby will be here

@sasseh glad you got some rest at your parents

@eallison. Hope you enjoyed park time and totally understand cabin fever

Loved my park trip. Think it really helped me to reconnect with my son, so totally worth the exhaustion.

Eaten all day without fear of puking (not a complete absence of nausea, but completely manageable). Gonna work on building good habits around eating, sleep routines etc whilst riding the steroid high so I get myself on the best place for when I'm off the steroids. I'm so sorry you're struggling with weaning the steroids. I hope it settled and eases sooner rather than later.

Hormones suck. The vomiting sucks. The nausea sucks the most. The need to eat but not wanting to sucks a lot.

Currently at work. Been sick twice this morning before meds o'clock and been sick once again at work - can't concentrate but can't really go home either. Last night was my first "public bathroom" vomit, out at a bowling alley. Woman in there probably thought I was drunk at 6pm.

I'm very grumpy, sad and depressed today. I thought things were getting better/easier, but I think it's just the hormones ebbing and flowing. Fuck you hormones.

I'm just back from having a drip
My ketones were zero
If I had a litre of fluid will that be enough to keep me hydrated for the day?

shouldi probably not on its own. Try to keep sipping what you can. Sugary drinks like juice or pop will be better than water, if you can.

sasseh hormones do suck. Sickness is crap. Sorry you're having a horrid day. Can you rethink whether you are ready to be back at work?

Hi all
So sorry to hear some of you are in the hyperemesis hell at the moment. I am 6 weeks with my 2nd and had HG in 1st pregnancy. Like many of you it has left me totally traumatised and as the nausea has already kicked off badly (started at 5 weeks and has since been relentless and stopping me eating anything) I am panicking that HG will come during weeks 8-10 like last time. I managed to get cyclizine from GP so have started today on half a tablet twice today and will do a third before bed, as I tried one full tablet and it zonked me and I think made me feel worse afterwards hence why I thought I would try half tablets?? But can up it if the nausea increases. Does anyone have any tips on getting ahead of the HG and did any of you manage to avoid it a second time by taking pre-emptive meds or at least have it less than previous preg? Guess I am looking for positive stories to cling to!! I have read the very helpful PSS website and know they support pre-emptive meds just useful to hear from actual experiences. Thank you x

Do I remember reading somewhere that some of the drugs cause insomnia? Mine is getting ridiculous (along with the very vivid dreams).

I'm also concerned about my folic acid intake, given that I'm living on mashed potato these days.

kleino congratulations! I'm about 11 weeks into my second HG pregnancy. Had cyclizine from finding out I was pregnant, but quickly (about 5 weeks) had to move to ondansetron
Unfortunately i am now on steroids as the only think that's helped, so not really a positive 'not as bad second time' - I'm definitely worse this time
However, what I would say so be pretty aggressive with your treatment - if something isn't working, upping your dose or changing meds is necessary. At the moment whilst it's not too bad I would suggest eating as healthily and as much as you are able to - build yourself a little buffer of weight that 'can't be lost as well as setting yourself off as best you can. Also look at work and childcare - what can you plan and put into place now for if things get worse. I spent the first few weeks of my pregnancy doing a few extra hours at work and getting ahead of myself in planning and prepping stuff, so that things could tick over if I ended up needing to be off or so that things were easier off I was struggling but able to work. We also some to family and friends to set up some childcare arrangements, and sort support from friends (including down time for hubby so he has the opportunity to vent/get a break).

mauis during my pregnancy with my son I think I managed about 10bfolic acid pills in total and certainly wasn't getting any on my diet in first trimester. I suspect the important thing here is do what you can and don't beat yourself up about what you can't.

Peaceful night to all

Thanks eallison.
Sorry to hear you are having a harder time second time around. Yes we told close family earlier this time so that they can help if necessary. How easy is it to get Ondansetron from the GP? I have read mixed experiences from other people on forums who have had to plead/battle to get it.
Hope things improve quickly for you!!

One of my GPS refused to prescribe ondansetron but another GP was happy to. When the hospital consultant prescribe it originally it made it easier to get repeats from nice doctor.

Pre-emptive meds have made this time round much less severe. Stemtil from the day I found out, tried cyclzine too, and now also on ondansetron.

I got a liquid folic acid which I should be taking 0.8mls a day of. It was going well until I could no longer open the safety cap as it broke!!!

Hi all,

Haven’t posted in a few days but have been lurking.

Eal I’m so glad thesteroids are helping, it’s amazing how well they’re working for you, thank goodness for that!

Klein for me getting pg was something that took me 7 years to even consider that I could go through it again after such a bad experience last time. I spoke to my gp before getting pg and she prescribed me cyclizine to take straight away and I also expressed my feelings about taking ondansetron. At I think 5 weeks cyclizine wasn’t working enough so I went to my gp sobbing who prescribed me ondansetron. Initially 4mg. She had never prescribed it before in pg. that then wasn’t enough but she wasn’t willing to prescribe more so I had to get a consultant involved who recommended over the phone doubling my ondansetron and introducing stemetil. So far (at 9 weeks) this has kept it to a generally copable level. My gp is desperate for me to see a consultant locally as she has told me she’s uncomfortable prescribing so many drugs to a pg woman and has never done so before. If I hadn’t have done my research and been very proactive I definitely wouldn’t be on this medication and at times it’s felt like I’ e had to fight when physically and mentally I can’t. From what I’ve found it looks like most likely you’d be given stemetil alongside cyclizine before anything else initially. It really depends on the doctor you see as one gp told me I’m no uncertain terms she would never consider prescribing more than cyclizine in pg and by asking for more I was being unreasonable and risking the health of my baby. Which is totally the wrong attitude with the nice guidelines for medication. So, try to see a sympathetic gp and if they won’t help you need to get them to refer you urgently to a consultant (that’s the advice I was given by pss). Ringing pss is really useful too. Having had it before I think helps them be more open to prescribe as first time around they just kept telling me it would go away at the end of the first trimester and of course it didn’t!

Had a hard day yesterday ringing my union etc. Thought I’d pass this info to you all as it may be useful. Essentially if you are eligible for statutory maternity pay, your 90% pay you get for the first 6 weeks of maternity leave figure is caluculated on your income when you work between weeks 17 and 25 of pg. so if you are on statutory sick pay or reduced pay if you’re off ill for any period of those weeks of pg it’ll have an effect on your maternity leave pay. I was signed off throughout last pg so I’m assuming it’ll be similar this time. Turns out as I’ll be on statutory sick pay in this period of my pregnancy (assuming I’m not back at work, there’s always hope) which means I won’t be eligible for statutory maternity pay because I won’t earn enough in those weeks to qualify. I’m looking into maternity allowance today but it’s not looking good. I wanted to let you know on here as yu May be in a similar position and not realise at what point the government calculate your income. This is only for statutory maternity pay, it’ll be different if you have extra benefits from where you work. It made me beyond depressed as I also discovered when I get statutory sick pay I’ll onoy get my working percentage of it (I work part time) so soon I’ll be living on about £30 a week income . And it’s so frustrating as if I was up to and able to work I would and I onoy can’t work because of pg, feels like I’m being penalised by having a rubbish pg, which in itself is hard enough to survive through.

kleino it was actually incredibly easy getting the ondansetron. I simply made an emergency apt (otherwise it takes about 3 weeks to get an apt my docs!), explained the situation and that the cyclizine wasn't controlling it. GP asked what worked last time, I said ondansetron, so he prescribed it. I had more of a battle getting the steroids when I needed them - I ended up going to larger hospital nearby that I knew had a Pregnancy Sickness Support recommend consultant (I didn't actually see him, but another consultant prescribed them. We won't mention the first 2 doctors who were less than helpful with the steroids for the first day/night I was in hospital!).

reastie that all just seems so unfair with the stat sickness/mat pay. I'm sorry. I'll have a little look into it to see how it might affect me - thank you!

Eal are you in a state school? If so you have a lot more rights and benefits covering yu so you’ll probably be fine. I work for a private school and they give the minimum possible in everything.

Thanks all so much for your advice and tips. I will call the GP today. She is very nice but did not seem clued up on HG so she just gave me cyclizine as I said the injection helped me last time (I was given tablets last time after hospital discharged me but I was too paranoid taking them so suffered for a further two weeks). This time around I want the meds, I can’t face HG again. Sorry to ask another question but do you find Ondansetron helps w the nausea or is it just the vomiting? I am so nauseous I can’t eat. First preg the nausea was manageable and I was able to work even when it seemed to get worse, this time it is so crippling I can’t leave the bed. And like I said I am only week 6 so am freaking out about what is coming....

@eallison glad you enjoyed the park. Sometimes nice to get out

@sasseh. Sad to say there will be more public vomits. R.E.M. throwing up in a busy car park into a nappy sack

@should. Sorry you needed a drip. But hopefully that has made you feel a bit better

@klein. Sorry you are suffering again. Brave lady going for no2.

I was so sick and nauseous they said would never do preg again

I did find it was better to keep a steady stream
Of tablets cyclizine into me so took every 8hrs religiously. Even if felt better as when I dropped a pill I was really sick again

@mauis didn't have any insomnia / slept well inbetween puking

I was also told that baby will hey their nutrients from your body even if not eating much

A hg pregnancy means a healthy baby. I got told that countless times

@reastie. Sorry your smp is lower then you thought. I am se so only
Got maternity allowance. But apart from the 6w of 90% pay - which gawd I wish I got - I still got the same as smp which I think was about £600 a month after the 6w iyswim

I found it better to eat even tho was nauseous - and 99% it would appear again

Throwing up on an empty stomach -
Constant burning bile - is worse then being sick with food iyswim