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.

Hi all! First time poster here, looking for some advice. I'm nearly 12 weeks pregnant and currently on ondansetron 4mg twice a day, but understand from some of your posts I could be having more and 3x a day? Also taking prochlorperazine 3x a day. Nothing seems to be working on a morning, I vomit until around lunch time then feel a lot better in the afternoon. Been hospitalised 3x due to dehydration. Going to see my Dr again next week but she was very unwilling to give me the ondansetron in the first place and only did because it was prescribed by the consultant at the hospital when I was first hospitalised. Don't know why everyone seems to have such a battle with these health care professionals, it's such a hard time already, we shouldn't have to fight for the right care x

Welcome jamjarjen! Congratulations on the pregnancy and I'm sorry you get the joy of hyperemesis as well. 4mg of ondansetron twice daily is low doesn't if you are still being sick then you need to be on higher dose. It is not at all unusual to be taking 8mg 3 times daily. Please do bring this up with your doctor, and if you need to remind him/her about the initial consultant prescription, please do. It is, unfortunately, not unusual for GPs to be unwilling yo prescribe ondansetron at all/at an appropriate dose. Do see your GP as soon as you are able- hyperemesis needs aggressive and proactive management, especially when you have already had a number of hospitalisations.

Wishing all a restful night

I’ve just had a nosey through this thread as I’ve struggled massively with sickness since week 6, it has improved now but I still need to take my medication as it makes me feel terrible again.

I just wanted your thoughts really - I’m shocked that Ondansetron is used for HG and that doctors struggle to issue this? I was given this quite quickly at week 6 and it didn’t help, I then tried Cyclizine for literally a few days and that made me 100 worse. Side effects were horrific. I then couldn’t keep anything down for 24hours (i usually managed water through a straw) but everything was coming back up along with blood, so DP called 111 and ended up in A&E. The doctor told me everything was ok but my potassium was very low & was concerned about my weight (I’d lost nearly 9 pounds in 4 weeks taking me to 8 stone 6) I was given Ondansetron as an injection which helped but still felt awful as I was starving then as I remember thinking bloody hell there’s my appetite back.

I’m now still taking Ondansetron but I am still sick with these usually once a day tending to be first thing. It’s not until late afternoon I seem to function (it’s like a bloody reset button once I sleep) it’s not great but it’s such a violent vomit lately it hurts my stomach. I take 4mg x2 of Ondansetron every day. It’s still effecting my work life too.

Now my question is why have I been prescribed these tablets when the doctors were so adamant I didn’t have HG. I was sick between 3 - 5 times everyday, only managed water (aside from mentioned above), lost weight rapidly & was incredibly weak. I completely understand other women have it worse and I’m full of sympathy (I hope this doesn’t sound like a poor me rant because it’s not) I just feel a little let down if this is the case that I haven’t had the support I should have and just kind of palmed off with those tablets which still haven’t made me 100% normal again

Hi all! Sorry for radio silence - all is well! I am currently laid out with my daughter sleeping on top of me!

She was born at 15:00 and although I was still sick a few times afterwards, I feel a million times better now and managed soup, meat, vegetables and pudding this evening! It’s nothing short of miraculous!!!

Thank you all for the well wishes - you are all doing amazingly, even though it may not feel that way at times and you will all reach this point, I promise!

Hello everyone.

I’m new to mums net and would love to chat to people who are in/ or has been in a similar situation to me.. I will tell you abit of what has happened and any advice or support would be hugely apreciated.

I am nearly 10 weeks pregnant with my first child. I have suffered with two M/C prior aswell as an ectopic which removed my left tube. I have always wanted a child but I hadn’t expected to feel the way I do. The past 4 weeks I have suffered terribly. Constant naseous, vomiting over 10 times a day, sinus problems so I can’t breath through my nose, thick green phlegm, ear infections that still haven’t cleared and caused slight deafness in left ear, exhaustion and hearing blood pressure in my ears. I don’t have any energy to do do anything and I feel I’m getting down.

I have been trying to get support and help and have been to the doctors and the a/E department in several occasions due to dehydration, keystones in urine, temperature and weight loss. They diagnosed hyperemesis. I have had several anti sickness medications that haven’t worked and I am now on my 3rd kind called ordanstron. This has worked with the vomiting but I am still nauseous. I am now keeping food and fluid down although it’s very bland and little amounts.. my ear infection hasn’t gone. My sinus infection won’t clear so I can’t sleep well and to top it off I’m now comstipated greatly (haven’t passed stool in 8 days) which is causing me to be sick again.. can’t keep lactulose down so the doctor today prescribed Laxido and then suppositorys yesterday didn’t work. So just a waiting game.

I feel like I’m on my own.. I feel like when I talk to some of my friends they say it’s normal and I neeed to toughen up.. which causes me to get really upset and makes me sick further..

I am currently off work now into my 4th week. I got sent home due to loosing my
Voice completely and coughing everywhere. I have now told them what else is going on with being pregnant as I couldn’t lie.

Has anyone been in this situation where they are that ill? And not been able to get out of bed for long periods of time? Been off work? When did you go back to work?

I feel so drained and lonely.. my partner has been my rock so I have someone to talk to. But I feel no one understands.

I’d appreciate any information from anyone..

Thankyou so much for taking the time to read this..

Alison

anyat ondansetron is used a lot in hyperemesis, but it doesn't sound like your dosage is strong enough to have any real impact on your sickness. Also, there's no competition here on better or worse- we all have moments where we feel hopeless and at the bottom and moments where we feel better. Everyone gets the same support!

twodrifters congratulations! Enjoy your daughter, enjoy the food and enjoy not being sick :)

allie06, welcome. Sorry you may have said and I missed it, how many weeks are you? I'm on my second hyperemesis pregnancy (2nd pregnancy in total too). My son is 3. With him, ondansetron 8mg 3 times daily kept a lid on things. I needed that daily from week 7 tìl day I gave birth. It made a massive difference butvstull felt nausea and had a very limited diet. This time ondansetron hasn't helped at all, so I'm on high dose steroids as well (which comes with it's own joy!). Constipation from the ondansetron is really common. I'm in my 7th week off, and suspect I won't make it back at all before Christmas. When I do go back it will be shortened hours - as you are finding, eat and doing nothing is so important when you're fighting hyperemesis. Take as long off as you can, and don't rush back as soon as you start feeling better as that's likely to knock you back again! Well meaning friends can be tricky. I've found that being really honest and saying things like "look, it's not about toughening up. My body is reacting to pregnancy in a way that only 1% of pregnant woman do - the drugs are struggling to control the nausea, mind over matter is nonsense". I also made or clear to one or two family members that tho I loved them dearly if they were going to continue with "mind of matter" type nonsense then I would not be able to spend time with them cos it's too hard. Which has worked. So glad your OH is being supportive, it makes such as difference!

Eallison88 Thankyou so much for talking to me about it.. I am currently 9 weeks and 6 days and the sickness has been goi g on since the 4th/5th week. I couldn’t imagine how hard it has been for you with your other son.. do you have support? I told one of my best friends and she basically said I’m being weak. Really upset me and I told her so. And haven’t spoke since. My sister thinks I’m over reacting too. But she’s been okay.. my other best friend has been brilliant and my partner so I have them which helps.. I just qualified as a nurse and started in theaters on the 6th of October this year. My boss hasn’t been happy and I told them I’d be back Monday. Not feeling it at all.. I have come to my sisters this morning to wait for a delivery and I’m laid on the couch and been sick already. It’s so worst on movement.. is it like that for you? I feel better that other people have taken time off work too.. I jut thought it was me not coping well. Do you struggle with sleeping too? Thankyou for the reply

allie your work need to be more accommodating. They need to do a risk assessment for you cos you're pregnant (legal requirement) and they need to make specific reference to your hyperemesis and how they can support you in managing triggers etc. Movement isn't great, I spend Most of my days lying in bed or sat on sofa. What dosage ondansetron are you on?
I'm very lucky that we have very supportive family who are being fabulous with going above and beyond with helping with our son. What we've found quite interesting is that no one really realised how bad I was last time - we didn't need help with childcare or anything, I basically hibernate and we didn't really talk to people about it. This time cos it's been worse and cos we have a 3 year old, friends and family have been more exposed to it, and have expressed shock at how ill j actually am. You're probably in the worst bit for sickness at the moment,. Most women are at their worse 9ish-15ish weeks, then for most it tends to improve at least slightly. My sleeping is awful, but insomnia is very common with steroids, so it's down yo that mainly for me. But tiredness and sleeping lots is common as well - the best thing you can do is rest, rest and more rest. Don't hurry back to work!

Eallison my manager is a man and I felt when I told him about the pregnancy, the hyperemesis and apologized about not being there long before going off sick, he never said congrats or I hope you get better soon. It was just sort of awkward and he went quiet 🤫 which made me feel like he was pissed about me having time off. However after speaking to him this Monday and saying I will be back Monday he seemed more chirpy. I don’t feel well enough at all to go back yet so I’m going to ring the doctor and get a longer sick note I think.. I keep getting weekly ones as I keep thinking.. I will get better.. lol but it doesn’t come.. I’m on 4mg ordansetron 3x daily. Steroid spray for my nose, omeprozole, anti histamine, anti biotic on my 3rd week of and movicol stuff. I have taken more ordanstron when I’ve been super naseous. So much worse after I have stood up or my belly is squashed. I feel like I’m hiding away too so people don’t see how bad it is.. I’ve probably left the house 3 times in 4 weeks.. spent most f that time layed down in bed.. I’ve been reading though the thread and I’m finding it helpful.. if I am suffering with sickness and Illnesses does that mean the baby is growing better? I have my 12 week scan on the 19th of December which is the same date my mum died. She does 28 years ago and I’m 31. I just thought it was a weird connection.

Unfortunately, though many health care professionals (and well meaning friends/family) will tell you that it means a strong pregnancy, there isn't actually any evidence to the fact. However, there also doesn't seem to be any evidence that you're more likely to miscarry either. I'm sorry to hear about the mum; my mum died in 2013, when I was 15. I know it's not the same as I obviously have memories of her that you don't, but you have my sympathy. You might find you miss your mum a lot more in all of this- I know I do. I often get very mopey about not having her here to look after me

So sorry about the mums, that must be so hard.

Allie you’re about the same as me, I’m about 10+2. I’m probably a couple of days behind that but I can’t face losing a child joke of days so sticking with the furthest along I could possibly be! I’m so sorry you’re feeling so rubbish. It’s so hard for people to understand I think. Doing anything sometimes makes it worse, sometimes I can’t talk, I can’t text, I can’t think, I can’t even watch tv, I just have to lie down with my eyes closed and concentrate on breathing. I’m on 8mg ondansetron 3 times a day and really noticed a difference between taking 4 mg and 8mg. 4 mg didn’t really do much for me.

Anyway I think the thing is if you’re finding your symptoms are having a big impact on your daily life. For me if I do anything it triggers symptoms a lot so I can’t really go out and do anything. I haven’t worked since 4 weeks pg (although the first week I wasn’t off work ill as it was a holiday week). Even doing nothing I’m still feeling terrible and incapable of most things. FWIW last time I barely worked the whole pg. some people at work were with me and the understanding of how debilitating this can be is very hard for some people to get. I felt a lot of guilt and anxiety about not being able to work and trying to force myself to work but this time I have zero expectations of myself and just hoping for the best.

So I sent a repeat prescription request for my three medications and have rung up to check it’s progress and they aren’t handing it to me until I soeak to the doctor on the phone, so now I’m stressing the doctor wants to reduce my medication or withhold it and I don’t know how I’ll cope without it. I have this very real and constant fear they will decide to force me to reduce medication.

Mw coming any moment for booking apt. Feeling very nervous about it and whether I’ll feel ok enough to get through apt.

Eallison yeah a lot of people keep saying that. But I will be a lot more at ease once I have our scan. So fingers crossed everything is ok. I’m sorry to hear about your mum. I do wish I had a mum to help out in this situation and it’s makes me think of her more now I’m pregnant. But I’m sure she would be proud like yours will be of you.

Reastie nice to meet you. I’m sorry you are feeling rubbish too! I do get what you mean about talking or communication in general lol I can’t seem to get into anything on the tv. I’m currently got friends on repeat in the back ground. I’ve just been sick again but just ate afterwards and feel a little better.. I think I may need to up my dose of ordansetrone as I’m still being sick and suffering naseous 99% of the time. I have to force myself to eat something small but it does help for about 5 minutes. That’s so true about doing things trigger symptoms. Getting up for a wee makes me vomit. The constipation from the ordansetron is killing me though. I just need some relief. Awww I’m sorry about your work Situation. I agree people will be frowning about it but I just don’t feel well enough. And it sounds you arnt either. The guilt and anxiety is playing me too. The doctor won’t reduce your medication. Sometimes they have to get the doctor to re-prescribe your meds as they are not on repeat or they are monitoring progress. They shouldn’t take you off them. Just tell them you are not comfortable with that. Ordansetron is an expensive drug so doctors are reluctant to keep prescribing it too. Good luck with your midwife appointment. Mine was on last Saturday and she made me feel better. Let me
Know how it goes

Urgh, mw is 45 minutes late and counting. I know this sounds pathetic but I planned the whole morning around being my best for 11 (ie medicines and eating etc) so I’m feeling anxious that I can feel I’m on a downward spiral. Plus gp is due to ring when mw here now and I feel awkward having a convo with gp over phone in front of mw (which I know is ridiculous).

Allie hope you improve and manage to eat a bit more.

Reastie, I hope she turns up soon!

I am not looking forward to the week after next. The toilets on our floor will be refurbished from then until Christmas, which means I have to use the ground floor ones, and walk across the building to use the other stairs - I work on the 3rd floor. I... have reservations about it.

Im sorry to have disappeared; not complaining (and certainly not on thisthread!) but my health fluctuates a bit. Better now tho! I'm one of Mother Hen's graduates, my second HG baby is now 4 and a streak of lightening and mischief.

TwoDrifters lovely to hear of your daughter. Isn't it truly amazing how suddenly the nausea and vomitting lift after pushing the baby out!

ealli sorry to read that the sickness has got to the steroid stage ... I'd hoped that you'd be lucky and get a lighter dose this time.

alli movement can definitely make it all worse! Not that many people get HG so the 99% lucky many have no idea how bad it can be, so they don't take it into account or make adjustments. But meds and rest, rest, rest are the best treatments for it.

anyat if you lost that much weight that fast it's a surprise they say you don't have HG. But either way, clearly your sickness is affecting your life badly so you do need meds! and rest ... Unless there is some specific reason why you can't have an increased dose of ondansetron then it's worth asking for it to be upped to 8mg 3 x day. I believe that is actually on the NICE guidelines, though you need to be in the UK to check that out online. If your doctor won't prescribe it, can you ask for a second opinion or a hospital consultancy?

Hoping everyone is surviving. waves to mother hen and everyone

Allie, sorry to hear your work are being awkward. I've been off for 6 weeks now and going to get another sick note when I go to the drs next week. They've been great about it. I hate when people say oh sickness means a healthy baby as at the beginning of this year I was in this exact same scenario, off work with sickness for weeks unable to get out of bed and unfortunately when I went for my first scan at 13 weeks they found I had a missed miscarriage at around 8 weeks but had still been having the pregnancy symptoms throughout. It was an awful time and we really debated getting pregnant again so I'm also very anxious that something will be wrong x

@eallison88 and @SeaEagleFeather

Thanks for both for your replies, I appreciate it. I’ll certainly be getting in touch with my GP, I’ve had the opinion of 3 GPs and one from the hospital and due to no ketones in my urine and only being slightly dehydrated (I honestly don’t know how I kept nothing down!) they said it wasn’t a case of HG. In the end I just got sick of telling them the same thing especially with the weight thing, I’ve not weighed under 9 stone for years! (I’m back to normal weight now) The last doctor I spoke to told me to stick to the ondansetron as it stops you loosing weight. I’ve then just plodded along however I’ve been off work all this week again. However been a mixture of sickness and constipation. I haven’t met my midwife yet either it’s always been different people so I’m meeting her finally at my 24 week appt on Christmas Eve.

This sickness side was just brushed off as ‘normal’ and because I usually kept water down there wasn’t much more they could do. Despite me explaining it’s anywhere between 3 - 5 times per day usually after anything I ate, it was normal and will go away at 12 weeks, then 16 weeks and then 20 weeks. I’m 20 + 5 now and it’s still here! I’m just waiting for them to tell me it will be all cleared up at week 40 haha.

Reastie how did it go?

Sea eagle feather. Yeah not doing to great today. Haven’t brought all my meds to my sisters with me and now I can’t stop feeling naseous. Tummy is very sore with constipation and I think it’s making me worse. Had 3 sachets of Laxido since yesterday evening and still haven’t gone 💤 think I haven’t gone for 9/10 days.

Jam jar jem.. I’m so sorry for your previous loss. That is my worst nightmare. I have had an early scan at 6 weeks and 5 days due to my history of miscarriages and ectopic last year. And this time bean was in place with a heart beat. However I could never imagine how you must of felt. I really hope that isn’t the case for me. The thought of loosing another baby makes me heartbroken and sends me back to the worst times in my life.. On an other note though.. I was wondering How long do you get your sick notes for? It sounds silly but knowing hat I’m not the only person taking time off work for this makes me feel less anxious x

It's ridiculous that they refused to diagnose hyperemesis due to lack of ketones . Ketones are not a reliable indicator of dehydration, as you're finding. Ketones mean naff all for me- I can have ketones of 4plus, eat a few slices of peach and suddenly ketones 0. Or I can have 2 plus ketones despite 4 bags of fluid. It's a nonsense and infuriating that docs are so bloody obsessed with them!

I've not heard anyone say ondansetron helps not to lose weight... unless they mean that you'll it lose weight cos you are not puking as much.

Anyat12 I really feel for you.. the constant naseous can be worst than the vomiting at times. They should be more
Understanding with you

Hi Allie my advice is don't worry about missing work, because it is a pregnancy related illness it cannot be used against you in any disciplinary way and has to be recorded separately to other sick leave. I was off completely from 7 to 21 weeks, have just started going back and managing not quite half days 2 days a week only, probably more like a third of a day and doing a much reduced amount/type of work even while in. I feel no rush to increase as even that has made nausea worse again, I come home and go straight to bed at 2pm on those days.
I get sick notes for a month at a time as when I got any less work would start scheduling my return the next week even though it was obvious that wouldn't happen.

Allie, it was a really hard time and I've got my 3yo dd and really felt like she helped me through everything and kept me going. Like others have said it's totally different if it's pregnancy related illness as long as you've told work you're pregnant you are protected. My Dr keeps giving me two week long sick notes but I'm going to ask for a longer one this time to cover me over the Christmas period and see how I'm feeling come January. The constipation is awful, I have had bleeding from my backside because of it - the Dr says she's not worried 🙄
Also does anybody have a lot of excess saliva? I am finding this really hard to cope with and have to sit with a cup to spit into most of the time.

eallison88 I wish I came across this thread earlier, it would have massively helped when I was feeling so weak and sick. I’m sure the doctor told me it helps prevent weight loss although I’m questioning that now and thinking did he mean because I won’t be sick as much, which is true and as I say I haven’t lost any more weight since all that happened in a&e. I feel for you though with the ondansetron not working at all anymore.

Thanks Allie, I’ve felt sick since week 6 but I really think I’ve just got used to that! I agree I think doctors just overall need to be more understanding in situations like this. I’m really lucky to have a fab DP and group of friends/family who is very supportive.

I have to say I feel for you with the constipation, there was one point I had decide to either be sick or be constipated! So eased off the sickness tablets. The ondansetron constipation really is something else and I’ve suffered with constipation for years! The doctors were really funny about prescribing anything for that as well thinking back, (I tried every natural route but as I say I’ve suffered years and it’s a new surgery I’m registered to) Its only when I’ve been really pushy and insisted they look at my medical records for them to understand. I was prescribed docusate sodium (stool softeners) and some suppositories although I’ll be honest they look scary so I haven’t tried them! I just stick to the stool softeners and movicol along with the usual things of drinking plenty of water etc. It’s awful getting to the 10 day mark though, hope you get some relief soon!

Also Allie I second all the posters saying not to worry about taking time off, your employer including your manager definately needs to be supporting you. I imagine your boss probably feels awkward in general as he will be used to asking about people having time off but this is completely different, I’m hoping he asks for support from HR if he’s struggling. I work in HR so I’m sure you can imagine my LM has been surportive and flexible, when I’m at work I start work later (as I feel truely dreadful on the morning) and break my week up by working from home usually a Wednesday which helps as sometimes driving can set my sickness off - particularly the smell of my car (which I’m sure or hope doesn’t smell)!) could be worth looking at suitable adjustments for yourself only when you feel better though!