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 everyone.
So glad to have found this thread and suppose I'm just venting really.

Have had all day nausea since week 5 and by week 6 sickness and nausea all day. Got diagnosed Hyperemesis at week 9 and given Cyclizine after putting off going to the GP because so many people kept saying oh it will pass by first trimester etc. This is my second pregnancy and I'm in shock that it can affect people this badly, I feel bad for not understanding what people meant about extreme sickness before. I imagined it must be awful but could not have imagined feeling like you have the worst flu and vommiting bug for weeks on end!

I feel awful that being ill has basically put our family life on hold for weeks on end. I spent all day in bed boxing day when DD wanted me to play with her new presents,but bless her she understands. This was after the awful Christmas day night when I had to run to the bathroom as soon as we got home, violently sick and ended up wetting myself through my jeans (with a full bladder.) Sometimes its hard to know whether to laugh or cry.

Sorry for this rambling post, I just need to vent somewhere,not at my long suffering family who have been brilliant and supportive through this. I feel like I'm turning into the woman who only talks about sick/feeling sick.

Hairgician I hope the fluids help you. I've wondered myself about twins because how different this feels from my first but no family history. Congratulations, hard work but lovely.

hairgician twins! Congrats! I wondered about twins and asked them to check. The sonographer made me laugh when she said that first time mum's never ask if it's twins, or ask her to double check. Yet pretty much every mum on second or more pregnancy asks!! I'm glad you're getting fluids, they will help you feel better. Don't let them discharge you til they give you a plan for meds.

11year congrats and welcome. Vent away, it's one of the reasons that the wonderful lucinda keeps this thread going. You'll also find helpful advice and suggestions here. Are you taking cyclizine on its own? What dosage? Are you still being sick despite it? If so it's be a good idea to go back to GP and ask for something different. It can take a few goes to hit upon the right med/combo.

Thank you. I have 50mg of cyclizine at the moment. Was given a weeks supply just before Christmas but then had to get that on repeat (another week) when they ran out as I couldn't get an appointment after Xmas so do need to go back soon anyway.

They definitely worked at first. I can't seem to get in the right pattern of taking them sometimes as I was told up to 3 when needed.

They do repress the actual sickness a lot of the time but the nausea is still there quite often. What has been great is they stop the constant dry heaving. When I went to the gp that was my main issue, when I wasn't sick it was the issue of even just leaning foward to pick something up was setting of my throat.

I did say to the midwife recently I sometimes feel more nauseas after I take them and she said to give them a chance. Sometimes I taste their acidity and maybe thats it.

11 sounds like cyclizine is helping, it also is better once it’s built up in your system so take it three times a day every day. FWIW my morning cyclizine is my worst as it sort of warms my throat as it goes down and initially makes me worse. But eal is right, they can add in other drugs as well to help more.

Hair that’s lovely news, congratulations. Must’ve been a shock!

I actually managed a bit of salad yesterday! Amazing! I’m still living in fear of a return of it being terrible and it’s generally improved only until about 10:30 then I start getting worse but it’s progress. I’m now at the point of being scared to leave home. It’s been so long since I’ve been out in the world and doing anything sets the nausea back off again so I feel like I don’t want to do anything that will set it off again. Got a week until I have to make it to the hospital for a mw apt so maybe I’ll statt tomorrow with just taking a drive for ten minutes and building up from there.

11year as reastie said, cyclizine is one that works by having it in your system at a steady level, so if I were you I'd take 50mg three times a day (in fact, I do, along with the various other meds I take). Each drug works slightly differently and on different parts of your brain, so it could be worth trying something else as well - something else might cut/stop the nausea. Are you able to eat and/or drink very much?

reastie huzzah for salad!! Can you try and get out of the house for small things a little bit more regularly? Like, something as simple as a walk round the block? The exercise will be good for you, the fresh air too. And it might help you avoid making outings a massive thing in your head. And I say this from a point of complete understanding and sympathy. If I don't go out for a few days I know I really struggle and get scared of the thought. I've found that a trip to the supermarket is actually quite good: the trolley is great for leaning on!!

Well after feeling so much better today I feel pants . I’ve been so careful with not overdoing it etc etc, I guess you can’t control it whatever you try. Eal that’s a good idea, I might try walking to the end of the road and back later if I can manage it and then maybe make it to the local shop.

Dr was round earlier. I will be in here for a day or 2. He was very thorough, checking for dehydration etc. Explained about ketones which i already know the process etc. Has me down for cyclizine, ondansetron and if needed stemetil. Onto 4th litre of fluids.
Managed some breakfast and trying to keep it down while meds kick in as drug trolley not round til after breakfast.
Slept like shit. Will get a nap later.
Quietly panicking about having twins.

Thanks both. I'm going to try taking 3 through the day now. I must need to build it up consistently like you say.

Since having more rest and taking cyclizine I can hold food and drink down a lot more so will persevere with this pack.

Hair hope the drugs help get you on your way. If it helps that’s exactly the drug combo I’m on. I take 8mg ondansetron 3 times a day as well as cyclizine and then take stemetil as and when (atm that’s usualy once or twice a day in afternoon/evenings but I’ve already taken one today). I still struggle but it’s made such a difference from last time. Make sure you get laxitives for the ondansetron.

11 I’m glad cyclizine is helping. I find rest is one of the best things to help other than drugs. Think the guidelines for treatment give rest as being helpful too.

Feeling v constipated today and womdering if that’s not helping my feeling rubbish. Weird question but does anyone else feel incredibly rough before they need a poo?! In the half hour before I try to go I can feel the nausea getting more and more extreme and then it improves once I go. It’s like I know I’ll need the loo before I feel the need to go now!

Yeah reastie. Going to the loo gets rid of of the toxins that your liver and kidneys have filtered out. When I was preg, my gyne finally insisted that I take something to get things moving because if you're bunged up, you'll feel worse anyway.

Is any one on ondansetron what mg tablet do you have? It doesn’t seem to work for me and I’m wondering if I should ask my dr if I can up my dose to 8mg instead of 4mg.

Blii initially I was on 4 mg 3 x day and it didn’t help a huge amount but once I upped it to 8 mg 3 x day it made a lot more of a difference.

That’s good news @Reastie I will call the dr and ask. Thank you

My annoying hub is still playing up a bit.
11yrgap Welcome. I am sorry you feel so awful. Don't blame yourself fo not understanding before. I hope things soon improve for you. Are yo on an anti acid, as that can make all the difference? It might be worth asking for something other than cyclizine if you've been on it for more than a few days and it makes no difference. Some drinks and foods of a sort that have helped others. Flat full sugar coke, the juice of tinned fruit, ice lollies, ice cubes, soda water, tonic water, fizzy water, Elderflower water, Elderflower cordial and tonic water, Dr Pepper, Lucozade, Robinson's fruit drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), orange squash, fizzy orange, lemonade and orange juice (if not too acid). Some foods of a sort; tinned fruit, nibbles of crisps and chips, cuppa soup, Scotch pancakes, baked potatoes, slices of melon and mango, and someone suggested spoonfuls of non-dairy yoghurt.
HairgicianTwins! How exciting. Congratulations. I didn't even know about these new fangled digital testers you mention! Obviously, the extra hormones have made things much worse this time. People on here expectingtwins seem to suffer very badly early on and then get better quickly, though there have only been about half a dozen over the years. Sorry you have been admitted. I believe you can apply for a trainee childcare worker to help out if necessary?
MrsB19 I do hope the scan gives you a boost.
ksjourney I am glad that things are a bit better.
beanhunter I am really sorry things are still far from good at 25 weeks. Thingsmay yet look up a lot, as they have for various people on this thread. Brave of you to go to a cafe.
bili I hope someone on Ondanseton can give you good advice about dose levels.
SassehMonsta Ha Ha about LO having to sort out the blocked loo.
Reastie I am so happy to hear of your improvement.
eallison That is an amazing number of pills. I am glad you will at least soon be off the antibiotics.
SeaEagleFeather Interesting, about toxins. It makes sense, of course.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Thank you Lucinda I will definitely give some of those drinks a go. Ribena has been my friend at the moment but I'm craving something else.

I thought dairy would be bad for me but I've been living off cornflakes and able to enjoy lemon yoghurts on an ok day.

Thanks for all the reassurance and good ideas everyon.

Hi all,

I'm after some advice. I'm 7 weeks and having very bad morning sickness. The nausea lasts all day and night and I spent most of xmas in bed.

On NYE I was prescribed Cyclizine which I'm taking 3 times a day and for a day this offered some relief. Now it's doesn't seem to be working as well and I'm really suffering with the extreme nausea.

I'm able to eat and drink a little (albeit not healthily) and I'm not physically being sick anymore, but I'm still so poorly. I'm struggling looking after my son and my big problem is that I'm not able to work and I'm self employed. I'm currently having to fob clients off and have told them I'm off sick til Monday but who knows if i'll feel able by then.

My question is, do you think I should ask for more meds even though I'm not being physically sick?

Meg your experience sounds a bit like mine. Cyclizine works but its more taking the edge off. I think I'll take the advice of seeing if I need a mix of meds.

Meg I spoke to pregnancy sickness support (PSS) and they told me if it interferes with your ability to have a quality life you should be entitled to medication vomiting or not. Nausea is utterly debilitating. Unfortunately not all gps are willing to prescribe as they should. I’d recommend ringing PSS as they give great specific advice. Your gp should prescribe medication to add in with cyclizine. If they refuse you can ask to be referred to a specialist who should (this was the advice I was given).

I should add even with extra medication don’t expect it to be a miracle cure, I’ve still been really struggling with extreme nausea despite being on three drugs. They have really helped but they don’t take it away.

Meg def ask for something else . The nausea is awful and really debilitating. Im also self emp and having to rebook clients. Lost a few last time around so panicking i will lose what few i have!

Thank you everyone. I am going to call the Dr tomorrow.
I keep crying all the time. It's only myself and husband who know about the pregnancy and I wanted to keep it to ourselves til 12 weeks but I think I am going to have to tell people for some support.

I have had this before with my first pregnancy and i just know I have many more weeks ahead and just don't know how I'll get through and still have a business left.

I can't remember what weeks were my worst last time. What have other people found to be their worst?

I'm sorry so many of you are having a rotten time!

Meg, until 8 weeks it was only DH and me knew and I found it so hard and lonely. It was definitely made easier by telling our folks who immediately stepped in to help with washing, ironing and shopping, it was a real weight off our shoulders!

For the past two days I've only been sick once a day, still had nausea but it's also still a lot milder than it was. This morning I was even able to get up and showered by 10:30am after being sick around 8 and kept everything I ate and drank down! Usually anything before noon is a no go! I'm 16 weeks tomorrow and really hoping this is the proper end of it, unlike a couple of weeks ago where I had 2 sick free days only for it to come back with a vengeance. I've an appointment to get my whopping cough vaccine at 10 in the morning and then we've got a gender scan at 10:20 on Saturday morning so that will be two big tests!

When you go a couple of days ok and it comes back it's so horrible isn't it. I took my daughter to spend her xmas money today, left at 2 and home by 4 and had taken 2 cyclizine since morning by then but still threw up what I'd managed to eat earlier. Started feeling I'd pushed it while at the bus stop. I'm telling myself it was because I had something fried,which it probably was. I thought the saltyness of McDonalds chips might be good for me to taste but regretted it later.

You ladies will understand. I overdid it yesterday, on my birthday. When I woke up I felt rough, and had my first bile vomit in around 4 weeks, around 7-8 voms worth. But I still went for a day out in London. We were on the train home by 4.30pm, and in bed by 7, but I'm shattered and obviously made bad food choices too. I had 4+ ketones at bedtime which dropped to traces at 9pm, and then back up to 3+ now (around 3.30am). I'm on my 3rd or 4th litre of water overnight.

I don't want to do this again. I was getting better and doing well. I need to be present at work and at home, I can't be admitted again :'-(