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.

Thank you @LucindaE. For what it’s worth, your diligence and care for mums who are enduring the trauma of hyperemesis is inspiring. Even for the silent thread watchers. You are a hero!

reastie that's a brilliant idea. I'll get hubby to set up the train track on Monday night. And work out a plan of attack as it were for toys. He's 3, so that plus the treat of lots of telly will hopefully be enough. I've arranged this evening to go round to a friend's on Tuesday afternoon, 1ish for an hour and half - he's going to look after/entertain son whilst I sleep in the spare room. I'm sure it'll be fine, I just need a plan, but not to stress about the plan straying slightly. And no, not back to work on Monday. I'd hoped to start a phased return, 2 hours (only work 3 days anyway), but signed off for another 2 weeks, then see how things are, but hopefully start the 2 hour plan... But I'm much more realistic and pragmatic about prioritising myself and my family over work this time. And actually, my line manager And SLT in general (diffwrent people from last time, same school) have been very clear that my priority is my health and my family and then work. Which has been fabulous. New head teacher next week tho, so that might all change...!

nighttimehope you are absolutely right, there are many, many women for whole Lucinda has provided a life line and a hope by keeping this thread going. This thread was essential, it was my life line in my first pregnancy. And there have been moments in this pregnancy where if I hadn't had the opportunity to moan/cry/vent here everything would have been even harder. You deserve a medal lucinda, for being a Good People. If the world had more Good People like you in it, it would be a much happier place.

This might sound bad but I've been interested to hear in the news this week that studies are showing little evidence of screen time being harmful other than the hour before bed time. I have definitely been letting my DD have more screen time when I'm feeling really ill and in bed so just thought it might reassure others that it won't harm kids in the long run if we have to resort to it when feeling so rubbish.

11yrgap hubby and I decided today that he's gonna be at nursery 7.30-4, 4days a week. There's no telly there. So it isn't the end of the world if there's more than we'd normally be happy with at home! That and the news you refer to certainly helps ease the mumma guilt a little. I'm so reckon that he'll have lots of stimulation and engagement at nursery, so if Tuesdays end up a bit boring for him, again, not the the end of the world!!!

I absolutely agree, Lucinda, Reastie, eal and all the rest of you on this thread have been a life saver for me Without this support and understanding I would probably be still wondering if I'm just too sensitive when I can't function with "a little bit of morning sickness that everybody has". (that and the "have you tried ginger" and "it will be over by week 12" are really the most annoying things I've ever heard)

A lot of love for the thread from me too, it helps that people understand the mental and physical struggle and don’t justthink it’s possible to push through and be cured by ginger.

So today I decided to build up further my attempts to gain stamina and mental strength to leave the house. I’ve been doing 15 minutes gentle exercise in the mornings for the past week in my better time (it goes downhill from late morning) but by gentle I mean a slow walk or yoga, nothing very energetic as I can’t manage it. Today I did a warm up to a pg step workout, only the warm up that was 7 minutes long but from an actual aerobic exercise. Prep preg I could do it and barely raise my heart rate or feel exertion. I found it so hard and it brought back the nausea. I should have left it there and rested but I had told myself I would try leaving home for the first time in a month today and didn’t want to chicken out, so I then went for a 20 minute drive. I didn’t even manage to get out of the car as it felt too much for me to cope with but at least I got out in the world. I paid for it this afternoon though as have felt awful ever since. Fgs I can’t even manage a little drive and short bit of activity. I so want to start building up stamina to get back to some kind of life but it’s onoy been about a week I’ve been improving, maybe I need to take it more gently. Gah, I hate this! Last time I pretty much stayed at home my whole pg and didn’t see a single friend in 9 months as I felt so sick I just couldn’t face seeing anyone. It meant I was very isolated with dd as I had forgotten how to make conversation and be with people (I know that sounds ridiculous, but it was so long I’d been just with dh that people overwhelmed me) and mentally it took me a good year to get back on track. I really wanted to try not to lose myself and keep sane this pg despite the nausea but it’s hard when you feel so sick and have to rest so much. Sorry, that was a rant.

Eal glad the box idea sounds good.

Nighttimenope eallison Reastie evuscha and everyone, thank you so much for the kind words. I don't deserve them! You all support each other wonderfully, after all. I am happy that the thread has helped sufferers to feel less isolated.
eallison You are indeed no longer at the bottom of the list! A good plan and good ideas from Reastie. I am so glad that work is supportive now.
Reastie Congratulations on exercise; that did soun d a bit ambitious; but brave of you.
11yrgap I saw that, and it iis encouraging for those who have to rely on screens for a bit. I remember reading an old childcare book - Dr Spock, no less - and the issue of 'too much radio' was discussed. Parents are always worrying about too much some form of entertainment.
Apologies for anyone missed.
I hope everyone is coping OK today.

I think I have come to the realisation that I am going to have to close my business temporarily. I'm going to have to turn away work and let some people down but I'm just in no state to work. I don't know whether to be honest about what's going on or not. I fear people won't understand how bad I am. I haven't left my bed today.

Breaks my heart to be damaging the business like this and not to mention the financial side of things.

I feel like I'm in a nightmare.

Sorry for the vent

Lucinda what are those for??

Meg i am taking one that hasnt any iron in it for that reason.

Having a bad day today. Puking all day again. Just managed some supernoodles and few spoons rice pud. Now about to suck on a fruit pastille. Had a cry earlier as feeling really sorry for myself and the thought of feeling like this for another 7 months is really fucking depressing.

Feel exactly the same Hairgician. My due date is a couple of days after yours.

Just feels like we have such a long journey ahead.

Meg if you don’t want to tell clients about the hG maybe just say you’re having pg related health problems, makes it clear it’s a temporary thing and gives a totally true reason.

Hair don’t think of the months ahead, just focus on getting through this week, and when you’ve done that you’re focus is on getting through the next week. It’s the only way I’ve managed to do it.

Reastie yes thats probably the better way to do it. Puked up my 'dinner' now on sofa watching titanic.

Hairgician What, the exclamation marks, do you mean? I always get stupidly excited about twins. We have had less than six since the thread began in 2010.
Meg Much sypathy over business concerns.

Shit sorry Lucinda was it not you mentioned ranitadine and omazeprole? Was asking what they are given for

Ooh just rwnembered something else. The doc doing the rounds on friday morn was a rather well spoken english doc (im in wee norn iron😁) and she wrote me up for meta clopromide iv as feeling sick and light headed, and went on to say that was a first line option at her last hospital🤔 so obvs depends where you are as to what they prescribe. Have to say they took hg seriously, not the usual 'it will pass adter 12 weeks' bullshit.

hairgician those meds are both for indigestion/heartburn (they work in doffferentbways to control stomach acid). Indigestion seems to come hand in hand with hyperemesis, and can make the feelings of nausea much, much worse. It certainly has a massive impact on my sickness.

Ah i see. No heartburn at the minute, just the once last week. Will keep that in mind though. My other concern at the min is the constipation which i know is imminent. Havent had a bm since last week before being admitted. Tried taking lactulose yest morn but made me sick

Keep trying to persevere woth the lactulose. The constipation is an absolute killer.

taking ginger - like pissing into a hurricane.

Know exactly what you mean ealli. We got / paid for a lot of help with #2 but the (relatively short) times that I had him alone were an intense strain and made the HG worse. I fear the TV did much more babysitting than it should have :/

or, throwing a cup of water onto a forest fire.

Hairgician Ah, I forgot that. They are given for heartburn. Sufferers do find that treating acidity effectively - which is usually with something stronger than Gaviscon- can really help the sickness.

That’s interesting Lucinda as last pg I had awful heartburn and my gp refused to prescribe more than gaviscon. Said I could take gaviscon advance but wouldn’t prescribe it. Gaviscon did absolutely nothing and gaviscon advance helped but barely. I wonder if that contributed a lot to my latter pg nausea. I remember having to sleep sitting up for months it was so bad.

Sorry, everyone, missed a few comments. How about likening the usefulness of ginger as an anti -metic to stopping a charging herd of elephants with a peashooter? But I have to say, I don't know if they still make them, Health and Safety and so on. Probably only people as ancient as me remember them!

Managed to eat some boiled potato with butter on for dinner. With minute sips of iced tesco flavoured fizzy water.
Not risking lactulose just now, might attempt it in a bit. Lay on sofa willing dinner to stay down.
Ginger is as much use as a chocolate teapot.

@Hairgician, not very pleasant but might there be a laxative suppository you could take instead? I can see why there wouldn’t be much hope of getting lactulose to work it’s magic.