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
Been catching up on the thread as have been poorly again so wasn’t about. I too have found you all so helpful and a great support so thank you!!
Anyone else getting bugs because they are just so low immunity wise? I got a cold and now it has turned into full blown sinusitis which is just dreadful and not helping the hyperemesis. Has anyone experienced sinusitis in pregnancy before? Sorry I know it is off topic but it is totally adding to the nausea and making me vomit. When will this nightmare end.....

Many women over the years on this board have had to use suppositiory constipation remedies. If you look pregnant (ie have a bump) you might find they won't sell them to you. However, it's the same stuff used in hospitals, I think.

It's been a long day with my son, but no one died, no one got left in the car park, and everyone got fed. There may have been more telly than I'm usually comfortable with. There may have been more short temperedness on my part than i like. But we're both in one piece at the end of the day. I'm knackered. And won't know til tomorrow the real impact. But I feel much better than I anticipated. And it was actually really lovely at times for me and son to feel "normal" some of the little traditions and routines that have slipped by the waiver recent months happened today, and it was lovely. Glad he's back at nursery tomorrow tho!!

Hope everyone is managing. kleino I'm sorry you've had a bad patch. Is it worth asking doc for different meds?

Eal that’s great, glad you made it through and hope you don’t feel too bad tomorrow. At least you know now you can do it. I was thinking of you.

Klein I had a lot of sinus issues a few years ago and the best thing that helped me was very regular inhalation’s, even just with steaming water if you can’t cope with olbas smell. And by regular I mean several a day. It really does help.

Hair hope today wasn’t too bad.

I’m really finding it hard with the nausea from needing a poo, it’s happening really badly now and when I need to go the urge is quite sudden. Luckily I’ve been at home but I’m nervous about if it happens when I’m out. I’m also (tmi) having huge poos sometimes twice a day. I can only assume it’s because I can finally manage some fruit and veg after months of nothing but potatoes but the nausea in the build up to needing to go every time is very spectacular and worse since I’ve been eating a bit better. I’m wondering if it’s anything to do with laxitives. I know a few of you are on , does this sound at all familiar? I’m wondering whether to reduce my laxitive dose a bit to see if it helps.

reastie that all sounds very familiar. Massive poos (like, seriously, where do they even come from?!). It's not unusual that I'll try to do a poo to no avail, then 30minuyes later have a sudden urge and there is a degree of urgency to get to the loo. Most bizarre. But good to know im not alone!! My approach to lactulose now is that I have a glug of and when I'm beginning to feel bunged up. Seems to be working- not had any malteaser poos (as My husband delightfully christened them!) for a few weeks now.

About nausea and poos - it happened to me more than once that I suddenly became really sick while having a poo (sorry it's quite disgusting really) - so I was sat on the toilet with my bottom part while leaning over to the sink to vomit with my front part That must have been one of my lowest points for sure...

Reastie thanks so much. I have been doing steam inhalation about 8 times a day and have found it useful so great to know it actually does help. I really don’t want to go down the antibiotic route so hope it doesn’t get worse! Never had it before so it sucks having it now when I already feel rubbish.

I really don’t know what to do for the best. Do I cut out ondansetron so I don’t need the laxitive (this really doesn’t seem realistic and reducing will still give me constipation)? Do I just cut back in the laxitive see if that helps? Do I cut back on the fruit and veg that I am now so excited that I can manage? It truly is grim and getting worse as I manage more f&v so have more bulk and fibre in my diet.

Xposted Klein I’m glad you’ve been doing inhalation’s as they’ve helped me so much with Sinus issues. I think you can also use saline nose spray which might help.

I wouldn't cut the ondansetron. Are you taking 8mg 3 times a day? Maybe try one of the doses as 4mg? See if that helps the constipation without affecting the puking. Maybe also speak to your GP about alternative laxatives?

Thanks eal, I’m seeing mw on thurs, I wonder if she would be able to help? I’m on 8mg three times a day but tbh even when I was on half that I still had bad constipation so I don’t think dropping one dose would make a difference.

reastie I've got similar constipation despite having come off ondansetron altogether. I also feel so horribly sick in the build up and then eventually this enormous amount comes and for the last week there's been blood with it so I think I must have an internal haemorrhoid.
I'm adding laxido to lactulose - have you tried a combination of laxatives?

So am currently on a trolley in a&e on a drip waiting for a bed. They are full at min. Feel like shite.
Glad to hear you had a better day eal.

Oh hair poor you, hope they find a bed soon.

Silver my problem isn’t that I’m constipated as I’m going daily (and a lot when I do) so I don’t know about combining would help. It’s the build up of intense nausea to needing to go and then the sudden urge that’s my issue. I’m going to try 1 1/2 spoons instead of 2 tonight to see if that makes any difference tomorrow. I can’t take lactulose as it disagrees with me but I know that’s the most well tolerated and gentle for most people. Interesting you have it despite no ondansetron, maybe it’s just one of those horrible joys of pg that some get.

Hairgician Oh no, poor you, re-admitted again so soon. I do hope that this is the last tme you have to go in for this pregnancy. Much sympathy.
I do so hope they can find a bed soon, as other say.
evuscha, eallison silversplodge Reastie and everyone- much sympathy over bowel movements. I remember having liquids coming out of all orifices at the same time, though I don't know how, as I hadn't had much liquid. It is very horrible and degrading.
Great advice from everyone.
Kleino I hope inhalations help. Any virus can make things so much worse, and phlegm and painful sinisitus in particular. Great advice from Reastie.
Reastie I am sure that acidity makes the sickness far worse. Gaviscon can make one feel so bloated one feels much worse.
Waves to Nighttimenope and SeaEagleFeather and everyone.

@Hairgician, I’m so sorry to hear you are so poorly again. I hope you have a bed now and are recovering somewhat.. prayers that this is your last admission.
@LucindaE thanks for the wave! Had dating scan today, and found out that I am 5 days further on than I thought. Is there any more wonderful news when you are sick! Five days less to live it!
Sending love to all. I toast you all with my spit cup, in a loving and not disgusting way.

hairgician I do hope you have been given some privacy now and they've found you a bed. Don't let them discharge you on the same combo/dosage of meds you are on now. They clearly aren't working and it would be stupid to send you home like that - you'll only end up back there. I can't remember what you're already on to offer suggestions. Keep.us updated

6 weeks today and the nausea has hit. BUT lovely lovely Dr who spent my last pregnancy filling out prescriptions for me for ondansetron every 10 days has straight up prescribed me it again. So I have a box of them waiting for me to start needing them 😍 hopefully this pregnancy will be much nicer (although I could do with losing the breastfeeding weight I've gained)

I got to 3pm on Friday and ended up back in A&E, who did an ECG as my heart rate was 130+. Fluids given, 8.5 hrs waiting for gynae on call to come down, and an overnight stay on a ward, who when were reluctant to discharge me due to low blood pressure. Tedious.

I have started on Metaformin for my blood sugars. It's making me feel worse and crampy, and gassy, and giving me the feel of having the runs when I'm constipated from ondansetron. Its also not helping my sugars and I am so fed up.

I am at work today for an extra hour as well, and I just want to go home and cry.

Oh sasseh that sounds rough. Are you sure you're well enough to be working at all?

Hi ladies haven't been posting as just haven't felt well enough tbh. Still suffering with sickness although fluids staying down and I am eating slightly more albeit plain and boring foods. When I'm not being sick I still feel extremely nauseous. My dr has been signing me off a week at a time and I'm due to return to work Monday going by this weeks sick note however I just don't feel as though I will be ready as I'm still feeling and being so sick and I'm exhausted with it all. I haven't been to work now since December 13th. I'm really worried that my work will think I'm being unreasonable by having so much time off but I physically cannot do anything! I don't have a shower unless my partner is home or my mum comes round as I'm sick in there or I feel really faint and have to quickly get out and lay on the floor.

canonly can you discuss a longer sick note with your doctor? Dont worry about taking the mick; I've not been at work since 11th Oct. I think I'm on my 5th sick note. It's really, really hard to do anything when you are barely eating or drinking- your body simply doesn't have the fuel it needs!! Remind me, are you taking meds? Which ones?

Canon, I would take as much time as you need!

Eall, I am physically fit and healthy, aside from aches, pains and nausea. I may take tomorrow off.

Sorry to hear so many of you are really suffering at the moment!

For those who are on their second (or third etc) pregnancy, can you share your experiences on when HG kicked in in each of your pregnancies?

I am 5 weeks with my second; last time the nausea kicked in at 6 weeks and the sickness at 7. I find I am so anxious waiting to see if/when this kicks in, this pregnancy is consuming my every thought at the moment!

I usually travel for work as I manage international projects and my work is pushing me to travel this weekend; I so far have no sickness but am terrified this will trigger my HG, or at least exacerbate the symptoms I do have already. Does this sound completely irrational?

I am discussing with my (previously, and hopefully still) lovely doctor tomorrow but I just need to say this "out loud" as such to check I don't sound crazy!

Thank you @eallison88 yes the dr does extend it for me on a weekly basis so I'm in touch with my line manager weekly to update her with how I'm feeling etc. I feel really tearful about it all today so I called the midwife office and they basically said give in to it let it all happen and hopefully by 12 weeks it will be gone or at least ease off, and that if the GP has said they've given me all they can then I need to accept that. I've got promethazine at the moment but I've had cyclizine and prochlorperazine too x

Oh canon poor you, it’s awful how debilitating it can be and how it can make you feel. At one point I couldn’t even talk to dd as it made it worse talking. I’m glad you’re signed off, don’t feel guilty, I’ve been signed off since late October and luckily my gp has done it for several weeks at a time (she knew it would be very likely to last for me and thought work would find it easier to know I wouldn’t be in for a while).

Happy it’s diffiuclt to know isn’t it. I remember the waiting for it to hit fully, that dread. For me my first pg (which ended in a mc) was my most severe and started the earliest. Second and third (ie current) were similar with sicknesss in that I started feeling sick a few days before my period was due, it was noticeable and debilitating from 4-5 weeks and then got dire from 5-6. But they don’t always follow the same pattern so you might find it different (which I know is very unhelpful). Have you got an preemptive meds’? That’s what’s recommended. So if you were taking meds before it hits when you’re on the trip it might stave off the sickness or help with it. I guess you’ve got to weigh the pros and cons and how you would cope if the sickness did hit whilst away.