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.

Oh canonly that all sounds really miserable, I'm sorry. Remind me how far you ? When are you seeing your GP? You clearly need meds for controlling that nausea.

@eallison88 it is miserable. I feel so bad for complaining but I've been like this for what feels like forever. I'm 11 wks 3 days today x

If you need to complain tgen you conplain. We've all been there. Please do insist on meds when you see your doc. Take a copy of the rocg guidelines with you.

Thanks @eallison88 i feel like the only people who understand this are those who have had it themselves. The gp said last time I went that I've tried all of the medication he can prescribe which is safe. I don't think that's true. I've had three different ones. I'm still finding eating a challenge so I've literally lived off bread and crisps pretty much and often I choke as the bread comes back up again which to be honest isn't quite as frequently as it was so that's a good thing I guess to focus on.

Have a look at this The Management of Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum
PDFwww.rcog.org.uk › guidelines › gt...

Clearly there are more options. Take a copy of this to your doc and insist he try some of these meds.

That link didn't work. Let me try again...
The Management of Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum ...
www.rcog.org.uk › gtg69

And again....
www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/gtg69/

Been feeling progressively more and more sick as the day has progressed. Just puked in the loo at nursery. Now home with Little sat in front of octonauts while I sat on the bathroom floor and cry, waiting for hubby to get home. I don't think I've been sick since 28th Dec, so this feels like a huge step backwards.

I'm absolutely furious - I have phoned my doctor to get more ordansetron but she is not in today and the duty doctor has refused to prescribe me ordansetron in my first trimester as he said it isn't safe. This simply isn't true is it? How can HCPs be so inconsistent in their knowledge? I now face a weekend of unmanageable vomiting and who knows what state I'll be in on Monday when the doctors are open again! I could cry!!!

eallison Oh dear. I am sorry. Might it be an hormonal surge? How miserable. Perhaps you have exerted yourself a bit too much. Gentle cyber pats on offer. I am glad that colleague understood. That can make such a huge difference.
canonlyhope Hopefully that doctor will take note of the information on that link from eallison. I am sorry to have got mxed up about which meds you are now on. Those symtoms combined with sleeplessness and SPD starting up sound awful. I do hope they can give you some effective treatment. I hope an improvement comes for you soon. Can you get an appointment with a physotherapist about the hip and back pain keeping you awake?
happydays That is so maddenng about the duty doctor. When is your normal one back? Can your meds last until then?
emma Congratulations on good day.
Reastie That you even felt you could try to reduce the dose is encouraging. Hopefully, it will come.
SeaEagleFeather and eallison What would we do without you?
Waves to all.

Eal you’ve had such a busy week it was bound to have an effect on you. You’ve done so well to get through the week so well. Are you going to carry on with 2 hours 3 times a week or do you think you’ll have to reduce it a bit to settle in?

Happydays I’m so sorry. I live in fear of another doctor refusing me what lovely gp has prescribed. I know some doctors prefer not to prescribe it in first trimester but guidelines are that it can be. How much better have you got left? Can you ring regular doctor on Monday? I wonder if an out of hours doctor would prescribe....have you had it on your repeat?

Canon agree with taking guidelines, then you can show the soecific drug options that you haven’t tried.

Oh happy, canon, hope everything goes okay for you. Likewise to anyone else having a bit of a time of it.

Things have improved the last couple of days, which has been a relief. Still super nauseous but only one vomit and no retching, so the cyclizine does seem to be doing something for me. The drowsiness has eased, but I still get tired really easily and I also get light headed really easily. Docs not worried, I’ve had blood pressure and bloods taken but they think it’s just a mix of not having been eating much and getting back into doing things.

So, I’m still not much use around the house (and can’t get to work without passing out seeing as I can’t even get to the GP without sitting down for a break! It’s only around the corner!), however, I feel a bit better and that is good. I did nothing today but I did come downstairs this morning, had breakfast (in the living room, can’t bear the kitchen still), then later on had lunch, and by 4pm I needed a lie down DH thought it was hilarious, “Well you did have a big day today sweetie, you even came downstairs this morning!” He has been great at taking care of everything and me during this. It’s been nearly 3 weeks so far and I’ve genuinely done next to nothing in all that time.

Thank you all for your help and encouragement, there was a point last week where I felt like giving up on the meds but I do seem to have turned a sort of corner now. I still feel rubbish, but it’s better than it was a week ago which is an improvement for me.

happydays in your position I would be calling out of hours and getting ondansetron that way. It's ridiculous that the duty doctor would prescribe them. You are far more of a drain on the NHS when you end up needing rehydration on Monday following a shitty weekend. It may also be possible to take an empty ondansetron packet with you to a chemist and buy an emergency supply (not a big supply, but some at least to get you thru the weekend. I have done it with none hyperemesis meds when not pregnant, but i don't see why you couldn't do it with ondansetron. And sorry, I cannot remember the cost). In my first pregnancy i had a whole series of antiemetics over the course of a weekend at the OOHs, so they are able to at least help you with something. On the safety thingy; they should be weighing benefits and risks. As far as I'm aware (and I'm confident I've read everything there is to read!) no demonstrable risk has been found to baby. 2 studies have suggested a link to heart defects or cleft palate. However, the palate formed is around 6/7 weeks and the only suggestion is that ondansetron doubles the risk of cleft palate - from 1 in 1000, to 2 in 1000. Though that last bit about double risk and the numbers is from memory, and a quick Google isn't bringing up the paper I read. So safety concerns are nonsense. Potential risk to baby in very low probability vs definite risk to mum from dehydration, and probable follow on risk to baby from dehydration

lucinda and reastie it is almost certainly having done a bit more this week. I intend to carry on the same again next week, and assess it at the end of the week. Even now I still think that on balance the benefits outweigh the negatives (Just about!). A quiet weekend is needed. I feel better having had a nap and some dinner.

beforeihit I'm delighted you're having better days. And I'm so glad that your husband is understanding and supportive. Keep being gentle to yourself and not pushing yourself to do too much, it really is so important to be kind to yourself when battling hyperemesis. Plenty of rest!!!

@canonlyhopexo I wish I could give you a hug poachy and that I could yell at that doctor. 💕

I had a very nice quiet day yesterday, when I managed 3 small but normal ish meals and felt pretty good. So today I went to work, mainly as it's was going to be a quiet day and I could leave by 3.
I've just been lying upstairs since I got home feeling rancid / puking and I think I've completely overestimated how much I can do. I don't know what to do next, see the gp on Monday to try other meds or ask for more time off. I hate it! I have a ton of other things that I'm supposed to be doing for work next week and I feel so guilty. Plus I've hidden away from my 3 year old since I got home which makes me feel even worse. I'm sorry to moan so much I'm just gutted.

Had a decent week food wise, been craving baked potato with tuna onion and mayo and having it with salad and it was fucking amazing!
Not so good today though and back on fizzy orange with ice for now.
Reading everyones issues with gps and getting really angry! I have all the notes in print from rcog re hg and never needed them. No problem getting anything. Cant believe in this day and age we are having to beg for it. Bil even thinks its shocking. (He was researching stuff for me last time and couldnt get over it)
To the pp left hanging til mon. Ring ooh. Tell them you have been without meds for a day and really struggling. Once you mention admissions they are usually good about getting you sorted.

I have one tablet left to last me today, tomorrow and Monday morning 😥 the doctor even had the audacity on the phone to tell me my next step should be to try stemmatil because, despite it not working in my last pregnancy, "each pregnancy is different!" I just couldn't believe she was trying to tell me it was different, when so far i felt exactly the same.

The difficulty I have is that my nice doctor had prescribed Oransetron pre emptively so I've only had it prescribed once in this pg. I will see how I get on today and go from there; I'm flying solo with my 2 year old today so feeling quite anxious about what the day holds!

Get on the phone to ooh now. You will prob end up being admitted by monday if you have nothing else to take. Cant believe your gps are so fucking clueless.

Happy, call OOH or 111 and get an appointment. Our OOH is located in the hospital anyway and are happy to prescribe things!!!

I have come on for a whinge. I am so fed up. My current list of meds is ridiculous and I have had enough of being I'll and tired.
4mg ondansetron when required(up to 3x daily), 4 units of insulin at night, 1mg of slow release metformin with dinner, Ranatadine 75mg twice a day, now to add antibiotics 3 times a day. Blood sugar testing 4 times daily.

I have a cough and a cold and an ear infection. It woke me in pain at 1am last night so called 111 for appointment at 6.30am this morning. Fine, I'll go back to sleep. No, can't sleep now. Finally dropped off at 4am. DD woke at 4.30 and refused to go back to sleep. Fuck sake. Went to drs, got prescription, went to Tesco for meds. Fine. Get home, open meds, one of the capsules has split in the packaging. So I have to go back again later with it to get it replaced. Can only take.paracetamol for the pain. Have to take DD to opticians for eye test including eye drops later too.

Don't want to eat non-carb breakfast but diabetes levels say I need to find one.

Just had to run upstairs because I was going to vomit and wet myself at the same time. DH happily sleeping in bed. DD watching greatest showman again after having done her nails but refusing to let me do her ear drops (inflamed ear canal). How is she going to cope with eye drops then?! So fed up.

Urgh sass what a nightmare. You were feeling quite down last time with a build up of things, is that still keeping you down too? Hopefully the worst is over and now you’ve got the antibiotics you’ll feel a lot better by the end of the week end. I’m at your dh not helping out more though. Not surprised you’re feeling down after all that.

Happy have you called ooh? I really hope you get what you need for the week end. I hate it when doctors say ridiculous things (like the stemetil comment) that just don’t make sense.

Ps sass breakfast wise could you manage something like nuts and yoghurt? Would they let you have some fruit with that or would that interfere with blood sugar too much?

Reastie how are you feeling now? Has the movicol helped you?

I’m back to being constipated again! Because I’ve started to feel better with the sickness and nausea I don’t track when I go and end up like this again! I’m abit worried my bowel is becoming reliant on the medication and my water intake drops when I feel okay, so annoying. Definate trip back to the GP though I’m going to ask again around the movicol intake for pregnant ladies too. I’m 29 weeks today and as grateful as I am, I feel like I’ve been pregnant for years!

Anyat I am having regular (daily) BM but I never feel like it’s clear iykwim, like there’s more but it doesn’t come. I’m on 1 movicol and I’m going to up to 1 1/4. I’ve been making a real effort to drink lots to help. Hope you get it sorted. I was worried about my body being reliant on them too but dm (who’s a nurse) said that’s ompy if someone’s onnthem for much longer and movicol only adds water back to the bulk (which the ondansetron takes out to work) so it’s not helping you go iykwim. Still feeling sick when I need to go the the loo innthe run up. Haven’t had a repeat of last week ends worst ever but that was a fair build up waiting to come out, so when this build up builds up enough I’m expecting the same.

Thanks Reastie glad you’re getting some relief, horrible it’s not all of it though that’s been me the last few times. The sickness is a lot worse today but I’m sure it’s like you’ve said before it’s because of being so blocked up. It’s especially worse when I’m trying to “go” as well. That’s good to know re: ondansetron and movicol - I wasn’t entirely sure how Ondansetron worked but that’s makes sense.

I’m going to have use them suppositories the GP gave me, was trying other things first rather than jumping to them straight away but really struggling today and I’ve only managed to eat an Alpen bar - totally lost my appetite. I’ve usually managed to keep my appetite (after the brutal sickness stage) but really struggling to eat anything, do you find this?

Good idea about breakfast. I'll have to get some nuts and seeds in. I have a granola that worked last time but it's just so foul. I have no idea how I stomached it last time - maybe they changed the ingredients. All the suggestions online are referring to eggs, bacon, sausages for a protein filled breakfast - crap for a vegan -or peanut butter. I hatenpeanut butter!

I can feel myself sinking down again healthwise. I'm trying to keep my fluids up. DH has really stepped up and I have managed 2 short naps today. He came out with us to town and I have managed to swap my antibiotics for a full, complete pack while he watched DD in the car. He's just popped to the shop for a bottle of wine, beans, and peanut butter for him and DD after popping dinner in the oven. So I can stay in bed. DD is calmly watching tv up here with me. She suggested a cup of green tea for me while I was sleeping so DH made me some and it's lovely.

DD has just turned around to me after a small coughing fit and patted/stroked me on the head saying "don't worry mummy you will feel better soon". This too shall pass.....