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.

So got through christmas and boxing day dinners ok. Feeling shit today. Oh was up sick during night and in bed sick now, sil has replied to a text saying she was up sick aswell. Starting to panic it was my dinner that done it!!
House is a fucking tip and im currently lying on sofa watching quincy me. Fuck the cleaning.

Oh dear eallison and Hairgician. eallison I hope you will feel better when you have taken the meds. Hairgician There definitely seems to be a stomach bug going about. But from what you said, did you manage to cook? My goodness, you brave thing.

Feel better for having taken my steroids. But overall just feel shite. Horrible heartburn and trapped wing pain is just crap.

I'm amazed you cooked hairgician! Absolutely feet up for the next few days. No pint tidying, the toddler will mess things up again faster than you can tidy!!

Is anyone who is suffering from HG also suffering from bad migraines that make you vomit (for hours at a time)? I have my next appointment with my midwife on the 3rd of Jan (16 weeks) and plan to ask her if they are related but was just wondering if anyone was experiencing this and had any advice?

Hi ladies

Hope everyone managed the Christmas festivities ok without too much discomfort. I have been off work since 13th December with sickness, I got a doctors note that signed me off until 31st but I'm still being so sick and feel absolutely wiped out all of the time. I'm getting a bit worried about having more time off of work :(

canonly I've not been in work since 16th October. Current sick note runs til 3rd Jan. I'm gonna attempt a phased return of a couple of hours a day from 7th Jan. In both pregnancies I've never had any trouble getting sock notes extended. If you're not ready you're not ready. Don't push yourself and don't allow anyone else yo push you either

HoneyPea Welcome - I think you may be new, and not a regular with a change of name. Poor you not only to have Hyperemesis, but violent migraines too. I did myself. They lingered on until week sixteen - a couple of weeks after the sickness by itself decreased. They seem to be hormonally related, as those prone to menstrual migraine get them, it seems. For most people, they do get a lot better after the first dreadful bit. My own doctor refused all meds, but the thinking may have changed. Do invest in kesostix - available from any chemists - as you can become extremely dehydrated with them. What meds have they got you on generally? What liquids help you best during them? Are full sugar flat coke, ice lollies or the juice of tinned fruit any good?
canonlyhopeI do hope you get a sick note. Don't try to battle on. If you feel too ill to cope out of bed, you really must not try and force yourself.
eallison I am glad the meds have helped a bit.
Sorry, Spargle you may be new and I missed your message about a straw, which is very useful information.

I've taken myself to bed. Couldn't cope with the passive aggressive comments about what I can/can't eat, or whether I'd be helping to clear up after dinner, or could I do bedtime for 3 year old so dad can take hubby yo the pub (to be fair yo hubby, he put the stopper on that one). My dad and partner just don't get it. I've spent an awful lot of the day sleeping. Haven't bothered getting dressed. And 3 year old seems more under the weather than he has been and has been clinging to daddy, much to my dad's frustration. He keeps making comments about how tired hubby must be, and how hubby needs a break. Does he think I don't know this and feel bad enough about it already?! He's trying to get me to commit to plans for tomorrow (he wants to go to local town). I've tried explaining that I can't know whether I'm up for it til tomorrow, and even if I'm having a good day, I won't be able to just wanted round for a few hours. I try to remind myself that he just doesn't understand or know how to help. But its rather exhausting having to explain my every decision and action, and defend my sleeping etc. He's trying to convince us to stay til Saturday. I think I wanna go home tomorrow.

@LucindaE Yes I am new, just joined Mumsnet! I think I only have a mild form of HG, the doctor gave me Gaviscon to have 4 times a day when I went at about 4weeks (was throwing up constantly since pretty much week 1, which is how I knew to take a test) He said as long as I was keeping food/drink down for 20minutes the baby was getting what it needed. Since having the Gaviscon I am now only throwing up about 5/6 times a day I did get migraines when I was on the pill which was the reason I came off a few years ago so guessing it's either hormone related or dehydration related! When I'm having a migraine I cannot keep any liquids down. The only thing that seems to help is throwing up for a few hours then falling asleep exhausted and then spending the next few days in bed doing nothing. What are kesostix for?

Honeypea Kesostix are to check for ketones in urine, which are used as a sign of severe dehydration and are taken seriously by A and E in hospitals. They will usually admit you for fluids with a reading of 3+ ketones.I think the doctor is being too blase about the level of sickness. I am assuming that is about 6 separate episodes of sickness with several heavings? The reason I ask is that as doctors often count vomits as one heave, and lay people heaving sessions, often the level of a sufferers sickness is underestimated, unluckily.
It is certainly worth asking for an anti emetic. Is there another doctor at the practice you could ask? In the meantime, besides the full sugar coke, ice lollies, and juice of tinned fruit, some other liquids are ice cubes, fizzy water, Elderflower water, soda water, tonic water, lemonade, fizzy orange, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid),
Lucozade, Dr Pepper, Iron Bru, Robinson's fruit drinks and Edlerflower flavour coridal with tonic water and sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya). Some foods of sort: nibbles of chisp and crisps, cheap ice cream, tinned fruit, slices of melon and mango, Scotch pancakes, baked potatoes and cuppa soup.

ealli what a dreadful time you're having. Really hope something gets through to your family and that you get a break soon. One breath at a time .... Hold on

LucindaE yes counting them as 'sessions' I suppose, never thought of actually counting the heaves that would get to a ridiculous number! Have only really been able to drink water or water with a small amount of juice in it most days as anything else brings on the sickness. Will try some of the suggestions though thanks. I will also talk to my midwife at my next appointment as although I have quite a big bump I haven't put on any weight since my booking in appointment.

HoneyPea Definitely watch out for dehydration, dark scanty urine, headache, dry skin and mouth. You sound as if you defintely need meds. Do press for them. Can you take someone as an advocate, as it can be hard to fight your corner when feeling very ill? Pregnancy Sickness Support on 024 7638 2020 will phone you back with good advice about meds. Do give them a ring and leave a message.

eallison Sorry, I missed that post. That is awful. I do think your OH or someone else should take them up - assertively,not aggressively, on this undermining. You don't need this sort of spite.
SeaEagleFeather I hope you had a good Chrismtas.

You too, lucinda, how was it? :) the children really enjoyed it, this year all the presents went down well and our adopted grandpa is here as usual.

HOping that people surviving this awful illness managed to get some enjoyment out of Christmas day. Next year's will be so different ...

Started by day with puking again. Luckily, this time I planned for the possibility. So I took 15mg of my steroids at 5.30am when my son woke. Then took omeprazole only before eating at 7. Went down had a drink, puked. Bye bye omeprazole. Let tummy settle for a few mins then had some safe cereal and ondansetron and cyclizine. Finished eating at 7.45, not puked again, so just now taking the other 30mg steroids. Hoping that if I sleep after this ill be ok. I'm so frustrated, the steroids had been working so well. I'm Hoping that it's down to travelling and being 150miles from home, the unintentional but very real pressure from my dad to be ok, and general Christmas excitement . It's certainly making me rethink my plan to try to start going back to work on 7th Jan.

Hope everyone had a restful night.

oh deep joy. Constipation back in full force. Which I don't think is helping the puking. Just been sick again. I feel distinctly fed up today

Hi all,

Eal sounds like an awful time you’re going through and just shows how well the medicine was keeping things in check. Tbh I’d be tempted to go home early given your families lack of support and being in a strange home. Things like that can make such a difference to how the sickness, which I know sounds weird but for me it truly can completely change things in how good (or not) I feel.

Honeypea sorry you’re feeling so rubbish :(

Things here are variable atm, so I should be glad it’s not constantly awful. Had a bad few evenings but generally managing to control the times when it’s not as bad by eating constantly and resting. Managed to do some gentle yoga this morning.

Is anyone taking cyclizine and finding they're still being sick and or extreme nausea?
I've been taken two a day as instructed for the last five days and I'm still being sick.

canonlyhopexo from my experience I think cyclizine is only for milder nausea and sickness - it didn’t really touch the edges when my HG was at its worst and I needed to combine it with other meds, however now I’m 36 weeks with only a little nausea and hardly any sickness and i find it really helps. If I was you I’d go back to your doctor and ask for something stronger - cyclizine is only the first line. Check out pregnancy sickness supports page or call them for the best info on medication - they can really help guide you in what to tell your doctor too.

@Olivecake thank you. This is my second different medication I'm trying. I've also seemed to got the runs today too which is just excellent. I am LOVING life.

Canon I take 3 50 mg tablets a day not too and I agree, they are better when it’s milder. It was all I was given last time and I spent months bedbound unable to move because of nausea and could do nothing but focus on my breathing to stop myself being sick. This time I have extra medication and it’s still bad, I’m still really struggling, but I couldn’t have got this far if I hadn’t had the medicine to help. Agree with speaking to pregnancy sickness support, they were super helpful with me and more knowledgable about drugs and how they work and what I should be on and dosage than any gp and registrar I’ve had dealings with.

Two not too, gah

LucindaE thanks for the advice. DH will be going with me.

Hubby and I have decided that the best thing is to go home. We're gonna go after dinner tonight, so we can get son fed and into pjs first I'm dreading it; two plus hours in the car. My heartburn is trough the roof, and This is the biggest problem today. It's making me feel like I'm going to be sick at any minute. I suspect if I went to the loo and stopped actively trying not to be sick, j would be spectacularly sick.

Yes i cooked for 14 on christmas day. Then again boxing day. Dont ask me how!!!
Was really ill yest. Puking from after 2pm . Four of us were ill yest.

Still feeling rough today but managing to eat . Albeit half a tuna sandwich some pringles and 2 kiplings mini yule logs. Drinking shloer with lots of ice cos cant face water today.