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.
It has been suggested that I add some practical tooth cleaning advice: a lot of sufferers find using a child's small toothbrush and strawberry toothpaste far less nauseating.
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.

Just a quickie. Bad day today, related to bms as usual. Really struggling and due to leave for scan in 10 mins. Not sure I’ll make it. Going to start off but who knows if I’ll be able to stay for scan or if I’ll even make it to the hospital. Urgh.

Eal poor you, really feel for you, I’m really teary today too, feeling so bad.

Booboo welcome and sorry to see you here (no one wants to have this!).

Afternoon everyone. Not been on for a while, hope you ladies are all ok. I will catch up with the thread. Had my 20 week scan, it’s a 3rd boy! And all is looking normal which is great.
I’ve had a cold this week and it has bought back HG full force. Being sick 20 times a day again, think it’s settling now. But it’s been a hard week.

Thank you,

@cattaxi I just think I really hoped 20 weeks was going to be a game changer and I think realising it isn't and the disappointment are making me extra emotional. Friends and family have been great but I think they are less sympathetic now I'm not bed ridden and assume I'm much better than I am.

@DeadDoorpost that's reassuring to hear

@silversplodge glad I'm not the only one with these irrational thoughts!

Oh dear, lots of suffering.
BooBoo2019. Welcome. Sorry you feel so bad. What meds did you say you are on? Can they add any to help? An anti acid can make a big difference. Have you got kesostix to check for dehydration; though unsatisfactory as a test, hospitals do take them seriously. Things do improve for most people, so take heart.

I'll post the list of helpful drinks in the hope that something appeals. Besides the ice cubes and ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, flat full sugar coke, soda water, fizzy water, Elderflower water, tonic water, tonic water and Elderflower cordial (eallison;s tipple) , Robinson's fruit drinks, fizzy orange, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid) Lucoazade, lemonade, sips of chocolate milkshake (mabye soya), Iron Bru and Dr Pepper. There is also jelly and the liquids from slices of mango and melon. You are already eating crisps and ice cream. Other foods that have been found useful are slices of melon and mango, tinned fruit, cuppa soup, baked potaotes, biscuits and Scotch pancakes.
eallison I am so sorry you are hooked up again, with the bleeding retuurned. It is so frustrting. Thank goodness all is well with baby.
Gentle cyber pats on offer. Here's some
Mogg6840 Some get an improvement after twenty weeks, so yiou never know; but it is disppointing. I am sorry it has only improved a little. I can reassure you that the vast majority of sufferers do get relief within hours or days of the birth . Of all the sufferers I have encountered in these threads since 2010, only a handful of unlucky ones suffer after birth; this seems to be do to with hormones set off by breast feeding. Trust me to be one of the unlucky band; however, even with these the sickness goes when breast feedng is abandoned.
beforeihit30 Ah, it's a shame you feel apathetic about your birthday - but who wouldnt when feeling bad? I hope you have a good day healthwise on your birthday, anyway - or even a complete change for the better. I was wathcing toddlers at the GP's the other day. The energy! The rushing about and as you say,bouncing. My goodness.
silversplodge That sounds like a co-ordinating exercise - I hope not all at once. Cheering you on.
DeadDoorPost Some people put it ina food processor and freeze it ijnto cubes. But it sounds as if ice cubes are no good for you, sadly...
cattaxi I hope you had another good day.
Bili Congratulations on scan.
Reastie Oh dear. I do hope the cold goes soon. There is a horrible one going the rounds.
Waves to Teddyreddy cataxi and everyone.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Oh dear, lots of suffering.
BooBoo2019. Welcome. Sorry you feel so bad. What meds did you say you are on? Can they add any to help? An anti acid can make a big difference. Have you got kesostix to check for dehydration; though unsatisfactory as a test, hospitals do take them seriously. Things do improve for most people, so take heart.

I'll post the list of helpful drinks in the hope that something appeals. Besides the ice cubes and ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, flat full sugar coke, soda water, fizzy water, Elderflower water, tonic water, tonic water and Elderflower cordial (eallison;s tipple) , Robinson's fruit drinks, fizzy orange, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid) Lucoazade, lemonade, sips of chocolate milkshake (mabye soya), Iron Bru and Dr Pepper. There is also jelly and the liquids from slices of mango and melon. You are already eating crisps and ice cream. Other foods that have been found useful are slices of melon and mango, tinned fruit, cuppa soup, baked potaotes, biscuits and Scotch pancakes.
eallison I am so sorry you are hooked up again, with the bleeding retuurned. It is so frustrting. Thank goodness all is well with baby.
Gentle cyber pats on offer. Here's some
Mogg6840 Some get an improvement after twenty weeks, so yiou never know; but it is disppointing. I am sorry it has only improved a little. I can reassure you that the vast majority of sufferers do get relief within hours or days of the birth . Of all the sufferers I have encountered in these threads since 2010, only a handful of unlucky ones suffer after birth; this seems to be do to with hormones set off by breast feeding. Trust me to be one of the unlucky band; however, even with these the sickness goes when breast feedng is abandoned.
beforeihit30 Ah, it's a shame you feel apathetic about your birthday - but who wouldnt when feeling bad? I hope you have a good day healthwise on your birthday, anyway - or even a complete change for the better. I was wathcing toddlers at the GP's the other day. The energy! The rushing about and as you say,bouncing. My goodness.
silversplodge That sounds like a co-ordinating exercise - I hope not all at once. Cheering you on.
DeadDoorPost Some people put it ina food processor and freeze it ijnto cubes. But it sounds as if ice cubes are no good for you, sadly...
cattaxi I hope you had another good day.
Bili Congratulations on scan.
Reastie Oh dear. I do hope the cold goes soon. There is a horrible one going the rounds.
Waves to Teddyreddy cataxi and everyone.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

@silversplodge good luck with the sweep tomorrow.

@beforeIhit30 I feel the same about wanting to find out the sex to help with getting stuffl like names sorted. I have another 9 weeks or so to wait! Will get to see the baby at my scan next week though, so hoping that makes it all feel a bit more real.

@eallison88 sorry you’ve had to go back in. And sorry your plans have had to change. This wretched illness takes over your life. 💐 for you.

@Booboo2019 welcome to the club that no one wants to be in! I think we can all empathise on the worrying about nutrition front. But don’t worry, these babies are very clever & will just raid your stores for what they need. I’m my last pregnancy I was very anaemic & basically survived on crisps & lemondae! Ds was amazingly fine!

Sorry you’re having a bad day @Reastie. I get nauseous when I need a bm too.

I know what you mean @Mog6840 - I’m only 11 weeks and already feel people’s sympathy waining.

Congratulatons on @Blii. I love the idea of 3 boys!

Thanks @LucindaE i’ve not been great today. Feeling a bit disappointed after a good few days.

Hope everyone else is ok. We’ve had sleet & snow here all day!

Well, I made it to my scan yesterday, just. All ok. I didn’t manage th clinic apt afterwards though. They were running late and I waited and waited and couldn’t manage any longer so told them I couldn’t manage it. Mw apt today too, so apparently the 4 page long history and explanation of how and why I am so rubbish this pg and what I need help with has made a huge difference to getting help. The useless mh nurse that said she couldn’t get me to see a consultant to help make my section plans firm because of the impact not knowing was having on my mh is apparently now going to have an appointment with me and a comsultant together to put an actual concrete plan in place and give me actual answers. They have decided the mh team aren’t useful in this case as I want specific help with putting plans in place and having them followed with the section and drugs etc due to the sickness and all they woukd do is talk about my mh issues not offer any actual practical help. All I wanted all along was for the hospital to listen to me and put a proper plan in place and not be fobbed off with ‘it depends on the day’ which is all I ever got with dd and thus far. I hope they will now listen. It seems to have helped that I had a dodgy anaesthetist for my last section (I only discovered this recently when I recognised his picture in a news article where he was found partly liable for someone’s death during a section ). His treatment of me in my section last time was pretty shocking and one of the causes of my anxiety.

Lucinda is the eye better today?

Cattaxi the weather is crazy isn’t it. We had hail on the way back from the hospital yesterday!

Blii congrats on the boy! I’m having a boy too, but I’m a bit nervous about it as I’ve got a girl and I’m not sure what to do with a boy! I’ve had a cold this week too and it’s wrecked my sickyness. Touchwood improving nownbut slept last night onnthe sofa (dh had a migraine and didn’t want to make him worse by disturbing him) and barely got any sleep.

Eal how are you feeling today? Do you think you’ll make it to your dads? Could you meet him half way for a day (or an hour or so at least) or would he come to you?

booboo I didn't bother with the pregnacare or folic acid. They made me feel too sick and everything was fine for DS and this one now as well. I just try to eat as much healthy stuff when I can stomach it.

Been a bit awol because I am not coping well at all, work is shit and I'm counting down until mat leave which I don't even know if I'm entitled to mat pay from work because they're dodgy af. They've put me in with quite an abusive service user who is really draining mentally and although I only do three hour shifts I have a five hour nap after them because I'm so wiped mentally and physically which is getting me down as I'm wasting my time with constant napping.
My dad who is manipulative and emotionally abusive towards me (not towards my siblings oddly enough) has tried to get back into contact and made me feel proper guilty when I said I wanted left in peace, he left drunk voicemails and everything telling me he needs his little girl back. The same little girl he used to say that wouldn't go far was stupid and not to bother with uni because I was thick and called me a bitch from age 9. Thankfully I have weekly mental health appointments but these are taken up with trauma support for this bloody court case.
So all this has really aggravated the hg and now I'm back to feeling like week 10 with the added bonus of craving milk.
I'm feeling quite sorry for myself because today is the first time I've managed to throw up all over myself and had to have a lukewarm bath to clean up (I can't stand up in the shower without passing out)
The gp has lost all sympathy towards me and I can't get anymore medicine prescribed because "I should be fine now" and I just feel totally let down by the nhs.
Also my nose is so snotty and I have a nosebleed everyday which is pissing me off and I promised my sister I'd babysit her three kids tomorrow but I reckon my niece will be babysitting me at this rate so I have to muster the courage to get the train because I can't drive that far right now!

avacadoo your GP is behaving appallingly. Please take an advocate with you and insists that he provides the medical treatment and care and respect that you are entitled to. And tell.him he's being a dick. Utterly, utterly unacceptable. And complain about him to the practice manager. Oh, I'm angry. Horrible little man. Puke on him.

@eallison88 she's a she 😂
Worst bit is she was amazing in the beginning and as of week 19 it was I'm not giving you a sick line go back to work and no I'm not giving you more cyclizine because you should be able to cope now. Totally ignoring my job is physical and she ignored everything I said. I can't be arsed with it because it's a three week waiting list for an appointment here as the practice is so busy.
I just don't get how you can be supportive then stop it especially when I'm not better.

Sorry gp is being crap. I just think they don’t get it. Mine wouldn’t prescribe my drugs or supplement drinks because they were too expensive and tried to give me milkshakes instead. I’ve got all my help from consultant and antenatal ward.

Horrible little woman, then, avacadoo! And you're right, it makes no sense to be so supportive then suddenly stop.

I'm back in triage, not for a bleed, but begging for fluids. Yesterday broke me and I've been getting steadily worse since yesterday evening. So far I've managed to refuse to provide a sample (mainly by saying that it's not possible). But I've just realise they've left me in a room hooked up to the baby monitor thing with no call button or anything to puke into. It got to the point where I had a mouthful of dinner and promptly puked it up again, and hubby insisted I come in. We decided to give local hospital a chance rather than further away one we relied on in early months. However, if I'm not seeing a doctor by 7.45 or hooked up, I'm going to call a taxi and go to further afield one. I can tell by the way the midwives are discussing me on the next room that they are not impressed with me - I can't hear what they're saying, but the tone of voices is clear. Well, sod em, I know what I need and I'm going to be as assertive as I need to be to get it.

Wow thank you for the super helpful reply @LucindaE! I'm definitely going out some of the suggestions. I'm on regular cyclizine at the moment and have been signed off sick for coming up to a month. I work for the NHS and my job is relentless I just couldnt cope. I'm dying to get back up and get on with life so hoping I'll go back in the next week or two once I feel human again. I just wanted to take the time out and congratulate everyone on this group on your pregnancies and having such a supportive group. We are so strong to be dealing with HG and it feels so tough at times as people think it's just a vomit here and there. You all will make amazing mothers x

Thanks @cattaxi. That message genuinely made me relax. I was getting myself worked up about not eating but I lll stop being so hard on myself!

I have a cannula! No fluids yet, but they've been promised.

Oh eal poor you. It’s horrible how things can go downhill like that, and you’d been so long without needing admission! Hope you get the fluids quickly and well done for getting to the hospital. Don’t worry about what those mws are saying about you, they have no idea of the history of what you’ve been through.

Booboo hello. I hope you have improvement soon, it is rubbish.

Avacadoo that is utterly terrible. You definitely need to see someone else and complain, I’m really surprised given how good she was before. Does she not realise it’s not all sun and unicorns for some after the first trimester. Humph.

2 hospital apt’s in 2 days for me. That’s the first two days in a row appointment thing I e managed this whole pg, so far have always needed a day in between at least to recover. I really hope I don’t pay for it tomorrow.

Sleep well all and here’s to a better day tomorrow. Another day is done and ticked off and will never have to be repeated.

Yes. Still no fucking fluids. I am in such a worse state than I was 90mins ago when I got here. And I didn't need to be. They're waiting for a room for me, apparently they can't hook me up to fluids here. Despite a doctor saying I need it and prescribing it.

avacadoo can you get your midwife to speak to the GP on your behalf? Or get admitted to hospital? I got about 2 months worth of tablets by doing that. I've also been told my my MH midwife/consultant that they'll intervene on my behalf if the GP is being problematic. I'm really lucky here though. I'm angry for you. Can't believe she's being nasty.

eal I'm also angry for you. Hope the fluids come quickly. I had to wait 8 hours overnight for some last time and then never got them. Hope that doesn't happen to you.

avacadoo Oh dear. That is awful about your father saying those things. That he has a drinking problem and very likely never meant those insults doesn't make it any easier to bear. Can the m/h people talk about this with you besides the other thngs? Sorry to hear that the court case still hangs over you. I remember responding to your post about your work colleagues being awful. And to have that GP as well taking that ridiculous stand which astonishes and disgusts me, to be honest. Can you phone up Pregnancy Sickness Support about getting effective meds. They will ring back with helpful advice. I believe they also offer a one to one buddying scheme for emotiional support if you are interested. They are on 024 7638 2020. I don't want to sound like that GP who spoke to beanhunter but on milk longings I suppose you have tried almond milk, soya milk and soya chocloate mikshakes?
Reastie Thank you. It was an infection of both eyes, and tiresome, but all is well. Sorry that you are having such a terrible struggle about birth plans and counselling.
eallison I am so sorry to hear you are back in for fluids at this stage. I hope they make you a lot better. Poor you. I do hope you get treatment asap.
BooBoo Don't try and rush back to work. That is a mistake sufferers often make, but resting makes a huge difference and the symptoms can come back badly with a return to work after an apparent recovery.
beanhunter It is extradordinary the terrible advice that sufferers get. You are a doctor yourself, and that didn't seem to stop the GP from making ineffectual suggestions.
silversplodge I seem to have missed that about a sweep. They didn't do them in Mother Hen's day (back in the Iron Age)...
Waves to all. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

@Reastie glad your scan went well. And glad to her that it’s starting to sound like they are going to try to get a plan together to ease your anxiety.

Sorry things are feeling so rubbish @avacadooo. I would ask to see another gp if I was you. Mine have just put cyclezine on repeat for me to order whenever I need through the pregnancy. Sorry about family & work worries too - the last thing you need at this point 💐

Hope you get your fluids & start to feel better soon @eallison88. Ignore the stroppy midwives.

Glad you are feeling better @Booboo2019. Homestly, the babies are parasites and will take all of the good stuff first.
I also work for the nhs in a pretty manic job. I’ve been off for about 6 weeks now. I’m really hoping to go back soon as I really enjoy my job. But I’m also wondering how I’ll cope with the busy days after all this rest!

Sorry so many have had shit days. I think I’m starting to turn a corner. I seem to have more energy and, although I’m still sick a lot, the constant nausea is easing a bit. I’ve managed a good lot of housework & washing today & feel okish. I really hope this means that the second trimester will be better. Almost 12 weeks now. It’s felt like it’s taken ages to get to here!
It’s my day with ds tomorrow so hoping we can try to have some fun.

@lucinda - apparently the milk shakes are cheaper. I pointed out not cheaper than me being off sick....

cattaxi be careful about overdoing it when you feel better, it can bite you the next day
eal hope you've been hooked up and sorted now
avacadoo sorry to hear about the GP. I think female GPs can be fierce around any sort of 'women's problem'
lucinda I requested the sweeps to try to prevent needing the induction next Tues as I've heard they can take forever, be more painful, more likely to end in c section (which I'm petrified of the idea of) and you can't be in the midwife centre or go in the pool for. However it's not looking promising to avoid that - she couldn't even reach my cervix to do it today it was so 'unfavourable'.

Oh and in other non HG related woes, I'd collected a good amount of colostrum in the freezer just in case, between 1-2mls per day for 4 weeks, but my partner accidentally didn't close it properly so it's all defrosted and ive had to throw it away.
Fingers crossed I just won't need any. They scared me in antenatal classes by saying giving just one bottle of formula wipes out the baby's natural good gut flora and essentially ruins them forever.

I'm on bag #3 of fluids. They've managed to procure some steroids for me (I've ended up on labour ward cos that's where there was space, and they don't stock steroids on the ward) and given me a 45mg dose. I'm still puking, but hopefully that will stop now. I have projectile puked across the bathroom and my room. All week I'd been taking 30mg, but nausea levels rising sliggtly; I wish I'd upped my dose again earlier. Oh well, done is done. Hopefully a big kick of 45mg for a couple of days will settle things again. I think my end of pregnancy dip is just starting earlier this time. Joy.

silver how very frustrating for you. I didn't need, or have any expressed colostrum last time. I think it's only really necessary if there's a health thing like diabetes... remind me, do you have gestational diabetes? With my son I just fed him. In the first day or so he wasn't interested in feeding, but the midwife told me that just expressing a few drops onto his lips every hour so would be fine. And the gut flora thing... by 6 months your baby will have grabbed many less than savoury things and then chewed/sucked his hands... I'm comparisons formula isn't that bad! And i say that as a passionate advocate for breastfeeding!!