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.

Checking in with some reflux solidarity here too. Now just over 31 weeks. 5 more weeks to slog through at work. Could probably do with being off but that isn’t realistic for a number of reasons. Still vomiting 5-6 times a day. Growth scan next week.

Thank you @eallison88 and @LucindaE im hoping the ranitidine will work for me. Planning to take one first thing then 12 hours later? It's what it suggests on the box so hoping that is fine. If the gp suggests a higher dose then I'll happily take it to feel some relief 😩 omeprazole. I'll ask about that if this doesn't work.
@beanhunter Really feel for you with your vomiting! It's so soon now that you will be off! Baby will be here in no time! Just got to think of that. I remember the relief I felt was almost instant after delivering my son 3 years ago. I had my first cup of tea and jam toast within hours and it was Devine! I couldn't stomach it only days before. So funny how quickly the symptoms subside

Anyone else feel so agitated and unable to relax? I'm unable to relax and watch tv or have a bath, just feel so nauseous.

Huge TMI but I did an Ondansetron poo yesterday that made me cry it was so painful. Horrible.

Then I haven’t been sick all day today so now I’m worrying there’s something wrong with the babies. :(

Oh calmer that rubbish on both counts. Painful ondansetron poos are the worst. Worrying about babies is the worst. But it is more than likely it's just a good none sick day! Isn't crap that we can't just celebrate not being sick, but that it makes us worry that it's a sign of something gone wrong. I'm sure it isn't tho! I hope you manage to a restful night - and everyone else!

Hello. I'm so glad to have found this thread; first time mum in first trimester here, so only immediate family and closest friend knows. I've already been hospitalised once for IV fluids and after a week of new anti sickness meds, seems like the effectiveness is wearing off. Really struggling with it, and just wanted someone to understand - my friend thinks it's normal morning sickness, so I haven't told her I was hospitalised as I just feel when I speak to her I'm making a fuss.

Have midwife appointment and scan next week, so hopefully can tell more people in the next few weeks, just finding it difficult in the meantime! While I'd prefer nobody else has to suffer this it's also good to know it's not just me!

Hi Rhid, sorry you’re suffering. What medicine are you on? How many weeks are you?

Calmer doesn’t sound fun. It’s a bit easier now I feel movements so that’s reassurinf but they are really sporadic and I have an anterior placenta so I don’t always feel much often. Are you on laxitives with ondansetron?

Moon I know the feeling well, I couldn’t watch tv, read a book, do anything. I found the radio and light audiobooks good tomhave in the background with my eyes closed and listened to meditations by honest guys on you tube just to calm myself.

Kisses hope the ranitidine helps. FWIW the nhs page says for pg women heart burn first option is gaviscon but then it says rantitine and omn-whatsit are also suitable.

Bean sorry you’re still suffering. At least you’re on the home stretch now. Time is a long old slog though isn’t it.

Before hope you have a restful day today and feel better.

Eal glad the experts are helping you find suitable foods, must be very difficult. Although I now have a more varied diet I still have to base my meals around potatoes.

Cattaxi cyclizine did that to me for a few days but did wear off eventually.

Hoping for a better day today after two rubbish days after overdoing it on Thursday. Managed to play a board game with dd earlier so that’s something. Need to change the bed sheets later if I can muster the energy.

Hi Reastie, thanks for the reply. I was on cyclizine, but then after a week taking the pill was making me be sick. I'm now on prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets. I think I'm around 10/11 weeks, but I had very irregular periods (51 day cycles) so that's my best guess.

Rhidassa I take prochlorperazine when needed on top of other medication and find it helps me but my dose (and the guideline dose) is you can have up to 5-10 mg 3 times a day so if it’s not enough it might be worth asking your doctor if you can try increasing dose.

Have come back to bed after playing a board game with dd which made me worse .

I swear by now last time I was better than I am this time.

Beforeihit30 ahh I’m at 17 weeks now, my eating habits weren’t the best before but have done the same as you and really tried to make sure I’m eating and drinking plenty. I’m finding a lot of plain foods have been great like ham sandwiches and cereal.

Had my doctors appointment yesterday and was diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension, doctor thinks the hyperemesis has had a big part to play on that due to me losing a stone and a half in weight because of sickness and it’s still dropping off at the moment. Need to get fluids up again as dehydrated but can only tolerate water and black currant squash so have been trying to get that in my system. She prescribed ordansetron and has signed me off for a month which I wasn’t expecting, I expected a week for the medication to work but another month at home is quite daunting. Feeling quite down today and almost useless. My partner has been amazing and picked up alot of my slack of chores around the house but I can’t help feeling guilty when he’s working 60+ hours a week and then also coming home to look after me.

Lacey I’ve been signed off since November. It sucks and I hate it but th rest makes so much difference and when I do stuff it really makes everything so much worse. I recommend Netflix and mn to help the time pass. It’s so unlike me, usually I’m never sitting down and work out most days, mentally I think it’s as tough as physically as it’s so isolating and wears you down so much.

Sorry everyone is having such a rotten time. I feel as if all I do is wait for bedtime so I can sleep and it goes away. In terms of all the Netflix / prime recommendations I can also suggest begging someone to let you use their sky or now tv login and go through all the stuff on there. I've been watching marvels runaways which is pretty good and true detective.
I'm back to constant nausea/ retching and the occasional puke if I try to get up for more than a few minutes. I think it's because I've tried dropping my cyclizine down to 2 yesterday so I'll have to hope that dr ginger biscuit can prescribe me some more when he calls on Monday to extend my sick note (I hope!)
On the upside I have had a shower so I'm not a greasy mess 😀

Reastie exactly the same as me I hate being sat down in one place for days on end it’s mentally draining like you said. Just one of those days today where it’s a bit much. But have to remember it’s for the best and as long as baby is healthy it’s all that matters to me.

Sorry I didn't reply the other day, I've been pretty out of it the past couple of days (think I caught my mums stomach bug) literally been sleeping all day and lying awake in agony.

@Reastie thank you, knowing someone knows what it feels like has helped me a lot, shit you had to go through that though.
Got a letter from court so wrote an essay on the back that i can't control my sickness and bubz comes first (plus means more time that dick is stuck in custody so I really don't care) only problem is they've told me it's Glasgow high court not Edinburgh now which is going to be a pain because it happened and I live in Edinburgh and Glasgow is a trek!
Also amazon prime has buffy the vampire slayer... I've been bingeing on it today since I've exited my bed!

@LaceyB1995 I'm sure your OH doesn't mind looking after you, I've been by dh to stop apologising because it pisses him off cause he knows it isn't my fault.

Dh said he wants to get his mum to come down the week the baby is due to look after me and take me to hospital since he can't drive. He wants her to stay the week. I said no but he said if he was at work and didn't get there in time I'd have his mum there, his mum in the room where my arse will be hanging out. I do not want her to see the child emerge nor could I deal with her being in the room with me.
I know he means well cause I can't look after myself now but I have to be prim and proper around her and eff that in labour.
She asked how I was the other day and I told her I was lying in bed trying not to spew she replied oh wow you are really suffering with this, what was it weeks ago? Mild inconvenience?
My boss also asked how I was and told me it'd go in the second trimester, think she's actually taking it serious now after I told her I was in the second trimester and I'm still basically an animated corpse.

Found something that might be helpful for some of you guys, pukka cleanse tea or the mint one. They seem to settle my stomach for a bit.🙌

Buffy the vampire slayer!!! Amazing!

My annoying PC is playing up today, so I am rushing on to post a very quick message.
Rhidassa
Welcome. I am sure you will find this thread very supportive. I hope that you will get some relief soon; most people find an improvement between 14-20 weeks.If your current meds don't helping enough, Ondansetron has helped many - but do ask for a laxative, as it locks up the bowels. A good anti acid makes a big difference, too.On fluids that have helped others; full sugar flat coke, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, Dr Pepper, Iron Bru, fizzy water, Elderflower water, Elderflower cordial and tonic water, lemonade, fizzy orange, tonic water, orange juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, orange squash (if not too acid), and sips of chocolate milkshake. Some foods: cuppa soup, tinned fruit, slices of melon and mango, nibbles of crisps and chips, Scotch pancakes, baked potatoes, biscuits, cheap ice cream and jelly.
beanhunter You poor thing, suffering at 31 weeks and vomiting 5 or 6 times a day. I wonder you have managed to totter on at work at all.
I hope the growth scan brings happy news.
CalmerComber I don't want to wish you to feel sick again, but I do hope you get some reassurance soon!
Waves to all...

Lucinda hope you’re laptop is ok.

Avacadoo I had to get a doctors note to excuse me from court. I rung them up to tell them I wouldn’t be able to and even being signed off wasn’t sufficient, they needed a medical note. Good luck with it.

Norbert good luck with dr ginger biscuit.

Not a great day today, spent most of it in bed unable to function. Was related to needing a BM again. Thought it had got better on movicol but maybe it’s just that I’ll keep having these random episodes. I can’t work out why sometimes I can go and be fine and other times I feel such extreme nausea first. It’s not to do with constipation now I’ve got my laxitive dose right.

Hope you all had a better day than me. 22 weeks next week and had another big ‘I can’t go through x more weeks of this’ earlier. Just taking it week at a time.... I’m sure I was better than this at this point last time, it’s so frustrating. Mental health nurse apt on Wednesday this week, my third attempt after having to cancel twice being too nauseous. Have been wanting to go since they wanted me to have the apt in December. Fingers crossed I make it this time. Third time lucky!

reastie my bowels seem to be having cycles of really bunged up and very much the opposite too. Most frustrating! I do hope you make it to your apt with the mental health nurse this week, I know how invaluable my counselling sessions have been in getting me thru this far (and have every faith I'll need at least a few more before bambino makes an appearance!).

I had a very difficult day Yesterday with hubbys family again. Big party for niece's baptism, but SIL hadn't told the pub who were catering that I needed dairy free, so the pub basically said they couldnt guarentee any of the buffet (Which there was mountains of, and it looked bloody amazing) was dairy free. I ordered something off the normal menu for myself, and when it arrived and I went to check my bloods (Which I'm doing before and after meals currently) and my BIL had helped himself yo some of my food despite me making clear that it was literally all I could eat! Then I overheard a convo between other SIL and FIL about how things are only a problem cos in making them a problem and just need to get on with it. This morning I was in a foul grumpy and basically refused to get out of bed to go to church! I'm much cheerier this evening tho. Went for a stroll to and around the park (there are many benches I made use of!) and watched my son being gorgeous. It's a lovely day weatherwise as well, and that always cheers me up.

Hope everyone else has had an ok day!

Eal that is rubbish. I have a special diet and find these things very awkward. I usually bring food with me as I don’t want to get stuck with nothing but then I look like a weirdo eating from my Tupperware in the corner and feel reqlly . I’m glad they managed to make something for you but grr to bil eating some of it, how rude, as is the comment you overheard. Things like that make thing so much unnecessarily harder to cope. FWIW I think you’re incredible just to be managing as much as you are, I’m very . By now last pg I was managing small regular trips out for 2-3 hours without needing a day to recover. I’m nowhere near that point yet.

Best of luck for the appointment @Reastie - I really hope things ease off for you soon, 22 weeks is really hard.

I feel your rage @eallison88 my DD is dairy free and I'm half and half through choice, but it's not ok to steal the only food you can have! It's bad enough when I catch my partner eating her Oreos... it sounds like you deserved a lovely visit to the park, that sounds like a great afternoon. I've managed to eat fairly well today and only some retching. I also got up with DD and let my partner have a long lie in for a change, tidied and put washing on.
Big rest up until now and have just put on fresh sheets on my bed so I feel less skanky. Which obviously the cat has decided to wipe his cat hair on already 🙄

@eallison88 that sounds like a really rubbish day, people can be so insensitive. Glad to hear park etc went well.

@Reastie I can relate to you about having those "I can't do this for X more weeks" as I'm definitely feeling that today. You're over half way, you can do this xx

I went to visit family yesterday and although felt awful tried to be strong, our brave face on and plough through. Needless to say I'm paying for that today as I'm utterly exhausted and been unable to eat much at all. The Ondansetron has stopped the vomiting but I feel so nauseous all the time it's so debilitating. Today I don't feel excited about this pregnancy or the babies or anything, I feel so upset, angry, bitter. I know it's ungrateful but can't help it.

reastie don't be too jealous! A lot of it is down to the steroids, which I'm now starting to wean down in an attempt to get my blood sugars under control . I suspect it's going to be a balancing act of controlling the nausea/puking and trying to lower blood sugars.

norbert loving the fresh sheets! That was a job for today, but I've decided not to push it. Pushed back til tomorrow. I love fresh sheets!

Reastie - feel for you with the constipation I’m the same too. Have you tried anything alongside the movicol? I’ve tried CosmoCol again (still get the stomach pains) but I have a BM quicker than movicol and lactulose. Have you tried those Sitz baths? Ive heard good things (it’s more for relief) and just bought one from Amazon, I usually live in a warm bath when the constipation is brutal. I do hope you feel better soon.

I’ve been fairly quiet as I’ve been bad with the nausea again think it’s not helping with sleeping poorly. So I’m back up to x3 Ondansetron again. The actual sickness side is more random now but really violent, my blood pressure is low too so midwife if monitoring that and gave advice of resting up, sugary drinks, eating often and salt etc. So more time off work :( hopefully back this week. I haven’t fainted though which is a plus although I do see them dots/white lights a lot. The nausea effects my appetite so it just seems like a vicious cycle at the moment. I had a growth scan earlier this week too and convinced myself it’s because I’m struggling to eat properly but all is well still had a full day of complete worrying tho. I’m hoping to go earlier on my mat leave as I’m really struggling at 32 weeks.

Reading a lot of your comments on here of thinking to yourselves “I can’t do with with X amount of weeks left” is hitting home as I was in the same position from week 6/7, it’s so demoralising. I don’t know how I got through it. As I’m approaching the end I think it’s so sad that the mental side is completely overlooked, I remember my midwife at my 8 week appointment asking me if I felt okay in myself. I told her I felt a-bit down as the sickness was so constant etc and it’s never been touched upon again other than me saying I’m struggling. It’s more talk of the meds and upping them. You really are expected to suck it up and get along with it, I’m not the emotional type of person but I have cried so much during this pregnancy of feeling so ill and then being passed to pillar to post & conflicting advice from GPs. It really has the been the toughest 25 + weeks of my life. There really needs to be more support in real life, I have to say this thread is fab though.

Moonkid just read your post there, I agree the nausea is awful there literally is no relief from it. It’s this constant horrible feeling 24/7. I feel for you

I hope you all have a restful night

I so agree with everyone about fresh sheets. I don't know how many people can stand the scent of lavender? I found it soothing.
eallison I am very about about your relatives being so thoughtless and judgemental. You are obviously good at keeping your temper. And as for BIL greedily taking the only food you could eat...Yes, there are hypochondriacs, but they should know you better than that. Cyber pats on offer, as always, to you and anyone who wishes for one .
norbert I wonder if the cat isn't trying to cure you by going to your bed to wait for you? Cats do seem to do that.
moonkid Congratulations on putting on a brave face. A brave front can be so exhausting.
Reastie It isn't even so modern as a laptop - I keep meaning to get one; it's a pc. I am glad you got out of that court appearance. It sounded dismal. Good advice for Advocadoo about hers.
CalmerComber I hope you feel reassured today?
Waves to all.

Anya212 Sorry, cross posted. That is dismal about the nausea being bad. Am I right in thinking it went off for a while, at least? At 32 weeks that is so frustrating. I hope increasing the medication helps. I hope you can get ML early and I am so glad the growth scan went well.