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.

Sorry I'm not around as much as last pregnancy. Got things keeping me busy at least.

Threw up again today.

Think I'm going to go back to the hospital this week for more fluids. Not feeling too great, hate having to top myself up with antiemetics, and to top it all off, I think I have thrush now as well.

I'm done after this pregnancy. Can't cope with the emotions. I even took a Sertraline tablet this morning I've been feeling that low.

Anyat have you found a difference between cosmocol and movicol? I ask as I’ve been taking movicol and found it effective and gp prescribed it for me but it’s come under another brand name (cosmocol). Pharmacist says it’s the same thing just another brand but online lots of people seem to have side effects with cosmocol but not movicol. Movicol is more expensive. I can’t work out why the same drug should vary? Have you found a difference? Tbh I’m thinking about just paying for the movicol for the peace of mind of knowing I’ll be ok on it than swap to cosmocol which might give me more side effects or not work as well. But how can that be if it has the same drug in the same amount???! I just don’t get it.

Mooon I hope you’re feeling a bit better today, tbh I’m not even trying to do most things as for me it’s not worth the fall out of how I feel afterwards.

Norbert nothing better than fresh sheets! When I was in my first trimester and couldn’t change bed sheets as it was too late Christmas I went weeks without fresh sheets and it was horrible :( now I try to keep up my weekly excitement of having crisp fresh sheets.

Deaddoor how are you feeling today? I’m there in the misery club, it just sucks doesn’t it. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. Just take it a day and a week at a time of focus on that, I find it so depressing to look at the long slog as it feels soo much.

Another one joining the misery club. I’m
Only 5 weeks. I can’t believe how much worse it is this time & how early it’s started.
I tried to get some stuff done around the house & with dh & the kids this weekend. Now I’m totally wiped out.
Feels like I can’t win. If I take the cyclezine, I manage to keep Some food & drink down. But it turns me into a zombie. But if I don’t take it, I can’t keep anything down and end up feeling dizzy & dehydrated. Joy!
Shall I just superglue myself to the sofa now? Any Netflix recommendations? I’ve just finished the latest series of grace & frankie. Really enjoyed it. Have started on Gilmore girls for something easy, but wouldn’t mind something else on the go too.

Sorry for moaning. I’m sorry lots of others are suffering too. I’m not functioning well enough to respond individually. Happy Monday everyone!

I don’t have anything to add other than I’m still reading all your messages and wishing you all well in your individual difficulties with this. I’m nearly 19 weeks and still very much struggling- with the hyperemesis and mentally. Exhausted in every way is how I’d describe my status. Sending love to you all, and sorry I amn’t responding more.

Waving at everyone especially those having a rough day. I'm in pjs with DD on a Disney / CBeebies marathon from the sofa. My dad came down to help with entertainment for a few hours though so I've muddled through so far. Dr ginger biscuit never rang so I'll call them tomorrow.
I would push through with the cyclizine @cattaxi it does get easier, but resting will also do you good and then you at least keep some food down. I've found it's helped a lot compared with last time and I'm hoping it'll mean it doesn't last as long.
Only a few hours until I can crawl into my lovely clean sheets and get some shut eye - it's been nice having cuddles with her though especially as I've been so useless with her for weeks. One more day almost done!

Reastie - it’s strange if they are the same product and it’s literally just a cheaper version. But as you say reading about side effects from others, I definitely have them ‘poo like cramps’ before BM (I can’t think of the right terminology!) taking CosmoCol. It definitely makes me go quicker too than movicol. Which is a plus, but movicol is more gentle when I do. I also take lactulose alongside the movicol (I know you mentioned before that you can’t take lactulose) but I don’t think I’d dare take lactulose and CosmoCol together mainly because of the cramps! Ive not had any other side effects other than the cramps. If you find movicol effective I’d probably stick to that, but if you are struggling after taking movicol again maybe try half a sachet of CosmoCol?

Lucinda - the nausea did go away for around 1 month. It was constipation then creeping back in, it’s like a triple threat! Either sickness, nausea or constipation! So glam. Hope you are well.

Cattaxi - sorry to hear you’re struggling too. Have tried anything else other than cyclezine? I tried that again a few weeks ago rather than taking Ondansetron (which I’ve taken since week 8) and it completely knocked me out again and it still makes me more sick! It’s a very weird medication but I know it works for a lot of people. It’s like I have a thick head all the time when I’m on it.

Netflix suggestions: I’ve just finished the haunting of a house, queen of the south, and abducted in plain slight (although the abducted one is the strangest documentary I’ve ever watched!) peep show & ‘you’ I’d recommend as well.

That’s really imteresting anyat. I oooked in the label and compared the who and they have the exact same active ingredients in the same amount, so the fact people find different effects between then doesn’t seem to make any sense, yet there seems to be a big difference. I got as far as making up a cosmocol but when I mixed it with water it shrunk (really bizarre, the amount of water reduced before my eyes) which movicol doesn’t do, so there must be something different in there. Atm I’m too scared to try cosmocol. It took me so long to get the right dose on movicol I don’t want to ruin my hard work on getting things relatively ok and regular but if I pay for movicol for the rest of my pg it will cost me £150 vs getting free prescriptions for cosmocol.

Cattaxi I’m fed up with it too. I try and do stuff and I pay for it so much but I have just lying on the sofa all day every day. I sat at the sewing machine making reusable breast pads this morning for maybe 2-3 hours. I was only sitting sewing. The rest of the day I have felt horrific as it’s been too much for me. On Netflix ozark is always recommended but I didn’t really like it. Have seen abducted in plain sight also and found it so bizarre. The docu fyre was good. I’ve got the 90s pride and prejudice on my to watch list .

Norbert enjoy those sheets. Have to get our thrills where we can .

Cattaxi agree if you can stick with cyclizine. Otherwise prochlorperazine doesn’t make me spaced out in the same way.

Reastie - that is really strange! I have no idea why they are different side effects then, I can only think if there’s a tiny amount of product in CosmoCol or movicol which isn’t listed - although I doubt they’d be able to pull that off! I’m no medical expert but agree with you that it’s odd. My DP has made the CosmoCols up for me so I’ve never seen it reduce but I had no idea on that either. What is this stuff?! Lol.

Surely you’ll be able to have a chat with your GP and request movicol over CosmoCol? Especially as you say that you’ve found a balance with that product. When my GP gave me it she never mentioned it was the same as movicol, although she did get her book out and do some research as she wasn’t sure what else she could give me (as I was in the third trimester she was really wary) then gave me the CosmoCol. I don’t know though I’ve seen several GPs throughout my pregnancy and advice really has been all over the place.

Cosmocol must be a fairly new product as I’ve never heard of it until I was given it as my last appt. hope you manage to get the movicol on prescription though as it certainly will add up as you say.

Yeah I was the same re: abducted in plain sight I had to rewind a few times as I thought it was me not listening properly!

Oh dear, everyone seems to be suffering today.
Anya I do hope it eases again for you soon and for nighttimenope. It is a grim journey.
Oh dear, the same about Reastie Deaddoorpost and cattaxi I do feel for you all, and for norbert Ha, Ha, 'Dr Ginger Biscuit'. I like that name. Even Hyperemesis has anyway, not removed your wit. But it is no joke about the obtuseness. What would be said if GP's recommended putting a piece of sticking plaster on a broken leg?"

Anyat I’ve read other posts on mn where people have gone to gp specifically saying they want prescription for movicol not cosmocol and they are told gps can’t do that as they just prescribe the medication not the brand iykwim. I guess it might be possible to find a chemist that would give it to me as movicol but it would be really complicated because my repeat prescriptions are dispensed via a pharmacy at the doctors surgery so would mean getting paper script for one of my repeats but not others so would be more likely for things to go wrong, and is on the basis somewhere would give me movicol for the prescription which is doubtful given the added expense it. I’ll leave it a while and see if I feel brave next week.

cattaxi sorry you're struggling so at the moment. As others have said, rest rest and more rest will do you the power of good. If the cyclizine doesn't work for you, there are other meds - speak to your GP. You shouldn't have to put up with crippling nausea cos you're on meds that don't work for you.

My bowels have returned to horrible painful cramping followed by immediate need to go to the loo for a rather loose movement. Nothing has changed, except perhaps had upped the lactulose a little over the last week to ease movement as I'd gotten bunged up again. I don't remember this at all from last time. In fact, from memory I managed to pretty much avoid the ondansetron constipation last time.

@restie
Not with movicol but I’ve had it with my nutritional supplements. Not allowed the juice ones as the milk ones are cheaper - pointed out also totally useless as I can’t tolerate the milk ones. Had to get hospital to overrule gp.

Oh ffs . This morning is a 'need-to-poo-every-40mins-or-so-with-no-warning-and-painful-cramps' morning. which would be fine except I'm at the hospital for various appointments.

How annoying eal. This morning for me the opposite, usually I have a good bm first thing which starts things well and then less during the day but I haven’t yet so I know it’ll be waiting for me later or tomorrow. And when that happens it’s usually accompanied by the awful nausea. Hope the apt’s go well.

I had horrible insomnia last night and couldn’t get to sleep for over 6 hours. It was weird, like I knew as soon as I got into bed I wouldn’t be able to get to sleep, and I hadn’t managed a nap in the afternoon, so by the end I was literally shaking and feeling so sick from lack of sleep. When I did get to sleep I kept having nightmares :( urgh, I’m going to try and sit in the garden in a min to get some fresh air and sun and hope I can rest this afternoon. I can feel part of my body is exhausted by stupid pg and the other part, the part that used to work out and run everywhere pre preg needs more physical activity to make me sleep but I can’t ohysically do it as it makes me feel too sick. It’s a vicious circle. Not even meditations helped. I think maybe I’m dreading dds family party at the week end, I don’t know how I’m going to cope with it. I might ask my mum if she can host it and I’ll turn up for the last half hour but I feel bad asking her.

Bean how ridiculous having a milk based prescription when you can’t tolerate milk! Still, that’s a different product rather than supposedly the same thing but a different brand

How weird @Reastie I've also had an awful night - diarrhoea, piking bile and awake for hours even though I was desperate to sleep! Then I had bad dreams about DD choking on a raspberry - bizarre. I just dropped her off at nursery and now I'm going to go back to sleep. I hope you get some rest too xx

Hi, it unfortunately looks like I need to join here (no offence haha) I have had the all day nausea for going on 2 weeks now. Awful but been half manageable I’m still breastfeeding a 1 year old and had no period so thought I was ill not pregnant anyway turns out I am and no clue how far along. I’ve had hyperemersis twice needing hospital stays. I thought I might be getting away with just sickness but each day is getting progressively worse!
I already have a few boxes of ondansetron in the cupboard off last time. Will I be alright just to start taking this today or will I need to see a doctor first? Just getting myself and 2 kids along to the doctors is gonna be a struggle!
Thankyou! Sorry for the ramble

User I’m sorry you need to join the club. The club no one wants to be a member of! FWIW I imagine you probably should check with gp first re ondansetron, but at the same time I’d be tempted to start them as evidence is the earlier you start the less likely to be servere. Did you just take ondansetron last time? Gp might like to start you on something else first, like cyclizine and then add ondansetron in later if needed. That seems to be how it works. Can you get a call from your gp to save going in? Given you’ve had it before they may be able to advise and prescribe without having to go in. Also if you do take it don’t forget a laxitive too!

Norbert how bizarre we both had a bad night. Let’s hope we have a good one tonight to make up for it!

Sorry to hear so many of you are having pooey problems alongside/linked to the hyperemesis, that’s rubbish, hoping you all have good days today.

Yesterday was rough, ended up sleeping most of the day after bringing up a lot of food in the morning. Today has gone better. I’m 12 weeks now and hoping things might calm in the next couple of weeks...

Welcome User I’m no use on the ondansetron front, others here are much better informed than I am, but for your return to the ‘club’! And congratulations, even though it’s not super fun with the sickness.

Afternoon ladies. I’ve not posted for a while. Still sick everyday and all day nausea/spitting/nasty taste in mouth is just worse than the actual vomiting. I found gaviscon helps with the lump I get in my throat. I’m literally drinking the stuff!
Welcome newbies, User I would definitely want to start taking the ondansetron but definitely speak with a doctor first, are they still in date? You don’t want to be taking out of date pills.
I had a horrible night last night too, I seem to wake hourly but my 3 year old woke me at 4:30 for a drink and I could get back to sleep after that. Roll on bed time! Roll on august!
I’ve been getting nightmares too. Flying spiders!! It’s horrible.
Hoping everyone has a better day tomorrow.

Well, parts of this morning were pointless (the dietician looking at my food diary and telling me to carry on as I am.... the midwife who took my blood pressure, asked if I'm taking any medication (!) And then asked me if I'd had the flu and whooping cough vaccinations, badgered me to remember if I had, then checked my notes and confirmed that I was correct when I said I'd had them). But then met my new (additional) consultant. Who is bloody brilliant. Though her specialism is gestational diabetes, she has a personal Interest in hyperemesis (her best mate has had 2 If pregnancies and has just finished a PhD focussed on HG). She's literally just rewritten the policy for hyperemesis for the early pregnancy unit, throwing out ketones, using the PUKE score etc. She apologised that it was too late for me. We bad a great chat about my experiences, and i said that if she wanted to use me as an example at any point she was welcome to. She was delighted, and said that being able to talk about me as a patient that they basically lost to a different hospital cos if the old approach would be really powerful and thanked me. I'm very happy to have her involved in my care. She explained stuff really well, and again treated me as being an expert in my body and experience. And the toilet trips settled! So all in all a positive nearly 3hours (!) - I'm certainly glad hubby was with me, as the various bits of waiting would have sent me potty if I'd been on my own!

Welcome to newbies. Sorry you need us, but you'll find all the sympathy and understanding. I would get an appointment with a GP asap as the sooner you start on meds, the better. Personally, I probably would have started the ondansetron in your position, but only if I had an appointment soon and I would see have told the GP when I saw him/her.

@eallison88 that's really good the consultant was so supportive!

Went to the mental health assessment yesterday and the woman was lovely, I had a proper rant and will be getting trauma counselling and some to sort out my anxiety about food and going out cause of the hyperemesis so I feel a lot more positive and it seems that the sickness is relaxing a bit and I get a couple days a week of some kind of freedom!
I'm knackered today cause I went out,
I'm like an old woman!

eallison and avacadooo sounds like you both had really positive appointments, that sounds really good

Finally settled a bit in the last hour, not amazing but was able to eat which has been great (I’ve been hungry since yesterday and that doesn’t help the nausea, but I couldn’t eat much more than a few crackers because of being sicky ). I just keep thinking about these lovely posts of people having babies, feeling immediately relieved and just enjoying their little ones! I’m hoping my sickness and nausea settles before then, but being able to focus on ‘this will pass’ has helped.

Also had some nice (and reassuring!) moments today. Got flowers from work which was lovely, then found out that our sick pay limits don’t apply to pregnancy related illness - I’m entitled to 3 months full pay when sick which is fab, but was a bit worried in a ‘what if’ way, in case I carry on being off, but it turns out that pregnancy related illness is always full pay regardless of the length of time and that has been a massive relief. I’m the sole earner so without my income we have... well, not very much!

I then also worked out I’ve only officially been signed off for 5 weeks so far feels like I’ve been gone for months... all that panicking for nothing

Avacadoo ohh, was it a mh nurse you saw or a doctor or mw? I have mh nurse apt tomorrow and not sure what to expect and what sort of help they will offer me or if it’s just a one off or what. Did they just ask you about your situ and have a chat? I’m so pathetic I’m taking my mum with me to mine because having someone wait with me in the waiting room helps my anxiety as I find it really tough just going there. It’s a huge busy waiting room with very bright lights and no where to hide and it’s just all a bit much.

Eal that’s wonderful, so you now have two brilliant consultants you are under the care of? That’s fantastic luck and ddinit ly deserved after all the issues you had at the start.

A fb friend posted a picture of gymnast Beth twaddle (May have got surname wrong) as she went to one of her gymnastics camps and she [beth] was wearing travel sickness bands and must be late second trimester if not third trimester, so she’s still struggling.

X posted. Beforeihit that’s great hews about sick pay. When you think about it it should be like that everywhere. There are so many things trying not to discriminate against pg related issues but you can still effectively legally have to survive off statutory sick pay (which is what we are doing, luckily I’m not the sole earner but it’s making things tight).

@Reastie I'm not entirely sure what she was but she gave me a questionnaire in the post to bring along and I basically just blabbed everything that has pissed me off and upset me as she wrote down stuff, she asked a few questions for her assessment and at the end went through questions like a risk assessment, it was good cause I got to speak at my own pace and she gave me the opportunity to ask questions and then told me her plan of action and that I'd be bumped up the list cause of the baby!
Good luck with yours! And it's not pathetic bringing someone! I had to go somewhere miles from home so wish I'd done the same!