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.
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.
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.

Bili I meant to say - sorry about excess saliva. It is so dismal, and makes the nausea far worse. I never heard of anyone having it after birth unless they are one ofthe unlucky tiny minority who have the symptoms of Hypermesis continue while breast feeding.
Reastie That makes sense. I am sure you will make the best decision. So glad you got an understanding consultant!

I've had to contact the specialist midwives tonight. I can't cope anymore.

Continuing the pregnancy but my depression is so bad I'm barely coping. Sorry this is a down post.

Dead I am so sorry to hear that, wish there was something I could to help in anyway. I am thinking if you and wishing you nothing but the best xx

I have spent the whole day in bed and after having thrown up have the worst sore throat ever, is it bad that my 12 week scan is this fri and if i were given bad news I would be so numb to it?

@DeadDoorpost sorry you are feeling so down, hopefully the specialist midwives will get back to you soon.

@Reastie do you know anymore.about what they mean by breathing difficulties - is it they just need a bit of help starting or something more serious with the risk of longer term complications?

I had an extra scan today as I'm measuring big and look huge. I thought it was mostly me eating too much to keep the nausea down - but turns out I have more amniotic fluid than normal. It's not enough to be polyhydramnios but is enough I have to go back for another scan at 36 weeks. Given how uncomfortable i already am I'm now dreading just how much bigger I'm going to get.

You can do this dead!! I'm an old poster from your last pregnancy remember the stuff you got through with Christopher? Struggling to feed and sleepless nights I can see how tough you and hubby are having it right now but remember it will get better. Iv been on paroxetine 30mg since baby was born due to pnd, hormones are the pits. Hugs from me.

Hi to everyone else it is the worst time of your life and it's ok to feel that way and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I suffered from week 4-41 x 2 and I look at my little ones and even on their worst behaved days everyday they are totally worth it.

For anyone doing this a 2/3rd time you deserve to be knighted or some other amazing recognition . For anyone doing this the 1st time you are so bloody brave and it's ok to want to stab everyone because unless they have suffered with hg they really don't get it.

A lot of warm wishes for you DeadDoor

Reastie this probably isn’t much help at all but I’ve been told about the steroid injections before, because labour with DC1 started spontaneously at 39+3 and they wondered whether DC2 would be earlier (was overdue in the end!), and as I’m being induced at 39 weeks this time around (they want to avoid inducing me earlier if it’s not needed, which in theory it shouldn’t be). I’ve always thought that I would take the injection, the lungs are formed but not fully matured until 39 weeks and the steroid injections are commonly used to help the lungs manage with breathing. It just so happens that both DC1 and DC2 needed a little help with their breathing when born, both at full term (DC1 had prolonged pushing stage and born suddenly moments before transfer to theatre, DC2 had quick but distressed labour). If they had been born earlier I imagine it would have helped to have the injection to provide that extra support for the lungs, as despite not being high risk or any major birth complications they both required help to breathe initially (especially DC2) and overnight monitoring when they were born.

Good morning to everyone. I hope you all have okay days (I want to say good but I know how variable it can be!). Sunny here today so that’s nice (not that I’m going anywhere!).

Thanks for the feedback on my steroid injection dilemma. Initially I thought I’d decline them but doing more research it looks like the potential link for having them causing issues later on are quite tenuous and unproven vs the advantage of having them for sure helping. I’m worried they will make me feel sicker as that seems to be a side effect but cross fingers with my drugs it’ll be managed.

Feeling rather rubbish today, but it’s not surprising, i was out of the house yesterday for over 3 hours, which may not sound much, but it’s the longest I’ve been out of home since my BFP. Plus slept rubbishly last night and also constipated as not being drinking enough with this warm weather and sweating a lot so generally today isn’t great. Trying to drink as much as I can manage and rest and hope for a better day tomorrow.

Teddy dd was big, I suspect for similar reasons of having to eat for the nausea constantly. Be wary of scans though as they estimated her nearly 9lbs at 36 weeks and she was born nearly 5 weeks later for the same weight they estimated she was weeks earlier! Rubbish you’re uncomfortable with the extra fluid etc though. At least that’s more weight to lose once you’ve had baby .

Composed how are you feeling now?

Dead please keep us updated. I know how dark this can make you feel. I hope your mh team are supportive, please do keep posting here. Times are dark, it feels like you’ll never make it through but you will get there, minute by minute.

Thanks ladies, I messaged them last night so hopefully will hear back today. Once DS got to sleep I watched 8 out of 10 cats does countdown on my phone for a while, which helped. DH was getting ready for his invigilating today so was downstairs ironing his shirt. Once he came up though he gave me massive hugs and asked how I was. I'm just worried I've let it go on for too long. I have a feeling I was missing the signs for ages and it's suddenly now too big to cope with. I am feeling more positive today though which is good.

Vegan I'm guessing you're a new username, or you massively stalked my previous posts 😂😂 but yeah, Christopher is just a massive double-the-height pain in the butt now but you're right, I managed to come through it.

teddy glad they're keeping an eye on you though. You're probably carrying my fluids as I barely have any. Was the same with DS. We never realised they'd broken as there was so little. Literally almost all the weight I lost after birth was baby and placenta.

not doing too good today, scared the meds have stopped working is that possible when taking ondansetron? Have spent the whole morning crying and the migraine still hasn’t gone.

I just dont know if I can do this anymore or even want to

How many weeks are you composed? How long has it felt worse for like this? It could very well be down to the migraine making things worse. Have you been checked recently for a uti? I’ve seen a few people on here have been a lot worse and not realised they had one and it improved once they got abs for that. Just get through today, don’t think about tomorrow for now, just focus on surviving to the end of the migraine. X

Yeah, a UTI made things worse for me but the ondansetron stopped working for me as well around 12 weeks. It worked better last pregnancy though.

Dead the same thing happened with eal, she had ondansetron working last pg but not so well this pg. Not sure I recall anyone have it lose effectiveness if it’s been helping on first pg though. Composed - did you have it previously?

@composed we're all here for you!
I know this winds me up when asked but have you taken any paracetamol for the migraine? They're awful things and it really doesn't help when you feel like shit on top of it.
I'd perhaps try and get an appointment with the gp tomorrow incase it's a uti, they might give you liquid paracetamol and something to stop the migraines ( I got prochloperzine which is anti nausea too and it does help with my migraines)

Just take it an hour at a time, you've got this!
@DeadDoorpost same for you! Seriously hyperemesis is a bastard on your mental health!

@Reastie I'm so glad that appointment went well!

Not heard back from the specialist midwives today. Which is fine as I've felt a lot better today. Eaten pretty well today as well which is good

Dead I’m so glad today has been a bit better. I hope they do get back to you though to follow it up.

thank you everyone for your kind words and support, i do think the migraine has made it worse and I usually take ibuprofen but obvs cant atm and paracetamol does nothing for me not to mention the size of them ugh.

I’ve been feeling horrid since yesterday reastie, no uti and this is the first pregnancy I am taking ondansetron. I’ve always suffered with anxiety and depression so with hg I am finding it hard to cope. This time esp as I have no family of my own around me like last time.

Due to being sick I am now petrified of eating anything and this is usually the case whenever I have hg. I wish I could sleep for a good chunk of time then maybe I would feel better but my sleep is very broken. I honestly feel broken within myself and feel I am not one of those who was supposed to get pregnant as I am never able to cope.

I know in the grand scheme of things its only a short amount of time and theres a very good reason for doing it but when you’re living these minutes/hours and days there is no end. I am so sorry for the self pitying rant but no one in rl gets it and I have no energy to explain it anymore. I am
not me and hate myself atm, can’t bloody stop crying!!

@composed and @deaddoorpost So sorry you're both having a hard time. Sending you strength to get through this x

I had another GP appointment today as I was feeling so dizzy since starting on the ondansetron and I've been vomiting blood. BP and pulse were fine and I've been eating better since taking it. So her solution was to take me off the ondansetron and back onto the metoclopramide as the sickness seems to have settled down now! I'm only 8 weeks! Things are not getting better, they're likely to get worse before they get better. I'd take the dizziness over the endless vomiting if I had a choice! So I guess now I just wait until I get really bad again and go to hospital 😥

Composed I’ve been there, I know exactly how you feel, and how no one else gets it. I’d guess it’s the migraine making it worse so hopefully once that passes it’s back to your usual bad iykwim. Can you book apt with gp for drug ideas if you have another migraine? I know some people have been told to take codeine in pg for migraines but I think it depends on your stage of pg. pg totally broke me last time mentally, and I didn’t realise how much until years later. Please mention it to your mw and make sure they know so they can support you. Do you think you need hydration at hospital?

X posted Clare wtf is that doctor thinking? I’d recommend calling pss for medication advice. She should be adding drugs in combination not taking out and swapping one that was helping!

Reastie no I’ve been able to go to the bathroom and my urine is light in colour. You’re right about pregnancy breaking you, I have never felt this worse at anytime during my life. As soon as I got that bfp I started counting the days till the sickness hit and no amount of mental prep prepared me for it when it did hit.

I am trying to hard to put things in perspective and keep telling myself it wont be forever but god its hard. I had pnd after my first and struggled to connect with my dd which looking back now makes me feel like a horrid person.

Clare why would the gp do that? Reastie’s right if it was working she should have added something to it. These sorts of situations make me lose my faith in the medical professionals who are supposed to help us.

Glad you’re feeling better today DeadDoor I hope it continues.

composed so sorry to hear how rubbish you’re feeling, wishing you the very best and hope you’re feeling at least a little bit more you soon hopefully doctors or MW will be able to support, eg with medication or other strategies.

Oh Clare sorry to hear that, it’s a bit rubbish! You’re still early on, as you say it’s unfortunately ramping up time not time to take out meds is there another doctor you can see?

Interestingly saw in the news today that prochlorperazine has been artificially inflated in price (the story was about drug companies basically violating antitrust/competition laws; here).

Signed off again for 5 more weeks (yay) which takes me to 8 days before I had planned to go off on annual leave before maternity leave. If I’m feeling better by then, I’ll probably return to work for a week (a very gentle week!) essentially just to wrap stuff up, decommission my tech etc and have some catch ups and then start annual leave as planned. Not keen on trying a proper return to work at 31 weeks pregnant! It’s not like I could do much before mat leave starts anyway! Feeling okay at the moment, which is great, nearly 26 weeks so I’m glad to get some relief. But it’s only been a few days, I’m trying to take it easy and not jump into doing loads. I still seem to be exhausted really easily and I’m still a bit sensitive with things (like smells, foods), still get some nausea, so just taking my time. But it’s a lot better than I have been for some time, so let’s see how this goes.

Composed you sound so much like me! Honestly, I think just bing understood and knowing other people are going through the same has helped me so much. People in rl just don’t get it.

Before x posted (again!). Glad your doctor has signed you off for a decent length of time and you’re getting closer to that maternity leave date. My leave officially starts tomorrow, 4 weeks exactly to my due date! Definitely keep things slow and gentle, it makes such a difference in how I feel. I’m so annoyed and frustrated at my lack of ever getting anything done but it’s worth it for feeling half human.

She took it out because of the possibility it was making me dizzy and because I'm now feeling a bit better, we're on top of the sickness and can go back to metoclopramide! I'm no doctor but don't think it works like that when I've only been taking ondansetron for 3 days! I keep mentioning about combining medications but they seem very against that. It's a very small GP practice with only 2 doctors, if I have to go back I'll try and see the other doctor. I could cry, feel like my lifeline has been taken away!

thanks for your supprt reastie and before. How long have you both been signed off work for in total? I have been off since I was 6 weeks currently 13 and don’t see me being able to go back when the current sicknote runs out tbh.

I think reastie the mental side of hg is sonetimes worse than the physical and that gets me down so much, like I am a prisoner not only in my own body but my mind too.