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.

Managers left today and was a positive experience. They could see how unwell I was and there was no question of me coming back to work and no pressure to either. Did mention if by 29 weeks I still wasn’t ready then may have to start maternity leave but were willing to see what happens between then and now.

Did take a lot out of me tho having to talk so much as I usually don’t talk at all if I can help it. Waiting for the summer hols to start so my mum can take dd to leicester with her which will not only stop the mum guilt but reduce the stress fo not being a present parent atm and she will enjoy it.

Have cut down my meds to one tab a day since being discharged to see how I go as the constipation is a killer.

I hope everyone is coping. I am still pole axed from the migrine, and taking Stemetil with the best of you to control the nausea and vomting. Its taste doesn't improve, does it?
composed I do hope you are taking a laxative for the constipation; those jelly suppositories are good and used in hospitals, but they won't sell them to a pregnant woman so you'd need an intermediary if you are known to be pregnant at that pharmacy, and it sounds as if you had enough difficulty persuading your OH to let you take meds. I think you can get Lactulose over the counter but I am not sure, and the name of the one Reastie might be Movicol. Sorry, I'm vague today.
putputput My frail mother pays a cleaner £15.000 for an hour and a quarter's work. When last there, I climbed up on chairs to clean the tops of those fixed windows above the doors as her cleaner isn't agile enough...

Reastie I think you are making the best decision.

Ah, and sorry putputput I was going to say several people have been on steroids on here up to the later stages of the pregnancy.eallison who suffered badly was one. I believe there was one person ona PICC line on these threads, though she lived on Jersey, so non NHS. When I was temporarily doing suport for a Hyperemesis group that was US based and where they were using health insurance, all the severe cases seemed to be on it and found it really good.

aw bless you LucindaE hate migraines and you’re right stemetil tastes vile! I have lactulose but I don’t always remember to take it everyday as I hate the taste but my eating has reduced drastically since the discharge from the hospital. Have managed to find a new drink today fanta ice lemon with as much ice as possible.

I have decided as I have been struggling recently and am allergic to water I will just have to put off the bathing for the time being and warn people to not come close. Also thinking about a private gender scan before my 20 week nhs one but unsure.

Dead how are you today? Putput how are you feeling?

Reastie I can only say you are in my thoughts and prayer atm re the steroid information and decision x

composed good day vomit wise because ive felt pretty good but bad day in regards to everything else. Still feel like a crap parent.

Thank you for the comments on steroid injection.

I’ve got what’s probably a ridiculous question. Just picked up a prescription of ondansetron (see picture) it’s a different brand to what they usually get in, which is fine as I’ve had a couple of different brands in the past. But this one even have tablets a different shape and size. Usually they are small and circular and these are very oval and yellow. Has anyone else had this sort of had varying types of the same medicine? I assume they all work the same? I know it’s silly but I’m panicking!

Composed we had a private gender scan with dd and it was lovely. Glad the work stuff was ok but must’ve been truly exhausting.

Lucinda hope you feel better soon. You really do suffer with those nasty migraines don’t you.

I've had 2 different ondansetron ones... first ones I had were dissolvable ones the other were regular tablets.

These are both regular tablets...

Reastie I had the ones oictured given to me first time and now I have these round white ones which come in a blue box, they work the same I believe as I haven’t noticed a difference.

Aw dead I know how you feel it’s hard and doesn’t help the whole situation you’re in I can imagine. As cliche as it sounds it is hopefully for a short time compared to the whole picture and we have to keep telling ourselves this when we feel so crap.

There is no magic cure and I suffer with parental guilt everyday and think it makes my hg worse tbh but there is physically nothing I can do atm just trying to make peace with myself mentally as best I can x

composed don’t worry if you can’t bathe regularly, not sure if this is any reassurance but I’ve been there a lot! For a long while I was just a sort of mess of frizzy hair and staleness and body odour eventually it got easier, when desperate I focused on armpits in the sink and face wash, plus it’s only fairly recently I’ve been able to wash my hair regularly, I feel like I’m practically styled by comparison!

putputput I’ve been thinking about that... we’d still need to clear and organise stuff ourselves first, but have been wondering if getting someone in to do a good thorough clean afterwards would be a good idea...

Had MW appointment today, blood pressure is much higher (in a good way, it’s normal now) which is good to see. DH says I do seem better more of the time. Baby measuring exactly to dates and all is well which is nice to hear. Struggling with food, psychologically if that makes sense, I just can’t think of something that I’m willing to eat, but once food is there I’m usually fine, it’s just making meal planning and cooking a bit awkward! Tangoing with increasing heartburn too... hard to avoid the bigger you get!

before I know exactly what you mean about food. I went through a few weeks where I could eat, but the food just had to appear in front of me. I wasn’t actually able to prepare anything anything myself. My first foods I “prepared” were tinned soup (heated up in microwave), jacket potatoes with cheese and I remember the first time I was able to make a salad. I really had to stop worrying about my nutrition and just buy some ready meals that I could heat up and eat so I could get food into me.

Sickness wise I’m still feeling quite good. But have just had a very sad event of having to have one of my horses put to sleep. So feeling really rough because of that, I was up until 3am last night with vets, etc.

Thank you composed. I had a day at the hospital yesterday and had the most fantastic midwife, who had had HG herself. It made such a difference to be treated by someone who completely got it.
I'm currently going to the maternity unit every other day for fluids and IV anti-emetics. I also saw two brilliant doctors yesterday who sat and made a plan with me. One was very honest "we aren't going to get you well but we are going to get you through this" That's enough.

Well I had the different looking pills this morning so will hope no change. They tasted a bit sweet compared to the others.

Felt awful yesterday evening. Had done a little bit of cleaning during the day thinking it wasn’t too much, maybe it was. Not great this morning either. Our bathroom started stinking of sewage yesterday evening and it’s been really turning my stomach. Couldn’t manage a bath this morning and the smell is now in my nose and it won’t go iykwim. Have been sticking lots of bleach in the loo and just tried vinegar and bicarbonate in there as that’s what the internet said to try. Just hope it goes away soon.

Putputput sounds like they’re taking you seriously and getting a plan in place, which is great that they are being so helpful.

Two shades that’s funny about your food choices as tinned tomato soup and baked potato was all I could eat for a while too.

Beforeihit that’s great about the bp!

So, I managed to convince myself to take some cyclizine last night only to find myself getting very, very drowsy very quickly- I could feel my body going but was awake and alert mentally if that makes sense?! i got DH to take me to bed and have just woken up!!! I've clearly fed the baby in the middle of the night as there's no change in him whatsoever! How on earth am I going to manage for the rest of the 8 months? My HG abated after 5 and a half months with my previous pregnancy- I'm petrified this time might be longer :/ I hate this. On top of this, I'm at high risk of gestational diabetes so I'm trying to be sensible re: what I eat. Should I just eat whatever with the thinking "it's food/energy" or continue to eat low GI foods? I'm so confused. I need my booking in appointment to come round very soon.

@Thatsnotmyotter- I was on the same thread! I stupidly thought I might not get HG the second time round even though so many of the mums on that thread had it worse than their first pregnancies :/

Hello,

New to all this. My first pregnancy and I've been so sick this past week unable to keep fluids down let alone food. Finally found some anti-emetics which allow me to drink at least. Does anyone have any tips to help get me through this (or even hope to offer)?

I'm just trying to hang on the positives atm, losing weight which is rather nice, and trying to enjoy just watching loads of films and TV. Also I realise from reading posts on here how lucky I am that I don't have other kids to be looking after!

TIA x

Oyoyoy I was exactly the same with cyclizine. It lasted a few days but did wear off so please don’t think you’ll feel like that forever. In a way I quite liked it because I could sleep through the misery easier than usual so was disappointed when it worse off! Impossible to do anything though.

Fulbe there will be some good advice and links from Lucinda in the first post. I’m glad you’re managing to keep fluids down.

@Reastie that is the brand I have had of ondansetron the whole time 👍

@composed I have given up on regular washing! Too much effort. Bath twice a week at best.. thank goodness for pregnancy hormones lessening the hair grease 😳

Elkie I unfortunately still have greasy hair not over that just yet. Success as I have managed a wash but no to hair washing or shaving my legs

Weirdly my leg hair is growing a lot slower so I’m barely bothering to shave my legs (not that I’ve got the energy to bother with much upkeep anyway). Ellkie twice a week sounds ok, in ye olden days they didn’t bath half as much as we do now. Thanks for your reassurance about the ondansetron.

Assuming section isn’t postponed I only have 4 full days left of this to endure. I can barely believe it (although also I can because it feels like a lifetime ago I was capable of anything). Rubbish morning but little improved atm. Just about to attempt to do something for dinner.

Managed some milk today but incredibly tired despite a good night of sleep. DS slept pretty much all the way through

Fulbe Welcome. Could you tell us which these anti emetics are? Was it the doctor or a midwife who prescribed them? Do go back to the doctor if these don't help enough. Don't despair; things do get much better for most people at some point for most sufferers between 14 and 20weeks. Have you got any anti acid? That can help the sickness a lot. Do invest in some kesostix as while they aren't the best tests of dehydration, A and E departments do thake their measurements seriously should you become dehydrated.
Some drinks that might help: flat full sugar coke, ice lollies, ice cubes, the juice of tinned fruit, soda water, lemonade, Robinson's fruit drinks, fizzy water, Elderflower Water, Edlerflower cordial and tonic water - that was eallison's tipple, fizzy orange, orange sqauash, orange juice (if not too acid) tonic water, Lucoazade, Dr Pepper, Iron Bru and sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya). Foods of a sort include nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, tinned fruit, Scotch pancakes, biscuits, cuppa soup, baked potatoes, slices of melon and mango and jelly.
Oyoyoy I think it would be best to phone Pregnancy Sickness Support about the best diet to attempt to follow with Hyperemesis and a high risk of diabetes on 024 7638 2020. They will have to phone back, but they will with great advice. As Reastie says, the side effect of drowsiness does get a lot better. If it is impossible, there are other meds they can try.
putputput Thank goodness you had some good advice from consultants. That sounds like a good plan. You must be exceptionally badly hit by this to have to go for fluids and injections every other day. Much sympathy. What sort of fluids are you managing to drink?
Reastie I think it was a virus this time, which had confusngly similar symptoms. Thanks for sympathy.
DeadDoorPost If you were a terrible mother, you may be sure you woudn't think you were! Milk is great.
Waves to composed beforeihit30 ElkieMacjibe TwoShades1 and everyone.
Apologies to anyone rudely overloked.

Oyoyoy I forgot to comment about gd. Essentially I had gd last time but was unable to follow a proper diabetic diet because of restrictions on what I could eat. For me I just did the best I could within what I could manage but it was impossible for me to follow the strict gd eating plan. You could ask to see a dietician for some help. I know eal, who was on here, saw a dietician as she had gd who was really helpful and they worked within what she could manage. I presume if they can’t comtrol the sugar level through diet they will give you some medication to help, and I know there’s one type of medication that can make the nausea worse (although I’m not sure which one, sorry, but I’m sure a google would help) so if you get to that point it might be worth working out which one it is so that you can have another medication in preference.

Dead well done on the milk. I can’t wait to be able to manage milk again! Once I come home from the hospital after the section I think I’m going to have a glass of cold milk and a banana as I’ve so missed both of those foods. And strawberries and yoghurt , I want to be able to enjoy those again too. Hopefully not too long to go!

Lucinda what a miserable bug. Glad you’re a bit better.

Sleep well all, nearly Saturday which is a new week and getting closer to surviving through this.

Lucinda, Thank you very much for the advice. I've been able to eat some bread this evening so that's been great! A fantastic list of drinks for me to consider as well :-) Much appreciated.