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.

Deaddoorpost that’s so good to hear

ClareDB when I have really bad days I find sleep is the only respite I can get as that’s when I’m not being sick. It’s hard for those who have never been through hg to understand that it’s bot regular morning sickness and doesn’t magically disappear at the 12 week mark unfortunately!

Rest and take it easy, with every passing minute, hour and day we will get to the finish line and can then indulge in bloody fudge cake and custard (god I can’t wait).

I was starting to feel a little better and now feeling worse again which is v depressing. The nausea is just so debilitating. I find myself counting the time down to my next dose of tablets as it takes the edge off a bit before wearing off.

I assume this mugginess really isn’t helping. I’m really tired too as the big storm woke me in the night and then I couldn’t get back off.

I’m going to eat ALL the food when this passes. I’m so sick (!!) of all the food aversions.

Sorry you’re feeling bad too @composed and @ClareDB.

Hope your appointment went well @DeadDoorpost

Thanks for all your continued support @LucindaE - this thread has been so helpful to know I’m not alone in this nightmare.

Sorry to hear so many are struggling, this heat really doesn't help.

I found this quite interesting.
helpher.org/mothers/treatments/med_index.php.
It's quite American but has some really useful points for us and health professionals.

I'm struggling. Am mostly able to eat and drink for the first part of the day, but in bed bound all day and by 2pm I will be uncontrollably vomiting and dry heaving until I fall asleep. I'm not getting to the point of having ketones which is good but I feel utterly horrific with it and really struggling.

Has anyone managed to get injectable cyclizine (IM)? I had a consultant who suggested it, which me or DH would administer, however the hospital pharmacy won't dispense it.

all around for those feeling rough.

DeadDoor so good to hear that the appointment was useful and you got medication.

ClareDB I sympathise (or empathise?), it can feel like a broken record of, “Yep, still ill...” and sometimes you just don’t want to engage with people or talk about it, even if they’re nice people who are well intentioned!

For everyone struggling who is in the first or second trimester, I have no idea if this is helpful, but I read something like this from a woman on here when I was in my first tri and it gave me some hope! I’m 30 weeks, it’s not perfect, but it is significantly better and different. For me now, it really is about managing my energy and exertion - I can only do so much - but when I do manage it, that manages the sickness and nausea really well. So far I’ve sustained cutting from 3x cyclizine daily down to 2x, and as long as I take things gently I’m actually okay. My diet has improved a lot, and I’m more active by comparison (as I don’t lie in bed all day, every day), the combination of which means I feel better, I’m not normally dehydrated, and my blood pressure has returned to normal having been quite low. So whilst I still can’t return to work or do all of the things other pregnant women do, even at this stage, I am able to more or less enjoy each day with the little bits I can do, and I don’t have that constant crushing nausea. Today I’ve mostly rested (reading, chatted to DH a bit), I’m going to collect DC1 from school. That will be the majority of my activity today, and with that I’m feeling fine. If I tried to do a lot more I would make myself feel horrendous (learned that lesson!), but I’ve also become more attuned to spotting my limits.

So basically, even if you have this throughout pregnancy it might, and it can, get better to the point where you don’t feel like you’re suffering every day, and you can even enjoy your days

Today is a very gentle yesterday as I spent some time going through our mountains of paperwork yesterday! I have got through a good chunk and sorted the main essentials (like medical reports we need to keep, identity documents). I know have a couple of carrier bags of post to attend to... eventually! (PS I have opened them over time, nothing has been missed, it’s just all been put to one side to ‘file’ later, and I’m pretty sure we don’t need to keep most of it!).

beforeihit30 Brilliant . You were so wise to save that quote. Congratulations on dealing with a load of paperwork. I find it exhausting to deal with paperwork at the best of times. Six non urgent letters are currently awaiting my attention.
putputput That is an excellent website. I'm glad that the mornings are OK for taking in substanance! There was a sufferer on here - I think Smilerjane - and she was able to hydrated, though vomiting through the day, by drinking a lot of coke through the night. That is really odd about the pharmacy refusing to implement what the consultant recommended. Can you contact his secretary to sort it out? It sems ridiculously officious of them.

ClareDB Sorry the Metaclopramide reduction didn't work. It is discouraging having to tell people 'things aren't an better' when they have been indoctrinated about 'the magical 12 weeks' (which doesn't even apply often to ordinary pregnancy sickness, for goodness sake). As beforeiit30 says, things will almost certainly get better.
composed Sorry about the bile run (that is like going down a long Snake in the horrible Ladders Hyperemesis nightmare version of Snakes and Ladders). That two weeks is an excellent sign. Mother Hen is fine, thanks for asking. It is yourself you should be troubling about. I will just quote my whole litany in case it provides inspiration. Flat full sugar coke, ice lolllies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucoazade, fizzy orange, lemonade, Robinson's fruit drinks, Dr Pepper, orange squash, tonic water, Elderflower water, Elderflower coridal and tonic water (eallison's tipple), soda water, Iron Bru, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), orange juice (if not too acid) and someone mentioned another drink only a short while ago that thickhead Lucinda should remember, and has forgotten.
DeadDoorPost I am so glad about that productive appointment.
What meds are they adding for sickness?
HermioneKipper I am so glad the thread is helping you. That is discouraging about feeling better and then bad again. I hope you feel better again soon.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

I second what @beforeIhit30 said! It really is good advice! Just don't have any expectations and any little thing you then find yourself doing becomes an achievement.

@LucindaE @composed 7up 😂 it's a lifesaver and I don't know why.

Shit has hit the fan with me and work, went in yesterday my back was that bad I had to get a taxi cause I couldn't drive or walk to the bus stop and they wouldn't let me go home which of course the pain I was in made me start throwing up, phoned to ask if I could take my mat leave early and got told no and that they were too busy to deal with me and they hung up!
So I went to the doctor on an emergency appointment got signed off for two weeks (Mat leave starts in 3 but they can ram it I'm not going back for a week) got some gel for my back and cocodamol which has meant for the first time in weeks I got a full night sleep as it knocked me out, magical stuff!
If work try to contact me I'm gonna set dh on them because they'll not find that very pleasant and I'm done with their attitude.

Health visitor came out to the house today, shamed me for wanting to formula feed and basically told me I should do it for the first week no excuses, I have my reasons for not personally wanting to do it but she didn't listen to them. So pretty pissed off at that and the fact repeatedly kicked the hamsters cage with her feet while she was talking, poor wee beast think he deserves a peanut for his rude awakening.

Just coming in to let everyone know that I have a horrible cold! So frustrating to be back resting after feeling better for a while. I’m sneezing so much it’s triggering my nausea a bit and my mouth is constantly dry as I can’t breathe through my nose!

I'm back! Was last here in 2017 with the pregnancy that gave me DD1. Now it's time for round two. 7 weeks today, started cyclizine at 5 weeks but last night the vomiting began. Doctor has prescribed ondansetron but doesn't want me to use it until I need it. I'm not sure what that means to be honest. Anything to stop me getting to how I was last time.

Rose preventative meds are better than taking them when you need them. I was pregnant in 2017 too and wish I'd had the meds earlier on than when I got them. This time round the gp prescribed them earlier and it made a big difference.

HV got back to me after not showing up yesterday. There was major miscommunication between her and the student who are both seeing me so they big apologised profusely today. Am being referred for peri-natal depression help which feels like a relief.

Today has been pretty bad. MiL has been cooking pulled pork all day in the slow cooker for tonight and our guests and I've felt sick all day from the smell. Headache seems to be threatening again so I've taken myself off to bed, but I'm feeling hungry. Baby seems to have dropped a bit and I can't get comfortable.

And sister may have a kidney infection. She had to call an ambulance out for the amount of pain she's in. Hoping everything is ok with her.

Avacado, so you are done with work now? That’s a relief!

Twoshades I know exactly how you feel about the cold situation. I had a bad cold a couple of months ago and it took me right back to square one. The cold I had last week was mild but still made me feel worse again. It really is horrible. I am suffering with hay fever at the moment.
Sorry to see you back Rose. I’d definitely start taking your ondansetron now... don’t forget the laxatives!
Deaddoor, oh no, food triggers are the worst. You never get used to it. Hope it doesn’t linger around too long once it’s cooked. And I hope your sister is ok!

I’ve been getting really vivid dreams again lately. some of them I can’t actually remember if it happened in real life or a dream!

SickRose Welcome back. I remember you. There is some evidence that taking medication early does lessen the severity of the illness; something to do with a neurolgical pattern. Have you stocked up on kesostix, though I hope you don't get dehydrated enough to need fluids. As others say, laxatives are very necessary! Here is a list of the fluids and some foods that have been found helpful. Flat full sugar coke, ice lolllies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucoazade, fizzy orange, lemonade, Robinson's fruit drinks, Dr Pepper, orange squash, tonic water, Elderflower water, Elderflower coridal and tonic water (eallison's tipple), soda water, Iron Bru, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), orange juice (if not too acid) and 7Up. For foods of a sort, nibbles of chips and crisps, cheap ice cream, tinned fruit, slices of melon and mango, biscuits, baked potatoes, Scotch pancakes and cuppa soup.
Bili I hope some of the dreams are nice.
advocadoo I am so glad you have got a sick note. Will that take you up to your maternity leave? Your workplace have been just about as unhelpful as they could be. I am relieved you can relax now.
DeadDoorPost Sorry to hear you are suffering from pork as a food trigger and that your sister is ill. Wishing you both a lot better soon.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

advocadoo Forgot to say; that's right, 7Up. Thanks. I have added it.

Hi all. Sorry I've been quiet. Find it hard to keep up. Plus, the forum keeps eating my posts and as it takes so much effort to type, I kind of gave up.

Bad couple of days today but I'm not on any meds as I am scared of how it was last week. For Christ sake I nearly aborted my baby!

The weight loss has steadied now so that's good. I was averaging pound loss per day and it was too much. I am now dead on 12 stone and whilst I could do with losing a few more pounds to have a healthy BMI I'm not worrying about that!

Sorry for not individually responding.

@DeadDoorpost how's your sister now??

@Blii @LucindaE no idea, management are ignoring my existence and I have annual leave I want to get, but my sick line finishes the 7th and I'm meant to go on maternity leave the 14th but they ignored it and have me on shifts until the 20th so I'm confused about what the hell theyre playing at!
Found a dream job that I can do with a tiny human for more money so it's made me hopeful I'll never go back to that shitty company!

@Ribenaberriesgowoo82 how many weeks are you now?

Hi All
I feel obliged to message you and tell you all how amazing you are! I have had 2 hyperemesis pregnancies - dehydration’s on drips, placentas not forming, you name it - horrific horrific nausea which no one else except you guys will know - wanting to sleep all day because it’s your own rest from it, but not wanting to sleep because you know when you wake up you will have to adjust to it again and you will feel even worse. Their are days when you just want it to stop! I remember telling my gp and husband I didn’t want the baby at one point - I was so irrational and wanting it to stop (much planned for second baby) despite previous hyperemesis first time.

So my advice is to anyone
1.Seek help - get a second opinion, be it gp, consultant etc if the plan isn’t working. Get ondanseteon early.
2.Eat and drink whatever you feel like (I lived on cans of full fat coke for months) don’t listen to any hippy stuff and organic etc if all you can eat for a week Is ready salted crisps and Haribo - so be it.
3.Block / tell them to piss off anyone who makes you feel crazy or sly comments about ginger or going to get fresh air! You are not!!

1. Tell your friends about it even before your 12 weeks preggers (I mean it’s hard to hide it tbh - but I found that support better)

Anyways - you are all amazing - I can honestly say hyperemesis is tough and dark at time - you are strong, amazing, not crazy or making this up and you will get better even if it doesn’t feel like it at this moment xx

@avacadooo I am 8 and a half weeks.

Managed to eat the pork, once mil had sorted it out and drained excess juice etc. Even managed to eat 2 desserts but only just.
Sister is having blood tests done as something is definitely wrong but they don't 100% know yet. She's managed to pass something in her urine that shouldn't be possible (not a stone, they haven't said)

And I'm feeling dehydrated. Mouth is dry, lips are dry, mouth tastes awful but can't yet brush my teeth. I'm going on the bus in a minute to pick stuff up for my nan's birthday today so have that to also do. At least the 2 bus trips are spaced out this time. And I'll be able to eat something in town that I actually can keep down.

@DeadDoorpost oh goodness, the thought of going on a bus

Well, I obviously overdid it somehow... Been sick so stomach is now just as empty as before I had lunch. Sigh.
Also trying to keep fluids down otherwise I'm going to hospital. I'm fed up and just otherwise done.

Ribena good to hear from you and glad you are feeling better than last week atleast.

Avacadoo work sound like a complete bag of loonies leave them to it and if need be ask the dr for an extension to your aiclnote to take you upto mat leave.

Dead sorry to hear you’re still feeling unwell, have the meds been sorted yet? You’re right if no better go to the hospital, I always find after IV fluids I feel a lot better.

How is everyone else doing? The weather is beautiful just sad I can’t enjoy it. Wanting to have a shower but scared as dh at work and am scared of falling or fainting but I NEED one!!

Gmrs06 Thank you so much for your message of support to current sufferers. [flower]
Ribena Can you get alternate meds? I am sure if the GP heard how low you have been, and how you reacted badly to the previous ones, s/he will try and work out some which help. Are you taking an anti acid? That can help with vomting.
DeadDoorPost I do hope that you get fluids. It sounds as if you need them.
composed Never mind; a wash will do until tomorrow.
advocadoo I do hope you get that new job. Great advice from composed. Your employer sounds truly dreadful.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Sister is back in hospital. I may end up joining her today, but will need someone to watch DS if I do so. Just don't know who to talk to regarding the dehydration. 111? My midwife? The hospital itself?

Update:I'm heading in to hospital foe fluids hopefully. Midwife at the end of the phone was really sympathetic about the HG which was nice

Hi all. Again apologies for absence. I’ve been on mat leave for 3 weeks now and will have the twins next week. Have been back in hospital twice for fluids and really struggling. I just really hope DD can’t remember these weeks. Today I’ve spent the entire day crying on the bathroom floor and trying to do the odd bit of a sticker book with her. Nursery has closed down for 2 weeks due to an admin error resulting in their losing the Ofsted license temporarily so I can’t even rely on an upcoming nursery day. Babies in less than a week - I’m trying hard to focus on it but it’s so hard.

Oh no! Two people suffering particularly badly. I am so sorry, CalmerComber that you have had to go back in for fluids twice at this late stage. So much for my assumption that because other people expecting twins on here have got so much better, it's the norm. How unlucky that the nursery is temporarily closed; poor you.I am sure DD will forget all about it if she's under four, and even if she's a bit older, others on here report that it all becomes a distant memory to their LO's really quickly. Also, siblings are the best gift you can give any child. It is very hard to bear anyway, and still more so for those suffering throughout. Thinking of you.
DeadDoorPost Really sorry to hear that you are being admitted. I am so glad that the midwife was sympathetic.
This heat can hardly be helping anyone...