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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Hyperemesis Support

996 replies

LucindaE · 23/07/2019 15:09

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.

Hyperemesis Support
Hyperemesis Support
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RK2019 · 05/12/2019 20:56

@Melleebacca thanks for the advice and sorry to hear what you've been through and are going through, that sounds terrible.
@LucindaE thanks for your advice, I will speak to the midwife on Saturday re medication and an antacid and also try the foods and drinks you suggested.

LucindaE · 06/12/2019 19:13

Melleebacca That is awful aboiut the doctor giving such miserably short sick notes. Years back, it used to be difficult to change your doctor. I hope it wasn't for you.
RK2019 I do hope that the advice helps.
I hope everyone is coping today.

OP posts:
LucindaE · 06/12/2019 19:15

Melleebacca That you do find it hard to keep going makes the invaluable advice the better. Here's some Flowers and a Star from me.

OP posts:
Whatnext11 · 06/12/2019 21:19

A three day sick note would have driven me mad!
Not a great day today but seem to have recovered better than I was doing previously.
RK2019 hope the midwife is helpful tomorrow. Maybe ask about the risks with cyclizine as I'm sure I wouldn't have taken them if they had said it was risky. Though I was pretty ill so do check for yourself.
Happy for you to add my due date to the list, 28th May.

Melleebacca · 07/12/2019 17:54

@LucindaE awww! Thanks Lucinda!

@Whatnext11 it did drive me mad! My next doctor gave me 6wk sick notes, and she’s the one I’m seeing this time around too. Your due date is the day after my birthday, so a great time to be born!

Coming down with a cold here, which is so much worse with HG. Spent half the night lying awake trying not to cough because I didn’t want to accidentally vomit at the same time! Staying mostly positive, but that’s getting harder by the day.

Hope everyone else is coping ok! Flowers

LucindaE · 07/12/2019 18:05

Meleebacca I am glad you liked them. Smile I am sorry to hear of the cold. I am hoping you get a good day soon - or a not so bad one.
Whatsup11 I have added your date. A lovely time to be born indeed.
RK2019 I am no expert on this, but I do know that Cyclizine has been used for severe sickness in pregnancy since the 1980's, and is regarded as one of the safest anti emetics to use in pregnancy, though I believe it is contraindicated in cases of Epilepsy, Glaucoma, liver disease and some other conditions.

Due Dates
ClareDB 25 December
HermioneKipper 27 December TWINS!
putputput 9 January
Ribenaberriesgowoo82 28 January
Marshmallow 1992 29 January
MumbleLumble 19 February
Katela18 22 February
Bray23 23 February
Twistsandcurls 3 March
Dinosauraddict 10 March
yellow25 17 March
Bol87 18 March
Sprite25 29 March
Catconfusion 15 April
RaynorEsme2019 19 April
Moonstone12 1 May
Pastnowfuture 7 May
MrsH497 18 May
Whatsnext11 28 May
Melleebacca 3 July
Ummasomebody 20 July TWINS!

OP posts:
LucindaE · 07/12/2019 18:06

Whatsnext11 Sorry - I called you 'Whatsup'. You are not a social media site. Wink

OP posts:
Nic165 · 07/12/2019 18:11

Evening all. Hope everyone is hanging in there. Just looking a bit of advice really - I've been off work for 3 weeks now (1st week was self cert and last 2 signed off by Dr) after a stint in hospital with dehydration. Now, I'm not physically vomiting anymore but I have intense all-day nausea which is completely debilitating. I'm due to go back to work Monday, and they agreed to let me work from home. But honestly I don't know if I can even hack that right now, I have zero energy and focus. Work have been so supportive and I'm wondering should I try to go back on Monday even when I'm still not completely recovered? Or would it be bad if I spoke to Dr and was signed off for another week? I just don't know what to do and don't want to keep letting work down either

Melleebacca · 07/12/2019 18:30

@Nic165 get signed off for another week (at least). If you not feeling like you could do it, going back too soon is going to put too much strain on you and potentially increase the sickness again. I’m happy to hear you’re not vomitting, but my rule is that for every day you were vomitting, you need a day to recover. So 6weeks vomitting equals another 6weeks of recovering. It’s the same with getting a stomach bug right? You get a 24hr bug and you need at least another 24hrs to feel more normal.

GinnyOz · 07/12/2019 19:02

Hi all
I've just found out I'm pregnant with my 3rd.
I had horrible HG with my first daughter, vomiting up to 30 times a day, lost 7 kilos, wasn't hospitlised but got 2 UTIs from not being able to drink. I was sick until week 18.
2nd pregnancy, my son, I was sick but vomited less, still lost 5 kilos because I just couldn't eat, finally got Ondansetron at week 14, but was sick until 24 weeks.
Has anyone not gotten HG for subsequent pregnancies? I'm 6 weeks tomorrow and just waiting...
Hoping for se good stories.
Xx Ginny

GinnyOz · 07/12/2019 19:06

@nic165 I found I was less sick with the distraction of work. I wouldn't vomit at work, and as soon as I walked through the door home I would vomit all night, all morning, all weekend. I actually looked forward to work.
What helped was being able to run out and grab food that I felt I could stomach, or having it on hand. Mostly apples and carrot sticks and sometimes salty crackers.
My advice would be go in one or two days and see how you go. But if you are vomiting at work and can't do it, don't push yourself.
Good luck and hang in there.

GinnyOz · 07/12/2019 19:15

@Pastnowfuture
Maybe this is too late, but I was started on meclozine which did nothing, then metoclopramide which also did nothing, and at 14 weeks got ondansetron, which was like magic. My HG subsided at 24 weeks, so there is still hope.
Good luck!

Nic165 · 07/12/2019 20:47

@meleebacca @ginnyoz thank you for your advice. I think I am worried about going back sooner than I really am able and getting worse again. Probably counterproductive in the long run. Just makes me feel so guilty sometimes ringing into work and telling them I'll be off yet again. Though, I do recall someone saying that you probably wouldn't feel as guilty if you weren't pregnant and feeling this ill. Will see how tomorrow goes and take it from there. Nearly 14 weeks and thought I'd be well over this by now :(

Pastnowfuture · 08/12/2019 10:59

@GinnyOz Thank you. I have my fingers crossed!

@Nic165 I think everyone is right and you probably need at least another week off. I'm not sure if you know but your dr can give you a fit/sick note to go back part time. I had 2 months off then got a note for 4 weeks at 2 days per week. My HR dept told me about this and said whatever dr wrote they must comply with. I actually spread my 2 days across the week so working about 3hrs a day. The drs note runs out soon so I will be getting another for 3 or 4 days per week.

This gradual process of going back has really helped me. Before HG I had never been off sick for more than a couple of days with a bug. I spent ages thinking I had to be 'off' or 'working full time' without knowing a middle ground was possible.

LucindaE · 08/12/2019 13:39

Welcome to Nic165 You have had great advice already,and I can only add my normal spiel really. As Pastnowfuture says, a staggered return is the best idea after a bit more time off. Don't rush back only to have to go off again. I am not sure what meds that you are on, but I am glad that they have stopped the vomiting at least. Here is the normal spiel.
Don't despair,most people get relief between weeks 14 and 21. Even the unlucky minority who suffer throughout almost never feel as ill later on as they do in the early weeks. I have put some generic advice below for both in case it helps.
A good anti-acid can make a big difference. Try not to fret too much about the baby, they are effective parasites and tend to take all the nourishment, which is one of the reasons you feel so bad. So long as you can keep reasonably hydrated, they are unlikely to suffer. Some drinks and foods of a sort that have helped others: flat full sugar coke, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, fizzy water, Elderflower water, Robinson's fruit drinks, fizzy orange, lemonade, Dr Pepper, Elderflower coridal and tonic water (eallison's tipple), 7Up, Iron Bru, soda water, ice cubes, chocolate milkshakes (maybe soya), cocoanut milk, orange squash and sips of orange juice if not too acid. Some foods of a sort: nibbles of chips and crisps, baked potatoes, cuppa soup, cheap ice cream, tinned fruit, slices of melon and mango, Scotch pancakes and biscuits. It might be worth investing in some kesostix if you don't have them already as while they are not the best test of dehydration, hospitals do take them seriously. Otherwise, watch out for inelestic skin, ie skin that doesn't spring back when pulled, dark urine, headache, etc.
GinnyOz You are very brave. Melleebacca is another veteran going for it for the third time. Some people who have suffered before do find they don't get it so badly or that if it is as bad, they understand about the need for early medication, the need not to try and battle on etc that helps. Carrots and apple is very healthy; so many sufferers find that they can't eat much vegetables - some swear by melon and some by mango for fruit and tinned fruit is a favourite. I am sure you are going to ask for Ondansetron again, and the sooner you get meds the better as there seems to be a connection between how ill you become and a pyysiological mechanism in the brain set off by repeated vomiting.

Melleebacca A good rule, that.
Pastnowfuture That is so true about easing into working again.

OP posts:
Melleebacca · 08/12/2019 16:57

@GinnyOz Not a source of hope here as I’m on my 3rd HG pregnancy. First was bad, 4 x IVs in the first few weeks before the ondansetron kicked in. Second, I got ondansetron ASAP and was only physically ill ever night from 6wks-16wks. This time around nausea kicked in at 3wks, vomitting started at 7wks, but I’ve been vomitting a lot more than with number 2 (up to 4 events a day). Only 10wks now, so have a long way to go.
Best idea is to get ondansetron as soon as. Start taking it and build up its effectiveness, it can help delay the sickness. And hope every day that this time around won’t be so bad.

@Pastnowfuture Exactly! I love your return to work plan, it’s the best way to ease into it again. And if it was any other sickness you can guarantee you wouldn’t have as much guilt. It’s because you made the decision to have a child, and it came with this horrendous side effect, so it feels like you’re choosing to be sick. It was part of the reason why I refuse to return to work until our family is complete. I couldn’t deal with the guilt of being off sick with something that I chose to have. The mum guilt of not being able to look after my kids is bad enough!

@Nic165 I think that’s a great choice. Especially if you have a supportive doctor who will sign you off.

Melleebacca · 08/12/2019 16:59

Sorry! Mixed up @Nic165 and @Pastnowfuture a bit there. Got a horrendous headache today, and a nasty cold. Two sick kids on top of that, so just trying to survive every minute.

GinnyOz · 08/12/2019 17:34

Thanks @melleebacca and @lucindaE... I guess it was too much to expect a miracle. Unfortunately in the Netherlands they're really stingy with medication, and I have to start with GP prescribed medication. Only when those are proven not to work will the midwife and my GP refer me to a gynecologist for ondansetron ... I'm bracing myself for the worst so I guess whatever happens I'll be prepared.
So glad I can at least come here to vent, don't know anyone else who's had it so this helps a lot.

Whatnext11 · 08/12/2019 19:56

Nic165 I also went back part time but I'd ask for another sick note. You can always go in part way through your sick note if you feel up to it but no pressure that way.
LucindaE I've been called worse I'm sure!! No problem!
Melleebacca, thanks, everyone says May is a good time to be born Smile

Whatnext11 · 08/12/2019 19:59

Rk2019 hope your midwife was helpful.
GinnyOz that sounds frustrating, especially as you've had it before and know what works. Hope you don't have it as bad - or at all this time round. That would be amazing!

HairsprayBabe · 08/12/2019 20:17

Hi

I haven't been officially diagnosed but I am really worried that what I have is beyond normal

I am 7wks today and I have spent the last two weeks either in bed or in my bathroom. I feel sick all the time I am phisically sick at least three times a day sometimes up to 5 and I am dry heaving countless times, whenever I move.
My GP put me on Cyclizine on Monday and I am still being sick. I had a shower today for the first time in a fortnight and I threw up so violently I gave myself a nosebleed. I am constantly producing gallons of spit and drooling everywhere.

I haven't eaten a proper meal in two weeks I am surviving on tiptops (icelolly things) soft mints and salt and vinegar hula hoops. I called 111 and they were useless I don't have a midwife yet as my booking appointment is on the 18th.

I feel like this baby is draining the life out of me. Is this just normal neither me or my husband know what to do.

Whatnext11 · 08/12/2019 20:36

It does sound like hyperemesis. You sound like you are having a rough time. It sounds worth booking in with your GP again to explore some different medication?
Are you managing to keep fluids down? That's the main concern for the doctors.

HairsprayBabe · 08/12/2019 20:43

Everything just comes back up I am weeing once in the morning and that's basically it I have to fight to keep my folic acid down and I feel really dizzy fainty when I am stood up.

I can take tiny sips but anything else comes straight back up. I probably manage to get through a pint glass a day in tiny sips.

GinnyOz · 08/12/2019 20:49

@hairspraybabe this is definitely not normal. Sounds to me like textbook HG. Care providers are unfortunately not very turned into, and will often prescribe drugs for a normal level of nausea. You should definitely go back to your GP and tell them the medication isn't working. You do not have to suffer like this.

Whatnext11 · 08/12/2019 21:12

Hairspray babe that sounds no fun at all. I'd keep sipping on the water like you are doing, but that doesn't sound like enough fluids. I'd recommend getting a keytones kit, that helps me to know when I need more urgent help as I then know how dehydrated I am. Available on Amazon. Bit definitely sounds like cyclizine isn't working for you - maybe you are throwing it back up. Don't despair, there are lots of other options and if you can't keep tablets down, medication through an IV is amazing.