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.

@Serendipper totally possible for it to be HG with that level of nausea. You need to go to GP and get some meds. Sorry you are having such a hard time

Whether or not it's HG is less important than the fact that's it's debilitating and preventing you from functioning normally. Feeling overwhelmed, pessimistic and scared are side effects of constant, unrelenting nausea. Being unable to do everything you could do before (including work, shopping, dishes, childcare) is normal with severe sickness. Please seek help and be up front about what you're going through - medication is available and your employer should make accommodations for you. There is no magic cure and everyone with HG continues to suffer but once the initial anxiety passes and you find a routine you can survive with it will be less overwhelming (just plain old miserable). Good luck!

So sorry for you. The only advice I have regarding staying out of hospital is finding a way to defeat the cycle and get some calories and fluids in. If my blood sugar crashes I find it impossible to eat and it sets me back. Ice lollies, ice cream and iced soda might help. If you find a time of day and a drink or food that works just stick to that! That being said... If you absolutely can't take anything in hospital is the best place for you and don't hesitate to go in. Just don't sit near the coffee machine in the waiting room

Hi everyone...can I please join? This seems like such an amazingly supportive group.

I'm 8+3 with due date of Sept 20th.

From around 5 weeks I've had constant nausea which doesn't let up at all. I had been sick occasional days just the once but last week on Thursday I had the day from hell. Was constantly throwing up and not keeping any food or water down. By evening time I started suffering with really severe heart palpitations. I called 111 and they advised me to get to the hospital ASAP, where they took bloods and did a urine test, then hooked me up to fluids and gave me some anti-sickness. They came back and said both tests were clear but I had severe dehydration. They sent me away with some meds (Metoclopramide Hydrochloride) and since then I had been not too bad. I hadn't been sick but still had the nausea and had only needed 1 tablet a day.....until yesterday.

Woke up around 5am with the need to stick my head in the bowl, but took a tablet to see if it went away.. by 6am I had been sick twice. Didn't end up going into work as I didn't have the strength and hadn't slept well as it was. Was sick a further couple of times and again hadn't been able to keep anything down all day. Barely slept again last night, and woke up feeling the exact same this morning, however I haven't been physically sick today.

Sorry for the sob story but if nowhere else I thought maybe this the place to do it?

Partner freaked out when I told him about pregnancy (totally unexpected - he thought he couldn't conceive) and so things have been pretty messy in that sense too, and feel like I'm lacking in the support from the person I need it from most. Have moved back in with family to reduce the stress, but feel so unsettled.

Bit of a pity party over here but feel like I need some kind words x

@ConstantlyPanicking sorry to hear about how rubbish you're feeling - it's so hard. The earliest weeks are by far the worst and it just feels like it's impossible to get through the day but you will survive this and things will get better!

There's lots of really great helpful tips on here about what to try and eat and drink but I truly appreciate food is the last thing you want to think about but it's that necessary evil.

Things will get better. Don't feel guilty about being looked after and just getting signed off work - all that stress will just make things worse.

I'd really try pushing for different medication and please do contact Pregnancy Sickness Support for a peer supporter - you can access help via a web chat if you don't have the energy to pick up the phone. Sending love and hugs 💖

@Dotty356 hello lovely, good news you might have found someone who can prescribe Xonvea - YAY!!! I started taking mine when I was 12-14 weeks but it's perfectly safe. Don't fret. I wish i had access sooner. I started with buccastem (?!) the one that dissolves under your lip/gum - nasty taste! They also have me cyclzine but I never took it after reading some of the side effects xx

Sorry @Serendipper I totally missed you. The relentless nausea is just awful - it's just as bad as throwing up. It's like carrying this huge weight around with you always when it doesn't let up. I honestly used to tell hubby I felt sick about 2,689 times a day!!! Now I maybe tell him 20 times I day I feel sick. It does get better but it's hard and we're all in this together so feel free to moan away.

I've been feeling marginally better these past few days, still permanently nauseated but defo trying to keep myself destructed as much as I can. Managed to get out of bed since the weekend every day which is progress and am attempting to go to work for a few hours tomorrow - wish me luck!!! Feel green just thinking about it x

Hello everyone,

@Serendipper sounds likes HG to me. The nausea is constant and no relief from vomiting. I feel for you. I’m at the same stage as you and the sense of panic of how long is left is crippling me. I have cried a lot today.

@Orcasmom your post just gave me some hope... I’m very much at the over whelming stage and I really hope to get to a managing stage. I don’t think the anxiety of how much worse it can get helps at all.

@kissingthebear just waiting for the prescription to be ordered and then praying it works to some degree. I could handle being sick a couple of times. But this constant nausea and god awful taste in my mouth is the worst. The only solution I can think of to remove the taste is to remove my own taste buds. It’s getting that desperate now. I just hope I can come to terms with it.
Been signed off work as well, feel bad about it but at the same time I don’t have to worry about trying to get in car in the morning.

How is everyone doing? Xx

I so get that feeling about that horrible taste, it reduced me to tears multiple times a day. Did you see my earlier post about some tiny little powdery sweets I found in M&S?

I've pasted below again- they do give me respite throughout the day. I hope if you can find them, they might help. It is so so hideous.

I've discovered this little red tin of sweets in M&S - they sell them at the till point. They've got powdery fruit flavoured sweets in (sugar free). They take the bad taste away for a while when it gets really bad. I have a ton a day!! They must have noticed a spike in sales in my area. I buy about x20 everytime I see them 😂

I'm currently snacking on some monster munch because I am siiiiiiick of my mouth watering constantly today. I need guttering 😂

I was only sick 3 times yesterday and my nausea was actually bearable at some parts of the day - I of course celebrated this milestone to hubby this morning, and I think the HG demon heard me because I've already vomited 4 times just from having scrambled egg for breakfast. And I very randomly have diarrhoea, so this is going to be a fun day trying to stay hydrated!

@BeautyAndTheBump1 the watering mouth OMG, I have the same right now!!! It's just gross. I can't bear it. I'm so hungry but I literally don't fancy eating anything.

I popped to see dentist earlier

If it's helpful for anyone he said to rinse your mouth out with water after being sick and TRY to swirl some fluoride mouthwash around to help protect your teeth. Don't brush them straight after throwing up xx

Hi - I’m 11 weeks and I feel like I’m dying.

Constant nausea and vomiting stomach acid.

I was on metoclopramide for 3 weeks and still sick, changed to cyclizine 3 days ago and I’ve been worse than ever.

This is my 3rd pregnancy. 1st was 18 years ago, HG and they wouldn’t give me anything. I lost 4 stone.

My last pregnancy, cyclizine helped but this is unbearable.

Oh and @kissingthebear when I went to see a new
Dentist last year they asked if I’d ever suffered from bulimia as my teeth were in such a bad way at the back

@kissingthebear thanks for the tip! I really need to go to the dentist, I had a filling break on me (probably from all the acid) but I keep having visions of me laid there and projectile vomiting in his face 😂

@connie222 bless you. Go back to your drs and request ondansetron ASAP, is it pretty much the holy grail for hyperemesis, its the only thing that touched the edges with me

Hello, Mother Hen has flapped back from looking after daughter (chick?). Welcome to all the new people: Serendipper ConstantlyPanicking and Connie222. You have had great advice.
kissingthebear You have done a wonderful job, particluarly when suffering from a relapse. Thank you so much. Might the relapse be due to the dreaded round 20 week hormonal surge? justtheonethen has given great advice. Brilliant advice to from Oscarsmum - whom I think is one of my old friends and a veteran who has changed her name, and stupidly I can't remember which!

Great advice from others, too. You are all so lovely and supportive of each other.
BeautyandtheBump A few good days are a wonderful promise of a coming turnaround. I had to smile at the thought of an 'Hyperemesis Demon' though.
justtheonethen Great you are a peer supporter and great that people on here use that support.
ConstantlyPanicking I've added your date to the list.
Connie222 Goodness, losing four stone back then was dreadful!

Due Dates
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
pastnowfuture27 April
Moonstone12 1 May
Pastnowfuture 7 May
MrsH497 18 May
BeautyandtheBump 30 May
Pasqual 4 June
StayClosePooky 20 June
kisisngthegbear 23 June
justtheonethen 18 July
Ummasomebody 20 July TWINS!
areallthenamestaken 24 July
boulevardofbrokendreams 2 August
sickandtiredofsick 29 August
ConstantlyPanicking 20th September

Hi @Connie222 - you poor thing! Sounds awful. Oh your poor teeth, thought it was quite helpful tip. He said it should suffice for days you absolutely cannot bear to have a toothbrush bear your tongue/throat.

Sorry that you're not having success with meds. Pregnancy Sickness Support is a great place to look for info and advice. It could be worth getting a peer supporter (all free of charge) via them.

@BeautyAndTheBump1 - I was really worried I'd start retching at the dentist, but he was so sympathetic and very quick and gentle so maybe you could try? He said ideally when you're pregnant get to see the hygienist every 3 months 😜 I said I'll try manage before I have the baby but it might have to be a light touch appointment as I can't manage for too long in the chair 🤢

Hi all, long time lurker on this thread but haven't posted since the early darkest days. DD2 arrived in a hurry 4 weeks early on Monday and I am loving not being pregnant! I just wanted to say thank you to all of you here, you got me through the most difficult months of my life knowing I was not alone in this dreadful illness. I am most definitely done with pregnancy after two lots of HG, but I can honestly say looking at my gorgeous baby girl that every vomit was absolutely worth it for this. Hang in there ladies, you've got this.

I called my dr and he’s writing me a prescription for Ondansetron now (private gp so didn’t have to argue).
So will start this eve when I pick it up.

I hope to god it works I haven’t held down water for two days now.

Hi all,

I’ve been to the drs and they have prescribed me cyclizine, however Dr was a bit reluctant and made a big point of saying “this comes with risks to the baby” how do you all come to terms with this in your heads as I haven’t managed to take any yet without thinking of it

@PeachesandPie hurrah!

@Serendipper cyclizine comes with no risk to the baby so your gp is talking shit. Ondansetron and steroids come with some possible tiny increase in risk at some stages of pregnancy. I have to take them else I can't have the baby so a potential tiny risk is better than a termination. The risks of malnutrition and dehydration are well known and not tiny though so it's an easy decision for me every if I thought I wouldn't terminate without proper medication.

@Connie222 fab, I hope it helps, it really is a good one. It might need to be combined with some others though so don't despair if it isn't instant relief.

@justtheonethen I’ve 95 cyclizine left, so will combine as it’s a common combination. Although I’ve been worse than ever on those.

@Serendipper drugs can’t be tested on pregnant women. But the evidence over the years proves that there are few
Children with side effects and even then, so many variables can go wrong that you couldn’t pin point one thing.

I justify it because I’ve been contemplating termination or suicide.

@Connie222 good idea. I find adding metoclopromide to that cocktail helps as it empties the stomach quickly.

Congrats @PeachesandPie great news. Glad to hear you are both doing well!

@LucindaE it might be the 21 week surge making me feel so bad, I've been in tears today. Just hasn't let up today & have really struggled to get out of bed and try to attempt anything remotely normal. Praying for respite soon.

@PeachesandPie so nice to hear a happy ending, huge congrats & yay to not feeling poorly 😊

@Connie222 yay to meds! truly hope you get a break from it soon, it makes you feel so desperate, down and lonely this horrible illness! Hope you feel a bit brighter tomorrow.

@Serendipper echo what everyone else says, you're fine to medicate during pregnancy & only some meds carry a teeny tiny increased risk but it's so marginal it's barely worth thinking about. Xonvea is a medication tried and tested on pregnant women and totally safe but you're GP sounds like they're trying to scaremonger you!! In my first HG pregnancy mine did the same and I was petrified to take anything. I ended up being rushed off in an ambulance at 20 weeks because I was so severely dehydrated!! x

kissingthebear Goodness, I didn't see that you were threatning to return to work 'for a few hours'. Mother Hen would have flapped her wings and said it is too early. People try and rush b ack too soon after suffering from this; it takes a while to build up strength again after half starving for a good while. Did you go in?
justtheone I so agree with what you say about that doctor's dire warnings about Cyclizine to Serendipper. That is absurd, when it has been used since the 1980's at least as an anti emetic in pregnancy and no studies have shown a statistically significant increase in birth defects - unless he had heard of a brand new study that reversed the conclusions of every one of those!
Connie222 I am so glad that you have got a prescription for Ondansetron but it is all wrong that sufferers have to go private to get one, when it's so expensive.
PeachesandPie Wonderful news. Thank you so much for your lovely supportive message. Enjoy baby and your complete family. I am happy that this thread helped you.
Waves to PippinStar and everyone. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.