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.

Welcome to BBLibra and Maz91. *BBLibra I am glad the suggestions on this thread have helped. While Hyperemesis typically lasts longer than ordinary pregnancy sickness, it does get a lot better for most people. If Stemetil only works part of the time, do ask for a different medication - there are various safe ones they can try.
Maz91 Welcome. You are round the worst bit for many, coming up to the ten week mark. Do ask for meds. Are you in a country where they are prepared to prescribe meds? I know they can be very reluctant say in the Netherlands, from experience on this thread. Here is my normal spiel below which I hope might help. Things do get a lot better for most people at some point between weeks 15-21. Even the unlucky minroity who suffer throughout almost never feel as bad as in the first tri. Have you got kesostix (or whatever they are called where you are) to check for the early stages of dehydration as even though they are not the best test of it, hospitals do take the presence of ketones seriously? You can get them from a chemists. An anti acid can make a surprising difference. ere are some drinks that have helped others. Full sugar flat coke, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Elderflower water, tonic water and Elderflower cordial (eallison's tipple), Lucozade, soda water, lemonade, fizzy orange, orange squash, Iron Bru, orange juice if not too acid, ice cubes, Dr Pepper, Chocolate milkshakes (maybe soya), 7Up, isotonic drinks frozen into cubes, flat full sugar coke frozen into cubes and fizzy water. Some foods of a sort: nibbles of crisps and chips, tinned fruit, slices of melon and mango, baked potato, toasted bagel with butter, grated cheese, cheese puffs, Scotch pancakes, cuppa soup, biscuits and cheap ice cream.
PippinStar Thank you for your kind words and the are much appreciated. Here are some in return. I am very happy to hear that things have got so much better for you.
kissngthebear I hope you are having a better day today.
justtheonethen How are things today?
I still don't know who that was with the horrinble tooth infection and skin problems to make things feel worse.
Waves to minibear BeautyandtheBump sickandtiredofsick and everyone.

The wild weather continues. I hope everyone is not suffering too much.

It is wild isn't it @lucindaE? At least I'm not missing out on any glorious sunny days while I'm cooped up in bed (silver linings and all that).

Suffering terribly today, possibly my worst day yet, as I approach 10 weeks. I can barely move or I'll be sick. So thirsty but can't drink much. Every day is a day closer to the end though! And I'm looking forward to my 12-week scan so everything is more 'real'.

PippinStar Sorry to hear you are bed bound. Ten weeks being often the worst bit for sufferers, what with the hormonal surge, I hope this relapse is short lived. Yes, you at least have the comfort that you are missing very little.

Hello everyone,

Sorry been a bit quiet, had a trip to hospital and now I’m bed bound. Husband keeps trying to get me to move to the sofa but I just can’t bare the movement. I’m not sure whether I should be trying to get up and about or if I’m ok just to lie here wishing the time away. It’s really hard.
I honestly think it’s so cruel that the less you can eat the more sick you are. I’m struggling to get even a dry cracker past my mouth now.
Hope everyone else is at least doing a little better than me right now.
X

Sorry to hear that @Dotty356. I find I do better with little to no movement, although that can be quite depressing too. Audio books got me through my last HG pregnancy as I spent 95% of my time in bed.

The food thing is hard, I find I am so sick all day but I nibble on crackers and cold (and therefore less odorous) toast. But in the evening I get about 2 hours where I start to feel proper hunger and I can manage some plain pasta or mashed potato. Some days this pregnancy I can even manage vegetables but I couldn't deal with anything except bread / potatoes in my last pregnancy.

How far along are you?

@PippinStar audio books is a good idea. I find I’m just lying here thinking of being sick and nothing else can enter my head 😔.
I’m between 6-7 weeks. Started at 4 weeks. I have so long to go that I’m finding it really hard to see any positives at the moment.

I’m glad to hear you get some relief in the evenings. Evenings Tend to be my worse time, I have about an hour when I wake up where I think I might be ok and then I move and I’m straight in the toilet. That’s even with medication.
The worst is I can’t even stand the smell of my husband. It sounds so strange to say that. I’m just hoping he doesn’t take it personally. X

@Dotty356 I was the same - sent my husband to another bedroom for the first trimester of my last pregnancy ... I'm sure yours will understand if you do the same!

I know it's really hard in those early weeks but that's when it's at its worst. I'm just 10 weeks and it's at its peak now, but I really improved at 14 weeks last time and it was gone a couple of weeks later. So it doesn't last til 20 or 40 weeks for everyone. Just take it day by day, or even hour by hour.

Try the audio books and podcasts. Meditation music tracks on YouTube (6-hour long ones) also help me sleep during the day which passes the time.

@Dotty356 you poor thing!

I can’t stand the smell of my husband either. I made him take another shower earlier as he was making me feel ill. It didn’t help. Thankfully he’s very understanding!

Oh and @Dotty356 I feel like I’m just wishing the days away. I long to feel well again. 12 weeks now and August seems so far away.

Just thought I'd update :) finally home from the ME! Last 3 days I kept pretty much nothing down and by the time I landed back in london I felt like poo. Dizzy, tired and starving. Threw up all 3 flights and then in the car on the way home...we went straight to A&E where they put me on IV fluids and Cyclizine and I feel waaaay better! Just scared of when the IV Cyclizine will wear off. They've given me some oral ones to take at home. I really do hope this is the worst of it as I'm back to work this week and as I'm self employed, if I don't go to work, I don't get paid. The doc said there's always a chance this might happen again and I'll just need more fluids again. Thanks for your responses!

Hope everyone is coping okay! I seem to have been getting worse the last few days, I managed to get down to the majority of my days only being sick around 5 times a day, but the last few days it's been 10+ 😑 I hope I'm not going back downhill. Oh and I have developed a new party trick of going lightheaded when I'm sat down not even moving!

13+6 days to go until my due date!! Not as I'm counting or anything 🤷‍♀️

13+6 weeks not days. I wish I only had 13 days left!!!

Maz91 That sounds a dreadful journey. I am glad that you got IV and meds. Do keep us informed. If Cyclizine ceases to work there are other meds they can try. An anti acid can also really help.
BeautyandtheBump Ten individual vomiting sessions is a lot. Can you get other meds? It is difficult to stay hydrated with that. Doctors seem to count each heave as a vomit, so if you are reporting it to a doctor do emphaisize that is vomiting sessions. I am sorry you are having a relapse in the third tri. Is this diziness due to low blood pressure? A lot of sufferers get that.
PippinStar I'm sorry, earlier I misunderstood an earlier post and thought you were referring to an improvement in this pregnancy when you were referring to a previous one, and are at the worst stage at ten weeks. I hope things get better asap.
Dotty356 Welcome back. Sorry things are so bad. Which meds are you on? Can they add any? Like you Connie222 and others, I couldn't stand the scent of OH when I was suffering either. He smelt just like roast pork to me.
Connie22 It is very hard to bear. Hopefully you will see an improvement in the second tri.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Hi everyone hello to everyone new as well. Sorry you have to be here too

I’m having a dreadful time. My mental health is shot to pieces I tried to self refer to perinatal midwife got told no but I literally can’t cope I’m so sick. I can’t take anything that may cause drowsiness so I’m limited to ondansetron and it’s less effective by the day. I feel horrific and I’m spending most of my time crying or being sick.
I had my scan they loved my due date to the 26 aug from 29 so I suppose maybe I’ll have less time feeling sick I have to have a c section at 37-38 weeks anyway but the way I feel now at just 13+4 even that makes me feel better as I couldn’t go too long I just feel horrific
Nobody seems to recognise how this has ruined my mind such a wanted pregnancy and now I feel like I’m so depressed and can’t get out of it I’m very very low

@sickandtiredofsick I'm so sorry to hear how miserable you are. I'm right there with you, the last few days I haven't been able to get out of bed, I have felt like crying many times, and I'm getting sick a lot. Lying in bed is very depressing too, but if I don't rest, I feel even worse. Trying to listen to audio books and podcasts, but sometimes even those sounds make me sick. It's hard.

I'm just holding out hope that at 14/15 weeks this will get easier. Last time it happened me overnight. It may be the same for you. As LucindaE keeps saying, even if it doesn't go at that point, it seems to get a lot easier for most people.

Are you working? If you are, some time off might help you if that's at all possible. I don't really know what else to say, but just know that you are not alone in the misery

No not working thank goodness but have a toddler who will not give up breastfeeding and Dh works long hours so it’s just unbearable. We’ve managed to replace some feeds with a bottle but he’s v v angry if I refuse at other times but feeding makes me feel worse we co sleep too so I can’t have other medications

I hoping the 14/15 w Mark is a turning point too I’ll be 14 weeks wed I just wmat to feel a little better even if I didn’t feel normal I could live with just feeling better than I do now

Hi Everyone,

How is are you all holding up?

Just out of hospital, again, after another 48 hours on fluids. Thankfully treated much better this time than last!

They've upped all my medication, so hopefully I can start to regain a sense of normality now. I'm now on ondansetron, cyclizine, stemital and domperidone. Still signed off work!

They've also told me I need to take clexane injections every day from now until 6 weeks postpartum. I'm 26 weeks now, so quite a while to go. The midwife didnt really explain why I was on them and said that my consultant left instructions. I'm just wondering if anyone else has these?

Pasqual Welcome back. You were treated so outrageously last time, with those people using the ward as a cafe, that it was brave of you to bring yourself to go back in. I still hope you complain when you are over the birth (I believe you can complain in up to three years, or you used ot be able to). I have heard that adding what I think of - silly joke - as the 'champagne drug' helps some sufferers a lot. Did they give you an anti acid, too? I had never heard of Clexane before, but gather that it is an anti blood clotting drug. Perhaps they are using it to be extra safe? Did you have that problem before? I am sorry that things are still bad enough for you to have to have IV so late on; that is unlucky.
PippinStar and sickandtiredofsick I am keeping all my digits crossed for both of you that you soon get an improvement.
Storms still buffeting about here. Nobody is missing anything not going out into it, even if the snowdrops are up now!

@LucindaE thank you! no anti-acids, maybe I should ask about these if it doesnt get any better.
When is phoned my midwife today to ask for more information, she said that I've to take the clexane as I'm bed bound with the sickness, but this isnt the case at all, I have an 18 month old to be looking after too, so whilst I feel better staying in bed, I dont always have that option if DH is at work. She scheduled me an appointment to see the consultant on Thursday, so I can ask her then.
I took cyclizine throughout my 1st pregnancy, but was never admitted to hospital or anything and definitely didnt need blood thinners. So different this time around and it has totally put us off having any more babies.

Hi all, am now 12w 5d and ondansetron has been a wonder drug for me. No sickness or nausea since I started taking it two weeks ago. 8mg twice a day.

The constipation is hell on earth though. Lactulose and fybogel do nothing. I’ve max dosed movicol over the last two days and today had what can only be described as a nuclear clean out

It makes me tired though and I still can’t stomach the smell of anything. Still spending most days in bed. Even though the sickness has abated I still feel like death warmed up.

I’m sending so much love and best wishes to you all. I hope you feel better soon. It’s such a horrid feeling and I wish there was more we could do to help. I am 24 weeks now and feeling a lot better but felt horrible 9-16 weeks. I did buy an emeterm watch thing from amazon that was like the sea bands and zaps you in the acupressure point in your wrist. It did really help me so do recommend you try it. Sending best wishes x

Pasqual Good idea to ask for anti acids if necessary. Anyway, two is a nice number of children. Hopefully they will give reassurance about the blood thinner.
Connie222 I am so glad that you feel so much better on Ondansetron. The 'clear out' sounds spectactular!
JKD1982 That emeterm acupuncture thing sounds a good idea. I never heard of it before, and thank you for a tip which hopefully will help others. I am happy to hear that you are so much better at 24 weeks. Thank y ou for your encouraging message.

JKD1982 That acupressure implement sounds interesting, as below. I was greatly helped by acupunture, but I think I was very lucky in that I had a particularly skilled practitioner and just an infinistible distance in where the needle is inserted may make all the difference. It has helped others, but not as much as it did me. When I tried it for migraines - years later, and with another pracitioner, I was really disappointed as it didn't seem to do any good at all.

@Connie222 sorry to hear you're feeling so rough! I was on the same anti sickness med but like you, the constipation has been horrendous so my GP is prescribing me something else now...I've forgotten the name at the moment. She also recommended movicol so fingers crossed. I would do anything for a nuclear clean out right now! I feel like I'm so clogged up I can't eat anything. Also been in bed all day...i really hope this phase passes soon because i cannot cope like this at work.