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.

Hi everyone, just checking in to say hi.

So, I was sure I would be feeling better at 14 weeks, as per my last pregnancy. However, I'm 17 weeks now and still bed bound for most of the day.

It's also hard without childcare or my parents' help at the moment but we're muddling through!

I just keep telling myself that every day that passes means I'm a day closer to feeling better. I'm also clinging onto a magic recovery at 20 weeks

Hope everyone else starts to feel better soon.

Hi everyone can I join in?
Currently 9 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child and suffering hg again 😩 My daughter is almost 7, it took a long time for me to consider going through the hell of hg again. We had planned on having help from family but now we're on our own & it's a struggle. My husband is a key worker doing night shifts & is having to come home do all the house work and look after our daughter. I can't get out of bed (except to dash to the bathroom). The past several days I've been vomiting non stop. Today so far has been a good day, I've only been sick twice (but come close a few more times). I just don't know what to do next, I've already had 3 telephone appointments with GP and been to out of hours. Had a metoclopramide injection from OOH and been given cyclizine & prochlorperazine by GP but it hasn't made any difference. Just feeling totally fed up 😔
Hope you all start feeling better soon 🤞

Hi ladies! Sorry to hear so many are struggling - it's even tougher with childcare options taken away because of coronavirus 😢

Sorry, I pressed post before finishing.

Xonvea hugely reduced my level of vomiting. I had to get my initial dose via a private obstetrician (who is amazing) & have been get repeats via NHS. GP reluctant to prescribe mainly due to cost, but as soon as I started taking the sickness reduced to maybe one or twice a day instead of x20! I'm 29 weeks and still on it. Still feel sick but no where near as bad. It's a wonder drug for me, pregnancy tested and totally safe. No nasty side effects at all.

Getting nervous about what the state of play at hospitals will be by the time I'm due. Anyone else? x

Niffler2019 Welcome. Sorry you are suffering. Do ask your doctor for Ondansetron. It costs more, but obviously it is in everyone's interest to keep people out of hospital at the moment, even if it's a brief trip to be hydrated. As you are a veteran, you know what drinks suit you and when you are becoming dehydrated, etc, but I attach my normal spiel in case it is of any use to you: -
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. Do get kesostix 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 online. An anti acid can make a surprising difference. Here 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.
kissingthebear I am so glad that Xonvea is sitll helping you. Hopefully, things will be long past the peak in 11 weeks, even on their way to returning to limited normality...
PippinStar Sorry things are taking longer this time. I 'm sure the general strain and lack of childcare means that many are not feeling better as soon as they might in normal circumstances. Poor old OH.

*Pippin

BeautyandtheBump Thinking of you strugging on .

Advice on when to take tablets please?

I have both cyclazine and ondansetron. Should I stagger them for best effect? Or take both together?

Had a very rough day, and wonder if I could be doing meds better?

@IAmSeriousAndDontCallMeShirley stagger them. Will help much more.

Hey ladies, hope you’re all doing well.
I’m 6 + 7 today and the sickness has not me hard for the past two days. Not been able to keep anything down and today I woke up so dizzy which must be from dehydration. I haven’t been to the doctor or been officially diagnosed with HG and I obviously want to avoid the hospital at all costs right now so just checking in here to follow all the great advice you’ve all shared. I will use my government approved trip out today to buy myself some goodies that I will hopefully be able to keep down and feel a bit better. I had a miscarriage last year and was prescribed cyclizine for the sickness, is this safe to take during pregnancy and has this helped you guys out? Thanks

CurlyT94 Welcome. While it makes sense to avoid hospitals if you can, even though they are making sure they keep pregnant women well away from the Coronavirus threat, if the dehydration does get much worse it might be best to go in for fluids. Signs of that are very scanty dark urine, dry skin and headache, and also feeing disoriented. I am concerned you may be quite dehydrated already. Do phone up the doctor's surgery for advice about that. Cyclizine has been used safely for severe sickness in pregnancy for more than four decades and you need not be concerned about taking it. Everyone on here is very supportive. I give my normal spiel below.
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. Do get kesostix 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 online. An anti acid can make a surprising difference. Here 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.
justtheone Fine advice as ever for IAmSeriousAndDon'tCallMeShirely. How are things?
I hope everyone is (just about) coping...

Hi everyone new to this thread hope someone can help, I'm 10 weeks on Saturday and I rang my GP today after constantly vomiting for 3 weeks I'd had enough. I was asked to go straight in to the GP practice with a urine sample to test for keystones? The GP said they were present and she wanted to admit me to hospital so she said go home pack a bag, I'll do your referral now and I'll call you back when it's time to go. So I did that, she rang me back and said the hospital didn't want me in due to corona which is understandable but now I'm worried if I needed to go in am I at risk now by being at home instead? The GP prescribed me some cyclizine (or something along those lines) will they help? What can i do for dehydration? Sorry loads of questions xx

teaandtantrums Welcome. It seems to me that if they can't admit you for fluids, I'm surprised they didn't suggest an anti emetic injection. Have you now got the Cyclizne tablets? Many find them very helpful and they are very safe. If they don't help, do ask for somehting else. Just a bit further down on the thread, there are recommendations for drinks many find helpful, for instance, ice cubes, ice lollies, sips of flat full sugar coke and the juice of tinned fruit. If you aren't feeling better or retaining fluids within a day, I would phone up the emegency number as it sounds as if you are already dehydrated and they must work out some action to take. I believe they can adminster fluids at home if necessary.

Thank you so much @LucindaE it really is great help. I was able to eat normally for lunch and dinner today after a very rocky morning. But unfortunately I’ve just thrown up again, I’ll see how I get on tomorrow and contact the GP if needed x

Thanks @Lucinda they have another GP calling me today to see how I am so I will be honest. Yes I took cyclizine last night at 6pm then fell asleep at 8pm until 7am I completely zonked is that normal lol? Xx

@lucindaE sorry mistyped you're username x

Hi everyone, I don't know if I'm looking for advice or reassurance but this is my second pregnancy (8 weeks) & of course suffering badly with HG again.
The problem is that I now have a toddler to cook for. I feel so guilty but he's living off oven food on the days my husband can't cook as I just can't handle any smells
Is anyone else in the same position?

@tabbycat985 honestly don't worry- for weeks 4-20 my toddler lived on picnic food, pasta pesto that my husband made the night before and she had cold or those Tilda kids rice packets which I could just about cope with microwaving and have veg in them which is a bonus. They will survive, just be kind to yourself. I couldn't stand the sound or smell of the oven so no one ate anything that required oven cooking 🤣

@LucindaE I'm ok, having a nausea resurgence which is crap but otherwise ok. How are you mother hen?

tabbycat985 Though I only had the one, many toddlers have less than ideal diets anyway due to narrow tastes, etc, and it doesn't seem to do them much harm. Convenience meals are much healthier than they used to be, and hopefully this worst stage will only be weeks for you.
justtheonethen has given fine reassurance. As you are a veteran, I expect you better than me all about the usefulness of getting meds early to stop it getting too bad and the signs of dehydration to watch out for, but just in case I quote my usual spiel below.
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. Do get kesostix 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 online. An anti acid can make a surprising difference. Here 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.
teaandtantrums Cyclizine does make people very sleepy at first. I hope your GP was helpful today? Have the meds helped?
Thinking of everyone. What an iron about the weather, at Easter weekend it's usually awful...

justtheonethen It is nice of you to ask. Mother Hen surely should be more worried about bird flu? Awful joke...Sorry to hear of the third tri resurgance. People will tell their grandchildren tales about this time...

justtheonethen ...I thought that looked funny! 'resurgence', I mean...

Hi tabbycat985, I really wouldn't beat yourself up about your toddlers diet. With hg you're doing an amazing job just getting out of bed, looking after them & feeding them. Besides it's hopefully only temporary. That's what I'm telling myself. I normally love cooking from scratch but I haven't got any energy at the moment and the smell of most foods makes me heave so it's been a few weeks of chicken nuggets, fish fingers and pizza here too. About the only thing I want to eat at the moment is chips and crisps!
I feel terrible that I have absolutely no energy to play with my daughter, she's more or less been left to entertain herself or watch TV whilst I lie around sleeping or trying not to be sick. My house is a tip. Keep seeing lovely photos of families doing fun activities with their kids & homeschooling on social media and feel like a terrible mother 😔. Hoping things improve for everyone soon

Niffler2019 What you say is so sensible. A lot of toddlers eat a less than ideal diet anyway, due to food fads. It is probably fine for small children to learn to entertain themselves. Years ago, mothers had no chance to play with them as housework took up so much time and I don't think it distressed them.A sibling is the most precious gift you can give your LO's.
Thinking of you all.

Morning all. I wasnt sure if it was HG this time round as I was having days where I felt largely ok. But at 7+3 I am really struggling. I'm not being sick everyday but I am dry heaving 10+ times a day.

The nausea is horrendous. I am on promethezine and metroclopromide but not helping. When I was pregnant in 2017 I suffered with severe constipation with ondansatron which hospitalised me so my GP is reluctant to give it right now.

I am at the stage where moving is making me feel worse. I am up early with DS today to give DH a lie in as he is doing it all at the moment. He has just spilt his breakfast all over the floor and I am on my hands and knees crying as it is making me feel 100 times worse.

I just want to go back go bed and not move. Feeling very demoralised that I have another 33 weeks to go...

I had it the entire pregnancy last time, and unusually the 2nd trimester was the absolute worst for me.

Morning ladies, what can I say apart from I am EXHAUSTED!

It's been such a tough week, hubs has finally overcome his corona/flu symptoms and has been locked in the bedroom 7 days so he can exit today. Thank goodness.

I spent the entire week vomiting a horrendous amount, I definitely should have been in the hospital by Wednesday but because hubby had been showing symptoms I know I wouldn't be allowed on the ward either and didnt want to put anyone else at risk incase I was carrying them too. So I fought hard and finally kept my first meal down on Friday since Monday. I also came down with a cold which is still lingering. And I am still soooo weak, I have zero energy. Like I have literally not felt this weak in a long long time.

I went to bed at 6pm on Thursday because I couldnt stand being awake for any longer. My body has started hurting now too (I'm 33+1) and my back is killing me, my hips hurt when I lay down that I have to turn over every 5 seconds and I got kindly woken with my first experience of braxton hicks at 3am.

6 weeks & 6 days to go. I can do this 😫😫