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.

BeautyandtheBump It is probably the throat but worth reporting it just to make sure.
FilthyforFirth My mother didn't suffer, either; but I did get relief early.
Those who suffer from menstrual migraine, cystitis and other symptoms of an hormonal imblance often seem to get Hyperemesis, too. Some have a tendency to conceive easily and have early miscarriages. There have been a very few on here who came on expecting to get full blown symptoms but to their delight, had managable preganancy sickness instead; I remember MaryLou242 was one - but as you say, most sufferers seem to get it again, unfortunately. I think women who had it with twins often don't get it with second, singleton pregnancies.
Calliope87 Good luck for the GTI test. Not nice.
IAmSeriousAndDon'tCallMeShirley Sympathies about anxiety. A number will indeed soon be either striding or waddling over the ramparts of the fabled Pink Castle at the end of the Hyperemesis horror journey.
IGottaGetThroughThis I typed you a message and can't read it!
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

@LucindaE that is interesting what you say about cystitis and menstrual migraines, I do suffer from those as well as bad breast pain ahead of periods.

In other news, I had an early scan yesterday and I am further along than I thought- 11+1 and due date of 26th November. So that’s hopefully two days less of pregnancy! Can I see the link castle way out in the distance?!

Lucky you @snowwhite2020! My due date is also 26th, though my early scan yesterday put me back 2 days, waaaaah! Holding out hope my official dating scan puts me ahead and not behind. Everyday counts!

Every day counts @FilthyforFirth!

Snowwhite2020 Good news! You can indeed see the Pink Castle peeping through the clouds!
I've changed your date. As a fellow sufferer of migraines and cystitis, you have my sympathy.
FilthyforFirth I hope you keep to the original date with the dating scan. Sorry, I forgot to sympahtise about the colitis, how painful.
Due Dates
MrsH497 18 May
BeautyandtheBump 30 May
Pasqual 4 June
kissingthebear 8 Jjune
StayClosePooky 20 June
justtheonethen 18 July
Ummasomebody 20 July TWINS!
areallthenamestaken 24 July
boulevardofbrokendreams 2 August
Calliope87 20 August
sickandtiredofsick 29 August
Connie222 3 September
ConstantlyPanicking 17th September
Lemondrop99 6 November
Nifler2019 13 November
IAmSeriousAndDon'tCallMeShirely 22 Nov
FilthyforFirth 26 November
SnowWhite2020 26 November
GottaGetThroughThis 7 December

I hope everyone is surviving this Bank Holiday, initial heat, thunder storms and all.

I have probably had my best day today. I am not able to get up until lunchtime but I've had a shower, no nap, a bit of a play in the garden with my son and no vomitting! I am vom free since Monday. Ondansetron has made a huge difference for me this time round. I am escaping constipation so far as well.

I hope everyone else is having a good a time as I am. As you can with constant low level nausea!

@FilthyforFirth Glad to hear you’ve had a good today. And brilliant about being vomit free. Long may it continue for you.
How’s everybody else doing?
Had one of those days where I tried to do a little bit more than I have been doing and spent the remainder of the afternoon/night suffering. Reality check I think, my body just isn’t ready at the minute.
Glad to see that scans have been going well for people, counting down the days until mine on the 27th.

I did that all the time in my last pregnancy @IGottaGetThroughThis. It is hard not to over do it when you feel 'better'.

I tell you what though, god doesn't like a bragger. I have just had a massive vomitting session. The kind where you just can't stop. Feeling so miserable. Hoping I can get to sleep quickly...

What a shame @FilthyforFirth I have found that I am getting less warning these days when I’m going to vom it just comes out of nowhere... have a couple of days where I’m just feeling really ground down and fed up with the constant nausea and sickness. It’s so tough.

Oh, no, FilthyforFirth, Snowwhite2020 and IGottaGetThroughThis suffering all round.

Hi all

Feel so much sympathy for you and am really anxious. I got a bfp today at 10dpo. I previously was pregnant with twins and had the worst hyperemesis gravidarum..I was also in an abusive relationship so it was such a traumatic time. I ended up having to have a termination at 17 weeks. This was 10 years ago.

My current pregnancy wasnt planned and things aren't amazing with my partner so I'm feeling pretty anxious. I've had lots of panic attacks since I found out. I don't want to be really ill again or panic all the time. I'm already struggling to eat and feeling nauseous but that's probably the anxiety!

Any tips welcome

Hi everyone. Just popping in to say hi really, nothing very new to report. Still plodding on with the drugs, some bad days, some better days. Certainly a much improved time since the meds. Time feels like it's moving very slowly with this lockdown not helping at all. My 3 and 4 year olds could really do with me having more energy to play to compensate for being stuck in for at least the ready of May- feeling very bad for them.

Not told anyone yet about this pregnancy, and no scan (or even a date for the scan) yet. So in some ways feeling a bit unreal...

Hello.
just feeling terrible. half-way there and still so sick and depressed. this isn't how I imagined my pregnancy. Stemitil is not taking away the nausea and because I'm so down I am not motivated to eat anything more than toast and frozen fruit. I'm so afraid that something will happen to the baby. I have terrible thoughts of her organs or her brain not developing. I feel I am letting her down and that already I'm a terrible mum. I am taking pregnacare with the toast and hope that will help the baby. I have read through this whole thread and know I just have to get through it and try to stay positive. You don't have to reply. Thanks for this thread.

Sending so much sympathy to everyone struggling. It's so so hard. I'm 34 weeks and feel like I've been pregnant for 29765 days! @pandemicpreggie I was miraculously praying to feel better by mid point, and you feel so deflated when you don't. I'd highly recommend the drug Xonvea, it's allowed me to eat more and stop the vomiting. It doesn't have any nasty side effects so hopefully this could help those struggling too.

I discovered orange juice with tons of ice mixed with lemonade has been a drink that seems to go down ok! I understand the fear of baby not getting what they need but they do. They take our reserves, it's often us that feel terrible because of it.

@BeautyAndTheBump1 how are you getting on? x

Thank you, I also feel as though i have been pregnant for years and i'm only half way there. I feel disappointed that i don't love being pregnant. I feel scared all the time that the baby is not going to be well and I feel lonely, it's easier to stay in bed.
I will ask my doctor about that other drug. I also hope the drugs really are ok for baby too.

Hi @pandemicpreggie I know exactly how you feel. If it helps you, a good doctor the first time round assured me that 'babies are parasites (in the nicest possible way) and take exactly what they need from you, even if you are barely eating/existing on one thing.

I am pregnant for a second time and for what it's worth, I know a lot of HG babies now and without exception they are born healthy despite how much their mum was able to eat/drink.

Please try not to add to the horrible time you are having. You are doing a great job and are a great mum, don't doubt it!

P.S I LOATHE being pregnant. How does anyone with HG enjoy it?! I am back to being bed bound after half a week of feeling better. It is psychologically damaging to be so up and down..

Yes it is very damaging psychologically. It's good to hear you say you loathe being pregnant, I really do too!

Hi everyone, I am new to this thread! Just looking for some advice. I have finally given in to being a martyr and got some antiemetics from my GP - currently 17+2 and have been sick everyday since about 8 weeks! I’m probably going to have to go back to work in June so thought I’d need tablets to help! Has anyone tried promethazine before and if so has it actually done the trick?

I’m also struggling with feeling guilty about not being able to do much! I was quite an active person before pregnancy but with having a dodgy tummy all day, everyday all I can do is lie in bed! And I feel terrible that I’m causing more harm to myself and baby! Anyone else felt like this?

@kissingthebear I'm feeling sorry for myself today, I havent kept a single thing down. I had a bath & had to get out 4 times to be sick! Is it time to go to bed yet?! How are you feeling today?

@Violetlilac welcome and so sorry to hear that you suffered so badly with HG before. I sincerely hope it will not be so bad for you this time. I hear from others on this forum that it can be that you do not have HG in a second pregnancy even if you had it on a first. Fingers crossed this is the case for you. I also hope you had a good support system and people to talk to about how you are feeling. It does sound like you have had a very difficult time with pregnancy before. Everyone on here is especially nice so do let us know how you are feeling/ doing.

@Alychloe I’m sure all of us on here can relate.... severe pregnancy sickness is totally debilitating. End of story. It’s not our fault tho and you need to try to tell yourself that every time you feel guilty. We’re all doing the best we can and as @LucindaE says “this too shall pass!”

Also @Alychloe definitely go to the Gp for meds. No extra points for martyrdom in pregnancy. Hope they help you 💐

@BeautyAndTheBump1 my goodness - feels so unfair to suffer this long. You are incredible! A real warrior. Hang in there, we can do this 💪🏻
Ah not so great, no vomiting but severe nausea- just feel so low on energy too. Got to try and keep focusing on each day and not getting too ahead of myself as 4 weeks still feels ages away 😢😢

@Snowwhite2020 thank you that's so sweet of you. It is my biggest fear that I will be incapacitated again. It was the worst thing I've ever been through and I think being pregnant again is bringing a lot of those feelings up. I've been so anxious since I found out. I had panic attacks all of yesterday. I'm only 11 dpo so I know it's the anxiety making me sick more than anything.

I haven't told anyone other than my partner yet. Things aren't great with him so that's added anxiety too and he's freaking out.

You're not supposed to tell anyone about pregnancies until what 12 weeks!? Not sure I'll be able to wait it out that long.

It's awful the fear of being ill and being anxious all the time is making me consider not going ahead but then I think the aftermath and reality of that would be worse for me. I do want to have a baby, I really do, but I'm not in the ideal place - I'm not married, I don't own a house. But then again, other women manage to do it alone maybe I can?! Oh I don't know. Trying not to think about it all too much right now. I haven't even missed my period yet. Just need to take one day at a time.