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.

Congratulations @Thestruggleisreal8 but also sorry that you are joining the HG club.

I'm 11 weeks today and trying to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Is this your first baby?

Thanks Seeker20, appreciate the reply 😊

It is my first yes and likely to be the last with how bad this had been so far! What about you? When did your symptoms start? Have they eased at all? Really hope you get some relief soon.

I feel awful complaining as I know some ladies on here have been experiencing this for far longer than me so apologies about that - I don’t mean to be hugely insensitive!

Welcome @thestruggleisreal8 sorry you are suffering. Please don’t feel bad about complaining- every day is a struggle for us all as your name says! We are all here to support each other no matter where you are at with your HG journey. X

Thinking of you @Pygmyseahorse 💖

@thestruggleisreal8 welcome and congratulations. Honestly never feel bad about complaining on here, if you've been reading for a couple of weeks you'll know it's really supportive and it's a great place to have a moan because we all understand what it's like where others find it so hard to

If your medication isn't touching the sides id really encourage you to give them a call back and see if you can try something else. I had HG with my dd but didn't get medication sorted properly until after 20 weeks just kept trying to stick with one that didn't help, I ended up so unwell and in hospital and I've learnt my lesson - called Dr's at 5 weeks and have already tried a few types.

I'm not too bad with my phone but can barely use my laptop or watch TV most days, it has eased lately for me.. I'm 14 weeks tomorrow so hopefully this may ease for you at some point

Sending love

Hi to everyone else, thinking of you all

@pygmyseahorse so glad the sickness is easing for you a bit! Yay 💖

@Snowwhite2020 ahh I spoke too soon! It's been way worse the past couple of weeks and only some relief with cyclizine and ondansetron for half an hour but that doesn't do a thing in the nights still
Luckily the screens making it worse has eased a little... Not much help now I've finished studies though!!

How are you doing today? X

Hope everybody’s doing as well as can be.
@Clarkel1 did your antibiotics help?

I’m coming up to 16 weeks on Sunday and I’ve found I’ve started being sick more again, and the saliva in my mouth has been more noticeable again. Has anybody else had this happen again after a time of mild relief?

Sorry to see so many people struggling. Hugs to all x

@Thestruggleisreal8 welcome to the thread. Don't feel bad for complaining, that's what everyone's here for and we've all had a good moan. I found it really helped to know I wasn't the only person suffering with hg and dark thoughts during the worst of it. Hopefully it lifts for you and everyone else soon. I'm 19 weeks tomorrow and still feeling nauseated and exhausted most of the time but (touch wood) it is at a manageable level now. I can just about cope with working from home and doing minimal house work and I'm managing to eat and keep most of it down. I've accepted I am not going to enjoy pregnancy and am counting down the weeks and days. I wish I had some energy though as my house needs a serious spring clean and sort out. I don't know where the baby is going to fit! 😂

It's interesting that a lot of posters find hg runs in families and I've read that too. My mum never suffered with morning sickness at all and neither did my sister. So I guess I'm just unlucky

Thisstruggleisreal8 Welcome. Sorry you are suffering. If the Cyclizine isn't working, please do ask for something else or to have with it. When you say 5-15 vomits a day, sorry to ask this grotesque question, but we can't have tmi on here. Does that mean heaves or vomiting sessions of heaves? if that is sessions then the doctor may be underestimating how bad it is, as doctors often count one heave as a vomit. I don't know why, as most lay people don't, so when you see him/her do emphasize that is 10 separate sessions of heaving.
As others say, everyone is very supportive on here. Here is my usual spiel, which I hope may be helpful.
Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20. A good anti acid can make a surprising difference to the sickness. Kesostix are worth buying online or from a chemists, as while they aren't they best test of dehydration, hospitals take them seriously. Some drinks that have helped others besides that apple juice and foods of a sort. full sugar flat coke, ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Dr Pepper, soda water, Elderflower water, tonic water, ice cubes, Iron Bru, lemonade, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid), fizzy orange, 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), fizzy water and Robinson's fruit drinks. Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, slices of melon and mango, grated cheese, baked potatoes, grated cheese and biscuits.

Pygmyseahorse Sorry about this possibly impacting on your plans: sorry, I can't make out if you have calculated your results, as I'm assuming you won't get them until the end of the month or whenever (I am so ancient I have forgotten when I got my finals results!) ? You said you put in a claim for exceptional circumstances? Do smaller firms take someone with a lower grade?
Seeker2020 A lot of sufferers find round the 10-11 week mark the worst of all because of a hormonal surge. How are things compared to earlier?
IGottaGetThroughThis Sorry it is worse at 16 weeks. I hope you get some relief soon.
SnowWhite2020 What an awful way for that woman to behave. I do think that a lot of people are acting in a very bizarre manner since the lockdown.We still have it in full force here in Wales.
Nifler2012 Thank you so much for your encouraging message. I am
so glad that things are a good deal better at 19 weeks.
Waves to Herewegoagainx4 and everyone.

@Pygmyseahorse so sorry to hear you are still suffering through the nights- lack of sleep is just the worst and it totally fuels the HG... what a horrible negative cycle. I do hope it lifts soon for you. Hopefully in another couple of weeks it will stop being so bad through the whole night.

@Niffler2019
@IGottaGetThroughThis
I am 17 weeks now and still feel generally quite unwell. It is certainly more manageable than in the earlier weeks but I can’t say I’m “glowing” or anywhere near it! Still being sick and can be quite violently so but also now has a few days without. Midwife warned there’s a good chance it will come back so I’m just trying to enjoy a bit of reprieve in the meantime.

Love to all and waves to @LucindaE whose evening message I always look out for 💓

@lucindae thanks for your message. I can't really calculate and we don't even have a results day date yet! At least late July maybe even August so I'm trying my hardest to not think too much about it!
I'm nit going into law for family/health/moving reasons not so much my degree grade, whatever that'll be but it's just a thing that most post grad schemes or entry into certain roles you need at least a 2.1 in law. We will just see what happens. I've got other qualifications and experience in other fields and since children I don't want a job where I'll never see them or can't go to pick them up if unwell etc. Law doesn't cater to that too well!

@Snowwhite2020 thanks for your message :) i hope so too, it's just trying to get in any sleep between sickness and then if dd is up in the night or early I just struggle a lot in the day with her.

How has your sickness been lately? No more blood I hope!?

Sorry to other messages I've missed

Love to all x

Hello ladies, my heart goes out to each and every one of you suffering right now. You’re all so brave and strong. I’m TTC baby #1. I have had 2 pregnancies before with HG, didn’t carry on with them unfortunately. It was so severe, the worst they had seen. I would be vomiting at least 10 times an hour. If I couldn’t sleep on average I would vomit probably up to 60 times a day maybe more? I couldn’t do anything, my ex-partner would have to carry me to the bathroom and wash me. I was a complete mess. No medication worked. I am now ready to try and do it again this time. I am so scared, but I’ve decided this is what I want, I want a baby. I’m seeing if there is medication I can take as early as possible as soon as I get a bfp. Anything to try and ease and possibly slow it down as much as possible. Do you ladies recommend anything for me? Sending love to you all. X

Thank you for the message @LucindaE. I'm definitely feeling the hormonal surge. I'm 11 weeks today and feel quite bad. I've also been having some anxiety attacks in the mornings which is what I think that adrenaline rush feeling was that I was mentioning before. All in all, it's not a fun time. The sickness is fading slightly (I think). I have bouts of retching during the day and then an episode of sickness in the evening. I have to get into bed by 6 otherwise I feel just awful.

How is everyone else doing?
Xxx

@Leobaby - good on you for trying again. Have you spoken to your doctor yet about starting a medication in anticipation? I really hope this time is good for you. Xxx

Morning everyone

So DH is back at work now, we survived yesterday but it is hard work and hard not to feel a tonne of Mummy guilt as I struggle to do even a little for the children. Just feeling so nauseous and dizzy everyone I move so parenting as much as possible from the sofa. Thankfully my 6 year old is a little star at helping with the younger ones, tho I don't like to ask her to do much as she's still little really.

The dr is going to ring me this morning and hopefully will prescribe me some Ondanestron as well as a top up of Cyclizine. And hoping acid will be managed with the gaviscon! Definitely need more than the cyclizine tho.

@Seeker2020 urgh that hormone surge is awful. And totally agree with the ridiculously early bed. I'm in bed first and then DH sorts the kids and I try to rouse myself enough to say goodnight but not so much I throw up!

@Leobaby hello and welcome. You've had such a tough time and are definitely being very brave yourself. What medication did you try before? Normally cyclizine is a good first call, particularly as a pre emptive med as it needs a few days to build up into the system. Also it's worth starting an anti acid quickly as well - omeprazole is good. And then as the sickness ramps up adding an additional anti emetic in. I would suggest making an appt with the Dr now - maybe a video consultation - to talk to them about your concerns and to put a plan in place so when you do have a bfp you can ring and then just set the plan in motion...Have you looked at the pregnancy sickness support website? They have lots of helpful advice on there about all aspects of HG and medication, and you can ring as well and talk to someone who will be able to offer support and advice.

Waves to everyone else

Urgh doctors! It was a dr I did not know and he will only do a prescription of Ondanestron, no more cyclizine as apparently Ondanestron and cyclizine can make you sick anyway. Thankfully I have a couple of spare cyclizine knocking around so I will carry on with those and add the Ondanestron in and ring again Monday. What frustrates me is that cyclizine takes a while to build up into the system so I don't want to stop it unnecessarily and I know by now what does work for me and am keen to avoid a hospital trip this time around by getting meds in place. I can't believe how difficult it is to get good support with HG especially when this is the 4th time. He also suggested ginger biscuits and ginger beer because ginger helps with sickness That's the second doctor to suggest that this pregnancy. Fair enough, ginger can help settle the stomach with sickness bugs but who hasn't tried that and everything else for HG! If it was that simple no one would need IV fluid etc Grrrrr! Ok, rant over. Thanks ladies

@Herewegoagainx4 I totally sympathise with the issues getting effective medication and understanding from doctors... I remember my doctor suggesting I tried “lifestyle adjustments” before he would offer me more medication. My midwife gave him an earful I think, after I reported this and I got what I needed... I honestly think some of them just read out of a text book and there is a lingering prejudice against giving pregnant women anti- emetics which I find utterly frustrating. You have my sympathies. HG is serious and can lead to serious complications in pregnancy- this is what should be taught!! Xx

Thank you @Seeker2020 I’m very nervous lol. No I haven’t, I not keen on dr’s atm, they don’t seem to listen to me. 🤷🏼‍♀️ But I have thought about ringing and having a discussion about it. Well I need too! And thank you xxx

@Herewegoagainx4 yes I had cyclizine but I think it was too late for it to work. And thank you for the recommendations I’m going to note these medications down and suggest them to my dr! Have you found these ease it for you? I’m surprised you girls are able to message, I couldn’t look at my phone before I’d throw up! So thank you both for having the time to speak to me XX
Yes I’ve had a read through their website. I wanted to come to you ladies first and see what was best, but of course we’re all different! Thank you again xxx

And wow, reading what you ladies are putting. Doctors are so uneducated when it comes to HG!! Makes me so mad!!

@Leobaby Cylcizine helps stave it off for me initially so at the moment I am nauseous 24/7 with an occasional half an hour break and I vomit 2 or 3 sessions. The sessions are getting longer tho and feeling more out of control so I know I need something stronger to work alongside it. The anti acid really helps as often it is only acid coming up so that helps to control it too. In my last pregnancy I managed on the Ondanestron and cyclizine with anti acid combo all the way through with a couple of short admissions for fluids. And from about 30 weeks I didn't always need the full doses. Even with these for me it is very hard going until 20ish weeks and I tend to throw up until the placenta is out but I find I am able to function a bit more normally from 20 weeks onwards. Everyone is different tho.

And with screens, I do find them a real struggle with the sickness but dimming my phone right down and being in a darker room helps massively.

Thank you @Herewegoagainx4 it sounds promising. But like you said everyone is different I just hope something will help this time and make it less worse. I hate being in hospital 😣but a couple of short admissions is good though! When I came out of hospital before I’d go straight back to how I was within a couple days. It was terrible. I’m definitely going to ask the dr about these and make sure I’m ready for what I will have to endure.
And that’s true, it must be horrible when the weather is nice that you have to miss out on it too. It’s a very depressing time.
How many weeks are you now? How are you coping?

Welcome to Leobaby. I'm wishing you all luck. I so agree with others, pre-emptive meds is such a good idea. Your sufferings before sound dreadful. There was someone on here with terrible symptoms who was taken in regularly for fluids, but I suppose with the current crisis they will avoid that. Did they try steroids? Probably that's a silly question; they must have tried everything.
SnowWhite2020 'Lifestyle adjustments'? I see. Annoying.
I fear that my evening posts are often comments on the obvious, but thank you so much. I hope it gets a lot better before there are any significant relapses!

Pygmyseahorse Maybe they will, taking into acount your previous grades, decide on a 2.1, and I wonder; law is presumably not amenable to jobshares?
Great advice from Herewegoagainx4 and everyone. It is weird him saying that as so many on here have sworn by Ondansetron and Cyclizine combined. For goodness sake about the ginger recommendations.
Seeker2020 Sorry about that hormonal surge...
Apologies to anyhone rudely overlooked.

@leobaby welcome and gosh you really went through it bless you! I was really scared about HG and postnatal depression when we were planning our 2nd (this pregnancy) I didn't find Dr's helpful if I'm honest it was all 'every pregnancy is different, you may not get it. If you do phone us'
Saying that, when I found out around 4 weeks I'd been nauseous the few days before and so as soon as I found out I called and requested antisickness meds. They decided on trying something I've not had before and so I've been on a few types so far. Cyclizine and ondansetron are whst I'm on now and offer maybe the slightest relief now but I'm still constantly nauseated and wretching with upto 10 sessions vomiting every night and maybe 4 or 5 in the day.. On a good day

It's hard,, particularly with a toddler but I'm lucky that we are stuck home anyway and my dh is working from home so no need to wait for him to commute and help me.

It has made a difference acting quickly with meds along with those things they always recommend.. Sickness bands, morning sickness mints, ginger tea, hard sweets to suck on, ice cubes, ice cold apple juice for me can help those first couple of weeks before it truly kicks in. I'm 14 weeks today and had it much worse since 11/12 weeks so getting v frustrated when people tell me it'll stop any day or raise eyebrows that I still have it...like its just a spot of morning queeziness ugh!

Best of luck to you, I'm sorry I can't advise much but how long ago were the other pregnancies because meds may have differed since? Hopefully something will help this time!!

@lucindae I'm on course for a 2.1 down from a 1st but it just depends how they'll grade, my uni isn't doing any kind of soft marks or safety net where marks are hugely different from the pandemic etc. My ec won't do anything for my grades so I won't be look on differently :(

@Snowwhite2020 hi, how are you doing at the moment? Any better days or still finding it just as bad? Thinking of you x

@herewegoagainx4 oh I'm so sorry to hear your bad Dr's experience too. It is so frustrating isn't it!? I found the same issues, I guess locums drafted in over pandemic times doesn't help as they have no idea about you even with your history in front of them! Hopefully you can get some relief but do keep pestering them!
Bless your little one, that must be so helpful at this time though. How are you getting on? I'm with you on early nights just that I go down early and just vom all night and wake to be sick all through the night too :( yuck. Sending love x

@seeker2020 poor you feeling the surge, I got so much worse around 11 weeks but just have to try and take it minute by minute. Are you getting much rest? It's great to hear things may be easing slightly even though wretching and feeling nauseous all the time is so awful too.. Have you been able to keep much down at all?

Sending love to all, @katieFTM hope you are OK?

Have a good weekend ladies x

@LucindaE I know, it's weird. That combo worked well for me last time around; I was originally prescribed it at the hospital and the gp was happy to continue. Also looking online at drug contraindications, there is nothing to say that Ondanestron and Cyclizine shouldn't be used together or may cause side effects of any kind. I do not think that dr was using any accurate medical information but his own belief on medications in pregnancy. I intend to complain to the surgery on Monday.

@Leobaby I am only 7 weeks ish now so early days and it seems like a long, dark tunnel ahead. I am coping ok, but have 3 others to look after so it is a struggle. On the plus side I have had some practice at this so know how best to help myself. Thankful for some peace this morning as DH has got them all up and sorted, and headed out with them. I am nervous as to what lays ahead but hoping the early drug management will stave off the worst of it. Finding the not knowing hard tho. Usually I take a severe downturn at 8 weeks so we will see.

@Pygmyseahorse waking in the night to be sick is the worst. Have you tried sleeping more upright? There seems to be lots of advice for lying down but with the acid I find in the earlier part of the night at least that being propped up on pillows can minimise the sickness (although our minimal is still a lot!) Are you managing to hang in there ok? You have such a lot going on right now