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.

Hello ladies. It’s my dd who has HG not me, but I’m conceded about her mental health and wondered if you could answer me a few things please if you can? From NY our experiences, did you feel like having HG made you depressed or low? Did you feel like not really wanting the baby or the pregnancy? Dd has an unplanned pregnancy after a difficult relationship with the father of her little boy who is almost 2 now. Same dad for both- who is flawed to say the least. She was not sure about whether to continue with the pregnancy at first the.ln decided she was- and then developed HG and now at around 12 weeks just seems very flat about the pregnancy. She even said “worse things could happen” when I mentioned a bad result at her scan (I’d said it would be important to have someone there in case it was bad news) which was very worrying and sad indeed. I know she’s also really hoping for a girl which I’m worried about as well as all this as I feel everything is against this baby already... and don’t know whether this is almost normal for HG as it must be truly awful to feel so bad all the time- or whether she is actually struggling MH wise.
Sorry for the epic long post. She has her scan tomorrow and I Think I’m literally the only person excited and anxious about it all being well. 😔

Hi isadora I absolutely think HG it was probably for me one of the lowest points of my life and I felt really helpless and alone so I’m sure your daughter is feeling flat. To me it was planned but at times I was so ill I wondered how I could go on. I have had HG twice and had two little boys so honestly not sure you can guarantee a girl if suffering, I hope your daughter will be ok you sound really kind and loving mum it sounds Like she has fantastic support xx

Morning all!
Sorry haven’t been very active, but thought I would check in and let you know how I’ve been doing. Since around 15 weeks I have had huge relief, either it was just the timing for me or the new tablets promethazine working magic. I’m only sick maybe once a week, mostly out of the blue and the nausea has lifted massively. The food aversions/smells have lifted somewhat, but I think I will be off some trigger foods for life 😂
I’m now 18.5 weeks and have my 20 week scan next week. My husband is also now allowed to attend :)
Just wanted to say hello, hope you start to get some longer relief @Snowwhite2020
Nice to hear from you @Pygmyseahorse have been thinking about you
@Herewegoagainx4 hope you are doing okay and glad you got to have a scan, they are so important!
@Isadora2007 so lovely that you are looking out for your daughter. My mum was a rock during my worst weeks, there were some really low moments for me and I said many times that I never wanted to do this again, wished it was twins so I didn’t have to go through It again etc. Good luck to her for the scan!
@mia22221 it sounds as if the meds are wearing off cyclizine and prochlorperazine did that for me after a week or so. I would definitely ask again for something else. How many weeks are you now?
Waves to @LucindaE and thank you again for continued support and keeping this thread going, it has been so helpful!

Also hope that it is 3rd time lucky for you @HGwarrior 💪🏻

Hi @Isadora2007, it is so lovely that you obviously care about your daughter so much. She is lucky to have you and I am sure you will also be an amazing support to her and her LO when they are here.

HG is a terrible condition and 100% it can impact on mental health. Throwing up multiple times a day and finding everything offensive as a smell (including your family potentially) is very isolating and upsetting and of course there is no guarantee when it will stop- I personally think the lack of certainty around this issue is one the hardest things to deal with.

For a lot of sufferers, the pattern of sickness does at least change over time and become more manageable and for some it stops completely. It is very very important however that your daughter seeks help from the GP regarding meds as there are a lot of options available and this can really help to take the edge off and provide some relief If she is really struggling. I personally found any gaps or lessening of symptoms an enormous relief... obviously dehydration is a serious risk in pregnancy too and should be monitored.

It does sound, however, like there are other issues which may also be contributing to your daughters mental health. It may be that she needs to get some support to avoid developing depression or it may be that it has already set in. I think without the support of your OH this condition would be even More nightmarish and it is my understanding that it is important to catch depression in pregnancy early (as indeed in life more generally). Perhaps you could go with her to a Midwife’s appointment to gently discuss how she is feeling? I know there is a lot of stigma around mental health (as there is with HG) but both are very real and your poor daughter may badly need the support. It is wonderful that you are here for her ❤️

Perhaps you could show her the thread too- we would all welcome her. We’re in this together and it’s a tough ride. I have personally found the support on this thread invaluable.

For most it does get better... and one day at a time is of course the best advice!

Lots of love to you and your daughter xx

@KatieFTM glad to hear you are feeling so much better xx

Thank you guys for the support. She is on cyclizine and tried metoclopramide as well. That just made her too drowsy. She takes half tablets of the cyclizine. She has developed a strong aversion to the smell of her flat- she thinks because she spent so much of the early worse stages there. So her fridge and her hallway trigger her gag reflex. She can’t stand the smell of her partner and they were kind of on/off anyway so she’s pushed him away too. It’s really hard to see her like this and I’m strongly considering moving her home for just a while to help try to make life easier a little with her toddler too.
I will send her a link here. The weird thing is she didn’t have this first time- just a normal level of sickness now and then.

@Isadora2007

It's really lovely you are trying to support your daughter

I had hg with my first dd and though it was awful I don't recall feeling as low as this pregnancy but I also had the luxury of no other children to care for at the time so could just rest

This time however I've found my mental health has taken a nosedive, though also had some worrying screening results, a 3 Yr old to care for and uni finals on top of the pandemic so it's probably all a bit of everything than just hg.
But it is debilitating and very hard to cope with and manage, it's hard to enjoy pregnancy or feel happiness and excitement for the baby esp on bad days.
I'm now 18 weeks and on meds that don't stop the sickness fully but finally getting a few hours linked together where I'm not throwing up and just sitting with a box of baby bits is slightly more enjoyable than a few weeks ago.

It's definitely something to bring up with the midwife, perhaps if your daughter would allow you to call them or something as appointments are alone at the moment?

It's difficult though because while hg can absolutely cause low mood or depression I think there's also that difficult line with prenatal depression too which may be treated differently

Certainly medicine that works well/as well as possible and helping manage the worst parts like smells or childcare will help to some extent
Has she tried a bath oil? Neom lavender bath oil is pretty much the only smell I can tolerate! V mild and a bath may help relax.

Alternatively maybe a diffuser with a box of oils she can just add the smallest drop to and build up the scent of she can manage it

Staying elsewhere is an option but I'd try to ensure it's not for too long or to work out how to get her back home if the memory is causing gag reflex that is going to need something doing.. A full house clean perhaps?
I use koh cleaning products, they are unscented but you can add a drop of oil in to give a very gentle scent if there is one she can tolerate.. Eucalyptus or herby scents may be better than lemon for instance

Hope her scan goes well today

Hi @Isadora2007 the aversions you say sound very common for HG. I take Cyclizine 3 times a day, whole tablets, but I’m not sure the weight of each tablet. It has helped me. I wonder if the dose could be upped? I think coming home to stay with you might be a good idea if it’s something she is open to, to try and help her through the worst of it. I really do hope it gets better. I’m sorry you are both experiencing this. It is so hard. Xx

Some really good tips from @Pygmyseahorse. 💖 I also use koh cleaning products but when having a hard time with sickness could not manage cleaning... there are so many triggers with dirt and smells. Xx

Hi ladies

Sorry I'm just not keeping up at the mo.

Just coming on to rant.. Got some pregnancy gum/teeth problem
Phoned up and the lady was just horrendous
I'm terrified of the dentist anyway which doesn't help but she was claiming its been going on for days and why haven't I noticed..

I said it's literally come up that day, nothing before just bleeding gums and as I'm so sick with hg and epilepsy it's not a priority to check in the mirror constantly.. I don't wear make up, when I brush I'm trying to focus on not throwing up rather than my teeth but I've genuinely just been too unwell to move most days.
She said she had never heard of hg, thought it an excuse.. Just a bit of sickness how ridiculous etc etc

Gah, I'm sorry but is this any way to talk to someone!?

Neom are lovely products and definitely worth trying. I also wish you and your daughter luck for the scan today xx

Oh 2nd cleaning being hard, I was more hinting perhaps someone could go in to the home to clean for her to try to remove smells etc.

@Pygmyseahorse that is utterly unacceptable from a healthcare professional. Dental practices all have practice managers, to whom complaints should be directed. Phone them, explain on the phone then write a letter to he practice manager. The dentist will be spoken to and it sounds like they need to be... sorry you had that experience. Not on. Xx

@Snowwhite2020 it's one of those emergency city dental phone line things.. Can't explain what I mean! Will def look into complaining it was awful

The number today isn't even working :(

What a shame @Pygmyseahorse. I hope you find out who to complain to. I’d hope there would still be a procedure in place for that. Good luck and also so nice to hear from you and to hear you are getting little bits of relief. You are a true warrior xxx

Hi ladies, somehow managed to lose you all. So nice to hear that some of you are doing better. Sending love to those still suffering.....I do so in solidarity. I'm 17 weeks on Saturday and still constantly nauseous. Moving house too which is a stress.

How are you all coping?

@seeker2020 my goodness, you are superwoman! How on earth are you managing moving house too?! Do you have support from family or friends?

Thinking of you

@Snowwhite2020 thank you, how are you doing at the moment?

@Seeker2020 good luck with the house move and sympathy regarding ongoing nausea... I know how that feels!

@Pygmyseahorse in general I am so much better than the earlier weeks but I am still getting nausea most days and some bouts of sickness but it all feels a lot more manageable at the moment than it did. All is good with the baby and I take huge comfort from that 💖 Also over half way now at 22 weeks 💪 xx

I went to NYC when I was 21 weeks pregnant with my DD. We stayed in an air b&b which was a little apartment on the 5th floor with no lift.

The minute I opened the front door of the building and the smells from all the other apartments cooking and general stale smell hit me I was gagging 🤢🤢🤢 I had to hold my breath every time I went up and down those stairs. Bleuuuuugh.

@Isadora2007 I'm sorry your DD is having such a bad time. With both my last and this current pregnancy - when the sickness has hit I have felt like I've made a mistake. It affects how I feel about being pregnant and removes any enjoyment. It stops it feeling like a special time and instead feels like an endurance test, something to get through, day by day. I can understand her just wanting an end to the sickness.

@KatieFTM @LucindaE

Thank you

I was prescribed ondansetron today has anyone else had this before and has it helped ?

I am currently 9 weeks and I know I'm early and have a very long time to go I just feel so miserable 😖

@mia22221 I have heard only good things about Ondansetron, hope it provides you with some relief x

@KatieFTM thank you x

Isadora2007 What a nice mother your daughter has. You have had great advice from everyone. I do hope that the scan helps her connect to the baby, as it so often does, and that things work out with the OH. Being disgusted by the smell of the OH is very common with this, unfortuantely: I thought mine stank of roast pork! I can only add my usual spiel: 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: 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, lemon squash, 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.
Someone recommended a wonderful drink, recently, which I said I would add to the list and - stupid Mother Hen! - I've lost the reference!
KatieFTM I am so glad the thread is helping.
Excellent advice from HGWarrior, Seeker2020, BuffaloMozzerella, and Pygmyseahorse. Pygmyseahorse Said it was an excuse? Insensitive, or what? I so agree with others, do complain. If she'd never heard of having a heart attack, would it make it excusable to be dismissive about it? [ angry]
Mia22221 Most people say that Ondansetron is the best of the lot. Did the doctor recommend a laxative, as unfortuantely tied up bowels are a normal side effect with it.
Seeker2020 I do hope the nausea improves soon. Good luck with the house move.
BuffaloMozzerella Aagh about that NY experience!
Waves to HGWarrior and all.

Quiet today. I hope everyone is coping.