Zofran for morning sickness

[allhappeningatonce]

Hi, just looking for some advice really. Recently found out i am pregnant. This is my first pregnancy and although quite a shock I was happy enough. Then last week the morning sickness started...I had no idea it could be this bad. I'd heard of Kate Middleton and the hg but honestly thought I'd be fine.
Basically I've struggled to keep much food down, I now have loads of aversions and I'm so weak I can do nothing for myself at all. My partner has to do everything for me. I've lost a few lbs too. I've tried all the natural cures, ginger, crackers etc.
Yesterday I had enough and went to the doctor and got a prescription for zofran (I'm not in uk so was easy enough to get) is it a good idea to take? Will it harm my baby? Am I sick enough to justify it? Right now I've no idea how I'll get through another month in my current state and I've a lot I need to do. Please any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

Hi! I suffered terrible with morning sickness up to week 19 and took antiemetics. However, in the UK Ondasetron is not commonly used as a first line trearment for morning sickness. There are safer alternatives to start you on. As a pharmacist if one of my pregnant patients was prescribed this I would question the Doctors rational as it should be avoided in the first trimester due to a small increase in congenital abnormalities. Of course if you are in second trimester then it will be safe to take.

Zofran is not typically used as a first line treatment. However - there isn’t any clear evidence that it is unsafe - more that there is not as much evidence around it as some of the other antiemetics. Studies have not demonstrated any clear link to congenital anomalies with zofran - if there is any increased risk at all, it is tiny. One study has linked it with a small increased risk of cleft palates, another with a small increased risk of heart defects, but that hasn’t been confirmed in other larger studies. Usually it’s a good idea to start by trying things like metoclopramode, pyridoxine, cyclizine which have been around for longer and are better studied in pregnancy. If they don’t work then it is fine to take zofran - you do not have to avoid it in first trimester, just to make an informed decision. Where I am it is fairly common to use it in first trimester.
As with any medication in pregnancy, your doctor should discuss safety and alternatives - it doesn’t sound like that has happened so it might be worth having another chat.
As a side note, zofran can cause really terrible constipation so if you’re using it, stock up on prune juice and you may end up wanting some laxatives!
Good luck with the morning sickness - it’s miserable.

It was a life saver for me. I wanted to end my life before I was put on it, my sickness was that bad.

But for the love of god, take a stool softener everyday or you will have the worst constipation and impactation ever!

allhappeningatonce I know how you feel as that's exactly what happened to me. It started about week 5 and lasted strongly until week 9/10 then became less so. I was sick so many times in the day and felt weak, lost weight, and generally unable to do anything. It shocked my husband. I remember feeling regret and wishing for it all to end but I do feel much better and happier now.

It does still make me wonder if i'd put myself through that again for a 2nd child.
I've got my fingers crossed that yours will ease as did mine.

Thank you all for your replies!