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 everyone,

I’m new to mumsnet chat but have this weekend been diagnosed with HG.

I’m 7+4 with dc2. I had bad sickness until 26 weeks with ds1 but nothing like what I’m experiencing now.

Had 7 litres IV drip over the weekend and discharged from hospital y/day. Prescribed cyclizine x3 daily.

Thought they were really working but this morning I’m starting to feel really nauseous again (had injections in hosp so not sure if they were more effective)

Feeling v. Alone and not sure how I’m going to get through this.

Any advice/ tips/ support very gratefully received

X

You're not alone @Hopeisland ! Do you have ketostix? These are really useful to check if you start to produce ketones. They're not the only guide or even necessarily the best one (some women produce them much faster than others) but GPs and hospital triaging staff are taught to take them seriously so it can be useful to be able to test yourself at home. You can order them online.

You should try to check in with your GP to explain that you've been in hosp and have been discharged with cyclizine but you are worried that it's not working. Ideally, you would agree a protocol with your GP about what to try next. If the GP is not helpful / reluctant to prescribe anything else then you will have to go back to the hospital I'm afraid. But don't worry - there are loads more options after cyclizine, that's just the standard "first line" medication.

Re: oral vs IV cyclizine they are definitely quite different. Weirdly I could tolerate oral cyclizine and it was in fact the only thing I took right through both my HG pregnancies without probs (apart from sleepiness) but I couldn't tolerate it IV it actually made me throw up! At my worst in hosp when I couldn't manage anything orally they gave me a cyclizine pump but that's probably not an option at home unfortunately.

My pregnancies were both quite a long time ago but I'm here because DH and I have just started "trying" again (or at least, not preventing), so I'm bracing myself!

Thank you @Wingingitatlifesincebirth and @LucindaE.

I have tried the lucozade and sweet drinks and they seem more palatable. Funny how the advice for vomiting in pregnancy usually states to avoid fizzy, sweet drinks and these are the only things that you can tolerate.
I have an appointment with the GP in couple of days so will discuss adding in another drug with him.
Thank you for the advice and the support. Makes me feel better about going through this again.

Thank you for your advice @kalidasa. No I haven’t got any ketosticks but will order some from Amazon. Good to hear that Hosp will take the results seriously!

I have a booking appointment with midwives this week so will be good to chat with them about it too, will book in with drs also - good idea!

Funny how quickly your brain turns to cotton wool when you’re in the depths of pregnancy sickness.

How exciting that you’re trying, hoping it’s an easy journey for you with no HG!

Haha @Hopeisland I think statistically the chances of me having a pregnancy with no sickness at all given my history must be close to zero. A few weeks ago DH and I went for a pre-conception consultation with the consultant who looked after me when I was pregnant with DS2 six years ago and even though we all had masks on etc she immediately said "oh yes I remember you -- it's not often you see vomiting quite that intractable!" Quite a dubious claim to fame I feel!

@Beebs1234 yes I totally agree about the fizzy drink thing. Though I seem to remember that Coke is particularly unpleasant and even quite painful to vomit, so best avoided.

Haha @Hopeisland I think statistically the chances of me having a pregnancy with no sickness at all given my history must be close to zero. A few weeks ago DH and I went for a pre-conception consultation with the consultant who looked after me when I was pregnant with DS2 six years ago and even though we all had masks on etc she immediately said "oh yes I remember you -- it's not often you see vomiting quite that intractable!" Quite a dubious claim to fame I feel!

@Beebs1234 yes I totally agree about the fizzy drink thing. Though I seem to remember that Coke is particularly unpleasant and even quite painful to vomit, so best avoided.

Haha @Hopeisland I think statistically the chances of me having a pregnancy with no sickness at all given my history must be close to zero. A few weeks ago DH and I went for a pre-conception consultation with the consultant who looked after me when I was pregnant with DS2 six years ago and even though we all had masks on etc she immediately said "oh yes I remember you -- it's not often you see vomiting quite that intractable!" Quite a dubious claim to fame I feel!

@Beebs1234 yes I totally agree about the fizzy drink thing. Though I seem to remember that Coke is particularly unpleasant and even quite painful to vomit, so best avoided.

Oops sorry - think my internet went down there for a moment and for some reason that got posted three times!

@kalidasa I love this knowing what comes up easier lol I honestly avoid dairy for this very reason ! I remember the last time on this forum in my 2017 discussing the best plastic bags 😂

@Wingingitatlifesincebirth haha yes I can still you what it is like to vomit literally everything. Horribly unforgettable!

Welcome to hopeisland There is lots of support on this thread. As you are a veteran, you don't need my spiel about anti acids and so on and you have had excellent advice already from kalidasa. Also, my laptop has just crashed twice, so I'd better hurry! I hope you get more effective meds.
Photomum4 That is awful about their being no help from the doctor's surgery about counselling. I am so sorry. To my mind, that is negligence. I do hope the easing of the sickness continues.
LadyPenelope I am glad the fluids worked so well.
Snapple21 That is good news.
wingingitatlifesincebirth On plastic bags for vomiting into, grotesquely I wondered how leak proof the environmentally friendly recyclable food bags (no pun intended) are.
3scompany I do hope that you get Ondansetron. I am sure you look better than you think. At least you have the comfort of knowing that they can't lawfully complain about your pregnancy related illness...
kalidasa Let's hope your third is lucky and defies statistics! Oh dear, about your experience of coke. I found it painless on its way up again, if flat - but that goes to show, I suppose, how individual our experiences of drinks is. Mayb e I should add to my normal spiel on drinks that some find it burny.
Beebs1234 I think that they have this idea about pregnant women and healthy drinks, but as we know, with Hyperemesis drinking anything is good.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked. I'd better post this before my laptop goes down again.

Very quiet today. I hope everyone is coping. I am still outraged about the way6 that PhotoMum4'' has been passed about.

Hi Lucinda still alive it’s week 10
Feeling seriously sorry for myself for just losing a safe food a very plain baked potato and a Capri sun

I still haven’t got signed off work as yet but have finally confided in my boss how Unwell I am actually feeling at the moment !

Hope all the HG sufferers are doing ok today tomorrow is another day xx

Hi HG warriors, hope you are all doing okay!
I was one of the lucky ones who found that between weeks 16-20 my HG calmed down. Although I am still sick, it actually takes me by surprise when I am (I hope for all of you in the throws of it you can see this as a glimmer of hope)!
Anyway, sorry for my rambling but I am now 36 weeks and naturally have been looking at birth plan, pain relief options etc and they all seem to have sickness side effects. Any advice of what people found most effective? I really want to avoid anything that will activate more sickness as I have had quite enough of that already ☺️

I was sick several times in both labours but oddly it was fine (compared to the rest of the pregnancy!) because I experienced no nausea at all - just suddenly realised I was going to be sick and then was. At the very end with DS2 I threw up and my waters went simultaneously - nice!

Hi all @3scompany I have to tell work pretty much straight away as my sickness starts at 5 weeks and I end up being completely bedbound for a while. Remember as soon as work are aware they have to treat pregnancy sickness absence etc different to normal absence if that makes any sense.

I agree with @kalidasa that during labour I had no nausea and would pretty much throw up without any prewarning!

Had an interesting convo with the consultant yesterday who mentioned I had preeclampsia last pregnancy but I was never made aware of it(?!) They have agreed to a planned section at 39 weeks his time round which gives me a bit of a mental boost, Ive also decided to ask to be sterilised at the same time

Hope everyone is doing as well as they can, remember this too shall pass.

Hi ladies, hope you are all keeping well despite the horrible HG symptoms. Couldn't keep anything down yesterday so called GP 1st thing in the morning. She has decided to start me on metoclopramide and omeprazole. Luckily no ketones in urine so I have managed to keep some fluids down.
Has anyone else tried metoclopramide? Does that work?

The advice about ice cubes was really good...it soothes the throat even if it doesn't do anything else.

Another thing that I am finding is that my saliva is really thick and it sometimes make me gag when it collects at the back of my throat. Did anyone else had that?

@KatieFTM, I agree with @kalidasa and @composed that no nausea in labour. Just vomiting without any warning. I actually thought it was due to labour pains but now it makes sense that it was probably my HG showing its face one last time.
Hope all goes well for you. Look after yourself

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all doing ok. I’m a graduate of the thread and had my twins last year. I wanted to ask other survivors if they’ve ever experienced anything like my current situation. For the last 6 weeks I’ve been feeling almost exactly like I did when I was pregnant. I’m vomiting but only a few times a day but I have this awful lingering nausea and just can’t shift it. I’m not experiencing any of the fatigue or mind fog. I’m breastfeeding but have been for 18 months nearly so I’m not sure it’s hormonally linked to that. The worst thing is the terrible flashbacks to the throes of HG - it’s absolutely awful. I keep getting visions of my humongous pregnant self hunched over the loo for hours at a time. I’m also worried about my poor teeth. I’ve tested and I’m not pregnant. Anyone had anything similar?

Thanks you @kalidasa @Beebs1234 and @composed
It sounds like what I deal with now Just often have an unexplained vomit! The joys of pregnancy hey 🥺

@untiedairlines the one medical condition I've experienced that felt (to me) just like pregnancy was labyrinthitis (inner ear prob) -- it made me dizzy and sick in much the same way. My HG was very linked to movement though, at worst I couldn't even turn over in bed without throwing up, maybe for others it is less so. Are you dizzy at all? I think you should definitely see the GP anyway.

I did also continue to feel sick and vomited a bit immediately post-pregnancy with DS1 (not with DS2), but that was definitely linked to breastfeeding I think, and I agree it seems odd that this would start now. Really hope it goes away or the docs have some ideas.

Does anyone know the best way to try to reduce the sickness meds (in the hope

Posted too soon!

In the hope that I can stop them!

I'm on 2x cyclizine a day and 1 x ondanseton. I'll try to stop
The ondanseton first but is it even worth taking a half a day to reduce?

Thank you @LucindaE and @composed

I have another scan on Friday (I'll be 7+1) so I'm going to tell work on Monday. Also telling my DD and DS. They are both so worried that I'm ill all the time. It's not fair on them.

I was prescribed ondansetron today (not without a battle 🙄 my GP surgery are the bloody worst) and I can pick them up tomorrow. Thankfully. Because I just want to cry and cry tonight. I feel awful.

Hope everyone is as ok as can be! Xxx

unitedairlines Congratulations on your TWINS! (as I always describe them on the Due Dates list). As it can hardly be the breast feeding hormones at this stage, I wonder if it might be a long lasting stomach infection? I did have a work colleague who had a pregnancy despite pregnancy tests being negative, but that was years ago, and pregnancy tests are much more sensitive these days. What does the doctor say? Great advice from kalidasa on this and on other topics, as ever.
3scompany Congratulations on winning the battle for Ondansetron. Sorry you feel so bad tonight. No doubt exhaustion from that is a factor!
Beebs1234 I hope the meds are highly effective. Metaclopramide has helped many on here. The only thing to watch out for is the mother (not the baby) being affected by twitching.
I remember that thick saliva in throat thing. It is really foul.
KatieFTM Thank you for your encouraging message. Great advice from others on the vomiting in labour question.
Bunhead I think everyone on here suggests that reducing meds should be done slowly.
composed Great advice. Odd about their not telling you about the pre-eclapmsia. So true about 'This Too Shall Pass'!
wingingitatlifesincebirth Much symapathy about week ten and the lost baked potato.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.