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/topics/nausea-vomiting-in-pregnancy
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.

@BusyLiz10 I love my job too so it feels quite depressing not going in so totally understand where you're coming from but there's no way I could manage AT ALL now 6+5. I predict hospital around 9 weeks for me

@thingymaboob yeh it's clear when there's no way you could function in work in those awful weeks. I'm sorry you're in the thick of it and predicting the hospital 😞. It's when you think you might be getting better and being unsure when to go back. This illness is awful isn't it, not only is is depressing to be so sick but being stripped of doing all the things that make you "you" add a whole other level. I get jealous of everyone I see doing "normal things" like shopping, working, or even eating a meal!!! I'm going to be one very grateful person for the simple things when I get them back!

@BusyLiz10 you should find YouTube clips of Amy Schumer talking about her HG experience in her stand up. So funny and refreshing.

@BusyLiz10 btw, in my last pregnancy I thought I was much better at 12 weeks then I went on holiday to Scotland and it needed to be abandoned as at 14 weeks it was awful again so I would take things slowly

@LilmisCA great advice from @thingymabob. I wish now I had stood my ground. I ended up basically feeling I had no choice but to resign from my job at 8 weeks as they didn't pay me if I was off sick and SSP only was after being off a certain number of days. They wanted me to work weekends to make up time i was off sick. That didn't happen. They bombarded me with emails voicemails and messages all while i was in hospital for treatment. They didn't believe how sick i was nor my dr sick notes signing me off. They made me feel guilty for being pregnant and sick and it was hell.
I had no strength in me physically or mentally to fight it. It was a family business so no HR and management was the bosses so it was a losing battle from the start. They literally didnt care. Their holidays and making money was far more important.
Thankfully i qualified for full MA but to lose out financially through resigning so early in my pregnancy hit me hard.
I wish I had fought harder but didn't have it in me and after a miscarriage with my first baby i couldnt deal with the stress.

All I can say is fight hard and know legally their hands are tied under the pregnancy discrimination act. If I could turn back the clock I would. But I have my beautiful little boy and thats the best gift I could have wished for.

Thanks everyone for your messages and advice. Sorry to hear some of you are suffering so badly. My EDD is 2/2/2022. I've been quiet as scrolling on my phone makes my nausea worse.
I saw the GP today - no ketones. I've had an interesting few days. I had an unusual reaction to the metoclopramide which was making my heart race and rapid breathing and giving me a really strong sense of agitation and anxiety so I stopped taking it and the GP agreed said don't take any more. I had just about got the vomiting under control but its started again this evening. GP wants me to try prochlorperazine and cyclizine together (so far it's not effective) but I do have a script for ondansetron which I can collect from the pharmacy. I'm reticent as I'm only 8 weeks but I feel like I'm running out of options.

@nomeslice most recent research has shown ondansetron to be safe, in one study it showed that 14 women per 10000 exposed to ondansetron in first trimester had babies with cleft palate / lip compared to 11 women per 10000 in group not exposed. Absolutely tiny risk. Still don't know if it's due to ondansetron directly or low folate / other reasons. Risk greater for dehydration IMO

Hi ladies!
I’m currently only 4w+4d and already feeling awful! Ive felt sick literally all day! With episodes of dizziness 😫

I had really bad HG with my first pregnancy and I’m already feeling so anxious and miserable - I feel as though I’m waiting for it to start :( x

@BusyLiz10 yes very similar! And I am so jealous of people eating meals.. I have a mental list of all my favourite foods & restaurants to visit!!
@thingymaboob you are getting it tough already!! Is there another line of meds after that to try? My 5yr old was quizzing me if I'm still working when he's in school, think he knows rightly lol lucky ive got my 12 wk scan next wk just before he finishes up so can tell him then!
@abbs1 that was a nightmare for you!! Definitely a disadvantage of working for a smaller family run company. And you would have well been in your rights to fight it!!
I miss work & the normality of life before sickness but it will come back in time!!

@Ttcbn2 sorry to hear! What drugs did you take last time?

@thingymabob That's good information thank you. I'm a prescriber in my profession and know that 'small increased risk' probably amounts to 'not enough data' but I still had a little voice in my head. I'll get someone to collect my prescription in the morning and not worry.

@nomeslice yeah, I'm a prescriber too. I've read all the studies. There's a voice in my head too but I'm absolutely immobile/ constantly wretching if I don't take it. I'm regimental about cyclizine and then top up with ondansetron if get too bad but been so bad so taking 3 a day at the moment.

I honestly can’t remember, my daughter is 6 now xx @thingymaboob

@Ttcbn2 make a GP appointment ASAP. They can look through your history and you can get some medications sooner rather than later to try to prevent it spiralling. Having a 6 year old will be better as they're a bit more independent in the house. Have you got a supportive partner and family?

I’m 6 weeks and really worried I’m going to have hyperemesis. I’ve been being sick three times a day for the last few days and feeling awful. I don’t know what to do.

[quote thingymaboob]@Ttcbn2 make a GP appointment ASAP. They can look through your history and you can get some medications sooner rather than later to try to prevent it spiralling. Having a 6 year old will be better as they're a bit more independent in the house. Have you got a supportive partner and family?[/quote]
I will ring up on Monday, thank you @thingymaboob.. I have a very supportive partner but he works 6 days a week, my mum loves very near by but he has her own health complications but she would help as much as possible. I’m also very worried about work, I work in a school and cannot just leave children unattended 😂 my last pregnancy I was working in care so always with another HCA so didn’t need to worry about needing to leave quickly, not that I managed to do as many shifts as I would have usually done xx

@Ttcbn2 how do you feel today?

I woke at 5am and took a cyclizine at that time and I think it's helped through the day to not have such a long gap between drugs

@thingymaboob hello lovely! I’ve felt sickly all day but I haven’t actually been sick.. dunno if I’d rather feel sick and dizzy or be sick 🙈😂

How are you xx

@Ttcbn2 I almost think nausea is worse. I feel like death. Constant heaving but nothing coming up. This is despite drugs. Not sure if I can endure another 2 months of this

Things are bad. I've upped my ondansetron from 4mg to 8mg. Constant wretching all day. Active vomiting for 2 hours just now.

@thingymaboob I’m so sorry to hear that, with my first I started constantly vomiting at 5weeks and was still vomiting when I was giving birth :( praying it’s not like this this time around, but I’m not feeling hopeful :(

I really do feel for you, it’s such a hard thing to go though, people just think the sickness is like once in the morning, people don’t get it who haven’t had it, it is horrendous xx

LilmissCa Cheering you on.

Hi,
Hope it’s ok if I join this chat. I’m 15 wks and had constant nausea (sometimes vomiting) for 10 weeks now.
I had HG with my first but not as bad as this time. I’ve had real low points during the last 10 weeks, even considered not going ahead with the pregnancy.
I was in hospital this week getting fluids and more anti sickness meds.
I currently take ondasetron, metoclopramide and cyclazine. Still nauseous but able to eat and drink a little. Just wondering if anyone has taken these anti sickness tablets while also on citalopram or an SSRI?
The hospital dr said it was safe for me but I have my doubts.
Thanks

How is everyone feeling today? X