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.

Hi all, I hope you don’t mind me jumping on this thread.
I’m currently 16 weeks pregnant, first baby, and have been feeling so rubbish with nausea and vomiting, and I just wanted to say that reading this thread throughout has been a real support.
I was being sick almost every day from 8-15 weeks, and this week it’s finally slowed down. Though I’ve had a bit of a relapse this weekend and was sick yesterday and have been feeling rubbish today. Seems to be worse after a busy week at work when I’m really tired and I finally relax. I’m still taking metoclopramide almost daily as I feel so nauseous without it.
My main issue is still having a really sensitive nose, still can’t brush my teeth without wretching and I always seem to have this really thick mucous in my mouth all of the time which makes me feel more sick/sometimes gag.
Does anyone else have this mucous issue and any tips for it??

@SkittlesRainbow I'm glad you've got support around you, it's such a massive help. I took metoclopramide, Prochlorperazine and cyclizine as a combination. I was prescribed them all individually at first, it wasn't until I was discharged from hospital that the doctor recommended taking one tablet of the above every 3/4 hours. This stopped me being re-admitted again and ultimately controlled the sickness side of HG for me quite early I think I was around the 12 week mark (in this pregnancy). If you find the metroclopramide ineffective I do really recommend calling your GP or even the MAU to ask if you can take a combination of them. I'm still taking Cyclizine and was taking that combination until around 18-20 weeks when I was able to reduce. Hope you feel better soon

@Welly19 firstly congrats! I'm glad you're feeling better now, I agree these threads are so helpful. I still have that mucus at the back of my throat I find it worse when I feel sick too. I used to have a bowl to spit in to when I couldn't get up (I still have a lot of saliva too - excellent topic to be discussing ) which is disgusting but it helped a little. Some of the mucus occasionally came up when I was sick. I wish I had some tips for it but just wanted to say you are not alone.

For smells id just try to keep something near you what you can handle. I mentioned this before but my trigger was the fridge (and meat 😷) - I bought an air freshener for the fridge which is still the best thing I've ever bought. I didn't even know they existed.

For your teeth, is it the motion or the the tooth paste what makes you gag? Outside of pregnancy I use a normal electric tooth brush but I find that much worse for gagging, I use a normal one at the moment and that helps. I did use kids toothpaste for a little bit it was strawberry flavoured as mint used to set me off. I'm sure I've read somewhere that even if you can manage to just brush (without toothpaste) that will help remove plaque.

Hey ladies, just thought id check in with you all! I was admitted to hospital today with HG and am on a drip now, which isn't my favourite thing but at least I'm being looked after- I vomited about 15 times yesterday and noticed some brown discharge which can apparently be a sign of dehydration so I called 111 who told me to go to a&e! Hopefully it's not for long xxx

Welly19 Welcome. I am so glad that the tips on this thread have proved useful and that you are a bit better. Almost certainly, if you've been busy over the last few days, that can bring on a relapse. Rest is one of the best things for this,but for many, impossible with work and LO's. I so agree about kids' strawberry toothpaste being less nauseating than mint flavours. I so agree with Anya212's remarks, too - that unfortunately, having a bowl as a 'spitton' is what you have to do with that mucus. Interestingly, I have always had it with migraines.
Unicornpower Sorry to hear that you've had to be admitted. While red blood is usually only from the throat, they do like to investigate brown blood, which I thihk is called coffee grounds. I hope they get a good regime of medicines worked out and that you feel a lot better for the fluids.
Anya212 It's good that metaclopramide, cyclizine and proclorperazine (that's stemetil, isn't it?) were a combination that helped you.
I hope that SkittlesRainbow Annichelle RockinRobinn and everyone is coping.
It's horribly cold today...Still, spring is just round the corner. The snowdrops are out.

Hi everyone, can I join? So glad to have found this thread. I’m 7+3 and my nausea started from about 5 weeks. It’s relentless all day and I often wake up during the night from feeling so sick. Have only vomited once but I’m hardly eating anything except for potato in various forms (chips, mash, smileys) and little fruit, trying to drink water but can hardly get through a litre a day without feeling horrendous. I have two other kids to look after and a DH who works away and I work myself. I took most of last week off as couldn’t leave the sofa/bed I feel so awful. Spoke to my GP who gave me cyclizine but has done absolutely nothing for me except maybe make me more sleepy. Spoke to another GP today who has prescribed me Xonvea which is meant to be much stronger. Has anyone tried this and has it worked ?

My last two pregnancies I had all day nausea but it wasn’t any where near as bad as this. I was going into work, having normal days etc where as this time I’m knocked off my feet!

Had anyone had the sickness get worse In the third trimester? I've got back to being sick every day at the moment.

@Anyat212

Thanks for the tips on meds, I am on day three of metoclopramide and not noticed much of a benefit yet.

Last night I had a nightmare that I had a metal knife stuck in my chest poking out of my ribs on the right. I keep thinking it is still in there today. Anyone else have strange vivid dreams like that?

Mamabearwhere Welcome. Sorry you are suffering. It is hard with LO's. It is very possible to have Hyperemesis without vomiting; several sufferers on here have. Xonvea has really helped several sufferers on here. Here's my usual spiel that I hope might help: Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. 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 (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, 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, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport . Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits and slices of melon and mango.
doritodiva I am sorry to say that it can come back somewhat for some in the third tri, though hopefully only rarely as badly as in the first tri. Are you off meds? Can you resume them?
SkittlesRainbow If an increase of Metaclopramide isn't helping, is it worth asking the doctor if s/he will prescribe the regime that helped Anya212.
Waves to all.

Hi all, long time no post for me. Now 31 weeks with the odd day here and there and still taking a xnovea each night with the odd metoclopramide on a bad day but the end is in sight, praying for no return of the sickness at the end but preparing for the worst as it did with my DD!
To all of those at the beginning/worst part hold on in you are doing amazing and this group is so wonderful! xx

@SkittlesRainbow yes I've been having more vivid dreams since being pregnant too.

I've been signed off work for the week and I'm feeling awful. Had my first vomit last night and my safe foods are disappearing at a rapid rate. Called my GP and I'm on cyclizine 3x a day and taking b6 with it if my own accord. What medications have people had added alongside cyclizine? I'm getting so dehydrated I'm only managing about 800ml of drink a day 😞
Going to try and have a few ice lollies today to up my fluid intake.
Can't believe I'm on 7+5, already had thoughts of termination too. Feel terrible about it but at the same time I forgot how brutal this is.
Sending love to everyone, hope you're hanging in there/having better days

@RockinRobinn so sorry to hear you’re also suffering. I’m 7 + 5 too and I would be lying if the thought of termination didn’t cross my mind, the nausea is just so brutal, hopefully it will pass soon!

@LucindaE thanks so much for your reply and suggestions. I will def the some of those. I have found a life saver of a drink which helps me through the day, the Cawston Press Sparkling Ginger Beer. It has a tint of apple and just really helps sooth my nausea to a more manageable state. I’m hardly eating anything, haven’t had a proper meal in about 2 weeks and living on toast or potato in various forms (chips, mash etc) and fruit.

Hi all, long time without checking on and spotting this thread in active.
Coming up for 29 weeks now. Nausea is still stong, off most foods, no appetite and vomiting every morning without fail, but it's a vast improvement from weeks 6-18!
Still mainly living off apples, milkshakes and crisps. Weighed myself last week and I'm 16lb lighter than I was at booking appointment....
Hope everyone is doing well and welcome to any newcomers, you're in great hands here.

@Mamabearwhere

I promise it does ease up, mine hasn't completely gone at 33 weeks but it's a lot better than them early weeks. Don't worry about what you are eating as long as you are and keeping it down. I lived off ice lollies, fruit pots, chips from the fish shop only (no idea why!) and caramel chocolate mainly throughout the first trimester or so. They are still my go to things, thankfully my diet has expanded but when you are feeling so poorly just eat what you can.

It is really hard with other children, I have a DD and I've struggled. I do have a support bubble with my DM as she lives alone so I've been very lucky there, are you able to have any bubbles to help you out? Don't worry about work either, if you need time off to rest - take it.

@SkittlesRainbow I have very vivid dreams as well and they are mainly nightmares! I had an awful one last night and was awake at 4am reminding myself it was just a dream. I had them with DD too.

@RockinRobinn sorry you are struggling. I had cyclizine with ondansetron in my first pregnancy. I took Cyclizine, proclorperazine and metaclopramide this time around. So there are options for a combination with it.

There was some other med the midwife thought I'd be prescribed by the doctor as well - (I wasn't) but I can't remember the bloody name! She was basically saying that the combinations tend to work better, as you aren't waiting 8 hours between each dose of medication as you rotate them. I have to say I did find that better, oddly enough Cyclizine didn't really agree with me much in my first pregnancy so I didn't take it for very long and just stuck with ondansetron. I know that can be hard to be prescribed now though, I asked a few times for it early on and wasn't given it.

I've only found Cyclizine effective on its own for the past 12 weeks or so but in them early days it didn't help at all in either pregnancy. I still have the odd procloperazine when I'm feeling really bad though.

Are there any other drinks you are able to stomach? If the ice lollies don't help I would consider getting in touch with your GP and see if you are able to get fluids as you may start to have ketones (you probably already know this). Just speaking from my own experience, this time around I tried to deal with it at home, was barely drinking anything and I was in a right state by the time I got into hospital. Sorry you are having thoughts on termination, I know you've mentioned it before on these threads as I have to, but don't feel guilty - it's hard to shift them thoughts when you know that option will shift the HG!

Lucinda yes procloperazine is stemetil - will remember in future as it's much easier to remember / spell

Thanks ladies, I've got my booking in appointment today with the midwife so I'll discuss meds with her and see if I should get another appointment at my GP. Going to mention how much I'm struggling. Still haven't ventured from my bedroom today.
Feeling a bit dizzy too so thinking I may need to go and get fluids.
This time is worse than last and I've got DD to look after too. Luckily MIL is coming over most afternoons to look after her but this is so hard.
Sorry having such a bad wobble at the moment 😭 keep nearly crying and then thinking don't cry you'll lose more fluid.

Hi everyone,

I have finally been prescribed something by a GP who finally took me seriously when I said I've lost almost a stone in weight (I was only 9.5st to begin with and at 5ft6 I didn't really have a stone to lose)

They have prescribed me Ondansetron - just wondering if anyone has heard of this or been on it and can give me any info on their experience?

Thanks

@SFA21 ondansetron is amazing, although I took it alongside cyclizine. I hope it works for you!
You should read up on it, you may find you have to battle certain doctors to get it! Although lots of people have/do take it xx

Hi all,
Posted a week or so ago, newly pregnant ex-HG sufferer.
I’m now a little over 6 weeks and everything seems to be going ok.
I’m feeling rougher as the days pass but no where near as bad as last time still (no actual vomiting yet) which is giving me some reassurance that something is ACTUALLY happening in my womb!
I contacted my GP at 4 weeks pregnant and I spoke to a lovely Dr who I haven’t spoken to before. She prescribed me prophylactic cyclizine and wrote a letter to the OBGYN department at the hospital. I received a copy of the letter from the hospital yesterday and the consultant advised prophylactic cyclizine, followed by a second line anti emetic and wrote whilst ondansetron isn’t advised until 10 weeks, I can make the decision to have it earlier weighing up the risks myself. 🥳🥳 ondansteron was my miracle drug last time.
I then phoned the local birthing centre to arrange a booking appointment (which I’d been putting off) but when I asked for my previous midwife I was advised that she is now on the home birthing / super low risk team so couldn’t be my midwife. I made an absolute twat of myself and cried so much that the poor ward clerk said she’d get the midwife to phone me for a chat.
Midwife phoned today and she said that she’ll ‘take me on’ - I cried again . She supported me so well through my previous pregnancy and was so helpful with my HG. (I had to lie on the bed to give my details at my first booking appointment as I was so illand I still remember her helping me put my coat on when I left sniff )

ANYWAY that was a very self indulgent post but in my experience it’s so rare for HG sufferers to feel supported by the medical team around them and today just feels like a good day.

Non-boaky wishes to all.

Radglags Welcome back. I am so glad to hear that you had such a good exerience of pre-emptive treatment.

Hello i hope you dont mind me joining in. Its my 2nd pregnancy, 9 weeks and my 2nd bout of HG. This time has felt worse. Ive been vomiting for 4 weeks now. I ended up having to go to hospital and get an anti sickness jag and then was prescribed cyclizine. Has worked for 3 weeks and now i have been given prochlorperazine. Has anyone had any success with that? Im not going to lie, i am feeling quite low and cant move much as any motion makes me vomit. Most food and drink makes me feel nauseous especially water (i think i brought it up so much at the beginning its put me off). Ive been relying on fresh orange juice and flat diet cooe.

Welcome to Covidfreexmas. Sorry you are suffering and had to be admitted for fluids. If Cyclizine isn't helping, do ask for other meds. There are various ones they can try. There's a relatively new drug called Xonvea that others have found useful on here. It's understandable to feel low when suffering from so horrible a complaint and one that is often treated dismissively. At least there's lots of support on here, anyway. As you are a veteran, you don't need my usual spiel about drinks, etc, but I include it in case it might help: Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. 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 (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, 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, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport . Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits and slices of melon and mango.
Waves to all.

Hi everyone, 1st pregnancy 6+6 and been suffering terribly. Tried to just battle through thinking it would go but finally called my gp today. They seemed good actually they've asked me to go up this afternoon and they'll check urine and blood pressure snd give me an anti sickness injection and I think tablets for after too. Has anyone else had this? Is it normal to get the injection in pregnancy? Thanks for all the helpful info on here.

@strangerontheinternet - I’ve never had an anti-sickness injection (other than when I was in labour) but I think they are quite common. If you are in the cycle of vomiting every time you eat or drink it can be difficult to get enough of the drug into you for long enough to have an effect. If they give you an injection it means that it can start to have an effect and hopefully prevent you from vomming the tablets!

Feeling rougher now I’m around 6 and a half weeks. Had to do the whole ‘eat a cracker lying down’ this morning. No actual sickness yet.
Told my mum this morning, she has next week off work so might come and stay for a bit to help with childcare. Feel a bit bad as it’s not life and death but I have an 18 month old and even picking her up or pushing a swing at the park makes me feel a little iffy so if I could have a few days off of the heavy lifting so to speak hopefully I’ll be better for longer 🤞🏻
I tried to soldier on for too long last time so I’m trying very hard to preempt everything this time.

strangersontheinternet Welcome. I am sorry to hear you are suffering badly. Checking urine for dehydration and advising anti-emetics if you are in danger of becoming seriously dehydrated are routine. I think Radglags explanation of why they are going to use an injection is an excellent one. There is lots of support on here. I am glad you have found the advice good. Here is my normal spiel. Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. 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 (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, 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, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport . Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits and slices of melon and mango.
Radglags Good advice. On the cracker, do you mean a savoury biscuit or a sweet one? I know some people in the UK call sweet biscuits crackers these days so I get confused!
I hope everyone is coping.

@LucindaE - just a humble water biscuit haha
I did discard half a ginger biscuit in the garden today though. Thought I’d have a little something before going to the park with toddler but it was just so sweet. Hopefully the birds enjoyed it

Hi ladies. I was here last time around, late 2017 and lurking a bit this time. I don't have HG this time (yet?!) but my nausea is markedly increasing in severity day by day now despite two promethazine doses a day and I'm only 6 weeks pregnant. I haven't vomited yet but have had a few bouts of retching and I am still eating pretty well - adjusting what I can stomach but probably still the right number of calories. Fluid is harder though as everything tastes horrible doesn't it?! My GP said if I have vomit at all to call them straight away and she will prescribe ondansetron as that helped me last time. I just feel like I'm in a limbo at the moment as I feel so horrible today but then I haven't actually vomited at all so there is no indication to step up treatment. I am also struggling to work and doing much less than usual but I feel like 'nausea' on a sick note would look daft. I forgot how debilitating the nausea alone can be even without the sickness. I'm encouraged by your post @Radglags !