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.

I need to vent. I had some friends stop by for a short visit and one kept commenting how I don’t look sick. 🙄 I said I may look good but that doesn’t mean I feel good. Anyone else deal with this? I was beyond annoyed.

@LindSan I’m so sorry your friends are so ignorant about hg. It’s not always visible. Doesn’t mean you don’t feel like crap. It shocks me generally how little the general public understand about hg. It’s not just a bit of pregnancy sickness, it’s constant. I find the worse people sometimes are mums who didn’t experience any sickness or maybe had bouts of it but muddled through. As it’s not their experience they don’t understand how debilitating it is.

My friend told me she has hg but she has tablets she takes if it gets bad. She’s still been going to work, has been away with her partner, gone to a music festival and a hen weekend, all with hg apparently. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she has bouts of feeling rubbish but it doesn’t sound like hg to me. I do wonder if she understands my situation: being bedbound, not able to do anything. She muddled through while feeling sick so why can’t I?….because I actually have hg. Xx

I’ve just realised when I went to try my meds last night it’s actually prochlorperazine I’ve been prescribed. I took it yesterday afternoon. I was just sobbing on the sofa with the sick bowel feeling awful. It doesn’t have a drowsy affect on me so that’s good. It took the edge off enough to eat something last night. I fancied a fry up so had egg, bacon, beans and toast. It stayed down as well. I then took another tablet at about 1am when the nausea started. I usually have about two hours of this until finally I start throwing up. Typically DH was snoring but I managed to stay in bed and not vomit at all over night. I’ve also managed to eat breakfast ok. I still feel really sick and that’s constant but these tablets are definitely taking the edge off it and stopping the vomiting for now. I hope it continues. Xx

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone in this thread, it’s been an absolute lifeline for me. I’ve spent every morning and evening since late June throwing up pure bile, peeing myself, constant sore throat and mouth from vomiting, no appetite for anything nice and minimal sympathy/understanding from family. This thread has helped so much when I’ve been really really low. Today is the first morning (13+3) that I didn’t vomit bile immediately on opening my eyes. I don’t know how long it will last but it’s made me realise there is light at the end of the tunnel, for all of us! Wishing you all well. Thanks for sharing your stories as it has helped me feel much less alone

Aww @Hatethisplacetho I’m so sorry to hear what a long journey it’s been to this point. It’s such a horrible thing to go through. It’s so sad your family couldn’t offer more support to you. I get it’s difficult to completely understand if it’s not happened to them but clearly you’ve been very unwell and it’s affected your quality of life.

Just a little while ago a friend said being sick in pregnancy is normal and I shouldn’t worry about it. But it is worrying and unnerving when the nausea doesn’t go and the sickness is constant. I don’t know why other people like to minimise it like it’s nothing when it’s quite traumatic really.

I really hope this is the end for you now and you can start enjoying your life again. Xx

Could anyone be kind enough to explain the urine dip tests you can buy / how the work and what they tell you xx

@Ttcbn2 did you buy the strips that test only for ketones or the ones which test for ketones & lots of other stuff (leukocytes, glucose, protein etc.)?

Wee in a pot, dip stick in wait at least 30 s and check the colour of the test patch. The more ketones you have the darker the purple/brown colour. You should've been provided with a colour chart. Hold the test patch up to the colour chart and see which colour your patch most closely matched on the colour chart. Underneath it should tell you how many ketones that colour equates to.

Sorry, to be clear - dip in pot and out straight away, not leave it 30 seconds. That was confusing

Thank you, I haven’t bought any yet was just thinking about if it was worth buying some or not xx

Hatethisplacetho Welcome. I am so glad this thread has helped and you had some relief today. A good day is often the sign of many more to come. As you have been reading the thread you don't need my drinks and anti acid and kesostix suggestions as you'll have read them already. It's a shame family and friends have been so oblivious. I honestly don't know why so many women are dissmissive of pregnancy sickness.
catconfusion Prochlorperazine is Stemitil, as I recall. I didn't have that in pregnancy but I do take it for vomitng with migraines. Many on this thread have found it really helpful. Lavender pillow spray is a great idea.
thingymaboob Great advice for Ttcbn2.
Lindsan That is an annoying thing for anyone to say, but there is an upside in that it is awful to feel ill and for it not to be obvious, but it might be worse to feel good and for someone to say, ''You must be feeling terrible to look as bad as that!'
Lzgs A good idea to find out asap as much for reassurance it's safe to continue with the meds as anything.
I hope everyone is coping today. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

@LucindaE we are getting dangerously close to the end of the thread!

Sorry, everyone! I never leave it so late normally. That was a close one. Thanks, thingymaboob.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/4322558-Hyperemesis-Support?watched=1

@Catconfusion yeah it must be nice for her to still have some sense of normalcy while she’s pregnant. That’s what they don’t get. I haven’t been able to work and that has resulted in loss of income. Some days are better than others but generally going anywhere like the grocery store to get food for my baby is nearly impossible. Thankfully I have a husband who steps up to the plate, but I’m sick of being judged by other women who have no clue what we’re going through.

Lindsan Have we seen you on the new thread linked below, as this one was running out? I don't think we've heard from you of late.

Hi all,
So I’m back again. Was doing ok eating and drinking wise, had a bit of a hiccup at 20weeks. I’m 23weeks now and tested positive for covid on 17/08. It has brought me back to square one. The cyclazine & metocloprimide (spelling 🥴) aren’t having any effect. Even swallowing my own saliva is making me gag. Mental health is taking a beating too at the minute.
Just needed a little rant at how unfair everything is for everyone with HG.

Musicmonday Join us on the new thread linked below. Sorry to hear things aren't too good.

Hi everyone, not been on for a while! Am 30 weeks pregnant now and I have tried to stop my medication (ondansetron) but it makes me physically sick again.. :( so I can’t come off it does anyone no if it’s ok to take all the way through as I think I’m going to need to now with it being the final stretch! Thank you x

Manie1234 This thread is full . Do come and join us on the new thread I linked below. Solrry I missed your message.