hyperemesis gravidarum

[ComebackQueen]

Hello ladies

Really struggling and feel like I can’t go on.
I’ve already been hospitalised with this and yesterday when I went to see my GP, urine again showed high levels of ketone and he wanted me to go straight to A&E but I just couldn’t face another hospital visit.

My husband is going to take me today if I still can’t hold water down, as yesterday I was in such a state both husband and mother agreed not to take me to hospital as I would be alone with little comfort from A&E staff who probably have more important things such as covid than dealing with me.

I’ve been up since 4am vomiting orangey yellow bile and I’ve finally had a respite so quickly shoved a dry cracker in my mouth and sipping water until the next round inevitably starts.

Is there anything besides F-ing ginger to help? I’ve been prescribed two anti nausea tablets which don’t help because by the time I take them orally, they’re thrown straight back up.

I’ve tried ginger, flat coke, sea bands, I booked in for acupuncture but when I arrived there, I was vomiting for so long in my ice cream tub, she told me I needed medication and rest as she couldn’t treat me in such a state.

I’m almost 40 and this is my first pregnancy. I’ve been getting period like pains and back ache and slight pink spotting too but apparently because I’m vomiting a lot my EPU won’t scan me unless it’s bright red blood enough to fill a pad.

I’m about six/seven weeks pregnant btw and apparently HG can start within two weeks after conception.

I’ve had this almost since finding out I was pregnant and I don’t know how to get through the next six weeks until the second trimester arrives.

Please can someone help me, I don’t want to go hospital.
I’ve spoken to a midwife and she’s just said hospital for now is the best place for me, I just can’t stomach being in the same hospital my father passed away in. I think that’s my biggest anxiety right now.

Hi Op,

I’m so sorry you are feeling (and being) so unwell. I had HG and it was trial and error as to what worked for me. Lucocade sport slightly frozen and crushed (so slush puppy texture) I could eat with a spoon and often helped me when I was very dehydrated. Ginger never did!! Have you experimented with different temperatures on the liquid your most likely to keep down? (Mine was never plain water). For me, it helped to focus on high calorie drinks (not food) in the short term. And don’t try aim for anything healthy - anything that stays down is a bonus!

Honestly as woeful as hospital is, sometimes the drips and the care is needed. Dehydration is dangerous and does need treating. It sounds really difficult for you, but I would be worried that without care, at home, you may end up feeling worse and worse! I hated being on a drip but did always find they made a huge different to how I felt afterwards.

Sending big hugs of strength. I’m so sorry for the loss of your Dad and for how strong you must be having to be, to go back to the same hospital.

Glad you’ve your mum and partner to support you.

There’s a HG thread on here that I found really helpful for ideas.

I also was in and out of hospital a lot in the early days, sick an unbarable ammount , with what was an uncertain/‘unknown viability’ pregnancy. My little girl is now one and wonderful! And the pregnancy did get a easier (although I was signed off work for a bit and needed to be).

Wishing you luck and strength x

Contact Pregnancy Sickness Support they are invaluable help and support. There is also a thread on here for sufferers

I got put on constant medication for mine, unfortunately it was the only thing that helped. Not to sound dramatic but I remember sitting getting fluids in maternity assessment unit crying - feeling like I was going to die. The effect it has mentally and physically is really hard and I personally would ask your gp for prescription of medication for a while. Also depending on what hospital you are giving birth at, see if they have an MAU unit as you shouldn't have to go to a&e for this.

I know it's super hard - no words are going to make you feel better. But I really think you need to go get fluids into you. It's a tough road ahead with HG, let us know how you get on. X

@MissingCoffeeandWine I second Lucozade sport. Was one of the only fluids I could tolerate.

@Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily

Contact Pregnancy Sickness Support they are invaluable help and support. There is also a thread on here for sufferers

I was going to say this. The charity have a peer support programme, I'm using it now with my second HG pregnancy. I was more ill with my first and so clueless and ended up depressed and thinking about terminating the pregnancy even though it was planned. I fully understand how horrific it is. Please contact the charity and get as much support as you can.

Also speak to your GP again about the medication, there are variations where you keep them in your lip or tongue to be absorbed instead of having to swallow tablets, I had them in my first pregnancy as I couldn't keep tablets down. There's even suppositories of some I think if it comes to that. Do not sit at home and suffer unfortunately you often do need to push and push for all the treatment you need. The charity can support you with this.

Oh you poor thing. I had hyperemesis in my first pregnancy with very similar symptoms to you. I am now in week 9 of my second pregnancy and have been prescribed ondansatron since week 6. It has been an absolute game changer for me and although I still have a lot of nausea I am eating and drinking well. I believe you can get this drug in a melt in you mouth form so that it’s easier to go down and be absorbed. I would strongly recommend asking your GP or the EPU for a prescription of ondansatron- nothing else worked for me.

I am literally just over this, can't sympathies enough. Passed at 12 weeks for me... I found near the end I could keep cereal down and was forcing myself to eat 5/6 bowls of cereal a day. When I had something in my stomach I felt so much better, wasn't sick.

I had hospital admissions too.

Hopefully ends at 12 weeks for you too!

Sorry you're suffering, HG is hideous. I found week 8/9 to be the peak of hidousness and it tailed off a little bit after that. I won't lie, I still couldn't leave the house or work until week 16 but it did get slightly better. I think I lived on Oasis soft drinks and lemonade ice lollies, purely as they didn't taste that bad when they reappeared. I also remember sucking rich tea biscuits because chewing was too much. I also made ice lollies out of Dioralyte on occasion as I couldn't drink it and keep it down.

Strangely I didn't have HG with my next child, although I was sick every day from one week after ovulation until she was born (still vomiting as I delivered). I did have some vomit free days with my HG pregnancy once I was well into the second tri.

Ask for support from your GP, I didn't and I regret that. There are definitely better options than tablets you swallow.

I am so sorry. I am currently 25 weeks but your story could be mine. Spotting until 14 weeks. I had nuasea and sickness from days after getting the positive and ended up in hospital a couple of times, high ketone and dehydrated. Even when in hospital some even took to telling me I really should try eating (as if I hadn't tried) I eventually got on a combination of pills - they came with their own side effects but at least I could eat and drink, get put of bed. Hospital is not great especially at the moment but I could not get the fluids I needed without being there. Thankfully symptoms reduced between 18 and 20 weeks and now it very occasional. I was very much in denial and put it down to my age-at least your aware this is not normal. I hope your able to get some help x

Ohh this sounds so familiar! Sorry you are having such a rubbish time. I did find once I was admitted and given fluids / got the sickness under control then I tended to fair better on the tablets.

I found Pom bears helped and ice lollys as PP said they tasted ok coming back up. I also use to crave Burger King. Basically eat anything you fancy and drink anything you fancy.

I would definitely go back to the hospital, is there a prenatal ward they can admit you too rather going to a&e?

Hi all
Firstly thank you for all your responses and kind words, I’ve taken a screenshot of the useful tips and will try incorporate into my regime.

I did go to my local A&E shortly after the post, I was given fluids and cyclizine(sp?) via a cannula and after a couple of hours and a urine test I was able to go home as they knew I didn’t even want to be here.

Next time I need admission I will go directly to St Mary’s as they do have a separate non A&E ward for treatment. As my sickness is so bad I can’t usually last the 20min car ride so I go to the local hospital 5 mins away but they only treat on A&E.

Weirdly I do feel better since the drip but the nurses said they’d expect me to be in an out of hospital for a while. It’s almost like they think it’s the only way to treat me which I found a bit of a shock tbh.

I’m going to speak to my GP tomorrow as I have been given two anti sickness drugs and this time folic and vitamins as well but I think I need something that I don’t have to orally take.

How you ladies managed to get through this, I don’t know. I have seriously contemplated termination as another poster said even though it’s taken us 10 years to even get pregnant and I’m 39 so don’t have much time left.

I think I need just as much mental support right now as I’ve never cried so much in my life or been this down. I’ve coped with bereavement which I at least had moments of respite from what I was feeling but with this HG if I’m not being sick I’m feeling sick. I’m hoping that once I hit 12 weeks all the sickness and spotting and Back ache goes and I can look back and maybe even laugh?

Thank you all for giving me some great tips, I’ve tried ice cold cordial this morning and not much has come back up.

I was only drinking water at room temp which didn’t agree with me so ice cold fluids looks the winner.

Thank you once again

You can do it, but it is bloody hard. I started seeing improvements from about 12 weeks but please don't have it in your mind that you will necessarily be fully better by then - unfortunately recovery is usually gradual. I couldn't go back to work at all until week 16 for example and I wasn't pretty much normal again until about 22/24 weeks. Not trying to scare you because you will almost certainly not be anywhere near as poorly as you are now in the second trimester but just don't want you to reach week 12 and still feel poorly and worry that it's never going away or anything like that. Definitely speak to the GP about the meds that dissolve in your mouth if you can't keep the tablets down. It's normal to feel a bit better after fluids in hospital as one of the reasons you will have felt so ill before is due to dehydration and the fluids fix that short-term. I totally get what you mean about the mental health. Speak to the Pregnancy Sickness Support charity for support and perhaps your midwife too, they can refer you to the perinatal mental health team. I really wish I did all this with my first instead of suffering so much but at the time I didn't know any of this was an option. Good luck OP and we are here if you need to chat to people who understand.

I second a PP's recommendation for the melt-in-your-mouth anti-sickness medication, you tuck it between your lip and gum and it dissolves and is absorbed through the skin of your mouth.

Try the HG support thread, I found it helpful to know I wasn't alone. It's awful, but make sure you try all the medication they can offer - the earlier in pregnancy you start them the better.

This too shall pass

Having been in your shoes, please go to the hospital. You will feel so much better once you're properly hydrated and they can try different drugs.
I was hospitalised 5 times between weeks 6 and 16 during my first pregnancy. It was only on the 5th admission when I insisted in staying in until the vomiting was under control that I actually started to get better. The drug that worked was ondansetron but they are reluctant to prescribe it without trying other options.
I'll also add that on my 3rd or 4th admission they found that my potassium was dangerously low and I could've died if I hadn't been admitted when I was.