Is it possible to have less nausea in subsequent pregnancies?

[July41]

I suffered horrendously with severe nausea in a previous unplanned pregnancy.. to the point where after a few weeks I couldn’t continue and made the incredibly difficulty decision to have a termination. I was not in a place in my life where I could afford to be completely debilitated and none of the medication the GP prescribed worked.

I’ve just found out I’m pregnant again and obviously don’t want the same thing to happen again. The nausea has already started and am driving myself crazy thinking it’s going to be the same or worse than last time?

Is there any chance I could be wrong? Has anyone experienced hypermesis/severe 24/7 nausea in a previous pregnancy and then gone on to have one with just normal morning sickness? I realise that there are plenty of women who don’t experience it at all or have very mild symptoms.. but just really looking to hear from someone who has had it and then not suffered as badly next time?

I'm so sorry to hear what you have been through. I suffered terrible Hyperemesis in my first pregnancy and it was the worst time in my life. In my second pregnancy I was given Ondandestron and it helped me a lot. I still felt rough but I wasn't vomiting like I was in my first one. May be worth asking for this drug if you never tried it before? All the other sickness pills they gave me did nothing for me.

It does happen, but it's much more likely you will suffer from it again, based on the research. I'd contact Pregnancy Sickness Support for advice and go on anti emetic medication straight away if you're already feeling nauseous. Theres evidence that going on treatment before or at the very beginning of symptoms can have a big impact on the severity of symptoms that develop. Anecdotally I've found that to be true - I developed HG with both pregnancies, but the acute stage was significantly less severe with my second which I put down to having been on medication much quicker at the first hint of any symptoms and this kept me out of hospital this time.

Thankyou both very much for your kind replies.

I haven’t tried ondansetron, my GP was reluctant to prescribe it but has given me cyclizine & metoclopramide. The cyclizime did nothing last time.. but I’m abit hesitant to take the metoclopramide, the side effects sound abit scary and worried they will make me feel worse! Dizziness and anxiety doesn’t sound great combined with how I already feel!

He did say if it doesn’t work we could try ondansetron in a few more weeks. Did it help with your nausea or just the vomiting?

It did help with the nausea too, but I still didn't feel right in myself, for example I had a really poor appetite. It was 100 times better than feeling and being constantly sick though! I really hope your Dr puts you on it and it works for you - good luck x

I have been prescribed metoclopramide and haven’t had any aside effects. I take it at regular times every day and has worked wonders for me. I couldn’t carry on day to day life without it. Wishing you lots of luck.

I was really quite sick in my first pregnancy but have only had a few weeks of nausea with my current one – so it does happen!

I don’t think there’s a rhyme or reason, over three pregnancies I’d say my nausea is the worst in this pregnancy and has lasted the longest too x

I had to use ondansetron to function even for bare minimum and it helped a lot. I used it during my second trimester for about 8 weeks before I stopped using it. The sickness continued after I stopped using where I vomited several times but the nausea went after month 6 which was a relief. I'm dreading a second pregnancy as well just for this reason and following with interest. The sickness and nausea is really bad and drove me to a very dark place mentally. Good luck.

I was put on metoclopramide before ondansetron this time too as I just happened to speak to a GP that time who was reluctant to prescribe it. If I'm being honest having been on it now it still wouldn't be my choice, but everyone's different. It worked well for me but I had to come off it after a couple of weeks due to side effects - in my case tremors, which is the side effect I was worried about in the first place. Went on ondansetron afterwards and had been on ondansetron in my first pregnancy too. I wouldn't say it helps massively with nausea to be honest, only slightly for me but it has a bit effect on reducing/preventing vomiting for me. It causes terrible constipation though so be warned

I had awful sickess/24h nausea when I was pregnant first time, it was a blessed relief when it started easing around 14w.

Second time round not a whiff of nausea, though I was exhausted beyond belief for the first few months. Completely different pregnancy.

Push the GP to try find what works for you. My sister suffered in both her pregnancies, the current pregnancy worse than the first, but this time it is managed with the medication so is now much better, she takes both cyclizine and metochlopromide but it was only after two sickness related hospital admissions that they tried different medications! Hope you find one that suits you 🙂

@July41 Sorry to hear about your first pregnancy. I hope you have an easier time of it this time. Congratulations!

@Couldhavebeenme2 you're giving me hope! I had severe non-stop nausea from weeks 6-17 in my first pregnancy, it was horrific! I was prescribed a couple of different meds but nothing worked. I was only physically sick twice but the relentless nausea was debilitating.

I'm now TTC again but am dreading another pregnancy, especially now I have a 12 month old so won't be able to just lie on the couch and feel sorry for myself 😩 the thought of dealing with that whilst looking after a toddler is really putting me off!

I had hyperemesis with my first but 'only' morning sickness with my second. I was sick every day second time around but only once or twice rather than 100 times so it felt amazing by comparison.

It can happen. My middle pregnancy was terrible, the first and third not too bad.

Join the support board on here.
Get on the meds ASAP and make sure your midwife isn't afraid to shout at the gp for ondansetron. There is a 0.03% risk of cleft lip/ palate with ondansetron which means they are reluctant to prescribe it. (Or often say after 12 weeks which is bizarre as the palate fuses at 16) However If you need it you need it.
50ml/hour keeps you out of hospital.
Get some ketone sticks from amazon to monitor yourself.
Tips for meds:
Omeprazole - work out when your most refluxey and take it a few hours before then.
Docusate - laxative that doesn't require lots of liquid so easier to tolerate.
Ondansetron - slows the digestive tract down and often stops physical vomiting but not nausea. Either take 8mg x2 daily or 4mg x 4daily. Try liquid about 1 hour after as you'll probably be able to keep it down. .
Metroclopramide - speeds the tract up so you have to eat after it or it will make you more sick. Needs to be 4 hours between ondansetron and meto so they don't antagonise each other.
Promethazine- often makes you v sleepy.
My second was worse than first but I managed to stay put of hospital because I was better at managing it. Not doing it again though. Good luck - the support thread has lots of ideas for foods you might tolerate and so you don't feel alone xx

I was hospitalised with my first due to HG. With my second I was barely even nauseous. The third one was slightly worse but nowhere near as bad as my first

@Hantswife that gives me hope.. I’ve started the cyclizine but the same as last time it’s hasn’t made any difference and the nausea is getting unbearable already. Going to pick the metoclopramide prescription up today and give it a try.. I really hope it works for me without side effects aswell!
What week did you started taking it? And what times seem to work best?

Thankyou all so much for your advice! I hope I can find something that works this time and manage to get through it!