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
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.

@Rowboatsmummy welcome to the thread. I’m so sorry you’re going through this and with gd too. It must be super hard. I bet you are the best mummy and I’m sure your kids will love their little sibling and understand why this period was so difficult in hindsight. I hope you get a bit more support with getting a drug combination that works for you. Xx

So my phone call with the doctor didn’t go so well. She was so risk adverse. Tried to get away with just giving me a laxative and high strength Gaviscon. Said I couldn’t have maxolon as not enough evidence it was safe. I now have Promethazine which seems a similar level to what I’m on. I’ve spent all afternoon in bed without the energy to move and all morning throwing up. I’m not sure what warrants taking a risk with the stronger stuff. Anyway you never know, I guess it might work. Xx

Sorry to hear your chat with the GP wasnt as helpful @Catconfusion but you never know, the promethazine may just work.

I spoke with the GP tonight too and she's prescribed a random assortment of drugs. I don't react well to cyclizine so she gave me: 28 days worth of cinnarizine (Stugeron), 5 days worth of metoclopramide, and 10 days of ondansetron if the cinnarizine/metoclop combo doesn't work.
Never mind the fact that she gave completely random numbers of tablets, I can't find anywhere that suggests cinnarizine as of use in pregnancy? I wish I knew what she was saying on the phone and requested to try promethazine/metoclop instead.

Does anyone know if I can't take prochlorperazine and metoclop together? Before I try ondansetron?

@Catconfusion im so sorry the GP wasnt helpful. Can you go to your hospitals EPU? Thats what I did and was how i first got the medication i needed after 3 different GPs all said no to anything more than cyclizine. Also if you check out the pregnancy sickness support page they have a list hospitals with hg day units which you can help much easier.

@Nannypear ive only ever done a combination of metoclopromide and ondansatron so not sure on the other ones. If you take ondansatron make sure you have a laxative as it makes one very constipated. I hope you feel better soon.

@NannyPear I hope so, I guess I’m just disheartened after the prochlorperazine didn’t really do anything. I just wish I’d got the same GP as last week. She was very much of the opinion we needed to move fast onto a slightly stronger regime if I wasn’t improving. I understand the caution but it’s so hard feeling like this with a toddler.

Your drug assortment sounds a bit strange. I’ve used sturgeron before for travel sickness but not heard it talked about in the realms of hyperemesis. I guess she must have an end result in mind and maybe it’ll work for you. Could you call again and discuss it before you start? Hopefully someone else on here will be able to help. Xx

@NannyPear yes, I've not heard of using sturgeon in pregnancy but I'm no expert.
Maybe call pregnancy sickness support charity for advice. They've got lots of information. Hope you feel better soon.

@Catconfusion it's always the luck of the draw with GPs. I know many people who've taken promethazine with good results. Good luck and keep pestering if you aren't feeling better in a few days.

Rowlandsmummy Welcome. Sorry you are suffering. People are very supportive on here. I so agree with others, do ask for something else. In your last pregnancy, did you have a marked improvement? As you are a veteran you don't need my spiel about 'Do you find flat, full sugar coke, ice lollies or the juice of tinned fruit helps' and 'have you got kesostix, as while not the best test of dehydration, hospitals do take their measurements seriously' and 'a good anti acid makes a big difference'. From all I have seen on this thread, LO''s tend to forget this period of comparative neglect. You mustn't feel guilty.
thingymaboob I am glad about the window of improvement. Don't rush back to work if you can avoid it.You need to recover properly. It takes some time. Great advice as ever from you and from abbs1 and others.
abbs1 I hope the deterioration is due to the 10 week hormonal surge that seems to make 10 weeks particularly bad for sufferers.
Catconfusion I don't know why she didn't prescribe Xonvea, as it was specially developed for vomiting in pregnancy. I am frankly puzzled. Might it be worth phoning Pregnancy Sickness Support 0n 024 7638 2020 for advice on obtaining effective meds? They will ring back with good advice.
NannyPear I hope this combination helps.

Apologies to anyone rudely ignored.

thingymaboob Sorry - cross posted with the same suggestion.

Oh dear. That was mean to be Rowboatsmummy and I called you Rowlandsmummy. I am not with it today.

@abbs1 I’m under the EPAU for monitoring due to recurrent loss. My next scan is next Tuesday so if I’m still struggling I’ll ask and see what they can do. Xx

Thanks @thingymaboob I will definitely keep pestering if this doesn’t work. I’m pretty miserable at this point. Xx

Thanks @LucindaE it’s very odd that milder medications are still given in more severe cases. It seems that doctors are scared of prescribing the good stuff. I understand but it probably leads to a lot of unnecessary suffering. I’m just hopeful the new meds will work because I know I can’t go on like this. Xx

@catconfusion yes definitely ask for more help.
In regards to medication Ive been told that each NHS trust allocates a certain amount of money for certain drugs depending on demand and what they feel benefit the most paitients and then that'show readily available it is. For example xonvea where I live is presribed under the NHS but other areas of the UK you can only get it on private prescription and its expensive. Same thing with ondansatron esp the IV stuff, in my last pregnancy I was told each IV dosage cost that NHS trust £20 so its not cheap and I was have 2 doses of it a day in hospital for months but they gave it me to keep me and baby alive before giving me steroids as even IV ondansatron wasnt working. Hopefully that makes sense when GPs are prescribing medication and deciding what they give you. They've got certain protocols to follow. I was offered Xonvea straight away due to my hyperemesis history in my previous pregnancy as it was so severe theyve tried to nip it in the bud before it goes really badly again.

Thanks @abbs1 I wondered if it was a money thing. The way I see it treating with appropriate drugs early might prevent hospitalisation. So it is cost effective to give stronger medication in severe cases.

Having said that I didn’t have my 3 am vomiting session after taking promethazine last night. I kept waking with nausea but got more rest than I usually get. I’m hoping maybe it will work. Xx

@catconfusion it definitely is. The reason my GP said yes to Xonvea was to keep me from taking up a hospital bed on a daily basis again for months for IV medication and also to prevent a home care nurse coming to my house twice a day to give me IV medication (steroids) and clexine injections like they had to last time which is a lot most costly than Xonvea. I feel terrible this morning again but my Dr isnt available to speak to till tomorrow so gotta hang on another day before asking for metoclopromide.

I hope your medication does work but definitely go back and request something else if it doesnt.

@abbs1 it’s sounds like you’ve been through so much. Thank goodness you’ve had the strong stuff early. I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling worse again today. I hope you get the doctor on the phone soon.

I wasn’t sick overnight so that’s reassuring. I also managed a baby group with my Dad helping me. I’ve felt extremely nauseous throughout but I was determined to get ds out for some social interaction. I feel absolutely wiped out now but I’m so glad I went. Xx

abbs1 I hope you aren't feeling too bad today. A excellent explanation of the differing prescribing policies of NHS trusts!
Catconfusion That's a good plan and I am glad you missed the night vomit and your father was helpful.
I hope thingymaboob and everyone is coping today.

abbs1 I remember your getting those injections at home. You were surely one of the most severe cases of Hyperemesis on this thread and I hope the early medication means it doesn't get a fraction as severe this time.

@LucindaE today has been the worst day so far. Just felt so nauseous 24/7 trying my best not to be sick as I know from last time once the flood gates open its so hard to stop them. I'm hoping the Dr can get me metoclopromide by end of the day tomorrow as I feel awful. Spent the whole day on the settee my poor little boy was wondering what is wrong with me 😔 I'm really worried that hyperemesis is gonna hit really bad and that the Xonvea has just delayed the inevitable.

@Catconfusion yes my last pregnancy was horrendous. I'm crazy to even be doing it again but both my husband and I really wanted another baby. Maybe its selfish but if we didnt try I know we'd massively regret it.

@abbs1 I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had a bad day. I really hope you get the metoclopromide soon. Also that it doesn’t get more severe.

It’s not selfish at all to have another baby. It’s not your fault your body responds in this way. You should be able to have as many babies as you want. If anything it’s selfless to go through this again and very brave.

Try not to worry about your little boy. He will love the new babu and it’ll be totally worth it. Xx

@abbs1 I am so sorry the hear how bad you've been feeling. I can totally relate. I can't imagine how hard it is having to look after your DS. Could you enrol him into a nursery for a bit for some respite? Not ideal, I know but you'll need the rest...

Hi everyone

I'm 10 weeks today and the sickness is getting worse and worse. I had hyperemesis last time round for the full pregnancy, thought I was just getting morning sickness this time round but it's ramped up.

Ondansetron worked best for me last time but I was still sick with it. Got them from the Dr again today. Can anyone remember how long they took to kick in for you? If I'm not feeling better tomorrow I think I'll be going to A&E for a drip.

@thingymeboob my husband is the only one working and just started a new job last Monday but we haven't got the money for nursery atm and he doesnt want him going to nursery until hes older. My little boy also has so many allergies its a complete nightmare enrolling him and keeping him safe when he cant say no im not allowed to eat that etc. My husband works from home but this week hes been working 8am-6pm and been in meetings all day so I havent had a break. He told me this evening he doesnt know how to deal with me being poorly again. Hes been a huge support so far.
His mum has offered to babysit but she won't come on the bus here (I usually pick her up and bring her back which is 40min round trip) and I'm not well enough to drive. My husband doesnt drive either so its a bit of a nightmare all round atm.

Sounds so tough @abbs1. What about a taxi then your MIL can stay over a few days?

@Cmacs2020 hello, I normally find relief when I've taken a days worth of ondansetron. 4mg worked well for me last pregnancy but this time I've taken quite a few doses of 8mg on very bad days. Don't forget the laxatives!

@thingymeboob my dr is gonna call this morning to discuss other medication and if no improvement over the next couple days I may see if she can come for a few days next week to help me out.
I was up all night feeling so nauseous trying not to be sick but the xonvea seems to have completely stopped working 😔