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.

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if there’s any advice on when to stop taking anti sickness tablets and what peoples experiences were?
I was hospitalised at 9+6 and am now 14+3 and have had a couple of days with little to no nausea (reading your stories put me right back to where I was then, but there is light at the end of the tunnel ladies!).
I have heard some people say they came off their meds and the sickness came back but I don’t want to keep taking tablets if I can avoid it…
Feeling very fortunate to have these days but not holding my breath!
Any advice?

Hey guys, I hope you're all well!

How have your returning to work experiences been?

Do you find you relapse?

I've been feeling a little better so I thought I might go back to work and see how I feel.

I've been told constantly staying in bed has given me some energy (also I've been able to keep certain meals down at 17+4) so I hope this is the end of the HG🙏🏼

I'm a teacher so I can try and sit down for most of the day, just hoping I don't collapse as I get home!

@LK182 thats great you are starting to feel better. I would stick on the same dose a few weeks and if youre still fine then look to weaning yourself off then.
In terms of stopping medication do it very slowly and see how you feel. I started doing it at 28 weeks as thats when i finally felt no sickness for several weeks and started with stopping my nighttime one and left it a week then stopped my lunchtime one but ended up needing to keep my morning and afternoon one as the nausea started again when i tried stopping these ones. I stayed on them until I gave birth.
Just see how you go but do it all very slowly so you dont end up going backwards.

@theconfused I’m a teacher too and been signed off this whole term. I had a meeting with HR and my head of faculty yesterday to plan a phased return. It’s a really gradual reintroduction over 4 weeks. My department wanted me back 5 periods straight away but I know that will set me back. Don’t rush back! Be very gentle with yourself. I’ve been battling the guilt of not being in but I’d much rather have that than relapse!

@abbs1 thank you, that’s really helpful. It’s so hard to know what to do and what will happen in the future with HG! I did take my nighttime one last night as I think that’s when I’m at my worst at the moment. Will definitely come off slowly and see how I go.

@theconfused

Re relapses with work, everyone’s different but in my last pregnancy I tried to go back at 15 weeks (when I thought the worst was over) and relapsed badly. This time I’m planning to stay off until mat leave.

Hi to all the new ladies, sorry you’re suffering too.

I’ve been off the thread a few days as went downhill without ondansetron, but clawing my way back up. (Pharmacy finally had it in stock again!)

Hope everyone’s hanging on ok!

I’m 10+4 now (I think, I’m losing track) and have my booking app next week via phone, and dating scan the week after.

@Togetherismyfavouriteplace with my DD2 I started taking meds as soon as I found out I was pregnant (my first symptom is nausea), and I felt I wasn’t as sick as I was with my first.

@LK182 just echoing what @abbs1 has said. With my first I was worried about harm that the meds could’ve been doing, so repeatedly tried to ease off them too soon. It did mean the sickness dragged on further than it did with DD2. I never came fully off them until birth, but was down to 1 dose a day at 32wks. There are those who struggle immensely with nausea again in the 3rd trimester.

@theconfused I’m working in a school this time around. 1st pregnancy I was signed off for 4months before a phased re-entry for 12wks before mat leave. 2nd pregnancy I was a stay at home mum, which could’ve helped my sickness not be as bad. This time I’m working only 2hrs a day (I usually work 5hrs), and I’m definitely sicker because of it, but I’m trying to keep it up as long as possible as it’s also a good distraction.

Does anyone have any advice for drinking water for your first scan? I'm supposed to drink 1.5 pints an hour before and don't know how I'll manage due to a) being sick, and b) my bladder.... but most importantly point a. I also worry that if I start vomiting then I'll pee it all out as that's what happens when I vomit. I do plan to take an extra pair of clothes just in case...

Do you really need to drink all that water?

@BBonBoard in my experience no, you don't have to drink that much at all, I have had loads and loads of scans including very early on (7 weeks) and never been able to drink that much for the same reason and it's never been a problem. I am normally slim though and always very slim once I've been pregnant and vomiting for a few weeks! Apparently the slimmer you are the easier it is to get a good view, assuming your womb is in a normal position etc. I think the full bladder helps push the uterus up but it's not always necessary. So I wouldn't stress about it too much, just try to drink what you think you safely can. I've got my 12 week scan on Monday and that's all I'm planning to do.

Thank you @kalidasa that's helpful!

@BBonBoard

Hey, I was in the same situation I literally couldn't keep anything down so I didn't have much water in me.

But when I got their they told me to go toilet to get a better view so I wouldn't worry!

Thank you @theconfused that's reassuring!!!

Togetherismyfavouriteplace I'm glad it tapered off a bit for you last time, and that your mother is helping. There's no-one like your mother for that.
HopefulJ2018 Don't feel alone. There's lots of support on here, though it is a very isolating experience.
LK182 As others say, don't rush it! S-l-o-w-l-y does it.
theconfused Again, I can only second what the others say. Don't rush back. So many have made that mistake on these threads and had to go off again. You need time to recover, and as you are working as a teacher - a demanding job if ever there was one - you need to get your strength back, and a staggered return for when you stagger back.
kalidasa How are things comparatively after the Acupuncture?
FateHasRedesignedMost I am so glad you've got Ondansetron again.
BonBoard Waves.
Great advice from abbs1 kalidasa LK182 Melleebacca
theconfused and everyone.

Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Hi,

I know there are certainly many people on this thread who are so much worse off than me. however I feel I have to post as I feel terrible and so low.

I am only 7 weeks pregnant and am really nauseous. I stop myself from being sick and concentrate a lot of the time as I have a fear of being sick. I have vomited in my mouth a few times (sorry gross I know). My sickness is getting worse and is constant. I can't go outside because I can't walk for retching.
I can hardly move and yet I need to look after my one year old. I feel so bad for her because I can hardly do anything. My mouth has this horrible strange taste and I am spitting out excess saliva (sorry again for the detail)

I have asked the doctor twice for stronger drugs, as I am taking cyclizine which is making no impact. The doctor has refused as I am not actually vomiting all the time and am not dehydrated.

I just feel so bad and I'm not sure how I am going to continue being able to manage this for the next few weeks.

@parks11 I’m so sorry. There are many unsympathetic gps out there. You may need to see another one for a second opinion. I used the woman’s health specialist at my doctors practice. You can get stronger meds, but they may not help with the nausea as most are designed to stop vomiting. I’m sorry you feel wretched.

8wks today here. DD1 6th birthday, her party is tomorrow 😬. Vomiting multiple times a day despite ondansetron and cyclizine. In agony from the piles caused by constipation. And DD2 has caught a cold so everyone here is miserable

BBonBoard

I never drink the pre-scan water because I vomit it up again in the car 😳

I just explain to the sonographer and it’s never been a problem. When I had an early scan at 6+4 I asked in advance for her to do an internal as I didn’t want to even attempt the water! She kindly had the room all set up ready and didn’t need to try external at all.

Hey all , how are those with other children managing to care for them? I felt rough last week but have gone right down hill the last few days. I feel like I can’t move, the whole room is spinning and I can’t stop retching even if I move my head. I have 9 month old twins and just hoped so much that the HG with them was a one off and would have a positive pregnancy this time. I look after them in the day and work in the evenings but haven’t been able to work this week. Just not sure how to manage! Going to ring dr for meds tomorrow but they make me drousey so I worry

@BuffyFanForever realistically I can't look after my children in this state in any meaningful way. Mine are older (6 and 8) so at school during the day (and it's a long school day here in France). My husband gets them up and takes them to school, I get up for a few minutes and help with dressing etc if possible; we have an au pair who collects them from school and does their supper; my husband takes over again when he gets back from work at 7 ish. I try to do a bedtime story if not literally throwing up but that's it. I could push myself and do a bit more in an emergency but then I'd be much sicker and our priority was to keep me out of hospital if at all possible as we thought that was best for the boys -- even if I can do very little, better that I'm here. It is very hard on my husband and I was really relieved to have a better day yesterday and be able to do more (helped with homework, cleaned out the hamster etc). With DS2 I was in hospital for two months and DS1 was about 16/17 months, we switched to a nanny for him before ttc because we knew what it might be like.

With 9 month old twins unless you are already at the peak I think you are going to need help. Is there anyone you can ask? I'm so sorry the HG has recurred. I know many women have it with twins but not singletons so it's not unreasonable to have hoped for better. Have they checked it's not twins again?

@LucindaE immediately after the acupuncture I felt quite good and hungry. The day after was absolutely awful, I couldn't keep anything down at all, but the lady said it might get worse for a couple of days and then better. The following day (yesterday) was the best day I've had for a while, and today also seems quite good so far. I am eating more and vomiting less; I am very dizzy but definitely a bit less nauseous. We'll see if it continues. I don't really know if it was the acupuncture or not - I'm just on 12 weeks so might be seeing a tiny improvement anyway -- but I think I'll probably go again in a week or two anyway.

Hope everyone is hanging on.

@BuffyFanForever I had my mother in law come every afternoon to look after my then 2 year old. Hubby would get our food for the morning ready and pop in a cool box outside my bedroom door so I didn't have to go far to get food for her. I literally just lived in my bedroom for about 6 weeks. It was the only way to keep the vomiting at bay for me and I was determined not to have to go to hospital this time. I had this plan in place before we ttc though as I knew I wouldn't want to do pregnancy again without more support. It also meant I got looked after so my weight loss was more minimal.
@parks11 Lucinda recommend love hearts for the horrible taste and they really helped. Unfortunately the excess saliva and taste really are just one of those things linked with feeling so sick and hg. I had a spit cup next to my bed at all times and just accepted that that's what I needed even though it was gross and my husband made horrible faces at me. If I swallowed it though it made me sick.
I'm sure Lucinda will give you her usual spiel soon but have you found any safe foods/drinks? This time I found eating small amounts like a mouthful but very regularly helped. And unfortunately drowning my food in salt which isn't great for dehydration 🤦🏻‍♀️

@kalidasa definitely get another session booked in. I found acupuncture helpful in my first pregnancy the first couple of times but then the effectiveness wore off as I entered the worst weeks for me around week 10-16. I couldn't afford it this time but it can be so helpful for lots of people. Hopefully because you are 12 weeks you are through the worst of it now just remember to take it easy still and not do too much so you don't get set back

Hi guys it's been a couple years since I had my wee one but I've got a horrible feeling I'm on round two because the last couple of weeks I've felt so ill and keep randomly throwing up but I'm too scared to take a test because I don't want to go down that road with a toddler.

Hiya with cyclizine do people find the the dizzy/drowsy feeling lessen the longer you took it? I’m halving the tablets at the moment as I hate the dizziness but I need the full amount x

Cyclizine wiped me out for about a month @HopefulJ2018 - I’d just pass out in the middle of the day, but after that it doesn’t touch me.

I had a bad night’s sleep last night, it’s meant I’m tired and it combined with missing my usual Cyclizine dose. I was so sick. All my food has come back up and I’ve vommed 8 times and counting, once without warning into my mouth 😭 - that’s the most for ages. Feeling sorry for myself, so about to try toast and peanut butter to see if that stays down, and some 7up… I lost so much liquid and my head hurts.

@Pleasedontworry I’ve had a bad couple of days as well. I just don’t know what to do for the best. I hate feeling like this. I’m only 8 weeks

It’s horrible isn’t it @HopefulJ2018 - I’m 18 weeks now and what I would say is that since around 14 weeks I’ve been functional, and much much better - today is a very clear sign that I need rest and I need the tablets. Weeks 5 to 12 were horrible. I hope you get some easing soon x