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.

Goodness, suffeirng all round! Oh dear. It's usually quiet on here on a Sunday.
Parks11 Welcome. I can't iimprove on others' advice to see if you can get an appointment with a more symapthetic medic. If not, phone Pregnancy Sickness Support on 024 7636 2020 and they will phone back with good advice about getting effective meds. An anti acid could well help. Never worry about tmi on here. Those horrible symptoms are all part of the scourge. I include my normal spiel that might help, though you may have come across it on the thread. Ignore the bits that don't apply. Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20, or sometimes later. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. A good anti acid can make a surprising difference to the sickness. Kesostix are worth buying online or from a chemists, as while they aren't they best test of dehydration, hospitals take them seriously. When reporting on the vomiting to doctors, remember to emphasize the number of heaves in each vomiting session, as doctors tend to count these as 'vomits' and this can lead to their underestimating the severity of your symptoms. Besides drinking through a straw, here are some drinks that have helped others: full sugar flat coke (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, Dr Pepper, soda water, Elderflower water, tonic water, ice cubes, Iron Bru, lemonade, lemon squash, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid), fizzy orange, 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), fizzy water, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport. Also, pink lemonade and cloudy lemonade. Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits, potato smileys, slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.
avacdoo Welcome back - provisionally. Much sympathy. Last time, did you find any med helped a lot?
BuffyFanForever Poor you. Ask for Xonvea, if you can; that has helped a lot on here. Also, an anti-acid. I so agree with kalidasa that you can't struggle on with twin babies and work, even with meds. Is there a student nursery worker who might be prepared to help out? The doctor's surgery might be able to suggest something. Can your OH take time off?
Melleebacca Oh dear, poor you. I hope you have a better day tomorrow for your DD's birthday.
Pleasedon'tworry That sounds horrible. I hope you aren't dehydrated.
HopefulJ2018 As others say, many find that the drowsiness wears off over time. I am not sure about the diziness; might it be due to low blood pressure from not eating?
RockinRobinn Lovely to hear from you. Great advice from you and everyone as ever. I't's good that Acupunture was of some use.
kalidasa I am glad that the Acupunture may - provisionally - have helped a bit. Excellent advice as ever.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Hi everyone!
I am new here and I decided to join this thread to get some support.
I am just over 8 weeks pregnant. This is my third pregnancy. We lost a pregnancy a few months ago and this one seems to be sticking.
I was sick with my first pregnancy (DD is 2.5 now and doing great!) but never diagnosed with HG. Although I was taking pyridoxine/doxylamine the entire pregnancy to not be so sick.
This time around I feel even more sick. I started on meds almost right away and I am not throwing up, just retching. But the nausea is constant and debilitating. I can barely get dressed in the morning and need to rest throughout the day.
It is really affecting my mental health as well. I feel down and like I'm living a half-life. Just struggling to get through the day.
Thankfully DH took up the slack and is doing most of the cooking and entertaining while I just sit there in misery.
It's hard to imagine this is temporary but I keep telling myself I managed to get through the first pregnancy, so I can do it again. I do remember once DD was born i felt like a curtain lifted and the world got sharper and more colourful. So that's what I'm reminding myself again and again. It is also nice to read that others are going through similar experiences.
I have a doctors appointment in two days we'll see if she thinks we can do anything else to make this easier.

Thanks for the helpful responses on my last post - I haven't had much time or energy to come back but just wanted to say a huge thanks to everyone.

I'm 8 weeks + 2 days today and i've had really bad days that are clearly becoming more frequent. I haven't been sick which i'm thankful for but the nausea is stopping me in my tracks. I know the meds are working but the constant sick feeling is really getting to me.

I asked for Xonvea but they aren't allowed to prescribe in my trust at the moment. My dr is being really awkward about my meds - she wouldn't listen and said i'd need an appointment to see if I would be 'able to' have Cyclizine. I remember her being really awkward last time too. I've asked not to see her again. I spoke with another GP who prescribed it no problem.

@AnyaC84 your situation sounds similar to mine, sending you a handhold. We got this!

I am eating though and all the wrong foods i.e plain chip shop chips, supernoodles etc but just trying to go with anything that I can stomach.

Hello @AnyaC84 and welcome to the thread no-one wants to be on! I think weeks 8-10 ish are the absolute worst for a lot of women, it's definitely been the real nadir for me in all my pregnancies. (On my third HG pregnancy at the moment, but luckily it's been a bit less awful than my epic earlier ones!) As you probably know unfortunately most of the drugs, even the stronger ones, are better at preventing vomiting than the awful nausea, which is the worst bit I think from a psychological perspective even though it's the vomiting which is more dangerous medically. Some women do find ondansetron helps a bit with the nausea though so it might be worth asking if you could try that if you are really struggling psychologically? They might refuse it because you are not vomiting but it could be worth asking. I think pregnancy sickness support can advise about drugs as well. I also just had some acupuncture which actually does seem to have helped (with both nausea and vomiting) so could be worth a try if you can afford it?

Good news here. I had my 12 week scan today and all looks good took ages because baby so wriggly but if anything the baby is pretty big. They have redated me to 12+5 which I'm sure is wrong I am definitely 11+6 or exactly 12 at the most, so I assume this means the baby is on the large side. Amazingly given my v. limited ability to retain any nutrition over the last six weeks! Nuchal translucency and nasal bones also normal, which is no guarantee but a positive sign re: the odds of a chromosonal abnormality. I will almost certainly still be sent for the NIPT though I think because my age alone (41) makes the chance quite high. I have to go back to the hospital on Wednesday for the blood test results. I called my Mum in the UK to tell her I was pregnant and she cried a lot from happiness! My Dad just died in July so it's been a hard time and she said how lovely it was to have something to look forward to now. We haven't told the boys yet but I think we will this week.

Also I really feel like I've turned a corner now, the last three days have been consistently better. I'm still lying down most of the day, but able to be up a bit, eating more, and only nauseous to the point of vomiting in the evenings (from about 5 onwards) which is really not too bad. So pleased to be having some relief already, even though I'm sure there will still be bad days. With DS2 I didn't even get out of hospital until 14 weeks! Really not sure whether it was the acupuncture last Thursday that helped or whether it's just the placenta kicking in around now anyway, but I've booked another acupuncture appointment for the week after next.

@DaimDillyDoo you posted while I was writing my post I think but just to say really don't worry at all about what you eat, whatever will stay down is fine. With DS2 it was KFC zinger burgers that finally got me out of ketoacidosis and out of hospital! It seems very common to be only able to manage very bland / salty / processed things.

@kalidasa I’m so happy to hear everything is going well for you. You can have the nipt test done from 10w, and it’s very good. But even just a positive scan is an excellent thing, with my last pregnancy, every test and scan had red flags, so I feel your one has a happy ending!

@AnyaC84 you’re doing everything right. I know it’s so hard with other children and responsibilities, but resting is the best thing for you at the moment. It’s only a season, and the kids seem to barely remember it.

@DaimDillyDoo hopefully the new GP is more sympathetic. Eat all the bad foods, it really is fine. The baby is getting the nutrients it needs from your stores. I end up very anaemic during pregnancy, but it rights itself within a couple of weeks of giving birth. And my midwife (a fellow HG sufferer) has always advised me to eat the most calorie rich foods while in the throes of it.

I’m really bad at the moment. Much worse than my last pregnancy. I’m now vomiting every hour from lunchtime till when I go to sleep. I’ve had a dehydration headache the last 2 days, despite all my efforts. I’m going to try and get a doctors appt today, as I need a repeat prescription for ondansetron as it is.
Had to hide at my in-laws during my daughters birthday party, which was the right choice, but still hurts. We think our 6yr DD knows what is going on, but she’s fortunately been too distracted by her birthday celebrations recently.

I hope everyone has a good day.

@Melleebacca I'm really sorry you're so unwell. In my experience, once you reach the hourly vomiting stage it's really hard to keep a grip on it. You might need to go in for some fluids. Do you have ketostix at home to check your ketones? Can you take a higher dose of any of your meds or are you already at the maximum?

@kalidasa I’m at the maximum. While I’m mildly dehydrated, I don’t have ketones at this stage. Every time I vomit I have some very cold water and an ice block to soothe my throat. And I drink as much as I can during the morning. The mental toll is wearing me down.

AnyaC84 Welcome. Definitely ask for meds. As others say, rest is the best thing. There is lots of support on here. I include my normal spiel that might help, though you may have come across it on the thread. Ignore the bits that don't apply. Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20, or sometimes later. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. A good anti acid can make a surprising difference to the sickness. Kesostix are worth buying online or from a chemists, as while they aren't they best test of dehydration, hospitals take them seriously. When reporting on the vomiting to doctors, remember to emphasize the number of heaves in each vomiting session, as doctors tend to count these as 'vomits' and this can lead to their underestimating the severity of your symptoms. Besides drinking through a straw, here are some drinks that have helped others: full sugar flat coke (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, Dr Pepper, soda water, Elderflower water, tonic water, ice cubes, Iron Bru, lemonade, lemon squash, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid), fizzy orange, 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), fizzy water, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport. Also, pink lemonade and cloudy lemonade. Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits, potato smileys, slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.
DaimDillyDoo Sorry you couldn't get Xonvea. Well done for insisting on seeing another doctor. It is difficult to be assertive when feeling dreadful. That is so absurd about Cyclizine, which has been prescribed safely for three or four decades! Do ask for an anti acid, too; it can make such a difference.
kalidasa That is happy news all round: a good scan result, and an improvement. I am delighted. So nice about your mother. Great advice from you and others, as ever.
Melleebacca Sorry you had to miss much of your birthday party, and that you feel so bad today.
avocadoo I am sorry, I forgot to congratulate you on your pregnancy. You are very brave to go for it again (as is anyone on here: I am in awe of kalidasa's courage, after two such previous pregnancies.)

The kind doctor also prescribed Metoclomopride, only 5 days worth but I'm thinking of saving them until the puking starts. I feel dreadful so they seem appealing to take now even though I'm not being sick

@DaimDillyDoo our situations do seem so similar! We are even at the same stage. I'm also just about 8w 2d. I hope we get out of this soon.
I also eat only what seems to stay and not bother me. I don't care. I just need to get some nutrition in and I'll worry about the rest once I pass this stage

@kalidasa thank you! I didn't realize that medications are mostly good at stopping vomiting but not nausea. I only learned it yesterday while reading this sub. It makes so much sense. I still dry heave so I'll make sure I mention it to the doctor and may be she'll take it more seriously.
I am so happy to hear your 12 week scan and tests were good!!! That's fantastic news. And it's so good that you seem to be feeling better. That's so good. It shows me there is a light in the end of the tunnel

@Melleebacca I'm so sorry you are feeling so poorly! Puking every hour sounds awful! I hope you doctor can do something for you. Keep us posted.

@LucindaE thank you so much. I did not realize dry heaving could count as puking. To me it was black and white. I didn't puke so it's good. But think for about it I do dry heave anywhere from 4-10 times a day. No puking though. I'll make sure to mention it to the doctor. And thank you for the list of drinks. It's very helpful!

@Melleebacca well no ketones is good but yes, the mental toll is huge of trying to manage such severe sickness. Are you managing to eat at all in the mornings? For me in my previous pregnancies, starvation was always as much of a problem as dehydration in the medium/longer term. I hope you get to see the doctor today, it sounds as if it would be good for someone to have a look at you anyway.

My appointment yesterday was the first time I've been to the hospital where I'm registered (rather than the midwife) and it is so nice (compared to grotty London hospitals!) that I have to say I slightly regretted making such a huge effort to stay out of hospital in the worst weeks. I think a couple of days there would actually have been pretty nice and probably a lot less stressful for me than struggling on at home! But still, I'm sure it was better for the boys that I managed to avoid going in.

We told the boys last night about the pregnancy. I really wasn't sure how they'd take it but sweetly they are both incredibly excited! Quite uplifting to have had such good reactions today after such a slog over the last six weeks, with an (understandably!) grumpy & stressed husband and my M-i-L who helpfully decided to completely ignore me for the whole last six weeks. (But has suddenly decided to be civil to me again now that I'm feeling a bit better . . .)

How are you doing today @DaimDillyDoo and @AnyaC84 ?

Oh and also I've been thinking for a few days that I could feel the baby, even though it's really early, and now I'm sure I can because I could feel the movements during the scan and they were in time with what was happening on the screen. I felt DS2 very early too, probably something to do with losing so much weight! But it's nice and makes it feel more real.

@kalidasa

Congrats on your scan! Glad you’re feeling a bit better. Interesting you can feel movements, I think I can feel the odd movement too, that familiar ‘flick’ sensation so unlike anything else. I felt my DS early too, maybe the excessive weight loss makes it easier to feel movements.

I have my booking in app on the phone today, and my scan the week after next. Not sure when they’ll do the bloods and BP etc.
Guess I’ll find out today?

Since going a week without ondansetron I realised it wasn’t helping as much as the metaclopramide. Now the pharmacy has it back in stock, I took 8mg this morning to try and ease the nausea and it’s made no difference.

Roll on May!!

Hi All,

I’m new to the thread but hoping I can find some comfort here. I’m having my second baby, now 6 weeks. Had pretty back sickness with my 1st but managed to get in under control with some medication. I started being sick a week ago and just won’t stop! I’m also having terrible migraines but don’t know if there from the constant sickness or causing the sickness.

I’m on cyclizine already but it’s not working. I just feel so overwhelmed right now, I’m only 6 weeks and there’s so far to go. I can’t take care of my 3 year old, I also work as a nurse and feel such a responsibility to go to work right now but I just can’t function.

Feeling really low

Also congratulations to everyone on here expecting a baby or babies! 💫 and sorry that you’re dealing with sickness too, I’ve found it’s often so poorly understood and it’s a relief to find a thread with some great advice and hopefully some others to talk to xx

@Hello47 I'm sorry you are so unwell. This is my third pregnancy and the HG has been less bad than previously, with medication and complete bed rest I've managed to avoid hospital for the first time. But my first two pregnancies were very bad indeed, and it was my experience and also my observation from being on these threads for many months, @LucindaE may have noticed the same thing that severe sickness before 6 weeks does seem to correlate with the most severe HG in general. I would also be concerned that the migraines might be being caused by dehydration or ketosis already, I had constant terrible headaches when the HG was worst. Do you have ketostix at home? GPs and EPUs often set a lot of store by them. I think if you are throwing up a lot, and especially if you're finding it difficult to retain fluid or any food, you should contact your GP again and say that you need something else to add to the cyclizine. Realistically, the hormones are not going to peak for another few weeks. With such severe sickness so early on they might also want you to have an early scan to check the dates / rule out a multiple pregnancy, with both DS1 and DS2 they were convinced it must be twins though it wasn't either time!

Personally, I find that once I am vomiting more than 3-4 times a day, I don't seem to be able to absorb oral medication very effectively even if I manage not to vomit it immediately. I think that the stomach becomes so inflamed in this state that ordinary absorption seems to be impaired, and then you really need IV medicine or an injection to get on top of it. I'm sure as you're a nurse you already know that if you vomit a pill immediately and can see it in the vomit, it's fine to take another one straight away. I always try to take medicine and some food/drink straight after vomiting in the brief nausea-free window when I have the best chance of keeping it down. I really feel for you, 6 weeks is such a depressing moment if you are already very ill and know it's only going to get worse.

Don't worry about your little one, I know it's dreadful but they won't remember at all in the long run and you are doing it to give them a sibling. And definitely do not feel guilty at all about work, there's absolutely no way you can work in this state. Your GP should sign you off for at least a month if they haven't already. Courage!

Thank you all for your kind words.

@Hello47 sorry you are joining us again. I don’t know if it’s easier being naive to the sickness or knowing what you have in store. While it will be a tough season, it is good in some ways for teaching independence to your older child. My daughters have thrived with me being sick and now make their own food and entertain themselves (they’re 4 & 6). Hopefully some stronger meds will help.

I didn’t manage to get a doctors appt yesterday as my doctor is on leave this week and I want as few people as possible knowing until we get an all clear on the genetic testing. I’m already stressed about the number of people who know, as losing our son last pregnancy was very traumatic to have done so publically.
In positive news, I only vomitted twice yesterday, and actually felt pretty good at work in the morning. So I’m probably going to have another hormone surge today. I’ve also gotten a repeat on my ondansetron script.

@kalidasa I’m so pleased you’re having some improvement! And feeling movements. I was set off by them occassionally, but it does help everything feel less like torture and more like a blessing. I am managing to get a lot of food in during the morning. My weight loss is about 1/2kg a week, which isn’t too bad. I am drinking orange juice in the mornings and then having ice blocks in the afternoon so I only throw up the less nutritious stuff.

@Hello47 welcome!! I'm so sorry you are feeling so sick. I find it is so hard to see the big picture when you are so early in pregnancy and the thought of 7-8 more months of this is really devastating. Hang in there. Work is not important right now. You can't be the support you usually are and from what I understand the more you push yourself the worse it gets.

@kalidasa I'm so glad you can feel the movements!! That's incredible. I bet it makes this HG seem a little better, like there IS a reason for it. I can't wait to get confirmation that my baby is okay at the 12 week genetic scan. I'm still a bit worried after losing the previous pregnancy.

I'm not feeling great today. The sickness is at bay but I am just so weak. So so weak. I can barely move and I managed to do 15 min of work before I decided I need to lie down. I'm managing to keep everything I eat down and I eat enough, I think. But the weakness is so difficult. I'll lie down for a bit and see if I feel better.

@Melleebacca oh you were feeling better in the morning. That's so good! It's all about little victories. Even if HG comes back, you got some relief for a bit.
I'm so sorry for your previous loss. That's so hard. How is your mental state while waiting for the scan?
I'm with you. We lost our previous pregnancy and although this one has confirmed heart beat I am still anxious for the next genetic scan. If anything goes wrong again I really don't know if I can do this again

Oh @AnyaC84 there is very little worse than the stress and anxiety of a pregnancy after loss. Throw HG in the mix and it’s kinda hell on earth. I’m so sorry you’re going through it as well. My nipt test is in 13days. Results should be back within 10days, so hopefully in 23ish days we can share some good news. I am continuing to work through, just 2hrs a morning, which is a nice distraction and if we lose this one, I know I’m going to need the job even more. Fortunately I just spend most of my time on my wheelie chair moving around the lab, so it’s not too strenuous.

Hello47 Welcome. You already have had great advice. I so agree with kalidasa that such early violent symptoms seem to indicate that you need more effective meds and more treatment, as those who suffer early unfortunately are often those who have it badly, or as she says, twins. Also, and about the migraine headaches being possible dehydration headaches. I didn't know about dehydration headaches when I suffered from them, and couldn't tell where hormonal migraine headaches began and these other headaches ended. Here is my normal spiel which I hope mght help. kalidasa has mentioned the kesostix. Most sufferers find that they improve a lot at some point between weeks 14 and 20, or sometimes later. Even those who are unlucky enough to suffer throughout generally are not as ill later on as they are in the first part. A good anti acid can make a surprising difference to the sickness. Kesostix are worth buying online or from a chemists, as while they aren't they best test of dehydration, hospitals take them seriously. When reporting on the vomiting to doctors, remember to emphasize the number of heaves in each vomiting session, as doctors tend to count these as 'vomits' and this can lead to their underestimating the severity of your symptoms. Besides drinking through a straw, here are some drinks that have helped others: full sugar flat coke (if you don't find it too acid), ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Lucozade, apple juice, Ribina, Dr Pepper, soda water, Elderflower water, tonic water, ice cubes, Iron Bru, lemonade, lemon squash, orange squash, orange juice (if not too acid), fizzy orange, 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of chocolate milkshake (maybe soya), fizzy water, apple juice, Robinson's fruit drinks, Rubicon sparkling mango drink , raspberry Lucozade sport and frozen ice cubes of flat Lucozade sport. Also, pink lemonade and cloudy lemonade. Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits, potato smileys, slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.
DaimDillyDoo Five days' supply is stingy. Did he offer no prospect of other meds?
Melleebacca Cheering you on over those test results. It is horrible waiting for them. Also, tension makes the sickness worse.
FateHasRedesignedMost I hope the appointment went well.
AnyaC84 I so agree with others. Drink and eat what you can stand: y ou have to abandon healthy notions for a while.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

I saw my gp today for the regular appointment and it went okay. She did mention that there is another drug available (I already forgot the name) but she doesn't like to prescribe it because she is not 100% behind it being safe. So I'm still on Diclectin, maximum dose.
At least I'm not puking and able to retain all my food. I even gained 4 lbs, which is good.
Urine was good and overall I'm checking out good. It's just too bad there is nothing she could do for the debilitating nausea and exhaustion other than saying rest as much as you can. Oh well!