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 all,
I posted a few months ago to say we were trying for #3, and I got my positive test mid-December! I had a blissful almost two weeks where I had convinced myself I will definitely be fine this time, before the nausea hit with an absolute vengeance last week. The vomiting has just started again the last couple of days.
I am somewhere between 6 and 7 weeks. In my previous pregnancies the worst was from weeks 9-13 and almost functional by 20ish weeks... (still sick but very manageable).
Anyway, just checking in to say hello, to say happy new year, and thank God for you @LucindaE keeping these threads going. They were a lifeline for me and I'm sure they will be this time round too.

@BFPDec21 No school here till Feb - summer holidays and all. I’ve got 2 weeks till the little one is back at kindy, and 4 weeks till school goes back. But we will be ok. I will rest and hubby will finish work in time to do the evening parenting.
Haven’t heard of a bracelet, but I did tell a couple of people at 4wks who I trust to pick up the kids if need be. And kept a bowl in the car for the first few months. And used sucking on peppermints as a distraction from my stomach while driving.

@Starbeach For me, ondansetron works to stop the vomiting before week 6 and after week 16. Between those dates, I still take it religiously and I still vomit, because the sickness is stronger than the meds. This time with both ondansetron and cyclizine it eased off at 12/13 weeks. I’m now 18wks on 2 doses a day, I get an hour or two of severe nausea after breakfast, and hour after lunch, fatigue after 3pm and nausea after 5pm, but no vomiting.
I know it’s hard taking a reduced pay check, but you need to decide what is best for you and your body. Work will be exhausting. Which will most likely worsen the HG. I worked 2hrs a day from week 6 to 14, but I was mostly sitting down, and in charge of my own schedule so go to rest, eat, drink whenever I needed to. I only did it because I needed the distraction from the mental challenge of HG. I’m more concerned about doing 5hr days come feb, but I can always reduce them if need be.

Waves to everyone!

@alpinia I end up anemic too. I have had iron pills and iron IV infusions, due to worry about me bleeding too much in labour. Neither seemed to increase my iron levels. And both labours were fine. I also always have low blood pressure, which will be causing the dizziness. Lots of fluids helps. And take a moment everytime you stand up for it to let it even out. If you get dizzy, or vision goes dark, sit immediately and put your head between your knees.
I have moved all shopping to be done online as walking around a store is a real struggle for me. Especially wearing a mask, but I would rather stay safe. Heat makes it worse, so if you need to, take a jacket off to cool down.

@buntywindermere congrats?! Knowing what to expect is somewhat a blessing and a curse. I hope you’ve got meds, and a plan in place for the coming rough weeks.

Hi @Melleebacca thanks - I will accept the congratulations! I called work today to let them know. I work in a school (not a teacher) and was hoping to make it in tomorrow for the rest of this week but it's not going to happen. Our business manager was lovely and said well it might not be as bad this time hey... I was thinking I will definitely not see you for 6 weeks at least...!!
My parents live literally across the road and are our childcare for our 21mo and will be able to do the Pre-School drop off for our 4yo. I'm hoping my mum will also help us stay on top of cleaning and clothes washing the next few weeks too. We are sooo lucky to have this support network around us. With my first, we lived near DHs family who weren't in the same position to be able to help and it was so difficult. We most likely wouldn't have even been able to consider more children if it that was still the case.

I need to have a think about what to do meds wise. I have always taken cyclizine from about 7/8 weeks and last time I started on ondansetron at 12 weeks. I need to book a GP appointment too so that I can get a sick note as well as a prescription. We can currently self certify for 28 days though so that helps.

buntywindimere Welcome back. I am so glad that you have that 20 week mark to look forward to this time. Sorry to hear that you haven't escaped - what meds helped last time, remind me? I am so glad that these threads have been a lifeline for you. Everyone is very supportive on here.
alpinia With anaemia, you need as much rest as you can get and it's good your not going to force yourself back into work.
BFDec2021 That'sgood about rehydrating yourself. Well done for that.
Melleebacca Of course, it makes sense that your summer holidays would be now, not in July. Silly me, I should have thought of that. Cheering you on, anyway.
Apologies to anyone overelooked.

buntywindermere Sorry, my typing is still not good on this laptop keyboard I've got to use at the moment, and It showed with the message for you.

Think we posted at the same time there!!!

@buntywindermere That sounds perfect! We’re in a similar position, DD1 at school, DD2 at kindy and my husband can work from home. We’ve also moved recently so it’s only an 11 min drive to his work. I work in a school too, as a science tech, and it’s been amazing being able to have a non stressful job during HG (with DD1 I was a lab manager). You can take Ondansetron in the first trimester, I take it from the day I get a positive test. Barely statistically significant increase of cleft palate.

@LucindaE It’s ok, us who live in the Southern Hemisphere are well used to feeling out of sync with the seasons that the majority of the population are living in. I think I read that like 75% of the worlds population lives in the northern hemisphere.

@melleebacca oh that is a bit of a relief to hear. They've said the same thing to me about blood loss risk during birth which has worried me quite a bit. I feel absolutely dreadful- no energy to even get off the sofa. Fingers crossed some of the iron supplements help a bit. Were your deliveries at full term? And did you ever feel better?

@alpinia DD1 was 39+6, DD2 was 39+5, but I had irregular contractions with DD2 for 3 days because she was posterior (back to back), I think she would’ve come earlier if she was in a better position.
I can’t eat meat, and a lot of iron rich foods during pregnancy, so end up anemic, but it bounces right back up when I can eat normally again post delivery. I’m going to start taking iron supplements soon, because I would like to deliver at the birthing center instead of the hospital this time around (because of proximity and also because I don’t want to tie up hospital resources during the pandemic). Previously I’ve had to deliver at the hospital because of low iron levels, so fingers crossed!
I’m nauseous till the end, but vomiting ceases during the second trimester.

Ah, that makes sense @Melleebacca. I hope all is well with childcare until then!

I've been at home alone with DD today (inset day at school) and thought I'd be fine. I've been sick 8 times so far today and can't keep anything down, including medication. The headache is intense and I need rest. I'm going to send DH out to the corner shop for emergency chocolate milk once he's done with bedtime in the hope I can handle it. My GD will be back with a vengeance at this rate though.

Sorry, that was a general moan at the fact it's so up and down at the moment. It's quite frustrating and emotional, I'd just forgotten how bad it really gets.

If I can't get on top of it this time, I know I'll have to go to A&E.

alipinia Many say that the lquid form of iron supplements are easier to digest.
Melleebacca It must be good living in an area which isn't over populated! Wise words as ever.
BFPDec2021 Never apologise for moaning. That is what this thread s for! I hope the chocolate milk helps you get it under control.

BFPDec21 Thickhead Mother Hen Lucinda has only just noticed your name doesn't have 2021 in it. Sorry, that's partly my dyslexia, partly laziness...

@LucindaE Don't worry at all! Chocolate milk helped and I'm starting to rehydrate again slowly. Hopefully today will be a better day now DD is back at school and being looked after there during the day.

Wow I forgot about the drowsiness that comes with cyclizine!!!!! Took my first tablet about 1pm and was asleep all afternoon. Didn't even wake up when DH/DC arrived back in - and they're never quiet!
I definitely woke up feeling worse. Really groggy, dizzy and disorientated, but I do recall this happening previously.

@buntywindermere that wears off. I napped for the first week that I took cyclizine, and loved it as the extra rest prevented excessive vomiting.

@BFPDec21 I hope having DD at school helps you get lots of rest. I have been doing the majority of the childcare this week, and I feel awful. Hubby is still working at home, but just the extra talking and moving, and maybe the heat, has made me the most nauseous I’ve been in a few weeks.

BFPDec21 It's good chocolate milk helps you. So OH managed to get some for you yeserday evening?
buntywindermere Some on here find the new pregnancy sickness drug Xonvea more helpful,but it is expensive, so I suppose GP's prefer Cyclizine. Sorry to hear you are feeling worse.

@buntywindermere I was just the same with Cyclizine at first; it took me about 3 weeks before it was anything like in my system well enough to feel like I wasn’t a zombie, but I got there.

Just checking in ladies. I almost feel guilty to say that I tried to cut the Cyclizine again last week (at 28 weeks) and despite nausea, some dry heaving and one sickness episode triggered by trying to swallow gaviscon (never again), I’m doing really well. I think I might have something like what normal morning sickness might look like at this stage (I’m not meaning to rub it in, but hopefully it can give some of you hope - hang in there!).

I've had one pregnancy totally unmedicated which was awful. Constant nausea. Lots of violent throwing up. Couldn't move. Couldn't talk. Couldn't be around another human being. I bravely had a second pregnancy quite soon after the first. Mainly as I knew I wanted a second and wanted the awfulness out of the way, not hanging over my head like a sword. The second one, the underlying sickness was worse but I had cyclazine which dulled some of the symptoms. It also zonked me out which was lush. I still couldn't move or do anything or be anywhere near the smell of another human being but I was too scared to come off the cyclazine to try another drug. Basically the whole experience of pregnancy was a living hell for months on end. My question for the group is, has anyone with a similar level of sickness managed to control it with any of the stronger drugs? I would like a third now my second is 1 years old. But I have to work and I have to care for my kids. I tried the meta-somethimg or other but it disagreed badly with my stomach. And would I need to buy the drugs myself as the NHS seems highly reluctant to prescribe.

@Franca123 I’m impressed that you managed an HG pregnancy med-free. With my first, I started vomiting every 30min I was awake from 5wks. By 7wks I was on ondansetron and that got my vomiting down to a couple of times a day in the afternoon until around 19wks. Started it earlier with my second and only vomitted from week 6 to week 16. This time im on ondansetron and cyclizine, and have done a lot of work on staying hydrated, and carrying a boy (estrogen does make me sicker), so only vomited week 6-13. I have had occasional vomiting since, mostly caused by constipation and a small stomach size. Im 19wks today.
I did manage to work through this time, but only at 2hrs a day, and my job is not strenuous (plus im now on summer holidays). I would not recommend forcing your body to have to work full time while having HG, as anything extra from just lying in bed will make your sickness worse. Rest and meds are the best plan.

@Melleebacca thanks for responding. It sounds like you've been through a lot. It also sounds as though the drugs did make a substantial difference to how you felt and what you could achieve during a day? Best of luck.

Franca123 Welcome to the thread. Melleebacca has already given you great advice. There are a number of drugs they can try, including steroids. Unfortunately, most sufferers from severe Hyperemesis do have to take off quite a lot of time from work, and spend it mostly resting. Wishing you all luck, whatever you choose.
pleasedon'tworry Good advice for buntywindermere. I am so glad
you have had a fair amount of improvement.

I have had an early miscarriage and the sickness has stopped. It’s an odd feeling as I am so relieved to not feel sick any more and lucky I wasn’t too far along. It’s made me think I am so relieved not to feel sick if this was really what I wanted to put myself through. I worry I might regret this in the future. Guess we might find out in a few months if post again….

I’m so sorry for your loss @Chunkymonkey13 - I think it’s normal to have mixed feelings when you’ve been so poorly - lots of love x