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.

I had a morning with only one vomit! Unheard of!

Currently trying to rest and not do too much. The danger of a good day is you start doing all sorts and feel terrible the next.

But I’m packing up my non-mat clothes for the attic now that I finally have a bump, and putting all my breastfeeding clothes ready!

I’ve come to the decision I want a planned c-section due to placenta’s position, so preparing to fight the NHS for it!

@LindSan I too was sick in labour last time, but as soon as she was in my arms that was it. Back to normal and could eat and not worry again. Fingers crossed you have your little one here soon and feel the relief as well.

@Melleebacca sorry you are feeling rough, I hope it eases soon. And the braxton hicks tale off. I don't think I had any with dd. Just shows again how different each pregnancy can be.

@FateHasRedesignedMost I'm having a day full of feeling sick but not being sick. I'm never sure which I prefer. I didn't want to adult this morning, staying in bed would have been my dream!
I've completed a few adulty things but not sure I'm the most productive at work today.
How are you doing?

@abbs1 I’m 23 weeks. It makes me nervous because baby is big and I’m planning to work till 38wks. My girls came in my 39th week, but I’m not sure if he will stay as long. All my sisters in law have had boys (none have had girls), and all were born between 36 and 39 weeks, so I’m worried I’m tempting fate.

@FateHasRedesignedMost I don’t think my body needs to practice! With DD2, the after pains almost knocked me out, but that was because my uterus shrunk back down to normal size within 24hrs. It’s too efficient already! I noticed them occurring after I had been upright for long periods, so I’m just going to take this week much slower, and spend more time on my wheelie chair.

@fatehasredesignedmost oh, I’m glad to hear you’ve had a reasonably good day, and figured out a birthing plan. I hope it isn’t too much of a fight for you. A little jealous of the mat clothes, I’ve never bought any. I don’t get a noticeable bump until the 3rd trimester, and mostly just start wearing looser clothes. Mat clothes look gorgeous, but I can’t justify buying clothes that I will only feel comfortable in for a couple of weeks.

@PopGoesBang also happy to hear you’re having a better day sickness wise. I can handle feeling nauseous more than the vomiting. Although I agree, the first few vom free days don’t feel that great as it’s like your whole body just wants to vomit.
I’m going to be really focused on balancing rest/activity this week. I’m hoping the whole back to school madness calms down.

Eurgh I think maybe I over did it today. Wanted a shower and hairwash and then cooked as the dude had worked and I've had two sessions of puking today :(

Back: I was delayed. abbs1 Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice; you have been invaluable.Dry cereal sounds a great idea! Sorry to see that so many people are suffering. Melleebacca I hope things improve soon. I do sympathise about not wanting to limit your family but not seieng how you can cope with two and Hyperemesis. As you know, I didn't go for it a second time as I wondered how we'd cope with one and Hyperemesis. That birth experience sounds truly hideious. Very unfair after having Hyperemesis. I regret it, but it must be so hard. Sorry you are suffering from ramped up nausea.
Lindsan Cheering you on.
SkaterChickl I am so glad you were admitted. I hope they prescribed meds as well as giving fluids? Very annoying about the male boss being unsymapthetic.
MyOtherCarIsAPorcsche Welcome. I am sorry your daughter is suffering badly. I hope she is now getting the help she needs.
FateHasRedesignedMost Congratulations on only one vomit in the morning.
Melleebacca Oh dear, sorry you are feeling bad. Cheering you on as ever.
Waves to PopGoesBang and everyone. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

Melleebacca What a thichkhead I am, that first message for you about a bad labour and dry cereal etc was for abbs1. I hope you have an angelic baby, anyway; deserved.

Welcome back @LucindaE hope all was good with the visit.

@Melleebacca I hope the balancing works out ok for you - it's so hard to find it but so worth it.

@SkaterChick hope a restful evening is instore for you and you feel a bit better for it.

I have very much over done it today, and am regretting it immensely now. I'm counting down to getting dd to bed and I too will then call it a day. If you ever get the urge to encourage children to tell the time - consider it carefully. At times like this I question it ever having been a good idea!!

@PopGoesBang I've done nothing since. I took my meds and ice eaten some cereal so we'll see how that does. Retiring to TV in bed now!
Hope you get an early one xx

Thank you all for advising.

My daughter was prescribed cyclizine - 3x 50mg a day.

She was only given a small supply as the doctor is ringing her in a couple of days to see how she's getting on.

She was very surprised how understanding the GP was.

I spent the day with her today, did her shopping, washed her hair, took her to the surgery, cleaned and cooked.

I was shocked at how tiny and frail she looks - she cannot stand up for more than a couple of minutes without starting to retch.

She wants to work tomorrow - I've not got a clue how she will cope.

Mask wearing is also aggravating/brings on the retching - any other ladies with morning sickness wearing them?

Hiya, just coming on to say thank you @LucindaE once again for carrying on this forum for HG sufferers, it has really seen me through the bad times. I had my baby this week -a c section. I vomited twice on the post natal ward (750ml) but since then the sickness and loss of appetite has completely lifted. I'm pleased I'll never have HG again. Good luck to all sufferers. My advice - don't get fobbed off by GPs and call pregnancy sickness support for help and advice.

Thanks, everyone!
thingymaboob Wonderful news. We were wondering how you were doing. Enjoy your baby and escape from Hyperemesis.
MyOtherCarsAPorsche I am glad your daughter's been given meds. It is trying to do too much for her to go into work. Most sufferers are unable to work for a good few weeks, and your daughter has severe symtoms early. With luck Cyclizine will work; if it hasn't helped in a few days she will need the some stronger meds, so she may be off work at least until she has an effective regime of meds worked out.
Rest is also as important as meds for treatment.
Waves to all.

@thingymeboob congratulations hun! Such lovely news you've had baby and your hg is gone! I was wondering how you were doing? I hope you have a quick recovery from your c section and you enjoy every minute of your baby bubble. 🤗🥰

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche

Thank you all for advising.

My daughter was prescribed cyclizine - 3x 50mg a day.

She was only given a small supply as the doctor is ringing her in a couple of days to see how she's getting on.

She was very surprised how understanding the GP was.

I spent the day with her today, did her shopping, washed her hair, took her to the surgery, cleaned and cooked.

I was shocked at how tiny and frail she looks - she cannot stand up for more than a couple of minutes without starting to retch.

She wants to work tomorrow - I've not got a clue how she will cope.

Mask wearing is also aggravating/brings on the retching - any other ladies with morning sickness wearing them?

Im glad your daughter has gotten some cyclizine. Definitely go back for stronger meds if its not working or see if she can get some ondansatron to take alongside it. What did the Dr say about her getting IV fluids. She sounds very weak like I was and could hardly walk round the house and my husband had to help me shower and care for me. I would definitely recommend your daughter get signed off for a good couple weeks or a month as she needs to really rest. In regards to her work, has she told them shes pregnant yet? If not she may need to, to get the support she needs re mask wearing and time off work so they don't keep asking when shes coming back to work or calling in sick. She cannot get in trouble as shes covered under the pregnancy law. HG is not just morning sickness its a debilitating illness that unfortunately doesnt just last a couple weeks.

Please keep us posted on how shes doing.

@thingymaboob Congrats to your new baby and no more HG!

@abbs1

There's only her partner and I who know she's pregnant. She had a miscarriage last year so doesn't want anyone to know. This is why she won't tell anyone at work - she had two weeks off afterwards and doesn't want to take anymore time off.

I nearly cried when she asked me to wash her hair for her - she would have to be feeling really bad to ask me to help with her personal care. Her wrists are so slight - bony.

The doctor weighed her and noted she's lost a significant amount of weight from previous recent records. This weight loss has happened in the last month.

She's been persuaded to have another day at home tomorrow to see how she reacts to a full day of dosage.

I know she didn't keep her evening meal down. (It was a dry piece of bread and then a few grapes.)

I suspect that she played down the extent of her sickness at the surgery, but I'm quite confident that the GP she saw is on the ball because he told her she would end up in hospital soon because of dehydration and the fact that he gave her only a few days worth of tablets because he will check whether these have worked or not, gives me hope that he thinks she may need additional help. He also offered her an early scan for reassurance which was lovely - she declined because she has booked one privately. She said she doesn't want to bother anyone.

And now she's just messaged that her latest sip of water has come straight back up and her vomit is bright yellow and green.

She's exhausted - she wakes to be sick a couple of times during the night.

But I'm relieved that this doctor is at least seeing beneath the facade.

She just doesn't want to make a fuss.

@thingymaboob Congrats! Please eat all the food! I hope the recovery goes well.

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche She can’t work like that. She will not even survive an hour before her whole workplace knows. Sometimes it’s easier to hide out at home than face people at work. I took 4 months off with my first. I went in occasionally to check on things and was promptly sent home because I was grey and weak.
The GP does sound very understanding, so that’s excellent.

She's feeling worse today. Not up yet because of sickness during the night.

How would you space out 3 x 50mg cyvclizine throughout the day to get most benefit?

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche

She's feeling worse today. Not up yet because of sickness during the night.

How would you space out 3 x 50mg cyvclizine throughout the day to get most benefit?

I would definitely call the Dr again and ask for ondansatron so that she can do ondansatron then 4 hours later cyclizine and repeat that across a 24hr period setting alarms throughout the night. Only cyclizine isnt a lot when shes so unwell. Thats what I did. Can she go to a and e or can you call EPU and ask for her to be seen urgently today? From what youre saying she probably has high ketones in her urine due to dehydration and her body desperately needs fluids. I was told by the hospital if i cant hold down a min of 500ml in a day I had to go in or my body would go into ketosis which is really dangerous when pregnant. I had lost 10kg by week 9 which is really bad so they had to get my weight loss under control which sounds like what the Dr told your daughter.

I'm so sorry she's struggling so badly with hg. Its so awful. If she can get some iv fluids and medication she will feel so much better and will hopefully be able to eat a bit as well.

MyOtherCar'sAPorsche I so agree with others. Definitely take your daughter to A and E. It isn't 'making a fuss' in this situation.
Melleebacca and abbs1 Lindsan and others. I hope things aren't too bad.

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche hope your daughter got some extra help and is starting to feel a little better.

I've just gone on my app the hospital in my area seem to use and can see my 20 week scan is booked for March, my glucose test, and my growth scans right up to 2 days before my due date! Suddenly seems really real now.
You'd think the fact the sickness, 2 scans already and a small bump would have made it all feel real already.
Been an ok day today. More tired today than anything.

Hope everyone is doing ok.

Still delighted about thingymaboob !

PopGoesBang Cross posted: I'm glad it was a reasonable day.

@PopGoesBang it’s still not seeming real here either, I’ve got my glucose test form, and after my next midwife appt I will see her every 2wks. Midwife said baby is measuring on the 90th percentile and tried to convince me that sharing my birthday is a good thing.

@thingymeboob

Congratulations!! Enjoy the pink castle 💖

@Melleebacca

How are you feeling today? Did the braxton hicks ease up?

In theory my body doesn’t need to practice either, but last time it practiced from about 25 weeks to 37 so I was expecting it. Interesting your womb shrunk back quickly, mine did too. The pain after was horrendous (especially when breastfeeding) but I was back to my normal size quickly. Maybe it’s an HG thing, extra hormones etc?

The mat clothes I’ve been buying are mostly ones that double up for nursing, as I plan to bf at least a year to get some use from them. Although most of them are sitting in the cupboard! I have 2 pairs of maternity joggers and 2 tunic sweaters that I wear with them and rotate. I only wear the nice mat clothes if I’m going to Tesco (rare) or an antenatal appointment 😂
Though hopefully soon it will be warm enough to not need a huge coat on the school run so I can show off my mat clothes there. I find people give you more space/bump into you less when they can see you’re pregnant! Right now my mat coat hides everything.