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.

Morning ladies. Today is a very bad day. I took one of my domperidone tablets before breakfast, had a slice of toast and some apple juice! Felt ok, thought I could get through the morning, 30 mins later, head down the toilet throwing up worse than ever! The griping pains in my tummy is just unbearable now. Had very dark urine this morning and now at my wits end. So I am going to hospital!

I just wanted to know, those of you that had to go into hospital did you self refer and just go to a&e or did you get a referral from GP or 111? Not sure what to do as I’m not sure I could sit in A&E for hours feeling the way I do.

@ChloeHel you shouldn't need to get a referral in my experience. I went to A&E the first time but it did take a while as they were understandably very busy.

If you have a 24hr maternity unit at the hospital, I would go straight there instead, as you should be seen quicker and they'll have (hopefully) more experience of treating HG. I called my maternity triage unit in advance to check I could go straight to them and it was fine.

@Waddlegoose I'm so sorry you feel that way. I have definitely had those thoughts and then cried myself into a state because I felt so guilty for thinking them. But it's a completely understandable reaction to feeling so wretched for so long. Are you able to get any mental health support? I got a GP referral to a counsellor who has been helping me sort through my feelings about the pregnancy and the baby (and how these aren't the same thing). But this is my first baby so others who have been through it more than once may have more advice for you.

I'm not even a 1/4 of the way through my pregnancy and that thought really depresses me.
I'm 9weeks. I've been vomiting for 5 weeks. I've been in the hospital once already.
I'm on prochlorperazine, domperidone and ondanseteon.
I'm still struggling to keep much down, it's like I'm just keeping enough down to keep out of the hospital but I'm still having 6/7 bouts of vomiting per day, I'm feeling constantly nauseated, I'm exhausted.
The ondansetron helped so much with the nausea for about 3/4 days and now it just doesn't seem to do anything.
The drs are hoping it will start tailing off once I reach 12-16 weeks but I'm struggling to see an end.
I can't work, I can't make plans, I can't leave the house. It's so debilitating.

@SkaterChick it is so debilitating and I really feel your pain :( the domperidone hasn’t really done much for me. However, today I was going to go to hospital for IV fluids but thought I’d try some dioralyte rehydration sachets, and they have actually helped me and I’ve managed to keep it down! so maybe try them?

It’s so rubbish, I’m constantly having mental battles with myself and just trying to stop myself screaming! Speaking on here has really helped though and I’ve gotten some great advice :) hang on in there!

@SkaterChick it’s awful isn’t it. This is a physical battle but it’s more of a mental battle for sure.

It might be worth going back to hospital being being topped with fluids / drugs. Ask if it’s something you could regular?

Send you a massive hug, nothing I can say can make this better for you. Just know I’m here if you need anyone to rant or moan at. From a 2 times HG surviver and somehow going for a third. (Each pregnancy I said never again)

@ChloeHel I've tried the dioralyte and can't tolerate it. I'm struggling enough taking lactulose to combat the constipation from the ondansetron.
I'm just so fed up of not being able to do anything and I really miss my life.
I'm usually so active and out at various clubs and activities all week and I've had to stop everything.
Just seems to really be getting to me today. I was supposed to be out with my best friend this weekend and I've had to cancel and sell my ticket to the event we were going to. I'm so sad as I've been really looking forward to it.

@SkaterChick I’m sure you have tried these but flat coke / or fizzy coke and ice lollys use to help me loads as I couldn’t stomach dioralyte either

@Waddlegoose I couldn't manage coke but I've been sipping a can of Fanta.
I got ice lollies but all I could taste was the wooden sticks.. I think they were just cheap ones though. Maybe I'll try and get something a bit better.
I really wanted some toast but my other half has finished the bread and he's working till 10pm. Don't think I've got it in me to walk to the shop

I spoke to soon, the dioralyte lasted an hour. Back to square one of being in bed crying and feeling sorry for myself. I just can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

@SkaterChick toast is the only thing I can nibble on. I’m going to give rich tea biscuits a go tonight. Try and get some calypos as they aren’t on the wooden stick!

@ChloeHel that's exactly where I am today. I'm just worried there's no end in sight and I don't know how I'm going to make it through the next 31weeks...

Calypos are a good shout, sending the dude shopping tomorrow lol

@SkaterChick 9wks is a really hard spot as it is when most people are at their sickest. Mentally I struggle from weeks 9 to 14. But then start improving as I don’t vomit as much from 16wks.
I had Hydralyte ice lollies this time around, and cyclizine and ondansetron and managed to avoid hospital and fluids. I also found the pulpy orange juice when I was least nauseous helped with the constipation. I can’t stomach it now, and I’m almost weaned off the ondansetron, but the constipation is horrendous. I think it’s due to a very large baby sitting directly on top on my intestines. I’m 25wks, and haven’t yet “popped” but will in the next few weeks.

For mental health in the worst weeks, I literally just lay in bed watching sitcoms on repeat, comedy ones that aren’t too strenuous on the brain.

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche Twins! That’s exciting. I’ve always wanted twins as I want a big family with the least amount of time feeling sick. However, my Aunty who did have twins and HG, had to quit her job, take all the meds and was sick up until labour. Her kids are delightful, but she was well scarred by the experience.

@Melleebacca it's like just as I think it won't get worse it does. 1step forward and 2 back.
Pulpy orange is so much better right? The dude picked up smooth at the last shop and it just doesn't sit the same.
All I've done this week is lie on the sofa and binge stuff I've already seen. The dude has been great at getting me anything I need when he's here.

Hope all goes well for you when it's your time ☺️ xx

@Melleebacca

She's back at the GP tomorrow to ask for the next step up in medication She's not been able to work this week. She looks shocking.

She's attempting to eat but the act of eating triggers retching. It's very worrying.

Goodness, it's very busy on here.
Welcome to Alibear90. Xonvea has really helped several sufferers on here. Welcome to Waddlegoose. As you are both veterans, you don't need my spiel about kesostix, coke, ice lollies and the juice of tinned fruit, and anti acids. At this stage, as you know, it is more important to be able to drink some fluids, healthy or not, so congratulations on the coke. Waddlegoose I so agree with Rcg2207's advice about a counsellor to discuss your feelings.
Chloehel That sounds miserable. I hope they can work out an effective med for you soon.
SkaterChick Sympathies. Gentle cyber pats on offer. It is very hard to bear, particularly in the early weeks. Weeks 9-10 are particularly difficult for many with the hormones surging. The isolation is dismal. Many find listening to the radio or audiobooks a distraction, if they can't bear a screen. It is dismal compared to having a social life! Things will almost certainly improve.
Great advice from everyone. Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.
MyOtherCarisAPorcsche Sorry your daughter looks so frail. I hope the fluids helped. Twins is exciting.
I wonder if rainbowzebra05 has been admitted.
Melleebacca Your poor aunt. It was nice she had her whole family at once, though.

@ChloeHel

Did you get to hospital in the end? Hope you’re starting to feel better. In my first pregnancy I went via A&E very swiftly with no wait, as soon as they realised I was pregnant (and I’d vomited on the floor) they rushed me up to the gynae ward, which was attached to the EPU. So future admissions i went straight to EPU to get to gynae for rehydration (that was early pregnancy, under 14 weeks, then it was the antenatal clinic who dealt with HG). Some hospitals send you to a GI ward for rehydration and anti sickness meds.
My first admission lasted a week, after that it was just a quick trip to EPU for injections and fluids.

This pregnancy I’ve been lucky and avoided hospital admission, but I started on ondansetron very early (had to go private initially as NHS GP wasn’t sure about prescribing it).

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche

Twins! How exciting! I hope your daughter feels better soon, I’ve heard twin pregnancies often cause terrible MS/HG the first trimester then it eases up. So hopefully she won’t be so unwell soon. Did they give her more meds/rehydration in hospital?

@Melleebacca

It’s interesting how the nature of HG changes isn’t it. I’d almost weaned off ondansetron then this morning I was sick 5x in half an hour so I took 2 tablets and have been ok since. Since the baby’s got bigger I’ve started getting really bad reflux so I’m living on Rennies (and omeprazole which seems to have stopped working!)

Storm Eunice has hit here so I’m watching the school website hoping they close for the day; we’re in the red zone (the worst) with hurricane-force gales. I really don’t fancy trying to walk 6 year old to school in this weather! Meanwhile I’m charging all the flashlights and lanterns in case the power goes down.

@SkaterChick

One step forward and 2 back, that’s exactly how I feel at the moment. Sorry you’re suffering too.

I seem to have 1 good day then a few awful ones.

@Waddlegoose

I agree it’s a mental battle too. In the early days I listened to music a lot, watched TV series for distraction. This time I had twice daily school runs to give a sense of routine (10 mins walk each way) the fresh air helped even though DH had to do some of them in my first trimester.

It’s still a mental battle (I’m 27 weeks now) but it’s easier than the early bit. 8-12 weeks was the worst I think?

@FateHasRedesignedMost

She refused next step drugs in hospital because she's extremely stubborn and did not want to take any drugs at all. She struggled but was managing on cyclizine in her last pregnancy up until the birth which took us all by surprise at 34 wks. She refused further drugs because of the fact they are not tested and she had watched Call the Midwife Thalidomide episode. She actually ended up taking an anti sickness drug after that pregnancy to improve her milk supply. (Domperidone) But she wants to try to manage without it now because she says the sickness has slightly improved on her current drug (it hasn't).

Her GP sent her to hospital because of the signs of dehydration. She went because she thought they would just make her drink an amount of liquid in a set time frame. She was on a drip for a few hours, scanned and sent home having been told to consider other drugs.

She was being sick into a bag all the way home in the car. Everyone is worried (sick - no pun intended). Her partner rang the GP and she goes today for some extra support. I know that she'll take the least amount of drugs recommended as she thinks it will damage the babies so early in pregnancy (scan dates her at 9 weeks). She says that she knows sickness is part of pregnancy and she has to get on with it. But she's ground to a halt because she has no energy and is tired because of sickness throughout the night.

I've just had a message from her partner to say she's been 'heaving' most of the night. She nibbled cucumber for her main meal last night - which came straight back up.

She is telling herself that the sickness will improve any day now - but it isn't, however much she tries to convince herself.

She was bad with sickness throughout her last pregnancy and held off with the drug support until past 16 wks - this is something else.

I've reached out to my Dr this morning and im waiting for them to call back so hopefully they'll have some help for me.
I'm unsure if there is a step past ondansetron?

I feel worse now than when I was keeping nothing down. At least then when I was 'empty' that was that.
At the moment I seem to be bringing up maybe 75% of what I intake (which isn't much as I feel so damn sick) plus lots and lots of retching, bringing up bile or just like foamy phleghm. And all the dry heaving it's so exhausting.

I'm honestly in awe of those of you that have had hg and gone on to have more than 1 child ...I was disappointed when I was told it looked like I had ovulated twice but there were no signs of a second baby because twins would have meant never doing this again. I've already told my partner that I don't think I want another anymore. I don't think I can put myself through this again.

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche

That must be so worrying for you all! Have you tried giving her some leaflets/research articles on the safety of these meds in pregnancy?

If she’s dehydrated and not keeping any nutrients down then taking meds is less risky than remaining in that state. Even with ondansetron the risks are minimal.

@SkaterChick

Past ondansetron they can give you steroids in hospital if they think the risk to you/the pregnancy outweighs any risk from the steroids. Several ladies on here have found steroids helped them enormously.

I’m guessing you’ve tried all the usual (stemetil, metaclopramide etc). Sorry you’re still suffering!

It took me 5 years to forget the horror of my first pregnancy enough to try again! But this time round it’s better, the first time I was sort of flailing in panic mode but this time I know there’s an end in sight and it’s all worth it. Gentle hugs!

@SkaterChick I said I wasn’t having any more children after my first pregnancy and said the same after my second. Now made the decision to have a third and I’m in panic mode. I think your body tricks you…was it that bad?!

Just spoke to the pregnancy sickness support. They are sending over a lot of information for me. Even though this is my third, my care has been shocking previously. Doctor is calling this morning and I will push a few things.