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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Hyperemesis Support

994 replies

LucindaE · 22/11/2021 19:52

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.

Hyperemesis Support
Hyperemesis Support
OP posts:
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7Worfs · 03/03/2022 13:52

@Waddlegoose don’t worry about your children right now, if they are safe and fed, they are fine. Get DH to bring them to you for cuddles every day.
I used to be like this weeks 6-10 but then gradually it got better.

Waddlegoose · 03/03/2022 14:08

I can do this 4 weeks until I’m at the hump or over three hump and deep down I know I want this baby. It would complete our family.

BuffyFanForever · 03/03/2022 14:32

Sorry I meant to say I *haven’t tried those other meds. Autocorrect at work there.
I started on them week 2 as they took into account history and I had a super early appointment with consultant for my thyroid also.
@Waddlegoose just remember however long it lasts it will end. That’s the only thing that kept me going last time. The meds are helping better this time just to avoid the real dehydration cycle but mentally it is still hard, worse when you have to care for other children too but lots of people have good and bad days, I’ve had some ok times over these last few months so hopefully you will too

woody87 · 03/03/2022 19:23

Hi everyone,

I've been reading this thread for a while but haven't commented. I'm 12 weeks pregnant with twins and suffering HG for first time (this is my 3rd pregnancy) things came to a head yesterday morning and I was admitted to my local maternity unit with extreme dehydration and abdo/back pain and really deranged liver function tests.

I'm feeling a good bit better tonight after two days of Iv fluids and getting some relief from stemetil (I had previously tried cyclizine which didn't work for me and ondansetron which helped but the constipation was awful) and I've had a liver and pancreas scan which was normal.

I'll keep checking in on this thread, just hearing from other people is lovely because in real life most people I know have never suffered this and it's hard for people to grasp that it's not just "a touch of morning sickness"

Thanks everyone.

LucindaE · 03/03/2022 19:48

BuffyFanForever
Currently number 18 in the line for the drs to get my prescription which they won’t give online “because we can’t do that when you’re pregnant” and can’t do without me wasting yet another drs appointment to explain the same thing every single time. We’re moving house next week too and I’m sure the stress is making it all worse. Having the 1 year olds going mental also isn’t helping. Aagh! I so agree with Starbeach's comment. Brave of you to move at this time - and with babies of one! How tiresome about that insistence on personal visits for renewed prescriptions. Hopefully, this relapse is a hormonal surge.
"Waddlegoose* They will soon forget this period of comparative neglect, from everything I have seen on here.
7Worfs Wise words.
Sunnierdays7 Xonvea is sometimes prescribed by doctors who are reluctant to give Zofan/Ondansetron before 12 weeks, due to a statistically hardly significant increase in cases of cleft palate found in research.
ChloeHel Much sympathy.
Cheering everyone on ot the fabled Pink Castle...

OP posts:
LucindaE · 03/03/2022 20:06

woody87 Welcome. Congratulations on your twins! Sorry you are suffering. Stemetil has helped many. Those who suffer Hyperemesis with twins often have the symptoms go earlier than those who suffer with singletons, as they often never would have had Hyperemesis with a singleton pregnancy. Here is my normal spiel, which I hope will help. Ignore the irrelevant bits: 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, Vimto, 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 , cloudy lemonade and Sprite. Foods of a sort include tinned fruit, cuppa soup, nibbles of crisps and chips, cheap ice cream, Scotch pancakes, bagels and biscuits, potato smileys, minature salty Yorkshire Puddings , dry cereals and slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.

OP posts:
Qwerty2000 · 04/03/2022 03:21

Still battling 24/7 nausea and bad taste at 27 weeks (although V-ing controlled thankfully), im now told I have gestational diabetes. I am beyond frustrated. I spent six months feeling guilty for NOT eating and potentially harming the baby and now I'm feeling guilty for whatever it is I manage to get inside me harming the baby. I'm just so fed up. Anybody here got experience of GD and the endless nausea of doom? Being told to eat veg and meat and no easy carbs regularly through out the day is too much for a nausea person. How is this even possible??? I'm super thin and walk/exercise five times a week despite the nausea SadSad

Sunnierdays7 · 04/03/2022 07:56

@Waddlegoose are you currently taking an meds?
I feel I want to just go straight to odansetron but afraid of severe constipation.
Thinking of you all I d been here several times. It’s awful. I’m about to hit week 4 tomorrow so 2 weeks to go before I’m in the HG hell.
Might start taking meds now as heard can help x

Waddlegoose · 04/03/2022 11:13

@Sunnierdays7 yeah I’m on xonvea which is my 4th round of meds. I was admitted at 4 weeks as I started throwing up and not keeping water down. I threw up before I was even 4 wks 😭

I’m now nearly 6 wks and if I was further along I could convince myself I could do this but I’m leaning more towards a termination. I’m not sure I’m mentally strong enough. I have an early scan booked next week, I’m secretly hoping they will say it’s not progressing or ectopic. I feel like an absolute idiot thinking I could do this again.

Sunnierdays7 · 04/03/2022 11:48

@Waddlegoose I have been in those exact shoes. Feel free to Message me anytime.
I found that Xonvea in my prev hg pregnancy did nothing all that reduced frequency of vomit was Odansetron.
It’s the worst feeling. My heart is with you I will be there soon with mine and petrified. X

7Worfs · 04/03/2022 12:08

@Waddlegoose Handhold - I’m sorry you are at such a low point, I hope you get the right medication combination that gives you relief.

Melleebacca · 04/03/2022 17:00

@Waddlegoose sometimes I ponder whether the mental challenge of HG is harder than the physical challenge. It’s so difficult to feel optimistic when physically feeling so lousy. I did have prenatal depression with my second daughter. But by the time I was diagnosed, the sickness was waning, and I knew it was a girl (which helped my mental state), then I just had monthly checkups with maternity mental health until she was born. The complete recovery after birth shocked everyone assigned to my case.
So, it’s not just you. We all understand how you’re feeling, it’s a long 9m battle.

@Sunnierdays7 with all my subsequent pregnancies (after DD1), I’ve taken ondansetron from the day of a positive test. Nausea is usually my first pregnancy symptom and I can handle the nausea, it’s the vomiting that kicks my butt. I’ve found starting the meds earlier does delay the vomiting. With DD1 I was vomiting at 5wks, the rest have started between 6 & 7wks. The vomiting also eased up earlier when it was well medicated, between 13 & 16wks vs 26wks with DD1. I was just as hesitant as everyone else to take meds in my first pregnancy, and that probably is the reason it was so much worse. Well converted now!

Feeling a little better here, still not sleeping great, but surviving. I’ve only got 9wks of work left so I’m clinging to that thought at the moment.

rainbowzebra05 · 04/03/2022 17:46

Has anyone found a way to help teeth brushing? Flavourless toothpaste is a good step, but I'm setting my gag reflex off every time I brush, which I'm sure is counter productive! I'm going to end up with no teeth left at this rate!

Sunnierdays7 · 04/03/2022 18:06

@Melleebacca thank you for that information. May I ask did the Odansetron cause you constipation and if so what did you take for that. Pleased you had a better pregnancy this time. X
@rainbowzebra05 i used a baby soft toothbrush too. X

LucindaE · 04/03/2022 19:47

Waddlegoose I join the others in hoping they find a combination of meds that helps.
Qwerty2000 That is unlucky, to be thin and active and get GD. I didn't realise it could happen either. There have been others on here with GD and I hope someone can advise. If they confirmed the GD, you would think that the hospital would advise about what to do about eating at all in your situation, via the dietitician or somebody.
rainbowzebra05 I so agree with others about the usefulness of a kids' toothrbush - I used kids' strawberry toothpaste too.
Sunnierdays07 Melleebacca 7Worfts and everyone.
Melleebacca Cheering you on.

OP posts:
LucindaE · 04/03/2022 19:53

Sorry, that is 7Worfs and Sunnierdays5! My head is throbbing today, and my typing isn't good. I wonder how MyOtherCarIsA Porche's daughter is doing?

OP posts:
LucindaE · 04/03/2022 19:54

Again apologies; can you believe it? Sunnierdays7!

OP posts:
ohCARP · 04/03/2022 20:30

[quote Waddlegoose]@Sunnierdays7 yeah I’m on xonvea which is my 4th round of meds. I was admitted at 4 weeks as I started throwing up and not keeping water down. I threw up before I was even 4 wks 😭

I’m now nearly 6 wks and if I was further along I could convince myself I could do this but I’m leaning more towards a termination. I’m not sure I’m mentally strong enough. I have an early scan booked next week, I’m secretly hoping they will say it’s not progressing or ectopic. I feel like an absolute idiot thinking I could do this again.[/quote]
I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. HG is mental and physical torture and it's totally understandable that you feel this way. I remember feeling like this when I was pregnant with my daughter.

I don't think anyone can truly understand it until they've lived it. I hope you start to feel better soon and find a combination of medication that helps.

Melleebacca · 05/03/2022 04:35

@Sunnierdays7 oh the constipation is horrific! It’s the reason I’m weaning off the meds now. I take lactulose daily, and also have prunes, and dried apricots (really good at getting the system going), and pureed plums on my muesli in the morning, but I am at 27wks and can eat more. In the first trimester I found pulpy orange juice something that my body liked, and was good at getting things moving, I just can’t stomach it anymore.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 05/03/2022 06:57

Hi, how’s everyone doing?

I’m going through another hormone surge (at 29 weeks, I thought the surges would have stopped by now 😵‍💫)

I keep getting hormonal migraines that keep me awake at night, then I just want to lie down all day because of SPD and hip pain.

School runs are getting more painful although I’m clinging onto them as it’s the only time I get fresh air and chat to other mums. But by 6pm when DH finishes work I’m often so tired I hand over to him and go to bed. I can’t face eating in the evenings as I just throw it back up.

The baby feels so big now, she can kick under my ribs and against my hip at the same time, and keeps twirling around and rolling over. I’d forgotten what a weird sensation it is! I’d also forgotten how hard it is having a bump as my centre of gravity is affected and I keep tripping or dropping things. I managed to drop a scalding hot wet cloth from the rice pan on my foot a few days ago and now have blisters all over my foot from the burn! And between it all I’m still dashing to the loo to throw up 🤢

Counting down the weeks…

FateHasRedesignedMost · 05/03/2022 07:19

Oh and another rant (sorry) DH ordered a Tesco delivery for between 7-8am this morning and he has no intention of getting up to receive it as ‘you get up early anyway’ (true, but that’s because I’m nauseous or in pain or the baby has hiccups or 6-year-old DS has a nightmare at 5am and wants breakfast.)

He also ordered it without bags so the delivery guy will expect me to bend over and lift all the shopping out the crates then drag it from the hall to the kitchen! Which is agony maybe impossible with SPD! I’m tempted to just wake DH when the doorbell rings and tell him to deal with it.

Trouble is he doesn’t really ‘get’ SPD or HG and thinks I’m not pulling my weight with domestic stuff anyway (I’m on sick leave, soon to start Mat leave, while he works full time).

BlueSky57 · 05/03/2022 11:35

Hi everyone. I felt a bit better recently and then felt much worse again, sorry to see some of you having the same flare ups Sad

At my 12 week scan the baby was healthy but they were concerned about my weight loss still. They have finally given me Ondansetron which they’ve told me I can start taking tomorrow (when I’m officially 12 weeks)

The consultant was rushing though so can anyone tell me what to expect with Ondansetron? It says take them 4 times a day so I guess that means I don’t take them with my cyclizine or stemetil? Are there any side-effects for me or baby? Unlike my other tablets, do they actually work? Confused

My family have seen my scan pictures and everyone is so excited to have their first grandchild etc. I find it hard to be positive and difficult to enthuse when they do though, as I just associate baby with sickness right now & that makes me feel so guilty.

woody87 · 05/03/2022 14:09

@BlueSky57 Main advice for Ondansetron (as a nurse and fellow HG sufferer) is that they cause horrendous constipation. Make sure that you are taking daily laxatives alongside them, particularly if you aren't able to eat any high fibre food.

BlueSky57 · 05/03/2022 14:23

Thank you @woody87. Are there any particularly high fibre foods I could possibly try and what sort of laxatives are best and pregnancy safe?

Waddlegoose · 05/03/2022 16:07

@woody87 I was given lactose which I’m sure you can buy from the pharmacy (but maybe not when pregnant) it’s just a sugar syrup that helps with constipation.

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