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.

@PopGoesBang and @Starbeach Thank you for your kind words. I’m home now. I should’ve been grumpier, but I’m also just tired. They had to try twice to get a vein that worked, and then rang me 20mins after I left to check that I had had breakfast. My midwife has gotten me quite concerned about GD this time around, because he’s so big. So I’m really hoping it went well.

Melleebacca

Sorry you had such a horrible experience! Hope you’re feeling a bit better now.

How fussy and odd for them to make a fuss about the way you were sitting. With covid chairs get cleaned regularly anyway. It’s not like you were spreading mud all over them!

Hey everyone, I hope things are bearable for you all today.

Quick q- anyone had covid or a cold and found it made their HG worse?

I had to go in to ambulatory for fluids&meds as I've had a cold this week and it sent me over the edge. Post nasal drip.. mucus, dizziness sent HG into overdrive. Now I'm covid positive and feel like crap. I'm 11 weeks

@nee22 110% I had covid before my positive pregnancy test and was admitted at 4 weeks for fluids, I’m convinced there is a link

How are you feeling @Waddlegoose?

I am so weak and can hardly walk around the house but the new meds seem to be working. Been eating and drinking more I’m just so weak and spend most of my time in bed. I’m still not sure I can do this. If I could get my energy levels up a bit that would help. I’ve had previous pregnancies and I’ve never been this run down.

@Waddlegoose hi been thinking of you. What meds are you on now ? X

Starbeach and Melleebacca I was so annoyed at hearing of these attitudes by the GP and the clinicians that as I posted my message, I hit on the return key too hard and the message was deleted! But it was restrained, really. Starbeach I see; Hyperemesis sufferers take 'unnecessary meds' because they never thought of nibbling on a ginger biscuit, the magic cure. This from a medic: words fail me. Melleebacca That is so officious. Would they rather clear up vomit? When will you get the test results? I'm glad you're home mow, anyway, with the experience behind you.
Waddlegoose I am glad the meds seem to be helping. Many feel that they cannot go through with it in the early weeks. Things will almost certainly get better. What combination did you say they had you on?
nec22 I am sure any illness makes Hypermesis worse. Those symptoms you and ChloeHel and others report sound really unpleasant.
I'd better post this before I break the keyboard. Still astounded at that attitude from dr's and others...

Sunnierdays7 How are things?

Hi @LucindaE I’m still completely symptom free over here. 5 weeks tomorrow. It will either start at 6 weeks or may result in a loss. Awful head space x

Sunnierdays7 Oh dear. Sympathies. Wishing you normal ms instead.

Bless you thank you 😊

@FateHasRedesignedMost I think I offend them by having my feet on the chairs, it was a brand new lab so they might have been a bit too precious about it.

@Waddlegoose I never been as fatigued as I have been in this pregnancy. I did read that growing a boy requires more energy than a girl, so I’m not sure if that’s it, or just that I’m older.

@Sunnierdays7 you need a distraction. Try and focus on getting lots done before the sickness kicks in. Then you can be distracted in case the sickness doesn’t come. I spring cleaned the house between 4-6wks, which meant I was in a better head space when my house didn’t get cleaned for like 3 months while I was sick.

@Sunnierdays7 or my first pregnancy was HG and then I was pleasantly surprised my second pregnancy was more normal, still sick but not on meds. Third has been HG on steroids! You never know you might have a more normal pregnancy 🤞🤞

I am currently on Ondansetron as a single but I feel loads better, I found cyclizine and promethazine was making me sleepy and dizzy

@Melleebacca thank you that is a really good idea. Will do lots this week.
@Waddlegoose so pleased you feel better happy for you. That’s the med that worked for
me although still felt ill. X

@Waddlegoose how are you feeling with the ondansetron? I’m coming up to 11 weeks and on 3 xonvea daily and they just don’t seem to be working anymore. I think I’m going to request a change and go for the ondansetron!

Apart from the constipation which I already have anyway, are there any other side effects anyone has noticed from ondansetron?

@ChloeHel no nothing other than the constipation like you said. Definitely less away with the fairy’s as I’m less sleepy

@Waddlegoose have you been prescribed any laxatives? Does anyone recommend any we can take alongside ? Do you take daily. I remember horrendous constipation.

@Waddlegoose oh I’m glad to hear. Let’s hope you get somewhat better with them! That’s the problem with these xonvea I do feel a bit delirious with them, but then again there’s nothing more I want to do than sleep when I feel so damn nauseous!

Any recommendations for less drowsy sickness medication? I currently have 2 hours of (low but enough to get out of bed) energy and then sleep all day. I can't not take the tablets because I feel sick but when I do I am basically comatose. I hate this so much 😭

My head is splitting today. Just coming on to cheer everyone on. ChloeHel I expect current sufferers will answer that question better. I think meds seem to affect people in different ways, as Cyclizine, which makes many sleepy, gives me insomnia!

@ohCARP how many weeks are you now? I think around my worst weeks all I wanted to do was sleep to stop the nausea. Since being on Ondansetron I'm less sleepy ( I've always been a napper tho). I started that around 11 weeks, I'm now 19.

@ChloeHel comstipation is hell on ondansetron. I take the stool softener lactulose daily, and eat prunes and dried apricots and pureed plums, essentially anything I can think of to try and keep things moving. Then twice a week I go gung-ho and take lots of lactulose and spend a lot of time clearing out my system as best as possible.
Another side effect others have found with ondansetron is headaches. I never got them, only got headaches from dehydration.

@Sunnierdays7 I hope you find something to distract you. The better your mental headspace, the better you can cope physically.

@ohCARP different meds have different methods of reducing sickness. Antihistamine like ones such as cyclizine, make you drowsy, but also stop the vomit signals arriving to the brain. Ondansetron works to close the valves to the stomach. But drowsiness could also be an effect of pregnancy

I passed my sugar test. But I’m anaemic, as expected after 6months of HG. Now need to up my iron levels while not getting more constipated. I’m just so tired.

@PopGoesBang I'm nearly 10 weeks now. Have been on cyclizine since 7 weeks. I think the sickness is starting to ease a little bit. It lasted to 25 weeks last time though so I'm not going to get my hopes up too much.

@Melleebacca congratulations on your glucose test! I hope they get your anaemia sorted soon.

I think I'm going to ask for my note to be extended for another week and for some more buccastem. I can keep food down now so I might try taking fewer tablets and see how I get on. I had a big cry this morning as my husband was leaving for work. I had to send my toddler to preschool for the day and she wasn't happy about it and the stress of emailing work yet again was just too much. I think even if I was physically well enough, which I'm not, I'm not mentally ready to go back either. I hate being there so much and it's making me so stressed. I'm just counting down to July when it's the summer holidays and I don't have to be there anymore

Ladies I’m slightly behind a lot of you I know not actually nauseas yet apart from 2 brief episode but as a previous HG mumma I’m here for the ride as I know it’s coming for me at week 6 (5 + 1) today. This might sound strange but I am so sad as I look at my children and think I don’t want them to see me suffer and any day now I will be. I am their rock.
Praying for a miracle and already being prescribed meds.
It’s strange because I have lost 3 at 6 weeks ish so if HG does not kick in it usually means I am going to miscarry so my head is a little overwhelmed.
I am trying to distract myself. I got 3+ weeks and a dye stealer on my tests today as not tested for a week and almost symptom free so pregnancy still strong.
I can do this. I’m sure I will be reaching for the sick bowl any day. Nice to know this group is here. I will need it. Hello to everyone and thinking of you. Have been here twice before so I know how you feel.
💓💙🙏