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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:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LindSan · 21/12/2021 23:12

@BFPDec21 *enough conclusive evidence

Melleebacca · 22/12/2021 01:29

@Hump1 some people on here have had great success with xonvea, hopefully they will come on and sing it’s praises. It is a combo drug which includes one of the B vitamins (B6?!), which I can’t stomach, so I haven’t tried it.

@BFPDec21 The risk is something like an additional 6 cases per 10,000 if I remember correctly. Which is in my scientific opinion barely statistically significant, but as with everything in pregnancy, there is an over abundance of caution. I personally take ondansetron from the day I test positive till the 3rd trimester.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 22/12/2021 08:00

@BFPDec21

I took ondansetron regularly for the first 10 weeks, although I had to get it from a private GP as my NHS GP said their practice didn’t fund it or didn’t have the right licence or something. The private GP was very reassuring and said the risks are minimal compared to untreated HG.

A few days ago I saw a consultant obstetrician (NHS) and told her about the GP and ondansetron, she laughed and said ‘lots of GPs don’t like prescribing that’ then prescribed me enough to last the rest of my entire pregnancy!

goldteeth · 22/12/2021 11:44

Morning all,

I am looking for some advice on dealing with work, I am 6+5 and the vomiting came on hard 4 days ago. My previous pregnancy ended in ectopic and I also experienced extreme nausea for the majority of that. I work as a nurse and we are currently the covid surge ward. Due to covid and my previous experience, I told my ward manager early.

On Monday, I left work early as I was either throwing up or just retching wildly. My manager was very unimpressed and made comments like “already? Isn’t this early for morning sickness?” and mentioned that she would put it down as a normal sickness until I had my pregnancy confirmed. I felt too sick to argue at the time but the various blood tests and scans I have had do confirm my pregnancy.

I am due back in work tomorrow and I do not think I can handle it, I am worried to call in sick and deal with my unhelpful manager but I also fear going to work tomorrow, being useless and letting my colleagues down. Has anyone had any experience dealing with less than helpful employers?

BFPDec21 · 22/12/2021 13:11

Thanks for the advice on ondansetron! Very helpful advice.

@goldteeth could you contact HR or someone above your manager to discuss it further?

I've never been asked for proof of pregnancy until legally required for maternity pay.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 22/12/2021 13:21

@goldteeth

I would get a letter from your GP signing you off with hyperemesis (after the self certify period) as there’s then no arguing about the sickness being pregnancy related!

Your manager sounds awful. Of course sickness can start that early, my ward manager was nearly sick in MDT when she was 4-5 weeks.

I got signed off with HG at about 5 weeks (directly following a sickness absence for minor surgery which confused payroll, but I sent confirmation of the pregnancy and the GP letter.) At 18.5 weeks I’m still off with HG and my kind manager said they don’t expect me back until after Mat leave. I submit monthly sick notes from GP.

Any pregnancy related sickness in the NHS doesn’t count towards your Bradford score, cannot trigger any stages of formal/informal monitoring and basically the manager’s hands are tied as she can’t try to force you to return before you’re better (as you’re protected heavily by law).

Good luck!

LucindaE · 22/12/2021 18:03

All the apps have disappeared from my pc. I'm typiing this from my laptop, but I can't get on with the keyboard, so I' won't be as talkative as normal.
goldteeth Welcome. I so agree with others about pregnancy related conditions and your unfeeling manager (amazing, in healthcare!). You have already had great advice. Do see a GP about meds. As you are a nurse, you may not need my normal spiel, but here it is just in case.e. Just ignore parts not relevevant. 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, 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 and slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.
BFPDec2021 You have had great advice from Melleebacca Lindsan and FateHasRedsignedMost about the very low risks associated with Ondansetron.

OP posts:
Disgruntledpelicanlady · 22/12/2021 23:12

Hi
Not sure if I meet the criteria but struggling today. 7 weeks today. Had awful acid reflux since before I even got the positive test. Then this week the vomiting has started. I feel horrific. Have been laid on either the sofa or in bed since Saturday. Only being sick once or twice a day but feel like I'm borking constantly and the nausea is almost constant. The heaving is so violent as well- I'm sure I've pulled muscles! Even waking in the night gagging.
Also having waves of nausea where I go very dizzy and shaky and need to sit down and breathe heavily.
I have a history of emetophobia too, which even though I'm much better than I used to be I am finding this tricky.
First pregnancy so no idea if this is normal. I've tried ringing my gp but have just been told they're only seeing emergencies until mid January so that's no help. Managed to get omeprazole from online pharmacy so hoping that helps when it arrives.
Very glad I'm off work this week or I'd be in real trouble - my job is very full on with no breaks so God knows how I'd manage this.
Please feel free to tell me I'm just bwing dramatic because that's what's in the back of my mind anyway

FateHasRedesignedMost · 23/12/2021 08:15

@Disgruntledpelicanlady

You’re not being overly dramatic, HG can be utterly awful, draining and terrifying. I hope the omeprazole helps you. I find it very good for preventing acid reflux. Rennies help a bit in the meantime, and things like yogurt seem to work for me a bit (thick Greek style yogurt stays down best). Some people find gaviscon helps but the taste makes me vomit.

Anyway welcome to the thread, there’s lots of support and solidarity here. I’m 19 weeks into my second HG pregnancy (have a 6 year old son). Ironically I’m also waiting to get my omeprazole prescription from the pharmacy (when DH wakes up!) And ondansetron which I find helps the vomiting a lot and gives relief from the nausea a bit.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 23/12/2021 08:20

At 19 weeks baby has suddenly got really active, even DH and our son can feel the kicks! I was getting worried it was less active than son at this stage but apparently it was just taking it’s time (have felt occasional pokes/jabs for weeks but not proper kicks through the abdominal wall until yesterday!)

I feel like I’m bonding with it at last. If I press where it kicks it kicks again, like it’s just discovered communication!

In a few weeks I’ll probably be moaning about it doing somersaults and dancing on my cervix but for now these gentle kicks feel magical 🥰

Stay strong ladies!

buttercuplizzy · 23/12/2021 08:30

Hi all,

My first time posting on this thread. I had an HG pregnancy with my second (bad NV with my first) I've now found out I'm pregnant with my third! Its been a very difficult and long journey to get to this point- both me and my husband are terrified about how this pregnancy could go, based on my previous experience.

With my HG baby, nausea kicked in before BFP- no exaggeration it was about a week after conception. Im just 4 weeks with my new pregnancy and feel fine- which is a relief, but I feel so anxious thinking when will it hit me?

I sought support through the pregnancy sickness support charity and an independent midwife and they advised to start Cyclizine immediately. Private GP was very reluctant to do so, but I managed to convince her to perscribe me a 2 week course. Im just taking one a day atm, so I have enough to get me into the new year and try and get another prescription. Im also taking ginger and b6 - amongst a few other vitamins and supplements.

Im feeling good.... just very anxious... every day without nausea/sickness does feel like a blessing though and I'm hoping this is a good sign. Though I appreciate it can kick in a bit later.

Melleebacca · 23/12/2021 16:55

@buttercuplizzy you’re doing everything right. Pre-emptive meds should help delay the start of the sickness. With my first vomiting started at 5wks, with all subsequent pregnancies, 6wks. It’s a spiral of nausea, vomiting and dehydration. If you can stop the spiral with meds and fluids, it won’t be as bad. You’re doing great!

@Disgruntledpelicanlady I’m hoping the reflux meds help you, but you may also need an antiemetic too. It’s a really hard time of the year to get new meds etc with the holidays. If you do start vomiting a lot more and getting dehydrated, please go to the hospital or gp if possible. I also can’t imagine how difficult the pandemic is making the health industry over there too.

@goldteeth I can’t help with employment questions as I’m in NZ. But I am so shocked that working in healthcare and getting treated poorly. I know everything is very strained at the moment, but the lack of compassion stunned me. I work at a school, and have managed to keep working 2hrs a day during the last term. The teachers have been so kind looking after me, and understanding that my abilities are limited.

@FateHasRedesignedMost I’m 17wks now, been feeling kicks for the last week. At my 12wk scan he was the least active of all my kids, the sonographer couldn’t get a good photo. That made me hopeful that maybe I finally get a sleepy kid, but I’m having way more kicks early on with this one than the others (despite an anterior placenta with all of them).

I had a really bad night a couple of nights ago. Finally started having constipation from the ondansetron and took some lactulose to try and keep things moving. Went from one extreme to the other, and I ended up with unbelievable stomach cramps for an hour while my body cleared my system at both ends. First vomit in about 3wks and a violent one at that.

It’s Christmas Eve here today so I probably won’t be on for a few days. It’s also been 30deg for the last couple of days, so I’m really craving a white Christmas about now. I hope everyone manages to get through the next few days, rest lots and say no to anything that is just too much. Xx

goldteeth · 23/12/2021 17:04

Thank you all for offering advice! I really appreciate it. Glad to have found such a supportive community.

I ended up going over my ward managers head and just calling the matron who instantly cancelled my shifts for the week and told me just to call her after New Years. She also said she’d do my risk assessment if my ward manager was being difficult so that is a massive weight off my shoulders.

Thanks again!

LucindaE · 23/12/2021 21:57

DisgruntledPelicanLady Welcome. If you are not able to retain fluids for more than 24 hours it becomes a medical emergency. Do phone the out of hours helpline emphasizing that if you find you aren't keeping enough fluids down. As others say, this is not normal pregnancy sickness. As you have had a phobia about vomiting, do phone Pregnancy Sickness Support too on 0247638 2020 for advice about that and about obtaining effective meds. They will have to ring back but are very helpful. Here is my normal spiel, which might help. . 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, 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 and slices of melon and mango. Protein drinks have also been mentioned.
buttercuplizzy Welcome. I am glad you have got pre-emptive meds. There is lots of support on here. Some find that they escape suffering badly in some pregnancies after ones with bad Hyperemesis. As you are a veteran, you dont need my normal spiel above about kesostix, flat coke and anti acids.
goldteeth I am so glad to hear that.
FateHasRedisgnedMost Good advice. Ha, Ha, about kicking and communication.
Melleebacca Coming out at both ends sounds awful, I hope you manage to keep as cool as you can with those temperatures, and wise words as ever.

OP posts:
Disgruntledpelicanlady · 24/12/2021 00:04

Thank you everyone. I rang the community midwives today who were happy that I'm keeping enough in for the minute. I can ring them again if needs be though.
Today I've discovered Lucozade sport which is feeling like the best thing I've ever tasted haha

FateHasRedesignedMost · 24/12/2021 08:53

Happy Christmas Eve and commiserations to everyone suffering!

My day started with half an hour of dry retching over the loo. I still feel sick but just took an ondansetron so if I can keep that down it should ease off (hopefully). I figured the ondansetron headache is the lesser of the 2 evils.

Anyone with older kid(s) find Xmas really hard with HG?
I’m trying to keep the magic going for my very excited 6 year old but it’s hard going. He wants attention and doesn’t understand that jumping around and spinning in front of me makes the sickness worse. I nearly threw up on the lounge rug a minute ago!

Tomorrow is sorted (kind off) as I’ve wrapped everything and filled his stocking (he has an identical empty one to hang up) and DH will help with the cooking.

We did a Tesco shop yesterday and I made sure to get everything ready prepared so the trays just go in the oven. It was chaos though, people pushing and ramming trollies! I deliberately wore a dress that enhances my (rather small) bump and made a point of putting my hand on bump and glaring at people over my mask so they gave me some space. It’s funny how people stop elbowing you when they realise you’re pregnant!

Admittedly I got a bit frustrated in the pharmacy queue (waiting for my ondansetron) as the man in front was asking the pharmacist about all the different types of remedies for mouth ulcers as his wife had one 🤨 He was talking for 10minutes about the benefits of bonjela over ambesol and i wanted to scream ‘you can get both in the medicine aisle and read the packets!’ I thought I was about to throw up and my hips were excruciating. Eventually he turned and caught the look in my eyes (and clocked the 10 people queuing behind me) and bought both 😂

FateHasRedesignedMost · 24/12/2021 09:04

@Melleebacca sorry about the both ends, it’s horrible when that happens. When I tried taking cascara with ondansetron I was gripping the bathroom bin whilst on the loo the next morning 🤭

I’ve never tried lactulose, we have some in the cupboard but the smell of it makes me sick so I don’t think I could actually swallow it. Same with milk of magnesia, even thinking about the smell sets off nausea! But with the worsening sickness I know I’m going to be relying on ondansetron more, which has such delightful side effects 😳 Are there any gentle laxatives that come in tablet form?

FateHasRedesignedMost · 24/12/2021 09:21

buttercuplizzy

Congratulations and I hope the cyclizine works.

Are you in the U.K.? If so I found GoGoDoc (private London based GP company but they do phone consultations as well as home visits etc) very knowledgeable about HG. They were happy to prescribe ondansetron over the phone and gave really good advice.

They also have same day appointments so if you run out of a prescription you can usually talk to a GP within 2 hours and the prescription gets emailed to your local pharmacy straight away. They do sick notes too, which I found very handy when my NHS GP surgery was understaffed and took 2 weeks to provide a note for payroll!

My NHS obstetrician has taken over the prescribing now, but in the early weeks my NHS GP was very unhelpful (eg couldn’t get a phone appointment for 2 weeks, he couldn’t get hold of my notes from previous surgery and kept saying sickness is normal even though I’ve had HG before. He only took an interest after 14 weeks when I was still throwing up and my weight had dropped!)

I don’t understand the reasons behind doctors denying pregnant women anti sickness meds when they have HG, there are so many safe meds (and none are addictive or have any abuse potential!)

Hump1 · 24/12/2021 09:28

The Xonvea has worked total wonders for me, I’ve only been sick once in the last 2 days and at least 50% of the nausea has gone! I’m on 4 per day which I think is the maximum dose but 3 a day wasn’t working for me. I’d highly recommend lemon sorbet just before you eat as that seems to settle my tummy! X

FateHasRedesignedMost · 24/12/2021 13:22

I can’t stop dry wretching today, I’m not usually this bad 😩 Right before Xmas too.

Fab ice lollies are staying down along with ondansetron but that’s about it! Must be a 19 week hormone surge or something!

Melleebacca · 24/12/2021 16:52

Merry Christmas All! It’s before 6am, and I already have one kid in bed with me - letting the two that can sleep in, sleep.

@FateHasRedesignedMost That sounds awful. Just take Christmas slow. I bought the girls gifts knowing I was going to be sick, so they are getting lego and books, lots of quiet activities. I’m also hugely impressed that you left the house! I make hubby get my prescriptions and gave him an exact food list. Going forward we will be doing click and collect for food, I will order it and he will just be picking it up.

Whoever said lemon sorbet is good, now I’m craving some! I can really only eat sour things, and I think I’m getting constipated because it’s so hot and I need more fluids. I’ve added lemon and raspberries to my icy water, and it’s going down a treat.

I hope everyone has a good day. My plan is to move from bed to sofa to car to sofa to car and then to sofa. I made all food that can be prepped in advance, and it’s now just a job of turning the oven on. Everything else my mum can do.

It sucks to be sick on this special day, but next year I’m going to go over the top to make up for it!

LucindaE · 24/12/2021 20:52

FateHasRedsignedMost I am in awe of anyone who can cope with older kids and Hyperemesis and Christmas, as you, Melleebacca and others on here are doing. Very brave of you to go out after such a start to the day as that.
Melleebacca That sounds a good plan.
Hump1 Happy news.
DisgruntledPelicanLady I am glad Lucozade sport is helping. I always swore by the Lucozade original, but some find it too acid.
Wishing everyone on this thread as good a Christmas as possible.

OP posts:
FateHasRedesignedMost · 25/12/2021 08:03

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you all have as nice a day as possible with minimal vomiting.

I’ll be around on the thread on and off if anyone needs support today.

I’m planning to spend most of it with my feet up and let DH do most of the cooking as:
a) I’ve been up since 3am with DC (DH rises at 10am so we’ve done the stocking etc).
b) I’m going through a rough patch with HG, already vomited multiple times today and still dry heaving despite ondansetron. Also spotting a bit (midwife on phone didn’t sound concerned. She said violent vomiting (or anything that increases internal pressure) can sometimes dislodge some blood from the cervix. Apparently the seal over the cervix can regenerate easily even if damaged which is reassuring!) She said to rest with my feet up so I’m planning a very quiet day.

At some point I have to shower, do my hair and make up, pose for family photos and Skype in-laws, watch the present opening etc (DC kindly suggested he could open mine for me to save me sitting on the floor!) and then… return to bed 🛌

Disgruntledpelicanlady · 25/12/2021 19:01

Hope everyone's day was as lovely as possible. Went round parents house. Only managed to eat dry bread then started dry heaving. But managed to have a lovely day otherwise.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 26/12/2021 09:59

@Disgruntledpelicanlady

Sorry about the dry heaving (so painful!) but I’m glad you had a lovely day despite that.

I’m feeling much better today, I think the stress and build up and hyperactive DC was making the HG flare up. I haven’t even been sick today or needed ondansetron yet!

Which is in total contrast to yesterday when I woke up dry heaving and vomited everything all morning (even meds and ice lollies) in between trying to watch DC open presents and put on a brave face for family photos. Then I slept for 3 hours and we had quite a nice evening.

Anyone find lack of sleep worsens HG?
Last night I slept for 7 hours and woke up without nausea, compared to a few broken nights leading up to Xmas that coincided with HG getting worse.