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.

Anyone with any experience of sorting Ondansetron constipation with lactulose? I've got a bottle left over from last time that's still in date so have been able to start off with that but the dose I was prescribed last time was 15ml twice per day (that was because I was on iron tablets!) and taking that I'm barely able to go so to speak... Does anyone take higher doses? It says on the bottle that a normal adult dose is 15-30ml.

Sorry to hear about those of you with supply issues for the drug that works - that's really rubbish 😢

@Sicksmellymess ugh yeah, mine started with just 1 pack of 20 but managed to get them to increase it 40. Yeah 1 isn’t really working for me, but I’d rather a little than completely run out! Atleast until I can try and get hold of that Cariban! I’ve got my grandparents in the case haha.

@PopGoesBang aw no, HG and GD :( hope you are feeling ok! Is there any reason why they decided to test you for GD?

@Weathergirl1 oh someone else asked about this the other day. My advice was to start low then increase to see which dose is appropriate for you! So start with the 15ml twice daily and after 3 days if no movement then increase by 10ml, then another 3 days of no movement another 10ml etc etc until you are at the maximum of 45ml twice daily if you need to be.

Sorry to hear some of you are having supply issues. Sounds stressful!!

@PopGoesBang I hope the nurses are helpful. Rubbish to have that to contend with too.

@Weathergirl1 I've never had any success with lactulose. I just throw it up. I've been given glycerin suppositories by the gp to clear blockages so don't suffer in silence.

@ajb22 sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it. I also understand the worry over miscarriage - I've had 2 in a row. Be kind to yourself. This is my second baby and this time I have paid for a cleaner, organised friends and family to help with my wee one and accepted that I will be stuck in bed for a while. I'm not even considering going back to work yet. The first time I kept looking for a cure that would let me get back to 'enjoying a normal pregnancy'. I never found it. But the sickness will not last forever!!! And at some point it should be better than it is now. Hang on in there.

Sending hugs to everyone x

@PopGoesBang sorry to hear you have GD. I’m so glad they were understanding are going to help you find foods to work with.

@Weathergirl1 i take 3 teaspoons a day but only because I’m so forgetful about taking it. I’m also on ondansetron and constipated and the only time I’ve had regular movement was when I was having bran flakes in the morning and eating orange, mango and pineapple in the afternoon. I would take the maximum dosage for the first day then try take the 15ml and see if you can find any foods that might help? That’s if you’re not wanting to take the 30ml dose every day

@ChloeHel it helps explain the super tired feelings in the evening. My mum has type2 diabetes so I would have been tested anyways. But this pregnancy my bmi is higher too and I'm 39 so I think I had a hat trick of reasons to check. I was fine last pregnancy. And the midwife that called said I had only just tipped over the cut of point. And I'm 26 weeks so she seemed happy it was noted early. And I was already booked in for broth scans so apart from some additional clinic appts now I'm not sure there will be too much difference going forward - but I'll soon find out!

@Weathergirl1 I'm sure you've tried, and tbh I'm not sure if it's a mind over matter thing with me but orange juice really helps as well. Hope you get sorted, the constipation from Ondansetron is hell.

Thanks @BalletN and @Sicksmellymess the phone call this afternoon was certainly reassuring. I hope in reality it's the same.
At least HG has helped with the portion control side of things 🤣 and most sweet things have been off the cards since the start. Small mercies!

@PopGoesBang oh how stink! I can’t imagine having GD with my already restrictive HG diet. I hope it’s an easy transition for you.

@ajb22 I wouldn’t say I look after my kids when I have HG. They get very independent during time periods when I’m sick.
Also, 12wks is still v early for recovery in an HG timeline, so please take it v slow. I read an article last week about how if you’re in bed with covid for a week, you should expect to take 4-6wks to recover fully. With HG, we’re in bed for much much longer, so the recovery time is essentially the length of the pregnancy.

@Weathergirl1 I took 2 tablespoons of lactulose every morning when on ondansetron. And when things hadn’t moved for 3 days, I added in a tablespoon every 2hrs until things moved or I reached 3pm (did not want diarrhea in the night). I did often end up with diarrhea once things did start moving, but would rather that than the pain of being clogged up.

@ChloeHel and @Sicksmellymess So sorry to hear about your meds shortage!

Thanks @Melleebacca - we'll see how it goes. The gift that keeps giving this pregnancy! It will be worth it tho.

SickSmellyMess and ChloeHel I can't find a way of expanding the font in that letter, but I am sure the message was infuriating.
ajb22 Sorry about disappointment over the good days stopping with a relapse. Nevertheless, good days are usually a very good sign. I do symapthise about your anxiety: I had an m/c too, and it does spoil the next pregnancy. You might know theoretically that the odds are all in your favour, but you will worry endlessly.
BalletN Very good advice. It must be very distressing to have had two m/c's in a row.
PopGoesBang Sorry to hear that jolly news, as well as your Hyperemesis. I do hope they can work out the diet.
Weathergirl1 Great advice from ChloeHel about how to increase the dose of Lactulose.
Excellent advice from Melleebacca and everyone.

@Sicksmellymess I have found a site that sells Cariban!!! It’s a Spanish pharmacy. They are £34 inc delivery…ridiculous we have to fork this out for our own health and sanity. I’ve just bought a pack, will let you know when they arrive!

www.mediplus.me/product/cariban-10-mg-10-mg-24-capsules/

Glad you have found it. As you say, expensive.

@ChloeHel thank you! My partner is being suspicious of it but I need to try! They’re £80 for a pack of 20 when you pay privately with UK! So a lot cheaper!

Well I’ve already got a tracking number so they have been sent. I did a bit of research on the company and they seem pretty legit to me! Will obviously thoroughly check the packaging and meds when I get them and let you know!

@LucindaE Any recommendations for good antacids, I've tried taking Rennie tablets which don't do me any justice. I am honestly counting down to weeks 14 onwards so I can relish in some relief from the sickness and nausea. X

@Jani92 i take a straight calcium powder in a little bit of water. The calcium neutralizes the stomach acid (and is also great for protecting your bones from being sapped of all nutrients).

@PopGoesBang Hubby was asking this week if there were studies showing how pregnancy shortens womens lives - he totally understands that what I go through is torture. I told him about my great grandmother who had 6 daughters and lived to 103. So let’s hope the stress on the body is worth it in the long term!

@Melleebacca well, that is impressive! This is definitely my last pregnancy, I'm too old to do it again - so if 2 is nearly the same as 6 i'm all for it 🤣

@ChloeHel did you have to do the consultation after?

@Sicksmellymess no I didn’t have to do the consultation. I just ordered it and then they sent a separate email for payment.

@ChloeHel ive just ordered two boxes of it, hopefully is okay

Thanks for all the lactulose advice! I'm going to up the dose but this morning I had a horrible experience on the toilet - it was just like my first post-natal BM - solid like pebbles 😭. There was still more to come out so I've just about managed to drag myself to Boots and get some glycerol suppositories as I don't think more lactulose is going to shift that 😱... My DH laughed when I told him at first because he hadn't realised that that wasn't the end of it - I told him he might need to come home at lunchtime if I was still unable to move 😬. Then my two year old came upstairs with a lovely sloppy dirty nappy just to spite me!

Constipation may not be nice, but it's nowhere near as bad as the all day nausea 👍

Jani92 I don't think I can improve on Melleebacca's advice about anti-acids.
Calcium powder sounds a great idea, as it helps the bones too. Before I heard of that I used to say Omprazole. Back in the dark ages when I suffered myself, they only let you have Gaviscon, which can make you feel really bloated if you're taking it constantly.
Sicksmellymess and ChloeHel I do hope you get them quickly.
Weathergirl1 That sounds grim. I so hope the suppositories help.
Melleebacca !03; my goodness, that was an advanced age some years ago. I've only ever personally met one person over 100. She was amazing, doing her own shopping, walking everywhere.

@ChloeHel the online clinic (private) sent an email out yesterday saying that Xonvea is back in stock, they won’t prescribe me any as I’m over 16 weeks but I replied with a few questions and they’re insisting that the manufacturer issue is definitely resolved and they receive theirs from the same supply as nhs pharmacies etc. I phoned two pharmacies who told me they still can’t get it

Ohh is it this clinic?

www.theonlineclinic.co.uk/buy-xonvea.asp

I tried with them too and they said they wouldn’t give it to me because I’m over 17 weeks. But I paid £5 and argued with them gave them all my pharmacist registration details and even said they could access my SCR - they then responded with “we are now sold out” lol

I might try again with them! But in the meantime let me see what my colleagues can find with dates!

@ChloeHel yes! I also argued and they told me to get a letter from my gp to say he’s happy to still prescribe it but then told me Xonvea is definitely in stock and it’s quicker to go through another pharmacy. Xonvea company replied to me today saying they won’t have stock till the start of next week so the online clinic must have had some left over.
different stories constantly!