Nausea early pregnancy really bad

[Quinny2288]

Hello, I am 7 weeks pregnant. I have been reading everything on the internet about how to stop my all day nausea. I have tried ginger, salty crackers, eating small meals little and often, snacking throughout the day, not letting myself get hungry, plain foods such as white bread/rice, lemon water, and literally nothing makes my nausea go away. I’ve been experiencing nausea about 2 weeks and but have only thrown up two nights. Otherwise, just anytime I’m awake, I am nauseas. It is making me really depressed and sad as I feel awful all the time.

i am also sleeping a lot, like probably only awake for 6-8 hours in total a day, and have a constant headache with the nausea. I have referred myself to the maternity service but they said all they can offer is the 12 week scan due in a months time in October but nothing else to help me in the meantime. I don’t even get to meet my midwife until then.

i suspect I am anaemic as I am really weak and tired, and don’t have any energy to even walk around the flat/get out of bed most days. I know all of these are pregnancy symptoms but I really do feel really bad and I really need some help.

As the maternity service won’t help me, do you know if my GP can help me with any of this? Also, what sorts of tests and things should I request of my doctor to find out what’s wrong? I was thinking of requesting a blood test to see if I’m anaemic but does the doctor do that for you whilst you are pregnant or will I have to wait for the 12 week scan? Also, is there anything else doctors can prescribe except anti nausea medication to help with my headaches do you all know?

Sorry if this isn’t making much sense, I am just really at the end of my tether and just need some support/advice about what can help me get through this.

Yes, go and see your GP for some anti-emetics. Also have a look at the hyperemesis thread on here - loads of advice on there for food and drink that may help. 24h nausea is debilitating and not just straightforward 'morning sickness '.

Hi Quinny,

I feel your pain! I’m 6 weeks 1 day and currently on looking for any remedies…also at end of my tether. Today was the worst. Feel bad even moaning about it as ‘feeling nauseous’ to anyone else sounds unpleasant but manageable. And of course, over the moon to be pregnant but this is another level. I’m also someone who it takes a lot for me to be in bed/moan - I’m a ‘get up and get on with it’ kinda person…but the only way I can describe this is like having the worst food poisoning coupled with the worst hangover that doesn’t go away. Ever. Every waking moment. I’ve been in bed all day today…even having a shower, my legs were weak, I was light headed and couldn’t wait to get back to bed again. Couple of things I’m going to try:

• got Cyclizine from the doctor. I’ll let you know how it goes
• sick wrist sea bands. Arriving tomo.
• sooking on peppermint sweets/mints
• ive been sipping water today and brushed my teeth/rinsed with mouthwash a few times a day as even the taste of food turns my stomach after a few mins and found this helped but only a little.

Anyway, you’re not alone. I feel utterly wiped out and miserable/very down. Shocked at how much it’s affecting me tbh! Hopefully it’ll lift in a few weeks…holding onto that.

I had bad nausea and sickness in both my pregnancies. I know how utterly miserable it is. It is annoying when you just have nausea without the vomiting as even though you feel like complete and utter crap you feel like a fraud calling in to work sick etc. because you’re not actually vomiting. You then end up pushing yourself too much and making yourself worse.

Things which helped early on were:

• sickness wristbands
• Lying down flat in a dark, cool room.
• Always having a fan blasting me with cold air
• Sipping cold water or ginger cordial (there’s a really nice lemongrass and ginger one by bottlegreen)
• having a hanky/tissue with some drops of lavender oil on which i could sniff whenever i felt nauseous due to a smell
• eating ice lollies

You might find that these things work ok for a couple of weeks and then the sickness ramps up. It was always worst for me at 10 weeks. If that happens then ask your GP for anti-sickness medication.

I ended up on anti-sickness medication (cyclizine, metoclopramide and prochlorperazine) in pregnancy no.1 after being admitted to hospital at 10 weeks for dehydration and it completely took away the nausea!
In my second pregnancy, I asked the GP early on (7/8 weeks) to prescribe the same medication and she did.

It is absolutely debilitating and horrendous to have constant nausea. Please don’t be afraid to speak to your GP about anti sickness meds! They usually start you on cyclizine but if that doesn’t work well enough then go back and ask to try something else. Word of warning: most anti sickness medications have a side effect of making you really drowsy so you might feel like a zombie for a bit until you get used to them, but the relief is immense.

best of luck!