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.

Thanks for your reply Lucinda. I'm even worse this morning have emailed the GP to request a hospital referral, I'm ++++ ketones this morning and can't keep any fluids down, the only answer now is IV fluids. I've also asked if Ondansetron can be prescribed. Dreading going back in to hospital, 3rd admission in three weeks and they cocked up the cannula massively last time my hand is still sore.

Mallowmoon I hope you feel a little better today xx

GP agrees that fluids are a necessity now... Hospital however won't admit me or provide me with IV fluids because they're understaffed with the strikes and have closed EPU. GP won't prescribe me anything other than cyclizine they've said according to their guidelines they can only prescribe that and the other two meds I've had that didn't work 😭😭😭

Thanks @LucindaE but no, what is anti acid?

@PumpkinDart sadly I do not! Today has been horrendous. Can't get a doctors appointment to try and get some more meds, at work and cannot keep anything down.

Finally felt a little better enough to try and eat something so 🤞🏻 it stays down. I've told my manager that if I can't get any more meds until 12 weeks in most likely going to have to be off sick.

I forgot about the strikes! That might be why the doctors are so busy! Sounds horrendous, I haven't had to go and have fluids yet but I did last pregnancy, I don't envy you! Hope you're feeling better soon! X

mallowmoon Anti acids include Gaviscon in liquid or tablet form, and stronger ones; they for some reason withdrew Ranitidine, but Omprazole has helped many on here. I am not sure if you can get that over the counter. The acidity does seem to make nausea and vomiting far worse.
PumpkinDart Oh dear. That is so bad, as they are supposed to have some sort of emergency cover. They don't h ave to admit you to give you fluids; sometimes, sufferers are given fluids sitting in a chair in a side room at A and E. Horrible as it is, given that level of ketones, is it worth turning up there? If the GP agrees you need fluids, won't s/he do anything more than offer cyclizine? Doesn't s/he have an anti emetic injection to hand (I believe inter venious cyclizine is much more effective) or some such thing to tide you over?

Hello ladies, I had loads of advice from this forum during my last pregnancy. The vomiting, nausea and excessive saliva lasted till about 25 weeks and I survived with the use of Ondansetron.

My first baby took almost 2 and a half years to conceive (baby is now 6 months), and a couple of days ago I surprisingly had a positive pregnancy test after missing my period.

Even though we are delighted to be pregnant, I am already dreading the symptoms. At the moment I am almost 6 weeks and having some queasiness and excess saliva on and off. I had to be referred to the perinatal mental health team due to how depressed I was because of my symptoms last time. I am just joining the group before my symptoms get worse. 😞

Is anyone else really struggling with headaches/migraines? I'm on day 3 of this migraine now, every time I throw up it makes it even worse and repeats the cycle. I suffered with migraines before getting pregnant and now can't take any of the medication I used before to help and when I can keep paracetamol down it doesn't really help. Just adding to the nausea and misery atm 😔

Hi Coffee, long term migraine sufferer here. They always get worse for me in pregnancy. I take beta blockers for mine and my consultant has been happy for me to continue during pregnancy, not sure if that will help.

Thanks Lucinda, they've magicked me up a bed and 2 bags of fluids and some IV Ondansetron later I feel less deathly. I think the consultant is planning to prescribe me Ondansetron for discharge as the GP won't 🤞

MrsJdot Welcome back. There is lots of support on here. I am glad the thread helped last time. I am sure you don't need me to advise you to get pre-emptive meds asap. Sympathies about the anxiety.
Coffeewithmy ogyg3n Sorry to hear of your long migraine. They are dismal. I found the only thing that helped was a chiropractic treatment (I expect osteopathy would too). It was very expensive, though. Good advice from PumpkinDart. PumpkinDart Good news. I am so glad they found a bed and the specialist is considering Ondansetron.

Well an eventful day yesterday, most of it spent on a drip. Had the option to be admitted as I still had +++ ketones after the fluids and meds, but I kept down some toast so they let me go. I have to try cyclizine and prochlorperazine together and try to hold out to 12 weeks for ondansetron, aslong as I go back in if it gets bad again.

How's everyone doing? Battling through? X

mallowmoon I am so glad you got fluids and they are advising you to return if need be - though of course, you don't want to! Then they didn't mention Xonvea, for whatever reason.
I hope that everyone is coping in the run up to Christmas.

@mallowmoon93 I hope you are feeling better after your fluids and manage to enjoy Christmas.

I went for a private scan today and I am 6 weeks, I’ve had a few waves of nausea so far and I’m starting to feel the need to eat my way through it (I remember this clearly from last time before the vomiting started) 😩 praying that things aren’t as bad and I am one of the lucky ones 🙏🏻🤞🏻

The promethazine is seriously knocking me out of a night 🫠 takes me ages to wake up in the morning!

FTMworrier Sympathies over anxiety awaiting symptoms to worsen. I think
you are being stoic describing yourself as 'one of the lucky ones'. Sorry, remind me; did it resolve itself reasonably early with you last time?

Hi all, I’ve not posted in this thread before but wondered if you could help me.

Im nearly 12 weeks and have HG, been admitted a few times for fluids etc etc but currently on cyclizine I’ve tried others but the drowsiness I couldn’t cope with and others gave me a really bad headache I just couldn’t function. Anyway, cyclizine is helping in the sense I’m only being sick 1/2 a day or some rare days I’m super lucky and not at all l. However I’ve not had this problem before, well on the day I was admitted so had nurse / GP advice who just gave IV but I’ve literally taken a 2nd cyclizine and assume I’ve brought it up 10 mins later (it’s normally after / couple of hours after) anyway, I need to get through today would anyone risk taking another now or shall I wait till my next dose? Please help, I’ve not told any family yet as we’re awaiting screening results so need to look spritely and full of festive cheer!

Thank you x

@LucindaE I’ve just changed my username from FTMworrier.
Last time it lasted until around 15 weeks, I did have the odd few days were I would be okay and then relapse etc in the build up to then too 🤞🏻so I really hope it’s a similar story as trying to look after my boisterous 2 year old will be fun!
@Fran92 goodness you’ve done well keeping things quiet when you’ve been so poorly, is this your first? Personally, I would take another, especially if you find they relieve you of symptoms!

@Babytwodue Thank you, I’ll take another soon so it’s maybe an hour in between just in case. No, this is number 2 for me, got a 16m old too so been super difficult with looking after her too etc but luckily I WFH and my husband mainly does too so he’s been my rock. I nearly phoned family etc when I was desperate to get hospital but to be honest I was in two minds whether to continue it was that bad but because they’re immunocompromised I couldn’t just say oh take me hospital / out of hours GP etc for something minor but likely infectious. Hopefully I’ll have results soon and can share the news and hope this eases. I didn’t have it with my first, well I was sick a couple times a day but not 20+ (without meds) so big difference and a shock to be honest! Hats off to those going again and having the first time, I’ve already said that’s it we’re done!

@Fran92 I hope your results come soon so you can share your news and things improve asap 🙏🏻 it is a rotten and relentless illness ☹️

Fran92 Welcome. As you are a veteran, you don't need my normal spiel about 'have you got kesostix, as while not the best test of dehydration, hospitals do take their measurements seriously' and 'a good anti acid can make a big difference' and 'do you find ice lollies, full sugar flat coke and the juice of tinned fruit helps'? I so agree that taking another would be a good idea as I don't see how it could have been absorbed in that time. Grotesquely, one has to look in the vomit to see sometimes.
Babytwodue Good advice, and I am so glad you improved around 15 weeks last time.

Wishing everyone as good a Christmas as she can have.

Hope everyone had a lovely day today and could stomach atleast a little festive food! X

Hey all, Merry Christmas 🎄 how is everyone? Ondansetron is working for me I even managed to go out for Christmas dinner, but dear god the constipation!!! I'm prescribed fibrogel, drinking as much as I can and trying to eat well but I feel so bunged up and sore. To top it off my bloody piles from my pregnancy with Michelin Man son have flared up again too. Any miracle constipation tips? Hope everyone's feeling as okay as they can be.

@PumpkinDart solidarity here, ordansetron has been amazing for the sickness but I am with you on the constipation. The only thing that worked so far for me is the sugar free sweets you get by the till in Aldi, if you eat loads they have a laxative effect and have a bonus of helping with saliva.

@PumpkinDart oh I forgot about that!! Ondansetron did help the sickness but seems we're never allowed to have it all ways haha. I remember in my last pregnancy thinking something was going terribly wrong and I called for help, they asked me the last time I had been to the loo and I couldn't remember!

Apart from fybogel I don't really have much advice, just the more fruit/veg you eat, the more fluids you'll need! Glad you have the sickness somewhat controlled! X

@PumpkinDart oh and if you're struggling to go and are in pain, if you have a shower, try going on all fours in the bath and having the shower pointed at your lower back. Always seemed to help me need to go when I was PG. not sure why!

@mallowmoon93 I am six weeks pregnant with my second child and had my worst day so far for bad nausea yesterday. I was desperately trying to hide this from my family. Pretty sure my mother (who had hyperemesis on all her pregnancies) has figured it out as she is being extra nice to me since yesterday! I was gagging on the thought of the Christmas dinner. Managed to have a few forkfuls but I ate less than my toddler. I am just waiting for the vomiting to start. I was 8 weeks when it began last time. Managed to eat a bit more of the leftovers today so hopefully my mother may not be as suspicious now. It is going to be another difficult six weeks before I can tell family.

Hope you managed more of the Christmas dinner than I did!