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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Hyperemesis Support

988 replies

LucindaE · 19/10/2022 19:24

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
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5
Yoga817 · 02/03/2023 11:34

@Cuppasoupmonster thanks for your kind words. It's truly so debilitating and hard to find strength sometimes. It's great to hear your symptoms did improve albeit later on. It feels like an impossible to reach target at the moment as a few weeks back. GP, midwives, non HG sufferers would say it gets better 12-14 weeks, yet for me it's getting way worse and I don't understand how that's possible. HG is truly different to milder pregnancy sickness most experience and from what I've read the earliest you may start to feel better with HG is 16 weeks. With many seeing an improvement later than that...

I also have insomnia every night between 2.30-6am and it leaves me feeling so groggy the whole day. It's a triumph if I can shower or make it downstairs. 😔

Thanks so much for this group, it's great to have such an understanding and supportive space xx

Roxster · 02/03/2023 14:47

@Thaimoon thank you for your kind words, did make me have a tear, very emotional at the moment. Good to know I’m not alone.

LucindaE · 02/03/2023 20:50

Welcome to Yoga817 Sorry you are suffering badly. Congratulations on Twins. That is exciting. Those expecting twins seem to suffer very badly earlier on, but don't often seem to suffer for as long. I suppose they might have escaped Hyperemesis with a singleton pregnancy, but the twin one has tipped them over.
I hope this is so with you. Those ambulance hospitalisations sound really awful and dramatic. I do remember feelng particularly bad around 14 weeks, so maybe there is a hormonal surge then which may be making things bad again. Hyperemesis sufferers typically suffer for longer than those with more controllable pregnancy sickness. I can understand your anxiety about Ondansetron not working. It's very hard to keep on fighting your corner for meds when feeling terrible, but do ask for them to add something. I can't improve on Cuppasoupmonster's excellent advice, but here's my normal spiel, which I hope may help. Most 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, frozen smoothie ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Vimto, 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 (M and S has been recommende), 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of strawberry or 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 dry cereeal.
Roxster How unhelpful of that doctor. Excellent advice form Thaimoon.
A sibling is an invaluable gift. From all I have seen on these threads, LO's tend to forget the period of comparative neglect very quickly.
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

OP posts:
QueenBee22 · 02/03/2023 21:55

@Moneybum great advice thank you. I am not symptom free by any means still nauseous and vomiting occasionally. I got rid of the stemetil and I was worse than ever, back on it. I think it was way too early and I will be telling my consultant as much. Just because I had a slight improvement doesn't mean I no longer need the meds!

SpringChicken06 · 03/03/2023 13:45

Hi all,
I’m now 36 weeks. Vomiting is still occasional but a bit better since beinf off. Only issue is the vomiting blood and not much weight gain (only 4kg) so been referred to consultant and being seen next week. Anyone else have experience of this and what the outcome was? Just so I can mentally prepare myself if he comes sooner.

Roxster · 03/03/2023 17:04

Anyone suffer with perinatal depression as a result of the HG? I suffered with PND last pregnancy although it wasn’t a HG one, and I feel like I recognise the signs this time round.

LucindaE · 03/03/2023 20:04

SpringChicken06 I'm glad you are getting that checked. With red blood, it is normally from the throat, caused by the violent retching, but if it's brown, they take that seriously. I hope someone can come on to advise you about the referral re so little weight gain.

Roxster I am sorry to hear that. Quite a few sufferers on here have had that, for obvious reasons. I have to say again that I hope someone on here with experience of it can advise you. It's a good idea to get help sooner rather than later, particularly if you had it before, from either your GP surgery or you can get advice from Pregnancy Sickness Support on 024 7638 2020.
QueenBee22 So right!
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

OP posts:
FarmWife23 · 03/03/2023 21:30

Hi @SpringChicken06 - I’m 39 weeks and was referred for growth scans from the outset of my pregnancy. I’ve had them at 28, 32, 36 and 40 weeks. I lost quite a lot of weight with being so sick, so my total gain has only been 1kg over my booking weight, but baby’s has been tracking absolutely grand the whole time. The consultant basically explained that the placenta is balanced more towards the baby than an equal exchange between your body and theirs, so the baby is a bit of a parasite and they leach everything they need, meaning that even if you feel crap and are being sick and not gaining much, the baby’s weight gain shouldn’t be impacted. I’ll be at term this weekend and they’re happy just to let me go till baby makes an appearance/the normal induction dates kick in. Obviously that’s just my experience, but hopefully it provides a bit of reassurance! Xx

SpringChicken06 · 04/03/2023 06:23

Thank you @FarmWife23 that’s really helpful. Hopefully you won’t be waiting long for your little one! Xx

northernmam · 04/03/2023 08:06

I'm so glad I've found this thread. I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant with twins and have been diagnosed with HG. I've been hooked up to a drip once at 8 weeks and am currently on my 2nd anti emetic. I am losing hope that I'll ever feel just slightly better as I've been up most of the night being sick. I am planning on contacting the antenatal day unit if I'm still vomiting after I take my anti sickness tablet in around 10 mins. I've only been on the new medication since Wednesday and felt like it initially really helped, but I feel like I'm potentially heading back to square one again. I've cried, then felt guilty as I'm so grateful for these babies, but just feel like I'm stuck in limbo as I've got no idea when (or if) this will improve. Or if I'd be better off accepting that this is what it'll be like until the babies are born xx

hereistopositiveenergy · 04/03/2023 11:59

I'm 12 weeks and I've been on cyclizine since 7 weeks as my sickness has just been so bad to the point I've kept a bag in the car for the school run as I end up pulling over at least twice. I thought I was making a way forward but just had a glass of squash only to have it all back up again. I'm so drained by it all.

LucindaE · 04/03/2023 19:06

Welcome to hereistopositiveenergy and northernmam. Sorry you are both suffering badly. hereistopositiveenergy Definitely ask for something other than Cyclizine; perhaps Xonvea, which has helped many on here. Hyperemesis tends to last longer than normal pregnancy sickness, and after all, that often goes on to 14 weeks. Do read my normal spiel below, which I hope may help. norhternmam. Fancy that; two lots of twins in days; it always seem to happen like that on this thread. Those expecting twins often seem to suffer badly early on, but often suffer for less long than those expecting singletons, perhaps because in a singleton pregnancy they might not have suffered from Hyperemesis. What you suggest is a good idea. After 12 weeks, they may well put you on Ondansetron, but they avoid that if they can before, due to a very tiny risk connected with cleft palate. Ten weeks is often the worst point for many, due to a hormonal surge, and with twins it must be even stronger. Here's my normal spiel, which I hope may help. Most 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, frozen smoothie ice lollies, the juice of tinned fruit, Vimto, 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 (M and S has been recommende), 7Up, isotonic drinks, sips of strawberry or 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 dry cereeal.
FarmWife23 Great advice for SpringChicken06.

OP posts:
Roxster · 05/03/2023 14:57

I’m also suffering with panic attacks now which isn’t helping the sickness. I don’t think I’m as strong as the rest of you. I’m feeling very hopeless. I will ring the GP tomorrow and see what they say.

NP2705 · 05/03/2023 18:24

@Roxster I’m so sorry to hear that. Please don’t say you aren’t strong - anyone who has this awful condition is strong. It’s truly brutal.

I definitely have felt like it’s made me feel more vulnerable and more reliant on my partner which I don’t like. It’s also drained my resilience massively. One bad day often has me in tears now.

But all of this can only be expected with what we are going through. Please do speak to your GP as a change in meds may help. I managed to get Ondansetron recently and although I’m still being sick I feel a lot better in myself which is helping!

One day at a time 😊

LucindaE · 05/03/2023 19:45

NP2705 Wise words to Roxster. I so agree. I am so glad that Ondansetron is helping a bit.

OP posts:
2littlegems · 06/03/2023 00:57

@Roxster I'm so sorry to hear that, HG truly is hell on earth and as far as I understand its so different for everyone
You are definitely strong, perhaps it's hit you much harder/in a different way than it has to the rest of us, or maybe meds are working for some of us here but not for you
I am also on ondansetron 3x a day, every 8 hours and it's 4mg
I found that I was still throwing up after that too so one of the doctors recommended omeprazole on the side (I tried omeprazole before alongside cyclizine but i guess the cyclizine wasn't working therefore everything would come out)
However, the ondansetron is working to an extent, and the omeprazole really helped to clear up the acidity/bile that I'd vomit so often and has made the vomiting alot less painful

I'd say keep on at the GP (I had to visit 3x before they sent me to hospital) and hopefully you'll find something that works
It can get really depressing not being able to get on with your normal life, fulfill your responsibilities and of course- not being able to eat and enjoy food- I was telling a friend that on a normal day when a person's feeling down, a good meal/cheeky snack somehow makes your day alot better. It's quite unfortunate we can't enjoy the little things in life right now, but it won't last forever
I have been making a list of all the things I'd love to eat once I recover from this (even if that means after birth!) and it's truly keeping me going!

Please keep us updated and know you're not alone!

Laura0589 · 06/03/2023 08:09

Hi my last pregnancy I peaked at 14 weeks and started to have days feeling better at 16weeks then went back to work at 21weeks. I think alot of people feel worse with HG at that time I think there is a growth spurt. I remember feeling really down as a lot of people say you will feel better then. Keep going you’ve got this ❤️and try to keep looking at each day rather than ahead of you.

Yoga817 · 06/03/2023 11:28

I definitely peaked 11-14 weeks and it wasn't until I was finally given ondansetron at 14 weeks that I started to feel better. Still vomiting but not as much.

My GP is refusing to give me Omeprazole which I find baffling since so many other HG sufferers can have. She mentioned it's not known if it's safe in pregnancy. Is there anything I can say to change her mind as it really helps with the nausea.

QueenBee22 · 06/03/2023 13:37

@Yoga817 that's ridiculous anti acids have been proven to help with nausea and vomiting. Can you ask your midwife or consultant to prescribe it for you?

Thaimoon · 06/03/2023 15:43

@Yoga817
You can show your gp the nhs website!

Hyperemesis Support
FarmWife23 · 06/03/2023 19:42

@Roxster I’m so sorry you’re struggling, I found it mentally really hard when the sick was at its most relentless and genuinely got through it an hour at a time, so please don’t feel like you’re alone. I really hope your GP has been helpful, if not Pregnancy Sickness Support offer some really good counselling and peer support, so definitely worth trying that.

I ended up on a total pick n mix of tablets and it took a long time to get a mix that worked - so I ended up on Ondansetron, Cyclizine and Metaclopramide on rotation. I was still sick, and I had 5 hospital admissions so it didn’t always work, but the combination and being able to take something quite frequently seemed to help keep things at bay.

Hang on in there, you never know when it might start to get better! ❤️

@Yoga817 I was on omeprazole pre pregnancy and they never questioned me staying on it, the midwife even offered to speak to the GP about upping the dosage if it would help with the HG, so no idea what your GP is talking about. I’d definitely
push back as increasing the omeprazole and reducing the reflux has definitely helped me be less sick! Xx

LucindaE · 06/03/2023 19:54

Laura089 Great advice for Roxster. Also from 2littlegems and others.
Yoga817 Like others, I'm startled that the doctor is refusing Omprazole; I never encountered that on this thead before; I so agree with QueenBee22 and that's a fine find by Thaimoon .

OP posts:
LucindaE · 06/03/2023 19:55

FarmWife23 Cross posted. Excellent advice from you, too.

OP posts:
Yoga817 · 06/03/2023 21:19

@LucindaE @FarmWife23 @Thaimoon @QueenBee22 Thanks all for the great suggestions. I challenged my GP by sending them a copy of the leaflet I was given in hospital which lists out the drugs prescribed to women with HG and clearly lists Omeprazole. I have been given a prescription for 28 tablets. Hurrah!

Roxster · 06/03/2023 21:34

Thank you all for your really kind words.❤️ I am currently in hospital, on my 4th bag of fluid. Also have an appointment with my GP tomorrow to discuss my mind. I’m currently feeling much better physically just hope I can maintain this when I get home.

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