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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
LucindaE · 07/03/2023 21:09

Yoga817 That is great news. An effective anti acid has helped so many on here.
Roxster I am sorry you have been admitted. With luck the doctors will work out
an effective regime of meds.

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LucindaE · 08/03/2023 18:00

Roxster FarmWife23 and others, how are things? I hope it isn't tactless to post this!

Due Dates

FarmWife23 5 March
Melissa2023 4 April
Quinny2288 24 April
izzyroo92 27 May
heartbroken22 6 July
charlotte1256 16 July
PumpkinDart 17 July
mallowmoon93 22 Jul
Wrenegade 15 August

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FarmWife23 · 08/03/2023 18:04

@LucindaE - not tactless at all, I’m still waiting for baby to appear, but check on Monday showed head was low and everything was heading in the right direction so fingers crossed it isn’t too much longer!

I’ve had a few days of nausea without vomiting, but last night the sick came back and today has been horrendous, so I’m feeling quite drained/empty. Trying to focus on staying hydrated, but I’m a bit worried that I’m going to feel shattered before Labour even starts…does your body sort of kick in with an extra dose of energy when Labour appears? Any tips for getting through it whilst still being sick? Xx

LucindaE · 08/03/2023 18:15

FarmWife23 Sorry to hear it's bad. I think most do get a surge of energy - induced myself, so missed that. Many on here say they were allowed to take anti emetics during labour, and I do hope yours go back to working then. I think many warn the midwife that they'll need a bowl. I hope it gives you a break as you go into labour. I hope someone has better ideas than these of mine. I wonder if sucking boiled sweets like barley sugar helps some? I meant to do that, and then was so muddled from being given sleeping pills, I forgot about them.

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Roxster · 08/03/2023 21:41

@LucindaE I’m out of hospital and feeling much more hydrated. Managed to actually eat a bit of a meal tonight and even a couple of mouthfuls of pudding! First time in months. I know still a long road ahead but was grateful for a little bit of normality. Praying this is the start of it getting easier. My due date is 31st August.

@FarmWife23 don’t have any advice but wanted to wish you luck. Hopefully it will be any day now and you’ll have your beautiful baby in your arms.

QueenBee22 · 09/03/2023 11:57

@FarmWife23 have you been offered steroids? I didn't take them myself, but they were the next line of treatment if the antiemetics didn't work.

LucindaE · 09/03/2023 18:55

QueenBee22 How are things?
Roxster I am glad you are feeling better atm. Did they add to/tweak the meds? I've added your date.
Cheering FarmWife23 and everyone on.

Due Dates

FarmWife23 5 March
Melissa2023 4 April
Quinny2288 24 April
izzyroo92 27 May
heartbroken22 6 July
charlotte1256 16 July
PumpkinDart 17 July
mallowmoon93 22 Jul
Wrenegade 15 August
Roxster 31 August

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Yoga817 · 09/03/2023 19:15

Hi all,

I'm suffering with crippling exhaustion and can't get out of bed until 1pm each day. Supposed to be going back to work next week 4 hours per afternoon and I'm dreading it. I'm so exhausted and also suffering from splitting headaches along with the nausea and vomiting which is better controlled now due to ondansetron, but not completely. Ugh. HG is awful. Just wanted to vent really. Midwife and GO keep telling me it'll get better soon, but I'm 16 weeks on Monday and no sign of it.

@Roxster Glad you're feeling better

@LucindaE my due date is 28th august but will likely deliver week of 7th as it's twins.

cashmerecow · 10/03/2023 11:10

Has anyone had a diagnosis of PEs in the lung while dealing with HG? I'm 9 weeks but have been diagnosed with PEs, my HG sxs have died down significantly which is worrying me too

Roxster · 10/03/2023 16:04

@LucindaE no same meds so I don’t hold out much hope that I will feel well for long. With my last LO although I didn’t have HG I did have quite bad pregnancy sickness and that stopped at 16 weeks. I’m 6 days off that so hoping this will tail off soon also. Sending everyone positive vibes!

LucindaE · 10/03/2023 22:18

Roxster I hope that you get the same pattern of improvement this time as well.
cashmerecow I hope someone can advise you about the lung problem. What do they say about it? With luck the decreased symtoms are temporary relief.
Yoga817 Sorry to hear about the headaches. Is it hormonal? Some do find that Ondansetron can trigger them, but it can be so difficult to work out if the meds are the cause. You don't sound as if you are at all ready to return to work; can you prolong your sick leave?

Due Dates

FarmWife23 5 March
Melissa2023 4 April
Quinny2288 24 April
izzyroo92 27 May
heartbroken22 6 July
charlotte1256 16 July
PumpkinDart 17 July
mallowmoon93 22 Jul
Yoga817 7 August or 28 August
Wrenegade 15 August
Roxster 31 August

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Luna57 · 11/03/2023 00:51

Hi all, 15 weeks today and was off cyclizine and omeprazole for a day and half. Felt acidic and off but thought surely it must pass soon. Nope just started vomiting again. I’m fine on cyclizine I can lead a normal life. Without cyclizine even my saliva makes me heave. I’m worried that I’ll be on cyclizine the entire pregnancy and I’ve a constant reminder in my head from my midwife telling me to wean off it but it’s just not that easy. Still waiting to see a consultant to talk through everything with I have a feeling my midwife forgot to send the referral as it’s meant to be during week 16 and I’ve had no letter. Hope everyone is feeling ok

Laura0589 · 11/03/2023 08:30

Hiya
in my last pregnancy I stayed on cyclizine until about week 32, I’d leave it until you’re at least past the 20week point. I think it’s safe in the third trimester? Maybe ask pregnancy sickness support? I don’t know if you know but it has a very long half life ( takes about 3 days to leave your system) I found a really slow wean over 3 weeks worked, dropping a tablet a week. I mostly did this because I was scared though! as I’d just decided to stop taking it at the end of the first trimester and was in a bad way 🙈

Roxster · 11/03/2023 13:51

For those on here where HG tailed off, are you able to describe how it felt? Did you just gradually stop being sick as much and have breaks in the nausea for longer? Also did it go completely at some point or was it always there?

Improbablecat · 11/03/2023 13:57

Hi everyone, I hope it's OK to join this thread. I'm feeling really awful and just looking for a bit of support

Am 9 weeks with my second and from before week 6 I was vomiting, progressively got worse. My GP started me on Cyclizine and I'm now on that and Ondansetron. It is more under control now but both drugs are quite sedating and I feel exhausted and weepy most of the time. My poor four year old is bewildered. The worst thing is that actually the mornings are my most symptom free time so I still feel I need to be at work.

I have lost about 3kg in the last 14 days. I was overweight anyway so maybe it's not a bad thing! I have my first midwife appt on Monday though and I'm really worried I'll get a telling off or something cos of my medications. I had a really bad experience with maternity care in my first pregnancy (I also have low thyroid) and am feeling so anxious about seeing midwives. My GPs have been very understanding so far but I'm worried I'll just get brushed off and told it's just morning sickness.

Sorry for the ramble and I'm sorry for all of you having the same thing. It's miserable isn't it!

Yoga817 · 11/03/2023 17:38

@Improbablecat sorry to hear you're having a hard time. I had exactly the same side effects as you from cyclizine. It was like a tranquilliser and I couldn't get out of bed. It made me feel very low too. Luckily I was switched to ondansetron around 14 weeks after a second hospital admission and I'm now only taking ondansetron X3 per day 4mg doses. It might be worth dropping the cyclizine? After a couple of weeks on ondansetron as long as I'm taking my doses at the correct time I now have no vomiting, though the nausea sometimes remains. I'd also recommend looking at being prescribed Omeprazole in addition as this also helped my nausea and reflux.

Really sorry you're having a tough time, it's a truly tough condition to live with and especially hard if you have another child to look after already.. xx

Laura0589 · 11/03/2023 19:04

Hi I found it started getting better by having a good day, then a bad day and eventually the good days outnumbered the bad days. I think it was a full month before I felt well enough to go back to work after I started getting ‘good days’ I didn’t stop the medication out of fear though and was while before I was brace enough to wean off.

QueenBee22 · 11/03/2023 19:26

@Roxster I am 17 weeks and turned a corner at 16 weeks. I stopped vomiting completely. I still have the nausea and take five antiemetics a day to control it. I am hoping to go back to work next week. Hoping the nausea will also lessen in time.

LucindaE · 11/03/2023 20:40

Improbablecat Welcome. As the doctor would not have prescribed the meds unless she or he thought that the real risks of prolonged dehydration outweighted the very small risks of taking those meds, the midwives aren't going to question that. It is hard on LO's, but from what I have seen on these threads, they always quickly forget this time of comparative neglect. There are age related picture books you can buy her about Hyperemesis, which will explain things and give reassurance, on amazon and elsewhere. Here's one. www.amazon.co.uk/Mama-Hyperemesis-Gravidarum-Only-While/dp/143922367X . I'm assuming this is your first Hyperemesis pergnancy, and so 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.
Yoga8`7 Sorry, I forgot to add that its twins with you. I''ll copy that list of due dates to add it in the next post.
QueenBee22 and Yoga817 and Laura0589 Great advice for roxster and Luna57 .
Apologies to anyone rudely overlooked.

OP posts:
LucindaE · 11/03/2023 20:42

Due Dates

FarmWife23 5 March
Melissa2023 4 April
Quinny2288 24 April
izzyroo92 27 May
heartbroken22 6 July
charlotte1256 16 July
PumpkinDart 17 July
mallowmoon93 22 Jul
Yoga817 7 August or 28 August TWINS!
Wrenegade 15 August
Roxster 31 August

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Randyforgiles · 12/03/2023 07:42

Good morning, I am so pleased to see this thread is still going. I first joined five years ago while pregnant with my second baby, now a healthy 4 year old! I found out yesterday that I'm pregnant for the third time. It was an accident, as much as these things can be, and my partner and I are undecided whether to continue with the pregnancy. I have to admit that the probability of going through HG again is a big factor. I'm just so scared of having that horrible nausea constantly for twelve weeks or more (it started to settle at 16 weeks last time). I don't know why I'm posting exactly, I just need to share my fear with people who understand how relentless HG is.

FTMworrier · 12/03/2023 18:21

@Roxster similar to @Laura0589 with good days, then bad days and then they eventually outnumbered them. That was by about week 16.
I think I took my tablets all the way through, I can’t remember, then weaned to one before bed, I had huge fear over that though! I had huge food aversions/smells the whole way through and random episodes of sickness but nothing like the first couple of months.

@Randyforgiles congratulations. Did you suffer with baby no 1?
I’m currently pregnant with no 2 and have had a much easier ride this time. This will still be my last pregnancy, just incase! I’d start the anti sickness tablets right away, even whilst your are unsure if to continue. Hope you are okay, such a tough decision xx

Improbablecat · 12/03/2023 19:15

Thanks so much @LucindaE I've been using a straw today and that has helped definitely. Still multiple vomits per day. The ondansetron is orodispersible so I'm confident it's going in but less sure about the rest. Really worried as I'm on thyroxine and so obviously need to keep my.doses of that down.
I got ketostix today and am showing ++ ketones which isn't that surprising. Will see what the midwife says tomorrow.
@Randyforgiles big hugs, I hope you're OK. I am often thinking "what on earth am I doing??" X

Randyforgiles · 12/03/2023 20:22

Thank you. I've only just missed my period so time is on my side. On the one hand I'd love another child. Often pictured us with 3 children actually. But it's come at a very unlucky time. And I'm already starting to feel 'off'.

I had bad pregnancy sickness with my first but not to the point of needing medication. With the second I had omeprazole, cyclizine and prochlorperazine. I just remember at one point in my last, completely wanted and planned, pregnancy lying on the floor outside my bathroom thinking what the hell am I doing this for. The difference this time would be the kids being 6 and 4 rather than having a 20 month toddler to contend with. In a lifetime, 12ish weeks is nothing but in HG time it's just seemingly endless.

I remember at 16 weeks or so when it started to lessen, it was like the sun coming out. So I know it does end.
Big hugs to those going through this right now. You're all stronger than you know.

LucindaE · 12/03/2023 21:02

Randyforgiles Welcome back. Congratulations. As others say, pre-emptive meds are the thing that can often make a huge difference if you decide to go through with it. They now have a new drug called Xonvea, invented specially for pregnancy sickness, which has helped many on here.
Improbablecat Here's hoping you can keep the ketones down and the midwife has good advice about that other medication.
Great advice from HTMworrier and others.

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