8 weeks, so sick. Struggling so so badly. I’m reaching my limit

[Stephanieava]

I don’t know what to do, I’m 8+3 weeks pregnant & I feel absolutely atrocious

Constant nausea, but only throwing up maybe 5 times a day. I’m able to keep small amounts of fluid down but anything food related just comes back up. Pressure headache constantly, disgusting sour taste in my mouth 24/7

GP has so far given me Cyclizine, Metoclopramide, Ondadenstron, nothing has worked

I feel like my body is shutting down, I am starving hungry but unable to eat. Hospital won’t do anything for me as i can keep some fluids down & assure me ‘baby is doing great’ - which im so pleased about but what about me? That sounds so horrifically selfish I know

I’m also unable to spend any meaningful time with my first DC as I’m so ill & it’s killing me

I honestly have tried every trick in the book but if anybody has any out there tips on how to get through this, please help me. Please

I am so low, I’m not sure I can continue

Sorry to hear you're struggling OP!
Are you able to stomach electrolyte drinks like Lucozade/Lucozade Sport, preferably the sugary versions as it may be your only source of energy. Once you get your sugar levels up it may help the headache and feel more manageable.
If you work, definitely look into telling them now as you'll get protection if you need time off sick which id recommended doing ASAP so you keep as much strength as possible, don't wait until you're totally fucked as recovery might take longer then.
If this continues get onto the midwife/gp/hospital as you're right if baby is ok that's one thing but you are human as well and 5x a day is NOT sustainable long term. How long has this been going on?

Have you found the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support? They are great.

I felt horrific at 8 weeks pregnant too OP, I used to freeze lucozade sport into ice cube trays and suck on one little cube (carrying a glass around with me to spit it back into!). Ice lolly’s were also somewhat tolerable eventually as well and mints. Pregnancy is so rough, I could barely function and couldn’t spend anytime with older DC either. Baby is now nearly 7 weeks old and I could never go through another pregnancy again, I found it so hard both times. Solidarity Op. Stay on the anti sickness, ondansetron helped take the edge off for me but didn’t work miracles.

I felt like this at the start of my pregnancy OP, I’d love to say I found a magic fix but I basically just battled through most of the first trimester living off of lucozade sport, ice cold water, full fat coke and fresh orange juice. I actually found I felt less sick through the night so I used to keep some plain crackers, rich tea biscuits and packets of crisps in my bedside table and snacked on them during the night when I woke up! I will say though thankfully it did massively ease off once I hit about 10 weeks so you may not have long to go at all, and now sitting with my 3 week old baby on my chest it was worth it!

I'm sorry you're going through this-it is awful. I was like this with my first child, and I tried everything.
I ate a lot of calippo orange lollies, and ice cold melon. I hope that in time you will be able to tolerate slightly more food. At one stage I had every bread product available in my kitchen as that was all I could stomach really x

Sorry you're going through this, it really is debilitating and you're not being selfish for expecting some care for you too. I came on to recommend calling Pregnancy Sickness Support for advice as a PP mentioned. Can you manage very cold/frozen foods or smoothies? Hope things get better for you soon!

How sick were you with your first?

Virtual hugs - and sending strength! Everyone is different but when pregnant with my DD - I lived, for all 9 months on: flat, ice cold full fat coke; salt and vinegar crisps and fruit salad - melon in particular I could strangely keep down mostly. I was hospitalised twice for dehydration before a nurse suggested fruit salad! Can't remember the name but are any the meds you have tried one that dissolves in your mouth? (I found swallowing tablets impossible!)

How do the hospital know the baby is fine Have they done a scan? Has the gp checked you over? Anyone measured your hcg levels?

Oh love sorry to hear this I have no advice but I sympathise xx

Hopefully, by the end of week 9, your placenta will take over, and it will lessen.

It didn't with my last pregnancy. Midwives said just keep taking my pre natals, stay as hydrated as possible, and eat whatever works.

You have all my sympathy. I felt like someone had injected poison into my body as everything in me was reacting to it. No meds in those days. I often just stayed in bed curled up just waiting for each day to pass. My toddler would curl up with me. Hopefully it will lift soon. Hang in there as best you can.

Go back to your GP. There is prescription medication for pregnancy sickness that you can take safely - cyclizine, ondasetron. I took cyclizine throughout my first pregnancy, from week 6 to week 42. I would 100% have died without medication or a termination.

Your GP can do a simple urine test to assess how dehydrated you are and to see if there are ketones in your pee. That is an objective measure of how your body is coping with the constant vomiting.

If you have lost weight, mention it to your doctor. I had lost 10% of my pre pregnancy weight and had ketones of 3+ by week 6 when I was admitted to hospital to be put on a drip.

I hate the usual cheerful dismissal of "baby is doing great!". Well mum is feeling like shit. And 9 months is a long time to feel nausea all the time and to be throwing up every day, seriously impaired at work or to look after children.

Have a look at the hypermesis support threads here. Good luck!

This is so sad to hear. Perhaps ask doctors to try giving you 2 anti sickness at the same time. I know Cyclizine and Metoclopramide at the same time can help in severe cases. Xonvea is also a new one that may help. Please seek help. This isn't something you should go through quietly. Also if you need to go to A&E to keep fluids up, please do so.

@freakinthespreadsheets unfortunately anything too flavoursome comes back up. I’m managing to keep down ice water & very diluted cordial ice cold too. Also managing a few ive pops here or there but not always guaranteed to stay down

I’m self employed thankfully, so the boss is very understanding lol

Been feeling bad since 6 weeks but the sickness has gotten significantly worse in the past 4 days i want to say. I was also very sick with my first but of course could spend all day as I wished & didn’t have the mum guilt eating away at me

@TiberiusFlam i hadn’t, thank you so much I will have a look into them

@Mammma91 wow thank you so much I’m absolutely going to give that a try. Ice cold water & cordial is my go to right now

I will also never ever do this again, it is hell. Feel so ungrateful saying that as we had a loss prior to this one & it was devastating. But I didn’t have any symptoms for that one, stupidily just thought I was lucky that time

Glad your baby is here safely for you x

@NamingConundrum very sick. I had more relief with that one though as when I was sick I wasn’t as nauseous. However with this one, constant nausea & wretching even if ive already been sick. It’s hell. And of course with your first you can spend all day in bed if you need to

So sorry you are experiencing this, definitely get onto pregnancy sickness support as PP suggested- they are amazing.

I found full fat coke really helped, also the travel sickness pressure bands (didn’t stop me being sick but reduced the amount). Really push your midwife/ GP, I was fobbed off and told the same (baby is fine, you can keep fluids down etc etc) but I could barely function. I lost over a stone in 8 weeks. Try pushing for a prescription of Xonvea- I never tried it but it’s meant to be really good.

I hope this passes soon, it really is awful.

@WonderingWanda yes they have been scanning me every 2 weeks (due to a previous loss & bleeding). Baby is measuring right on track & has a strong heartbeat

Go back to GP. Ask re xonvea.

Ok, so looks like you get sick when you're pregnant. How long did it last? Because for most 8-10 weeks is the peak and much better by 12 weeks. If so, you're a solid half way through! I was also so so sick when pregnant. Swore I'd never have another on day 2 of the nausea at about 4 weeks pregnant and lost over a stone.

It really really sucks, the things we go through for our precious babies!

I've heard subsequent pregnancies nausea often worse, especially because you can't lie in bed to rest to feel better because the little one that made you so sick last time won't let you! Give yourself a break, your first won't remember these few weeks of you being sick and doing less. Stick a movie or some tv on, cuddle up with them. Persevere with trying to find a medication mix that works for you x

I hear you, currently 10 weeks and have now on ondansetron for the second time. Yours sounds particularly horrendous, you have my utmost sympathy.
I'd second Pregnancy Sickness Support, they run a helpline that you can access phone support, even just to have someone listen it can be helpful. Their website also has various checklists and types of treatment that is recommended which you can use to form a conversation or refer your GP/healthcare staff to, I.e. ondansetron's not working, what's the next option they can try.
Good luck, I hope you feel better soon. I sometimes think you just need to be a pain in the arse and demand the next level up in terms of treatment, which shouldn't have to be the case.

I took Cariban which helped with the actual vomiting (still felt crap but at least could hold down more food) but not sure if it’s available in the UK.
Cut up melon and watermelon slices kept in the fridge were a life saver. Occasional nuts or cheese flavour crackers as a snack, McDonald’s cheeseburgers eaten very slowly and yes, some coke. Midwife suggested eating very small meals 6-7 times a day with tiny snacks in between and not even attempt a big meal. It seemed to help.

My eldest was already 4 and seemed to take comfort in me telling stories about when I was pregnant with her. I also encouraged her to talk to my stomach etc. After a month she stopped being worried about my vomiting and started calling it “our baby”. On days I could barely get out of bed she would get in next to me, chat with her future sibling and we would watch Peppa together. Not ideal but at least I felt less mom guilt that I couldn’t take her to the park and play properly. Obviously, a lot harder if your oldest is only 2….

Mate, I feel you. I was the same in my second pregnancy last year, at one point my whole digestive system became so sluggish I actually stopped digesting meat/fish I think and would just be vomiting chunks of it up from the night before in the mornings. When I stopped eating these things it gave some relief but then I became severely anaemic which I think was behind it all going on for so long. I could barely lift my head up off the pillow some days. Try upping your iron I wish I had done that sooner and as others have said prioritise hydration over nutrition and fill your belly with whatever you can stomach that will take away the gnawing hunger.