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

Ongoing Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Support & Advice Please

1 reply

Orto · 09/07/2024 11:18

Dear all,

I am currently 22 weeks pregnant with my first child. Since week 6 I have sufferered with terrible hyperemesis gravidarum which rendered me bed-bound, unable to work and in a terrible state physically and mentally. Unfortunately, I did not respond to the medication prescribed and was largely ignored by GPs and midwives, who either told me that it was "normal" or that the firstline medication was potentially harmful to the baby.

I'm now in an improved, but far from "normal" state. Mostly, I am just permanently exhausted and still have nausea for much of the day. I still cannot really work and going out and about is a challenge. My mental health is at rock bottom and I am persuing counselling from Pregnancy Sickness Support.

I am due to start a new job on August 1st. I have already informed them of my pregnancy (before I was legally obliged to because I wanted to be collegial) and have already received pointed comments about how I should have informed them beforehand. This has really tipped me over the edge. Combined with the growing realisation of how negligent my care has been, research into the longterm implications of HG for mine and my child's health, and my general exhaustion and poor health, it has rendered me completely deflated. I'm in permanent tears.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts/ advice/ experience people have in dealing with longterm HG, be it practical, health, emotional etc. I'm convinced that there must be something I can do to make life easier, but I'm out of ideas.

With thanks <3

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CheeryBiscuit · 10/07/2024 13:05

I'm so sorry you're experiencing this. It is honestly the hardest most traumatic thing I have ever been through I completely empathise. Although my care/support was much much better than what you have had, by the sounds of things!
I'm 38 weeks now and I can't tell you how much easier things got mentally after about 28 weeks..just knowing that the end was in sight.
My worst symptoms were 5-22 weeks (bed bound). After that I was able to go back to work, but not full time. I wouldn't say I've felt 'well' at any point since, but things are much easier to manage. I was still sick every morning until about 34 weeks and now it's once or twice a week and my main symptoms are nausea (but nowhere near as strong as it has been previously) indigestion/reflux and having to really slow down. If I try and do too much it flares up the sickness, so I have had to just surrender myself and listen to my body (harder than it sounds!!)
My baby has thankfully been very active throughout and appears to have grown well, so I feel very fortunate about that.
I'm really glad to see that you're accessing counselling from PSS. I couldn't believe the effect that HG had on my mental health. I still feel traumatised when I think back to those darkest months and I know I will never be able to have another child after this experience. But I've made peace with that and actually feel incredibly proud of me and my baby having got through this journey (not that there was a huge amount of choice!!).
Sorry its not much in the way of advice, but I just wanted you to know you're not alone and hopefully have made it through the worst of it and it will get easier.

Some tips that helped me were
-Drinking hot ribena (I still can't drink plain water for some reason!)

  • chewing gum for the excessive saliva
  • Juicy fruits to keep up fluids
  • freeze capri suns and eat them like an ice lolly - really helped my nausea and gets a good bit of fluid into you
  • Soundscapes on youtube/Spotify (I really liked listening to birdsong/spring sounds I found it really calming and helped relax/distract me when the nausea was at its worst).
  • Warm milk with protein powder (I have warm oat milk with plant based protein & greens powder in cacao flavour) to get some extra protein in which makes me feel a bit better about my nutrition (or lack of in this pregnancy!) but also the warm milk is really comforting.

Sorry for the long post!! I really hope you continue to improve quickly and get plenty of support along the way xx

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