Tips for being on Cyclizine

[SunshineMummy2]

Hi
I'm 7 weeks and was really struggling with retching and nausea. Prescribed Cyclizine yesterday afternoon. Took it at 4 after school pick up and it basically knocked me out. No nausea but I'm completely knocked out I can barely move. Not sure what's worse!? It's so frustrating makes me think maybe my body isn't conditioned for pregnancy again 😞
Wanted to know if there's any tips as I was reluctant to take another dose as assumed that would worsen the drowsiness. It's been 12 hours and feel like it's wearing off now. No nausea yet but exhausted. How I will do the kids school drop only heaven knows.
Any advice?xx

Take it at bedtime OP, so the drowsy period is overnight instead of during the day x

I found that the first couple of doses totally knocked me out, but then that stopped. I was taking 3 a day for weeks without any drowsiness.
A friend of mine did have to stop taking it because of the drowsiness though, she couldn't look after her toddler. They gave her something else I think, which was better.

@Alwaystired2023 I was thinking this but then the nausea will be back and it'll only be effective when I'm asleep. Somewhere I saw that you have to build up the tolerance. I'm at a loss

@DancingPhantomsOnTheTerrace I am seeing this 3 times a day and it says it on the box hopefully I'll build up a tolerance. Thankfully my kids are in school and I'm not working at the moment so I can just lay down until they get home from school and then hope for the best when they need me

I had to ask for something else because cyclizine made me so drowsy and fall asleep all the time. It's the first one they try but not good for everyone. You have every right to go back and ask for something else. Other options include prochloperazine, metoclopramide, ondansetron and xonvea. Xonvea is quite newly prescribed in the UK, but it is now recommended as pregnancy nausea treatment, and lots of women find it very effective. It can be hard to get if your GP doesn't know about it but there is NHS guidance online.

@Foxtrotbeta I'm definitely going to go back and ask. The Cyclizine has basically left me bed bound. Guess it's not the right one for me as I am doing less because I can barely move, although with no nausea. Hopefully I find the right thing. Just praying for this to be over and I can try and enjoy this pregnancy , thank you for messaging

You can definitely ask for other medication to try. I’m on Xonvea which knocked me out at first but after a week or so it didn’t make me tired anymore. Unfortunately my nausea and sickness continued so I had to add prochlorperazine in to the mix which also knocked me out the first few doses but then stopped making me tired. Both are taking the edge off for me and stopping the actual vomiting but not making a huge difference to the nausea. Up until a few days ago (11+3 now), I couldn’t function at all with the awful nausea and retching. Been bed bound since 5/6 weeks. Now I’m starting to have better days between the awful ones. I’m desperate to feel better too xx

@Twinstory so glad you're having better days. Gives me hope!

My GP called me back and they're switching me over to something beginning with M ?! Lol hopefully it helps. He said the Cyclizine isn't suited to many.. I feel like I've been hit by a bus.

Is it metoclopramide? That’s what I’m on. It takes the edge off but this shit is relentless.

@TorrentialHighSeas yes it is. How do you feel on it? Think the Cyclizine has worn off as I'm retching again. It's so relentless :(

@SunshineMummy2 It was working I thought for the first couple of weeks, took the edge off, made me super drowsy but I’ve just had the most awful week. Think I got a stomach bug (was throwing up) and it seems to have made the general sickness worse. Metoclopramide makes me very drowsy so I take it around 4pm (as much later and then I can’t sleep!!) and I’m able to get up in the morning. It’s not really an answer in itself. I think I want to try Xonvea but GP can’t prescribe it in my area so will try obstetrician. God this is miserable.

@TorrentialHighSeas Ok I'm getting over a bad cold myself and been very nervous to take it since the last set of meds took ages to come out of my system. I'll try it from tomorrow and try the late afternoon too and see what happens. Least I know I'll have the weekend to see how it affects me than risk it during the working week. I really appreciate your advice.

I starting taking it at 5 weeks and honestly it took weeks for me to actually feel any benefit from it! Week 6-8 was the worst for me. I’m nearly 14 weeks and still take two a day but the sickness and nausea has definitely eased but not gone fully. For me I struggled when to take them and for about a week I was taking three a day but found it too much so found a better balance with two. I take one first thing when I wake up then one after I’ve had lunch. I hope you feel better soon OP

I've been on it for 7 weeks, it definitely knocked me out to start with but about a week or so after taking it the drowsiness stopped and I don't get that side effect now. I found it helped the sickness but not nausea so my GP prescribed another on top of it which is stopping the nausea. Keep going back until you get a combination that works for you, this wasn't the first medication I tried which did absolutely nothing apart from make me sleep!

Hi all update
After a few days on Metoclopramide I've decided that I'm just going to give up on these anti sickness meds too. I've been so drowsy and needed multiple long naps when I've got a family to look after. My husband has been so good working from home when he should be in the office because sometimes I'm knocked out for a good couple of hours and the kids need stuff. I understand these meds have side effects but my body reacts so badly to things that make me drowsy I'm a zombie for days. I can't risk 2 hours of midday deep sleep with two children in the house with no supervision during the summer hols. This is definitely a rant and a cry for help sadly I don't think any meds will work and maybe I just have to try and battle the sickness naturally.
Hoping others have better luck

Is there a reason they did not prescribe the "non drowsy" antihistamine - Loratadine? I am highly sensitive so even that would make me drowsy but not as bad as the others.
Also as others suggested twke before bed.

@MixedCouple2 no idea. I didn't even realise they had non drowsy ones. I told my doctor how badly I reacted to Cyclizine but he said these should be better and they are pretty much the same. These are also messing with my mental health as now I don't even want to continue with this pregnancy which sounds awful but it's like my body is fighting me so maybe this wasn't a good idea
Monday I'll call and tell the GP but I'm not hopeful anymore

Also I've only been doing it twice a day 2 and 8pm I wake up ok but by 10 I need to sleep and again at 4pm both very deep sleeps. My 5 year old jumped on me and hugged me while I slept and my DH said I didn't even stir. :(