Is there a lentilly weavery way I can control hyperemesis?

[TigerFeet]

I'm 7+1 wks pg and have been dx'ed with hyperemesis today.

None of the traditional remedies work, ginger, peppermint, sea bands, eating little and often, etc etc etc

I am sick 5+ times a day and can't even keep water down until mid afternoon. I've lost about 10 lbs in the past two weeks which admittedly I can afford to lose but is obv not ideal.

I am running on empty, bordering on dehydration, arms and legs feel like lead, I'm finding it difficult to concentrate (esp when driving) and am very weepy.

In desperation I went to the GP today and have been prescribed an antiemetic, I don't have them yet as the pharmacy will have to order them in so I'll be able to pick them up tomorrow. Unfortunately due to pregnabrainscramble I can't remember which ones tehy are.

Is there ANYTHING else I can do? I wanted to avoid drugs but if the alternative is to end up in hospital on a drip then I dunno... I'm almost wondering if it would be preferable to be on a drip than to take drugs but then it's only a temporary fix and as soon as the drip came off I'd be back to square one wouldn't I?

I have a 4yo who is getting very distressed because I have been so ill and haven't been able to do all my usual mummy stuff due to the constant nature of this. I need to think of her too, if I end up hospitalised then she will be beside herself.

Any advice would be very gratefully received. Thanks.

I think homeopathy's bollocks but according to the author Naomi Wolf it worked for her. She went to see a practitioner, who diagnosed her specific type of sickness and gave her something which sorted it out.

Oh and by the way I'm reallyt that you're suffering. It's so unfair - all you want is a blimmin' kid but you have to go through all this crap first.

and hugs.

Thanks MrsMH, I did think about homeopathy, I know people who are really enthusiastic about it. I'm just a bit wary of getting advice from someone whose credentials I don't know.

I wondered about acupuncture too.

Trouble is, I may be made redundant in the next couple of weeks so need to watch £££ as it may be a while before I can get another job.

I need someone to wave a magic wand and make it all better

No advice, TF, but hope you find something that works.

Bless you, you poor thing. Are there any appropriate alternative available jobs in youro company? If there are, I'm fairly sure you have a legal right to be considered for them. (I went through this just before I was due to return from mat leave)

I reckon acupuncture would be brill, if you could bite your lip and spend the money.

Acupuncture is evidence based.

Otherwise - take the drugs, they are better than the dehydration (and long term effects on your elder child)

Zoiks. Errrrrm, citrus oils helped me, but only just. I think it's such an extreme condition (as in intensity, not seriousness, IYSWIM) that hippie methods (as it were) don't really touch it.
Re acupuncture...free sessions from someone training?
a chum who's training in aromatherapy kept offering to help me out for free, but as she once suggested isolating 2 live electrical wires with tinfoil, I declined!
but she's a very special sort!, i'm sure you'll find someone.
The anti-emetics do help a lot, and i think HG just needs ye olde chemical cosh once in a while.
Also, i think homeopathy's bobbins as well...mandarin oil is a good one for pregnancy if you wanna try citrus oils.
HG sucks and blows big time.

They'll give you the same drugs if you end up on a drip

I took some fairly heavy stuff for HG
baby was fine

they didn't even work that well which made me feel less guilty somehow

Some people find acupuncture really works
I never tried it

Not sure about homeopathy

Acupuncture - definitely the way forward. Am traditional Dcotor and was driven to distraction by hyperemesis. I swear by it. Definitely worth the temporary pain

By hte way only needed two treatments were £40 each in SW london .

try calling your nearest acupuncture training place and asking about free sessions - seems that it works well from some of the responses
have known a few people training in this field, and aromatherapy, and they're always after willing guinea pigs volunteers
it WILL end, eventually, although DS stopped short in the street yesterday and made vomming noises, while leaning over and moving his hair out of his face
again

good luck

Where are you based by the way?

Oh no Watsui don't tell me that if I take them they might not even work [gloom]!!

Oh good idea to call an acupuncture training place, not sure there will be one nearby (am in the sticks) but you never know.

Thanks everyone

I heard low zinc can contribute to sickness, and apparently folic acid prevents absorption of zinc, which is useful if you've already low levels. I don't know about taking supplements in pregnancy, but it might be worth trying one with zinc in if you aren't already. Hope you feel better soon!

hi TF
firstly congrate on being preg!
popped in from 10/10 thread. I too support acupuncture, you might find the GP can advise or refer, lots of practices have associated people and may also have deal for preg people

TooT should be able to help on questions to ask a homeopath if you want? Mind you I tried for DS, cost loads of dosh and no help either, but there you are!

good luck

If you're in London, TF, you could try the Polyclinic at the Uni of Westminster - they offer cheaper alternative therapies as the clinic is staffed by final year students. I went there years ago; they always have a tutor supervising each session so you needn't worry about getting duff treatment. Also at this time
in the academic year the course will nearly be over so the students at the clinic will be close to qualification.

Oh no sorry I mean I think it would have been WAY worse without them iyswim.

I was jesting

Good luck pet. I hope you get some relief quickish.

I'm in Lincolnshire - the Uni of Lincoln does acupuncture, it's about 40 miles away though so might be cheaper to stay closer to home!

Don't worry Watusi I was jesting back! I'm trying not to completely lose my sense of humour but not always being successful [puke]

Sorry to hear you are feeling so sickly My mum had this with me, she could only hold down dry rice crispies and that is all she ate for 9 months !!!

I suppose you have already tried seasick bands ?

Thinking of you...give me a call when you feel up to it.

presumably you have tried dry toast first thing?
a friend suffered badly and said apricot juice worked.
not sure if it has to be juice, you could try stewing dried apricots and pureeing them, very nutritious in any case.
good luck

No advice but am sorry TF

Tried seasick bands and was v v cross because they cost about £7.50 (not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things but a lot for a bit of bandage with a plastic thingy on it imvho) and didn't fucking work . Will call at the weekend BE

Dry toast, tried that yes! I can tolerate dry toast in the evenings but not first thing. Even a sip of water can come back up. I can't tolerate any kind of fruit or veg atm which is a shame because I usually eat loads and I feel malnourished for not eating any.

Yes HG is a bit of a different thing to ordinary bad morning sickness, it's in another league really. Not to make anyone feel bad for suggesting things, but I got so upset when different doctors (and everyone I knew!!) kept saying 'have you tried ginger biscuits?'

Arghhhhh

Know what you mean about the ginger biscuits advice Watusi

TF, IMO/IME it's absolutely worth trying the prescribed anti-emetic. It might not stop you feeling nauseous, but hopefully it will enable you to keep down some food.

I found that eating (once I was on anti-emetics) was the only way to get the sickness under control. I know you say you've tried eating little and often - once you're on the anti-emetics this will hopefully become viable.

The drugs that they prescribe for HG are very, very well tested. They can't guaruntee them as safe because no pharma company will run tests on pg women, but the fact is that hundreds of thousands of pg women have taken them with no ill-effects.