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Original poster

hyperemesis and general unwellness...what can I do?

362 replies

pavlovthepregnantcat · 13/05/2009 15:09

I am sick of feeling unwell. I feel really really unwell.

I have been signed off for 3 weeks with hyperemesis, this being my 3rd week, due back to work next week.

The sickness is improving somewhat at 13 weeks (today) This time 2 weeks ago, nothing was staying down. Now I keep down more than I sick up, but I am also eating less. I am fine for fluids now, much better than last week.

But overall, I do not feel better, I feel groggy most of the time, I sleep a lot, does not make a difference. I have an almost constant headache, most food makes me feel sick/be sick, bowels feel like I am going to have a tummy bug although I do not have a tummy bug. I am moody, grumpy, snappy, feel hot although no temperature. I do not feel pregnant, I feel unwell.

I have had 2 sessions of acupuncture but what with DH being out of work, can't really afford any more right now (£35 a session). I have acupuncture bands, am trying to eat as healthily as I can, but not eating very much.

I am quite sick of it right now, I want to feel just abit more human.

Any tips please?

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audreyraines · 23/05/2009 08:57

pavlov, sorry you were sick again. as you say, it will take a while to get back your energy after so long of not eating. and i always think it's a two steps forward, 1.9999 steps back kind of thing. I haven't vomited for two days now, so here am I crossing my fingers, but I now have a vicious cold so am lying low for the weekend.

McD's seems to hold some kind of magic for pregnant women, particularly those with vomitign tendencies - what could it be!? i'm getting major sweet tooth though at the moment, must try to keep chocolate intake in ccheck.

audreyraines · 23/05/2009 08:58

ps yankn, i can't believe how 3 months seems an eternity as well. people keep saying to me 'it's gone so fast, not long to go now'. MAYBE FOR YOU!! i just stare at them in disbelief. this pregnancy feels like 9 years long to me.

charliegal · 23/05/2009 11:27

Yeah, I believed all those people who said your second pregnancy goes sooo fast amd you never know how many weeks you are. Hmmmm...17 weeks and 3 days so far.

audreyraines · 23/05/2009 12:50

whenever people ask how many weeks i am, i always pause for a second to make it look less obvious, as i am embarrased that i am literally counting down each day!

pavlovthesmugcat · 25/05/2009 16:06

How is everyone this weekend? I had a great weekend camping, swimming in the sea, bodyboarding, it was excellent. I was not sick, felt a bit off colour in the evenig but fine really. Our tent is fab fab fab!

However, any thoughts I might have had about me getting better myself, due to time passing has just been disproven. I did not fully appreciate the effects of the medication, took it for granted already, thinking it was also me getting better! - this morning, my medication was left in the car since we got back really late, forgot it. I woke at a glorious time of 10:45am starving. I could not wait for DH to go down to the car, get it, come back, take it, wait and hour, then have brekky. I felt fine, lovley and relaxed. Ate a small bowl of ready brek, which came back up within 10 mins, full on upchucking, then again, then again. Then I took the emergency buccasten which made me puke due to the taste of it, then I took one of the cyclizine, threw it up, took another one, and quickly laid down in bed and had to be completely still so as to avoid being ill. Have just had something to eat after a long nap, and feel very unsure about if it will stay down [sad} I am very angry with myself for not taking it this morning.

Stumblebum · 25/05/2009 18:07

Hi - not had time to read the whole thread - will do later.

Just found out today am pregnant with no3

Had normal sickness with ds1 and then terrible, terrible hyperemesis with dd1.

Does lightning strike in the same place twice usually?

Will pop back and check later.

Am so glad to find this thread - last pregnancy there was not much around about it.

pavlovthesmugcat · 25/05/2009 18:18

Oh stumblebum - congratulations! I hope you find some useful things in this thread. I do not know if it will happen again with you and little one this time around. I certainly know gp said it is better with no2 onwards and for me it is worse. I had it bad with DD, never diagnosed as I found ways of 'coping' although it did not ever stop. I think you should have a plan in place as to how you would like to deal with it if it does occur this time, ie, whether you want medicated straight away to stop it getting worse etc.

I have found some people on this thread who have helped me no end, if only to share the understanding of how awful hyperemesis can be, without minimising it or telling me that all I need is to keep eating, bit of rest and some ginger

Stumblebum · 25/05/2009 18:20

Aargh - not ginger again! It's been a while - dd is 5 and ds is 10 (this one has been a long time coming!!)

Was medicated last time in hospital for about 6 weeks.

Will read through this later and pick up some advice - just going for a soak

pavlovthesmugcat · 25/05/2009 18:22

6 weeks! You poor thing. Have a good soak. I just finished. in a nice long shower

Kathyis6incheshigh · 26/05/2009 16:18

Hi Stumblebum!
I read somewhere that if you have HG once you will have about a two thirds chance of getting it again.... so, you might well, but not definitely.

Pavlov - glad you had a nice weekend - so did we! Fresh air definitely helped and dh was very good about bringing me tea and cereal bars in bed every morning. Had a swim on the edge of Windermere on Sun afternoon when I could see from all the people in there that it wasn't really that cold.
I haven't been sick for a week now!

Just googled pics of Soulpads - very picturesque! I think you should get a discount at campsites for looking quaint.

pavlovthesmugcat · 26/05/2009 16:56

Kathy - glad you had a good weekend, I have always wanted to go the lake district, that is on our list this year I think, on the way to visit my brother and family in Yorkshire.

You are right about the soul pad, and in fact we have been invited to stay at the yurt location with it. They said that they do not want people camping there as they have a very natural feel about the place so do not want big green nylon tents (or whatever they are made of) but that with our tent we would fit right in so would be welcome to come and pitch it in their fields and use their facilities . I am sure as we go along we will find some more - especially when we paint on it, not sure what, something like an oak tree and leaves, or a green-man, or something like that (not over the top, but enough to customise). Once I have sorted my swathes out, put some little fabric hooks in for fairy lights, its going to look great - i will post a piccy in a bit when I get round to uploading them.

pavlovthecat · 26/05/2009 20:28

dinner did nt stay down . came up within minutes of being eaten and quite violently. Spaghetti bolognaise - too much flavour and DH used garlic. he said he was only putting it in his, but the kitchen reaked of it, even though it had been cooking for an hour with the windows and doors open (why the f did he bother?) It was also too late, I was hungry at 6pm, we did not eat untl 6:45pm, I had already snacked at 5pm and would not have been able to eat inner if I snacked again. I had a short window, after which it was too late.

And now, I feel quite depressed again. I feel quite tearful. Its odd. Every time I am sick, even though I have not been sick all day, even though it is once every now and again while on the medication, it now drags me back into the dark place I was when I was constantly sick. It makes me just want to crawl into bed and have everyone go away and leave me alone. I thought I would be fine with the odd sickness seeing as I am mostly ok atm, but everytime I am sick, it just fills me with this horrible sense of dispair

Moosy · 26/05/2009 20:49

for you Pavlov, it's understandable that it's getting you down, it just seems to go on forever doesn't it? I cry and swear every time I'm sick now and it's not even that bad this time. I really feel for you.

Moosy · 26/05/2009 20:49

How many weeks are you now?

pavlovthecat · 26/05/2009 20:57

15+1. It is not passing on its own. As i found out yesterday morning after not taking the meds immediately after getting up. But mostly the meds are working at least with sickness if not with the nausea.

I was at work today for the first time in weeks, for 3 hours, it took me almost 3 hours from waking to get in, and it was good, but now i feel so down i just want to stay in bed and not go back (a full day tomorrow). hopefully in the morning i wil feel differently...

How often are you sick now? How many weeks?

YanknCock · 26/05/2009 21:04

oh dear. Pavlov, it's horrid isn't it. I remember 15 weeks being pretty bad, didn't start getting any better until around 19-20 weeks for me. Just keep taking the meds, don't try to go it alone yet.

Anything tomato-based didn't do nice things to me, think it might be the acidity? I'd give tomato products a miss for a while. Even when I was over the worst of it, pizza made me vomit.

Moosy · 26/05/2009 21:05

I'm only sick once every few days, it's the constant nausea that's I'm getting really sick of. The tiredness is lifting a bit but the nausea seems to be getting worse. I've lost 5.5lbs and am down to 8 stone and half a pound - desperately trying not to go below 8 stone as that makes me feel rough in itself. I'm 12+3 I think, I have my dating scan tomorrow.

I hope you feel better tomorrow and well done for getting to work, I couldn't imagine doing that now!

pavlovthecat · 26/05/2009 21:15

I don't know how much weight i lost, but i know that my donna karen size 4 jeans fit me well right now . Dr said not to weigh myself, esp as I am now mostly eating, said it no longer matters as long as I put it on from now on.

yank - agree re meds, not going to try again without meds (was pure laziness on my part as they were in the car!)

Kathyis6incheshigh · 27/05/2009 09:17

I agree, 15 weeks is horrible, because you still don't feel better but you're running out of emotional energy to deal with it after being ill for so long.

rookie81 · 27/05/2009 09:39

I'm soooooooooo miserable......... can't keep anything down at all no solids or liquids. i'm being sick at least 7 times a day, right up til mdnight last night- horrid. the only relief i have is sleep, everyday i long for bedtime. woke up this morning was mega thirsty tried some water- no good. feeling really dehydrated all the time. have given up on previous remedy of cannabis as dont really want to rely on it. I start my new job on monday- joy of joys............... goin to docs this morning to see if she can help.......... AAAARGH!!!!!!!!!

Kathyis6incheshigh · 27/05/2009 09:42

Good luck with doc xxx
Be assertive if you need to.

Trikken · 27/05/2009 09:55

my sickness has begun to lift at 16 weeks, altho was sick yesterday but only once and probably cos i didnt take my cyclizine and thought eating ds's cheesy puffs were a good idea.

rookie81 · 27/05/2009 09:59

Thanks Kathy... i plan on bein super assertive- she is usually really good so watch this space......... xxx

pavlovthecat · 27/05/2009 11:49

rookie - poor you, with the new job and all. What rotten timing. Agree, be assertive with your gp and insist on some meds asap.

I can now keep nothing down again . After not keeping down dinner last night, I was sick a further 3 times before bed at just past midnight. Then this morning I woke with a thumping headache, DH brought my my pill, took it with a little water, then had brekky about 45 mins later, after a shower. It came up almost instantly, and from then on I have been sick 3 more times. Water is not staying down and my bile is really really acidic, it burns so much and I have a really horrible taste in my mouth. I knew I was going to be sick before I was as I had that taste you get, and this morning my awful heightened sense of smell as returned full force, everything stinks.

I have taken the morning off work, but feel so dreadful again. I was too late for gp appt and have asked him to call me. I will need a sick note I think, seeing as I have only been in 3 hours yesterday after 4 weeks sick leave.

I am so upset, I thought I would be able to do at least some hours today

YanknCock · 27/05/2009 12:51

It's weird isn't it, that feeling where you KNOW you are going to be sick? Sometimes I would get it even the night before as I was falling asleep. Would wake up in the morning and just know it was going to happen, even if I didn't feel particularly nauseous. Sometimes it would take a few hours, but it always happened when I got the feeling. Horrible when you are just sitting around waiting for it, poised to run for the toilet or the bin.

I also know that acidic bile taste/feeling. It makes you want to scream, 'what the hell can I be throwing up, there's nothing left?!!' And you can't brush your teeth to get rid of the taste (without puking again), and even rinsing with water sets you off.

I'm feeling very lucky that it seems to be done for me now. Still get nauseous and feel a bit sick at times, but haven't actually been sick for a few weeks now. Just hit 27 weeks yesterday, and now feel slightly seasick as the baby seems to be doing some weird rolling around thing (along with kicking my bladder). I could sit and watch my belly all day, am completely entranced.