Anyone who had hyperemesis through their whole pregnancy

moving_home

I'm 30 weeks and still have hyperemesis. Well I'm on medication to keep the vomiting under control so I can function and I'm back at work but when I come off the meds the vomiting comes back.

Anyways my question is how did you find the newborn stage after a tough pregnancy? I'm hoping the recovery from birth (assuming normal birth all going well) and the tiredness that comes with a newborn will be easier than the constant nausea and fear of vomiting. I suppose I'm just feeling like I'll never feel normal again and want some reassurance!

Moonbeam

I had it on my 1st and the medication didn't help much but spaced me out a lot.
It was so much easier looking after the baby then surviving the pregnancy,I was sick during labour but I don't think I was sick at all after that,I had bad morning sickness on my other 2 girls and again once they were born I was fine.

Millem

I had it through my whole pregnancy, honestly it was pure torture. I didn't get tablets but only worked maybe 6 weeks of my entire pregnancy
My baby is nearly 10 months and I am still not over the memories of vomiting up to 60 times a day. I can honestly say I don't think I could do it again. I found it mentally, physically draining and people don't really understand it! I am actually a bit traumatised about it.

Funny enough I didn't vomit at all in labour! As soon as the baby arrived the hyperemesis was cured! I didn't know myself at all as I could eat and keep it down! I was flying around after the birth, the midwives used to give out to me! Hehehe I went to the dentist too after a few weeks and thank god I didn't damage my teeth.

cyning

I vomited right up until the very very end on my first: and within two hours of having baba I was up eating toast and drinking orange juice. 2 cartons of it. Flipping lovely stuff! Hyperemesis is traumatising. I still feel traumatised anytime I think of the non stop vomiting. Actually the only thing I had problems with after was my blood pressure dropped very very low the morning after; I wasn't drinking anything I was gone so used to not drinking just sipping and I really needed to drink! Looking after a new baby is so much easier than hyperemesis.

I have a second now and think the reason I didn't get full blown hyperemesis with her was because I was still breastfeeding: I weaned my first girl at 16 weeks pregnant she was 15 months, and within a week I needed injections and got tablets from doc. No idea if there's a scientific basis for that or anything but again as soon as she was born up eating toast and drinking orange juice!

And I fit back in my own jeans within 5 days of giving birth

moving_home

Thanks for the replies! Phew so great to hear you all felt better straight after the birth. I was just having a wobble thinking I'll never feel right again. I guess I'm 'lucky' in that the meds are allowing me to eat and keep food down since I started taking them at 16 weeks. I didn't want to take them but I honestly thought I was going to die some days that I was at my most ill. I felt like my body was giving up on me.

I totally get the being traumatised. I think I am a little bit too!!

I don't know how women can go through this multiple times! It's tough going.

Moonbeam

It is awful,luckily I got the train to work so just stayed at the toilet. I could not have survived a bus.

Millem

moving_home wrote: »

Thanks for the replies! Phew so great to hear you all felt better straight after the birth. I was just having a wobble thinking I'll never feel right again. I guess I'm 'lucky' in that the meds are allowing me to eat and keep food down since I started taking them at 16 weeks. I didn't want to take them but I honestly thought I was going to die some days that I was at my most ill. I felt like my body was giving up on me.

I totally get the being traumatised. I think I am a little bit too!!

I don't know how women can go through this multiple times! It's tough going.

Listen take those tablets if they are working. I don't have any medals here for not taking them! I was just lucky that my job gave full pay and unlimited pregnancy sick leave so at least I didn't have to worry about going to work.
I totally understand that you thought you were going to die. I will never ever forget it.
You mind yourself and you are on the home stretch now as soon as you hold your little bundle in your arms you will feel a million % better

Some days coca cola gave me a bit of relief.

Woshy

I had it on my first pregnancy until about 18 weeks and am pregnant again and suffering badly at the moment. My big fear is because this time I'm so much worse than last time I may have it all the way through my pregnancy. The drugs don't really work for me but I'm still taking them. My heart goes out to you suffering for so long. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. I also feel like I'm going to die some days.

I was a bit Pukey during labour but I found after getting through hyperemesis the labour itself was no bother at all. Same for the newborn phase. Once you've got through hyperemesis you can get through anything!

It did change my relationship with food a bit though. I was very slim after giving birth ( I weighed less the day after giving birth than I did before I got pregnant) and once I was at home and breastfeeding I ate do much and so badly, just because I could ( my appetite was never normal throughout the rest of my pregnancy). I put loads of weight on and then had to make a big effort to lose it. Just something to bear in mind!

Also, for a while I got really unsettling flashbacks to puking that used to leave me a bit shaken. Obviously I've gone again so they did fade! My mum also suffered badly from hyperemesis and she still remembers it vividly. We've both said if you haven't been through it you really can't understand just how awful it is.

Moonbeam

I came out of all my pregnancies lighter then I went in to the and then piled on the pounds on maternity leave!

moving_home

I have put on weight with the pregnancy since I started taking the tablets but I needed to as I was 7 stone at 14 weeks and honestly was barely able to walk I was so weak.
I was told today I look like I've a football up my top lol by an adult male!!!
Just need to get through the next few weeks and it's not too bad really. I'm eating and working. Just constantly have underlying exhaustion and nausea and risk of vomiting!! I can do this and it will be worth it.
Thanks for the reassurance!

Woshy

moving_home wrote: »

I have put on weight with the pregnancy since I started taking the tablets but I needed to as I was 7 stone at 14 weeks and honestly was barely able to walk I was so weak.
I was told today I look like I've a football up my top lol by an adult male!!!
Just need to get through the next few weeks and it's not too bad really. I'm eating and working. Just constantly have underlying exhaustion and nausea and risk of vomiting!! I can do this and it will be worth it.
Thanks for the reassurance!

You're almost there - not too long to go now at all and then it will all be worth it. When people said that to me last time I wanted to punch them in the face but it is true. Sure, look at me. I voluntarily signed up to do it again and have spent the last 5 weeks in and out of hospital, feeling like death and am bedridden because of it! It must have been worth it for me to do this again on purpose

If you're eating then that is the main thing. While I wasn't nauseous or vomiting after 18 weeks or so I never really enjoyed food for the rest of my pregnancy or ate very much and I usually love my grub. I know it's tough to never feel like yourself and when you're in the middle of it it seems like there's no end in sight but after giving birth I felt great, I was running around the place and compared to pregnancy I felt absolutely fabulous. You'll be back to normal in no time and will have a little bundle of joy for your efforts.

I was all bump last time - I had my little boy at 39 weeks and nobody would believe me that I was that far along because I never got very big. Hyperemesis has it's benefits I guess, I wasn't uncomfortable at all and was never swollen or had back ache or anything.

Also, the midwives and docs all said I'd have a 6lb baby but he was 8lbs 1oz and healthy as a horse so don't worry about your baba at all. The baby is getting everything it needs!

moving_home

Off work now till the end. Nearly there. 6 weeks to go. It's so tough but delighted to hear it lifts straight after giving birth. I can't wait to feel normal again!!

Woshy

moving_home wrote: »

Off work now till the end. Nearly there. 6 weeks to go. It's so tough but delighted to hear it lifts straight after giving birth. I can't wait to feel normal again!!

Maybe you'll go early as well so there'll be less time to go. That would be nice

Best of luck with it all - it is worth it, I promise!

I was worried my hyperemesis might last the whole way through this time but I'm 14 weeks now and it's just starting to improve a bit. I still have to keep taking the drugs for a good while longer but I'm starting to keep a small bit of food down and I'm able to get out of bed and do a bit around the house etc.

moving_home

Fingers crossed for you that it will go soon! I was at my worst at 13/14 weeks after the doctors saying ah you'll be grand by 12 weeks! It was 17 weeks before I started tolerating any food and stopped constantly vomiting. It would be nice to go a little early I must admit. Mother Nature can't be cruel enough to make me go 2 weeks over!!

Woshy

I've everything crossed you do go early!

I was 17 weeks on my first when I started eating again and wasn't vomiting constantly so it's a little earlier this time. I'm keeping about half of what I eat down now and my appetite is starting to come back a little bit. I've been seeing the dietician in the hospital and she's been great so I've to go back to her soon to talk about eating to rebuild my strength, put some weight on and build up my vitamins and minerals again.

It's just a strange thing really, that something like pregnancy can make you so seriously ill. It goes against nature or something!

nikpmup

Was just talking to a girl in work about this - she was hospitalised with hyperemisis during her pregnancy and had to take the entire pregnancy off sick. She said that the second she delivered her son it went away, and she devoured tea and toast soon after. Her son was nine and a half pounds, they really are the perfect parasite, they take exactly what they need.

moving_home

Woshy that's great you are getting support from the dietician...I got nothing like that and was very worried in the early days.
It sounds awful but I'm not worried about the baby at all. My movement has been consistent since about 16 weeks with hubby feeling it at 17 weeks for the first time. Since then it's gone from strength to strength. Honestly some of the punches and kicks are bordering on painful so I'm happy enough that I've got a healthy babs on board thank god! I know well it will all be worth and I cannot wait to meet the little one ♡♡♡ just unfortunate some of us have to struggle through the long 10 months! Great to know I'll get my energy back afterwards though!

Woshy

moving_home wrote: »

Woshy that's great you are getting support from the dietician...I got nothing like that and was very worried in the early days.
It sounds awful but I'm not worried about the baby at all. My movement has been consistent since about 16 weeks with hubby feeling it at 17 weeks for the first time. Since then it's gone from strength to strength. Honestly some of the punches and kicks are bordering on painful so I'm happy enough that I've got a healthy babs on board thank god! I know well it will all be worth and I cannot wait to meet the little one ♡♡♡ just unfortunate some of us have to struggle through the long 10 months! Great to know I'll get my energy back afterwards though!

Were you hospitalised at all? I had two stays in the hospital of a few days each so saw the dietician then and that's why I got the follow up appointments. They have been really good to me actually! I didn't have that last time but I only ever went in as a day patient then as the hyperemesis was less severe.

Glad to hear the baba is doing so well - that's one good thing about hyperemesis, because you lose so much weight you feel the baby move quite early. I felt kicks at 16 weeks last time and can already feel the odd bit of movement at 14 weeks. Also, your scans are really clear! I was asked to be a demonstration model for a foetal heart health conference last time and my belly was scanned and the image put up on a big screen in a lecture theatre full of doctors and midwives. It was kind of cool and my baba got an extremely thorough cardiac scan before birth for free out of it It is unfortunate it is this way for some people, it has seemed very unfair to me in some of my darker moments over the last two months but then I try and remember some women would love to be pregnant, even with debilitating vomiting so I try and be positive.

Let us know when baba arrives anyway!

moving_home

Yip I was hospitalised 4 times but no one mentioned a dietician to me at all. I know what you mean. I'm delighted to be pregnant but in the tough days it was very tough. Thankfully my worst days were around 12/13 weeks and nothing since has been as bad.

Woshy

That's a pity - I've found the dietician to be really helpful and it was nice just to get that extra bit of support as well. Some of the doctors etc can be a bit dismissive because it's not harming the baby and they just think it will end soon (not that they didn't treat me well when I was hospitalised but still)

The dietician was much more focused on me and it was nice to have that. Maybe next time you can request it! (if there is a next time, I swore there wouldn't be for me and look at me now!)

seventeen sheep

I was never officially diagnosed with hyperemesis, but I vomited several times a day up to around six months.

It's horrible when people keep telling you it'll stop at two months / twelve weeks / three months etc ... and it just doesn't stop!

Then you have a good run, where you vomit only maybe five times a day for a couple of days, and you think it's easing off. Only for it to come back stronger than ever!

One thing I'd caution you about. When I was pregnant, I lost loads of weight because of getting sick all the time, and having no appetite. I got in the habit of eating what I wanted, the odd time I actually felt like it, just because I knew I needed to give the baby nutrition. So any notions of portion control went out the window. I have piled on the weight since giving birth. I'm only starting to lose it again now. After nine months of doing my best to eat what I could in an effort to try to stop losing weight, it was hard to cop on that, actually, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start watching the calories. I needed to relearn how to eat healthily.

Other than that, though, I didn't find it had negative effects on me after the birth. I didn't vomit at all during labour - I know a lot of women do, even if they hadn't had sickness during the pregnancy. I needed some dental work afterwards, but I actually hadn't even had a check-up in around a decade, so it was to be expected really, and I wouldn't even have linked it with the pregnancy!

It wouldn't put me off going again.

lazygal

seventeen sheep wrote: »

I was never officially diagnosed with hyperemesis, but I vomited several times a day up to around six months.

It's horrible when people keep telling you it'll stop at two months / twelve weeks / three months etc ... and it just doesn't stop!

Then you have a good run, where you vomit only maybe five times a day for a couple of days, and you think it's easing off. Only for it to come back stronger than ever!

One thing I'd caution you about. When I was pregnant, I lost loads of weight because of getting sick all the time, and having no appetite. I got in the habit of eating what I wanted, the odd time I actually felt like it, just because I knew I needed to give the baby nutrition. So any notions of portion control went out the window. I have piled on the weight since giving birth. I'm only starting to lose it again now. After nine months of doing my best to eat what I could in an effort to try to stop losing weight, it was hard to cop on that, actually, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start watching the calories. I needed to relearn how to eat healthily.

Other than that, though, I didn't find it had negative effects on me after the birth. I didn't vomit at all during labour - I know a lot of women do, even if they hadn't had sickness during the pregnancy. I needed some dental work afterwards, but I actually hadn't even had a check-up in around a decade, so it was to be expected really, and I wouldn't even have linked it with the pregnancy!

It wouldn't put me off going again.

Very similar story here. I didn't have hypermesis but I did vomit almost daily for most of my first pregnancy. I ate whatever I could stomach, which was a lot of jellied sweets and other rubbish. I didn't pile on the weight but I got really lazy. It was only when baby was a couple of months old that I got back to exercise and a proper diet.
Second time I was sick but I managed it much better and even though my second was two pounds heavier I was lighter and I 'bounced back' a lot quicker diet and exercise wise.
I also needed dental work but I think the two pregnancies exacerbated problems i had already. I needed five quite deep fillings but nothing more-I was expecting to need a serious amount of invasive work after the two pregnancies.

moving_home

Thanks ladies. I'm 35 weeks so the end is near. I must admit to being guilty of eating what I want at the moment! I've put on 1.5 stone on pre-pregnancy weight (over what I lost in the first 4 months) which I'm fine with but definitely agree with having to change my mind set regarding food when the baby is born and I'm feeling ok again. I am hoping that I'll have a taste for all healthy food I used to love that I can't stomach now and also that I'll have more energy for making it! I go to the dentist annually and had my last appointment when I was about 4 weeks but I am so conscious of my teeth from all the vomiting so trying to decide whether to go again now or wait till baby is born. Everything was fine in May so any issues now are totally pregnancy related.

cyning

I went to dentist 2 weeks before I got pregnant. After 1 hyperemesis pregnancy (where for the first 18-20 weeks I vomited 20+ times a day 5-6 times a day after that) I needed 8 big fillings and 2 root canals. Haven't been since second pregnancy. Where I vomited 5-6 times every day for first 20 weeks. And lost a tooth. Can't afford it right now. I literally dream of winning the lotto to fix my teeth after pregnancy. I've always had crap teeth in saying that though.

Woshy

I got three fillings and a root canal after my last pregnancy so I'm dreading going to the dentist after this one. I have braces too (and had them on for my last pregnancy too) and the hyperemesis from the 2 pregnancies has delayed my treatment by almost a year at this stage. As I was so much sicker this time and was vomiting every 15 minutes or so god only knows what state my teeth are in.

I also put loads of weight on once baby was here - it took me ages to eat properly again.

At least this time the hospital have sent me to a dietician so that should help! My sickness is just lifting (am 15 weeks) and she has ordered me to eat as much as possible now after nearly no calories going in for 3 months. That could be dangerous!

lazygal

cyning wrote: »

I went to dentist 2 weeks before I got pregnant. After 1 hyperemesis pregnancy (where for the first 18-20 weeks I vomited 20+ times a day 5-6 times a day after that) I needed 8 big fillings and 2 root canals. Haven't been since second pregnancy. Where I vomited 5-6 times every day for first 20 weeks. And lost a tooth. Can't afford it right now. I literally dream of winning the lotto to fix my teeth after pregnancy. I've always had crap teeth in saying that though.

I think you either have good teeth or you don't. I'm like my mum, who even as a broke student went to the dentist. She's had a few crowns etc. My dad hadn't been to the dentist in years, had a check up and didn't need anything but a scale and polish. My husband wasn't at the dentist for a decade and again only needed a clean. I think dental treatment should be free during and six months post pregnancy.

Woshy

That would be fab Lazygal - would make life so much easier knowing you were covered by the dentist.

My granny (who also suffered from hyperemesis - it's a family gift!) used to say you lose one tooth for every baby you have. Thankfully a root canal saved my tooth last time (and btw I would rather give birth again then have another root canal) but it just goes to show how common it is

I am feeling pretty lucky with the care I've received though. A friend of the family - her daughter in law also had hyperemesis and went to the hospital because she tore something in her throat and was vomiting blood she was so bad . They sent her home after 2 hours this was in London

holles st have been so good (and I'm going public) - keeping me in hospital for days more than once to monitor me and for fluids/nutrients and making sure I have follow up appointments with the dietician and with the docs as an outpatient to get more fluids and monitor me and the drugs I'm taking and extra scans to check on the baby. I've been well looked after

lazygal

I heard that saying too. I think even if you're not vomiting the calcium leeches out of you during pregnancy anyway. Women are more prone to osteoporosis etc too. One of the main things putting me off more is having the same sickness and working and minding two kids as well!

Woshy

lazygal wrote: »

I heard that saying too. I think even if you're not vomiting the calcium leeches out of you during pregnancy anyway. Women are more prone to osteoporosis etc too. One of the main things putting me off more is having the same sickness and working and minding two kids as well!

Yeah, it's an awful thing that it affects some women so badly and not others. I'm at home with my baba and one of the reasons I didn't go back to work was that I knew if I got pregnant again I wouldn't be able to continue working. We decided on another one now (there'll be two years between babies) was that we were living with my parents for a while so I had help and because I knew the sickness would be bad and I wanted to get it over and done with and also not be off work at home for too long so a smaller gap was better.

The hospital had a social worker ready to meet me to see if I needed assistance looking after my little boy but I was so lucky to have such involved parents. My dad did nearly all the childcare during the day for almost 2 months. My heart goes out to women who suffer from hyperemesis and don't have help.

moving_home

Just said I'd give a quick update as I didn't think there was light at the end of the tunnel! My little girl is just under 2 weeks and the hyperemesis and related lethargy is completely gone! I had an emergency section so am still recovering and having to take things easy but I'm itching to get back out exercising and dying to give the house a good clean etc. It feels amazing to have energy! The tiredness of having a newborn does not compare in any way to the lethargy I experienced. I'm enjoying healthy food again - loving my fruit and veg. Oh the joys of a glass of orange juice I thought I would never feel normal again so it's just brilliant!

Woshy

That's wonderful! Congratulations and glad you're enjoying your little bundle.

I'm almost 24 weeks and still puking but thankfully only occasionally and I am eating as much as I can. Found out I'm having a little girl which apparently explains why I'm so much worse this time.

Missymoohaa

Yes I vomited through both my pregnancies, my friends used to say here comes Pukey Lucy, whenever I deemed to show up (which was rarely, too ill and very very tired). I found that eating very very low fat food helps and ginger biscuits in the morning. No gravy, sauces, fatty meats etc etc. Plain potato, veg and very lean meat for dinner (in small portions) helped me enormously. Took me a while to discover that though.

I was forty two weeks pregnant on my first child and weighed a stone lighter than I did when I was 6 weeks pregnant. I could afford to lose the weight but you gotta be careful. All sickness/tiredness disappeared as soon as baba's were born.

My grandmother said at the time, that heavy sickness is the sign of a very healthy baby, they are taking everything from you, that's why you feel so knackered. So despite my weight loss and sickness I gave birth to an 8lb 9oz boy and an 8lb girl, very very healthy indeed.