Still experiencing sickness/nausea at 16 weeks

[Knittingnora]

I have been I'll with this pregnancy since 5th October - that was the day I passed out and then vomited all over myself at work. Since then I've felt more and more sick and it is really getting me down.

I have a 3 year old and 2 year old and I feel like I'm not giving them enough of me. I've been prescribed anti-sickness pills but they make me so drowsy I'm pretty useless! My poor husband has been running our home and looking after tea time and bedtime on his own for over 3 months. I'm either throwing up or so zombiefied from the pills. I don't know which is worse!

Every week I think maybe it will pass this week but it hasn't and and I'm worried it's going to last throughout the pregnancy.

I never felt this poorly when I was expecting my other babies and thought I'd be over it by 12 weeks.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm just looking to talk to others who understand the relentlessness of pregnancy sickness - it really is very isolating.

[maidentomother]

You poor thing!

I've never gotten past 8w, but both times I was pregnant from 6-8w I had awful all the time nausea that abated only very slightly while eating fatty/protein rich foods, plus I had extreme fatigue. My biggest pregnancy fear is having nausea the entire time!

Which med exactly are you on? The most effective anti-nausea meds should not make you drowsy. The best IMO is Granisetron, available in some countries in Europe and Asia. The 2nd best is Zofran/Odansetron. Both are prescription likely in the UK.

[Knittingnora]

Thank you for replying!

I'm taking cyclizine-it does help witht the nausea but it's side effects are horrible! I think I'll have to go back to the GP and see if they'll prescribe something else. Thank you for the names of the medicines x

[Foxcubblue]

Hello!!! Just wanted to say I am with you - almost 14 weeks and still very nauseous, with a 3 year old and a 1 year old to look after - I feel your pain and also totally get how isolated you feel. It is horrible!!!

I have had really bad MS with all three pregnancies, but this one is by far the worst. With the first two, I took promethazine (available over the counter as avomine travel sickness tablets) and it worked pretty well. I tried cyclizine and it was terrible - didn't help at all with the sickness but knocked me out with some very strange dreams, it was horrible!

This time I started taking the promethazine as soon as I started feeling ill but it did nothing and I was still being extremely sick and started having horrible dizzy spells with tingling in my fingers and toes and heart palpitations. It was pretty scary! I cried on the GP and he prescribed (on my instruction!) odansetron, which it might be worth you trying. It has stopped me being sick, although it hasn't prevented the nausea, but I can at least get on with things as a bit as I literally haven't been sick once since taking it.

Hope this helps a little and that you feel much better soon - and that you know that you are not alone!

[maidentomother]

Cyclizine is awful and honestly promethazine is not much better. They are both primarily antihistamines and are notoriously sedating. You need a proper anti-emetic like the 2 drugs I mentioned. Demand them! Please let us know how you make out.

[essnce629]

With DS2 I was sick till 26 weeks. I had taken the vitamin b6 (50mg) and Unisom combo, which cured me of my morning sickness with DS1, but it didn't completely get rid of it with DS2. At 26 weeks my midwife mentioned that morning sickness after the first trimester may be related to the liver not working properly and for me to try drinking dandelion root tea, which helps support the liver. I got the tea that day and within 24 hours my morning sickness was gone! I sure wish she had told me about it months earlier!!! I used the Traditional Medicinals brand and would sweeten it and add cream. I drank a cup a day till I gave birth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FO3HUV0/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_4V-KwbQQKEHMF

I also want to try the bean morning sickness tip that was posted on here a few weeks ago. It is also related to the liver and bile production.

KarenHurd.com (http://www.karenhurd.com/pages/healthtopics/specifichealthconcerns/ht-shc-morningsickness.html)

[atomic sagebrush]

I had one of my pregnancies that just went on and on and on. It did clear up eventually between 16-18 weeks, but it was SLLLOOOOWWW and it took me a little while before I even realized I was feeling better. FX that it is about to go away!! that is a feeling I so do not miss about being done with kids.

[maidentomother]

FWIW, the drug in Unisom is also an antihistamine with drowsy side effect, so perhaps not ideal for you OP.

[Knittingnora]

Thank you for your responses! It's good to know I'm not alone in this. I have now been prescribed metaclopromide so shall see how that goes.

I think the sickness lasted until about 14 weeks or so with my first but I was able to rest far more and avoided the kitchen which seems to set me off for some reason! This time I have two little ones to take care of and I can't avoid the kitchen as they are hungry little things.

I've been signed off work for until next Thursday- I really really hope I improve by then- I'll be nearly 18 weeks.

I'll try the dandelion root tea (does anyone else feel desperate enough to try anything to ease this misery?) and I have asked DH to pick up beans on his way home- that was an interesting article.
I read an interesting article about the possible reasons for hyperemesis- that it demonstrates a highly efficient detox system, where the body is ultra efficient at removing possible toxins from the body, the filtration process is good, and this is why it is suggested that severe sickness and high IQ is linked, and there are hardly any toxins in the body and thus being passed to the baby around the time of brain development.

[Foxcubblue]

I like the sound of the highly efficient detox system! I eat quite a lot of beans and they help a bit, but no more really than any other foods help a bit for a while. And yes, I am also desperate enough to try anything! I am having daily Epsom salt baths and spraying magnesium all over the place as I read that it can be due to a magnesium deficiency! Hope the medication helps, keep us posted.

[maidentomother]

I'm sorry but your dr is an idiot...why on earth would he give you metoclopramide? It is, once again, not actually an anti-nausea med, it's for heartburn! Drowsiness is a common side effect, also! There are tons of meds, primarily antihistamines but some others too, like meto, that can sometimes help with nausea but do not reliably do so. (I am a pharmacist). So if the meto doesn't work, you'll have to explicitly ask for Granisetron or Odansetron. Otherwise you could be trying a dozen useless meds that put you to sleep but don't touch the nausea.

I totally understand being desperate to try anything! I will try dandelion root tea myself next time.

I think the efficient detox system makes sense. I am a hyper metaboliser in multiple ways, both in terms of intracellular pumps and my liver function, and I have unbearable nausea when pregnant as said. It's a comforting idea at least!

[Foxcubblue]

In the UK doctors are extremely reluctant to prescribe ondansetron unless all other avenues have been exhausted. I do have friends for whom metaclopramide has worked and as I say I have been extremely unwell in all three of my pregnancies but for the first two antihistamines in the form of promethazine worked sufficiently. I think different things work for different people and things that worked for someone in one pregnancy won't necessarily work in the next! It is a nightmare!

[maidentomother]

Yes that can absolutely be true, lots of variation.

I wonder why they are so anti-odansetron? I really hope it isn't similar here in Germany. In the US they use it quite heavily.

[Foxcubblue]

I don't know, I guess it is the usual - lack of testing for pregnant woman, and it has been around less long than the antiemetics. I doubt all these lawsuits in the US help! I have been made to feel awful in the past by GPs for taking anything when pregnant, thankfully the one I saw this time was fairly pliable and gave in to my demands!