Seeking HG Care in UK

[Sunlight]

Hi, im from London.
Is there anyone here who is from the UK and had help with their HG?

[Natalie]

Hi there,

I'm really sorry that I missed this post I just responded to your other post in the 'New to forum - not pg' folder.

There are quite a few UK HGers around on here. What sort of help were you thinking of? Pre or during pgy? Both??

If you are ttc or pg right now, there are things that can be done to ward off the worst. Can you post a bit about your last pgy? What meds were you on? Did you have HG 'til the end?

Love Natalie, x

[Sunlight]

Hi Natalie,

Thanks for you reply!

Im looking for help with both, before and during HG.
My last pregnancy well, My mum was diagnosed with HG in both her pregnancys and even tho i told doctor & midwife nothing was done to help me. I started being really sick at 6 weeks could not nibble on food or sip water, i had the VERY odd day were i could eat and drink, i had no meds just spent from week 6 - week 22 in bed either sleeping or being sick only time i got out of bed was for my 12 week & 22 week scan.
I lost weight, think was down to 7 - 7 & half stone.

HTH

Laura xx

[mandy]

Hi Laura,

I live in Bristol near to Natalie. Nice to see another UK-er.

You really have to push for treatment here. My first pregnancy sounds similar to your although I was given meds (which I felt were pretty useless). I was not followed through or monitored.

My second I got hospitalised with, which should definately also have been done with my first. I saw a different dr (which i strongely advise you to do) and reluctantly admitted I could not cope and within hours I was in hospital and they did not let me out until I was rehydrated, had no keytones and full of meds. They were wonderful and although I was not 'better' they gave me strength and hope to see the pregnancy through.

You are entitled to see a consultant BEFORE you ttc about hg. Your gp should give you a referral if you request it. This is what a midwife/nurse told me at a subsequent smear - of all things! We do have rights, but my goodness, you have to push for them and the time to do it is now whilst you are not pregnant and strong. Move from one dr to another until you find one with compassion for hg-ers. It will make a huge difference to your future pregnancies.

All the best,
Mandy x

[Natalie]

Hi again,

Pre-ttc: I would start by going to the Prep. for HG forum and writing yourself up a protocol. I think there is a sticky there with lots of protocols in so you could just cut and paste into a document all the parts that are relevant for you.

Then I would take that to a pre-ttc consultation with your GP where you can ask for a test for Helicobacter Pylori and a referral to a consultant. Also ask what they will do in the event of you getting HG again. Take info. from this website with you as a back up and also an advocate if necessary. As Mandy said, if that GP is not willing to be sympathetic and fobs you off with 'every pgy is different' blah blah, start quoting the facts at them. If they're still unwilling to help switch to another GP in the same practice or switch to a different GP practice altogether. I say this because when you have HG, you don't want to have to be sorting this all out because you will just be too ill so it's best to sort it out beforehand.

The Drs will usually start you off on the regular meds to see if anything works e.g. Stemitil /Phenergan / Metroclopromide. The best thing is to go back to your GP the moment you start feeling sick because research has shown that early intervention can stave off the worst.

If I think of anything else or you need to ask more questions feel free.

Love Natalie, x

[Sunlight]

Thankyou.

You have both been so helpful. xx

[Xphile_mo]

I am new to this website so sorry if this is too late to be replying, but I also have had problems getting the docs to listen to me. I was on honeymoon when my HG kicked in, and was hospitalised in the Bahamas and - I must say - they took better care of me there than I've had now I'm home. They knew exactly what was wrong with me, what to test for and what signs to watch for.
Since coming home; my first (lovely) doctor took it very seriously and offered to prescribe me different meds as I was vomiting the oral ones given on holiday, and offered to sign me off work. I took the meds and went back to work to at least try to get through each day. These meds did nothing and made me feel worse, so I went back to the doctors and got a different doctor.
This time, I got a full 10 minute lecture on Thalidomide (BEFORE he even read my notes!!), told nothing would make me completely better and that I should be grateful I was vomiting and pregnant!! I was also told that they wouldn't just keep giving me meds and if I was really that sick, I'd be hospitalised for i/v fluids etc .... After I pointed out that I'd undergone that just a week previously and didn't want to have to relive the experience, he OPENED my notes and reluctantly prescribed the lowest dose possible of the same drug in suppository form!
Obviously, this did nothing and the whole experience (the guilt of asking for meds and being made to feel like a drama queen who was just making too much of normal morning sickness) put me off going back so I put up with the vomiting for another couple of weeks until I almost passed out walking to the shop!
I have now been back to the first doctor I saw and was immediately signed off work and told to take rest, given different meds and told to return within 4 days if not significantly better. I agree with everyone else who has already replied to this post. I have now resigned myself to seeing ONLY this doctor and no other. Only WE know how WE feel, so a doctor has no right to tell us otherwise. Keep fighting until you find a doctor that has either heard of HG, or sympathises with how serious it actually is - change surgeries if needs be!!!

[sarahkate]

Sorry I didn't see this! My experience of HG is firsthand, the irony is I am an obs and gynae SHO.
Mandy is right, get into see a consultant prenatally. They will be surprised to see you - even one that is fairly turned on about HG. But you should get a plan.
The feel I get professionally (and this is my personal opinion as a 'friend' please don't be repeating it everywhere) is that the bigger the hospital, the greater the likelihood of a good treatment protocol if you have to be admitted. BUT there will be exceptions. There are a few little studies on the way to publication about how dreadful attitudes are to HG patients which should shame at least the teaching hospitals and benefit patients in the future.
Ondansetron is (and arguably within the NHS will and should remain) a consultant only drug so make sure, if you feel you need it, that's who you ask.
I am booked at a big teaching hospital (it helps that I also work there) and the past few months though horrendous have been made easier by a few sympathetic senior doctors and wonderful nurses. I agree with the others - ask and push. That seems to be the way of the NHS. I am not proud of that aspect of it but it is the only way to get somewhere.

[debbie]

I have had two hg pregnancies. The first was untreated so just had to go back to mum and be cared for 24/7.The second was much worse given phernegan at 6 weeks but so ill and dehydrated. My doctor was told by hospital to monitor me. He did by asking me if I was keeping down a sip of water per hour once a week. Ended up being taken to hospital in ambulance and then through Aand E being admitted for five days for the usual.I was not given any medication to take home so back in again a week later.Only then did I ask for medication(metreosomething) which helped a great deal. My last pregnancy ended at week8 . I was scared stiff and the scars from hg mentally are hugh. I am seeing a counsellor at the moment. BUT i still want to try one more time.
Can anyone help with English system. I have read amazing stuff on preparing for pregnancy forum but need to understand names for English medications.
Any advice would be great as i have struggled through all this alone until now. This site is wonderful
Debbie

[Natalie]

Hi Debbie

Welcome to the site. I'm sorry for your loss.

I just wanted to quickly say that I'd seen your post and will write more tomorrow when it's not so late.

Love Natalie, x

[kk]

Hi, I hope this reply is not too late? I am from London. This is my second pregnancy and my first time with hg. I recieved help as soon as I landed in AnE. They hooked me up onto a drip and injected me with anti-sickness, gave me meds through the IV, stemetil (not very nice) you gotta put them where the sun don't shine!! They also gave me vitamin b6. The hospital I attended had a hyperemesis protocol and acted really quickly, my first stay in hospital I was in for five days and the second time for two days. I am now stabalised on prochlorperazine and vitamins. My doctors have been quite good, they have believed me about how I have been feeling - well I suppose my blood tests revealed how bad I was and the weight loss too... when I was loosing weight rapidly the hospital prescribed me with some ensure drinks to help build me up again. I am now 16 weeks and still have nausea real bad and occasional vomiting if I have not taken the meds. Overall it hasnt been too bad considering I have hg. There is not as much choice of meds here in the UK as there are in the states so we are quite restriced if the meds dont work for us, I suppose we would be stuffed.

Hope all this helps

KK x x x x x x x x x

[Xphile_mo]

Welcome KK - though sorry you need to be here!

Glad to hear you're getting decent treatment here. Most of us aren't so lucky! I really am pleased that your doctors have been so pro-active. I got my first bout of HG while on honeymoon in the Bahamas and the docs there were fab, but when I got home it was a different story! They don't know as much about it here as they do in the states, and it's good to know that not everyone in this country gets awful treatment.

Unfortunately, I'm also one of the ones who hasn't tolerated any of the UK meds and have had to ride it out. Thankfully - compared to some of the ladies here - my case is/was fairly mild-moderate!

Thanks for posting and giving future UK HGers some hope. Hope you're doing ok on your meds and that it continues!

[kk]

hI Moira! Sorry to read that the meds did not agree with you, I can't even begin to imagine what you felt like? I had to try a few different meds before sticking to one that helped. I have definately got the help I needed but there is still alot to be said for the care system over here such as more home help with hg. We cant have IV fluid at home which; would definately be a godsend as I ended up going in for one day a week to the hospital for rehydration and I do believe that this could have been avoided. They really do seem to have it sussed in America and think that awareness of hg needs to be registered amongst health professionals here. There are too many bad/negative experiences in the UK and I think that this says alot. Its such a shame that so many have to suffer and have the mental torture of people/professionals not believing the full extent of hg - where do they get off. Anyway enough of my ranting and I do hope that more people in the UK with hg get the help they need.

kk x x x x x x x x

[Sunlight]

Hi everyone.

Well after trying to gain weight i lost it over xmas after having a tummy bug and now have a cold. Im back asking for support as my period is 4 days late and my nipples are sore, tender, sensitive to touch, taking a test tomorrow but as you can imagine im worried about it being a BFP and undiagnosed HG rearing its ugly head in a couple of weeks and having a 3 yr old to care for

KK - i've added you to my msn messenger

[Natalie]

Hi Sunlight

Well, do update us of any developments

Do you have a protocol at the ready? Did you go to see your GP in the end?

Natalie, x

[Sunlight]

no protocol & no to GP too
After 3-4 months of trying our son started nursery 5 afternoons a week and we decided to wait till he was settled etc and as always when your not thinking about it.... Will know tomorro.

[Natalie]

Oh well, best laid plans and all that eh??!! Do update whether you got a BFP or not. If you are pg, there's still time to be proactive with your meds etc...

Take care and I hope you get the result you want.

Love Natalie, x

[Sunlight]

Thank you Natalie

I kept a diary of my 1st pregnancy and it seemed to start from week 6 and stopped at 14 weeks. I just hope i have a supportive doctor who believes in me because IF i am i have under 2 weeks to sort everything and im not at a very good weight (8 stone) and have 3 yr old to care for.

sorry to go on am worried and have a stinking cold too

[Natalie]

Any update??? How are you doing with the result that you got?

Love Natalie, x

[Sunlight]

No sign of AF yet if not arrived in next 3 days have to test again.

Thanks for your support xx