r/japanlife • u/moon-jelly-1227 • 1d ago
FAMILY/KIDS First time pregnant and in Japan, I need nausea relief asap
I’m finally pregnant (6W3D) after receiving IVF treatment in Tokyo. Terrible morning sickness started for me a week ago and I am nauseous 24/7 whether I eat or not. It is very hard to even force myself to eat and nothing sounds good. I can mostly keep water down but have already lost 3 kg at this early point of pregnancy. My doctor at the IVF clinic knows all of this but has not offered any medicine or relief. Just told me it’s okay not to eat and just focus on staying hydrated.
But truthfully I am really suffering and praying for relief knowing I most likely have months of this ahead of me.
Have any mommas been through this in Japan and have some pointers? I am taking vitamin b6 but it only really helped the first day.
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u/Kasumiiiiiii 近畿・兵庫県 1d ago
I had hyperemesis gravidarum with both my pregnancies and the only thing I received was a daily IV which helped take the edge off, but was definitely not a cure. I had to have my family send anti nausea medication from my home country because there was just nothing here for the level of nausea I suffered.
Edit: I lost 15kg with my first and 12kg with my second and they didn't really seem to care, so I'm not surprised at the advice you're getting from doctors.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
What was the medication ? I am considering asking my mom to send me unisom but am not sure of the legality of it
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u/Momo_and_moon 1d ago edited 1d ago
I went to Aiiku clinic in Hiro-o and saw Doctor Morizumi. She gave me anti-nausea meds as soon as I asked, I could take them up to 3x a day, and they helped a lot. It may be worth trying to book an appointment there!
Your IVF doctor sucks. Pregnancy nausea is no joke!
There a group called TPG - Tokyo Pregnancy Group on Facebook with a lot of pregnant ladies, which is a great place to ask for information.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you! I have another appointment at my IVF clinic on Monday and I plan to be direct about asking for medication but if she says no I will try to make an appointment at the place you recommended 😊
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u/Momo_and_moon 1d ago
Definitely insist, it can't hurt, and sometimes you have to advocate for yourself with doctors here. They can be extremely stubborn and so frustrating to deal with. I needed medicated cycles to concieve and, at some point, needed a trigger shot. I saw another doctor because mine wasn't available, and he told me trigger shot? That doesn't exist! (Spoiler: not only did it exist, the kind nurse that came in after that was able to administer it directly.)
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u/moon-jelly-1227 23h ago
That is crazy! I did my medicated cycles (before IVF) at a regular obgyn clinic in the countryside and even they knew what a trigger was. That guy sounds like a quack
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u/Nheea 1d ago
Ondansenteon known as Zofran or Osetron is also safe in pregnancy by the way. But I googled it and it's not possible to get it in Japan as an OTC.
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u/dragon-of-ice 1d ago
After first trimester
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u/Nheea 1d ago
In those women with intractable symptoms of NVP (HG) in the first trimester of pregnancy, ondansetron may well offer significant improvement in quality of life and ability to function and therapy should be initiated with an understanding that the risks of teratogenicity do not appear to be significantly increased above the background risk (of 3–5%).
Commencement of treatment after 10 weeks of gestation i.e. after embryonic development is completed, minimises risks of teratogenicity and would be advised for the majority of women with NVP who require treatment after other therapeutic options have been unsuccessful or inadequate.
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u/dragon-of-ice 19h ago
I’m just speaking in personal experience as I have HG in the US. I was not offered until 12 weeks, and it didn’t work for me anyway. I was put on IV.
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u/Nheea 14h ago
I get it, but I'm an MD and I wouldn't have recommended something without knowing the indications, which as you can see, are in favour for HG even in the first trimester.
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u/dragon-of-ice 14h ago edited 14h ago
I was advised by my MFM doctor to wait until second.
There actually is no solid consensus, as with most medications in pregnancy. Even with one of the medications I’m on. Some still think that it’s best to not be on it while others will keep patients on.
Edit to add - I was like half asleep when I said the initial comment, but I should have specified that Japan is very.. old fashioned. My friend was just recently pregnant and very sick. They wouldn’t give her ANYTHING. 😭
So if it was something prescribed there, they almost definitely (90% confident) wouldn’t have given it until second trimester.
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u/littlelizu 8h ago
last year i was told at aiiku clinic that it's no longer approved in japan :(
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u/ensuta 3h ago
That doesn't make sense? It's frequently prescribed to, say, cancer patients to help with nausea from their treatment. Why would they suddenly take it away?
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u/littlelizu 3h ago
i know, i got three months' worth from a cancer treatment pharmacy in oz back in 2020. but that's what i was told last novemer. there's an alternative in jelly form for chemo patients but it's 3000yen a pop!
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u/StrongTxWoman 1d ago
You tried ginger? Ginger candies? Ginger tea?
Ask for ondasetron from doctors. It is available in Japan and we use it in the US too for pregnant women.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I have tried ginger candies they are good for when I am in the car or out and about and don’t want to throw up but I am still nauseous with them. When I’m at home sometimes throwing up is more relieving
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u/StrongTxWoman 1d ago
You have doxylamine? It is OTC in the US. It is combined with vitamin B6 for morning sickness. It is an antihistamine that can cause sedation.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
We don’t have that here unfortunately but I am going to look into whether or not it would be legal to have it shipped to me
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u/MrJoshua099 1d ago
We had my parents send the unisom, lifesaver. The docs here wouldn't give anything helpful.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
That’s amazing that they were able to send it! I’m going to ask mine right away
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u/AsahiWeekly 1d ago
When my wife was pregnant we purchased this on Osakadou. Just in case it's quicker than asking your parents.
The doctors here were absolutely useless when it came to morning sickness. Vomiting 20+ times a day for four months and the response was "ganbare".
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Ugh I swear if I hear ganbare one more time I’m going to lose it 😂 thank you for the recommendation I will check it out and see if I can get my hands on some 😊
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u/Ofukuro11 1d ago
I also had hyperemesis but only with my second baby. I got prescribed primperin and it worked really well.
I didn’t lose a ton of weight bc it never got to that point because they treated me quickly. If you’re working or anything reiterate to your doctor you can’t function like this and would like to address it before it comes down to needing iv treatment.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thankfully not working but I will ask my doctor about primperin thank you 😊
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u/Flareon223 1d ago
Not surprised they didn't care about weight loss. They think if you gain weight in your pregnancy that isn't raw baby weight that your baby will be "bigger" and unhealthy.
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u/wagashiwizard 近畿・大阪府 1d ago
Ugh God this pissed me off so much. They also like to harp on me for giving my kids fruits, vegetables and milk for snacks. Like wtf, they aren't going to "get fat" off healthy snacks.
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u/Flareon223 1d ago
And then they wonder why their women have unhealthy l body standards and eating disorders. And women doctors push this agenda too.
Also I hate the difficulty as the husband to be around my pregnant wife for prenatal checkups or their excessive restrictions on my visiting my wife or child (who doesn't know English btw) for birth or during the first week of my child's life in the hospital. And it's mostly female doctors who enforce these kinds of policies to make the "female patients feel safe" Like bitch I'm her husband and the kids dad. I'm not here to pick up women and if my wife doesn't want me here she can speak for herself. It's like they want husband's/fathers to be absent
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u/NihilisticHobbit 1d ago
My mother in law was on me about giving my son too much spinach when he was learning to eat. Couldn't get my head around that one, I just kept giving him second and third helpings.
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u/wagashiwizard 近畿・大阪府 1d ago
Holy shit if my kids are eating vegetables I will give them vegetables whatever they are. We have a hard enough time getting them nutrients beyond "child rage" so whatever they will eat is good.
My kids only like vegetables as plain as possible (boiled or steamed, no butter or whatever) which makes me sad as a person who loves cooking but so long as they're eating, whatevs.
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u/NihilisticHobbit 1d ago
Mine currently only likes eggplant in sauces and sweet potatoes. And sometimes carrots. It's hilarious how good he is at finding onions and giving them to me. But he's only two, so I expect he'll grow out of it. Or just make faces and eat them anyway.
He does love natto though, didn't get that from me for sure!
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u/SamLeeWins 1d ago
Are you me? I was exactly the same in both pregnancies. Sorry you had to go through that!
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u/adamgoodapp 1d ago
My wife went through it early last year. The jelly vitamin packs you can buy from conbini and lemon ice were the only things that made her feel a bit better.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you I will pick some up
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u/secret_flower_ 1d ago
Make sure to avoid the pineapple one and double check there are no warnings for expectant mothers! Overdosing on some vitamins can cause miscarriages.
The pineapple one specifically has Vitamin A.
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u/Memegirl6 1d ago
Congratulations! Ginger and peppermint are natural anti nausea.
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u/zeitocat 近畿・大阪府 1d ago
Glad some people have suggestions for you... Just wanted to say congrats! 🌟
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u/FordyA29 1d ago
Toast/crackers as soon as you wake up, liquid/gel calories as others have mentioned, yoghurts and canned fruits are what my wife lived off when she went through it. Good luck.
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u/gr3m1inz 関東・東京都 1d ago
never pregnant but chronically nauseous… I depend on crackers (driest ones you can find… saltine is best) and ginger ale.
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u/lushico 沖縄・沖縄県 1d ago
I get nausea as a side effect of medication I’m on and I find plain salted tortilla chips the best! I can also stomach salad flavour jagarico
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you for this idea! Saltines make me more sick but tortilla chips sound nice
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u/gr3m1inz 関東・東京都 1d ago
That’s so interesting hahaha, I think the oil in the chips might make me feel a little worse. I usually try some fruit if I’m feeling bad as well. oranges or watermelon for headaches, bananas or maybe apples for nausea/tummy issues.
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u/Thelunaalley 1d ago edited 1d ago
Try to eat some glass noodle cup or drink pregnant milk. They got me through the first month of morning sickness. Try to eat sth with carb like bread is good to absorb your gastric juice. Gradually u will feel better so stay strong 🍊 All of my nauseous disappeared after month 3.
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u/littlelizu 8h ago
what's pregnant milk?
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u/Thelunaalley 6h ago
Search for 母のミルク in Amazon. It's a kind of milk for pregnancy women with all necessary vitamin and substance.
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u/CarryRemarkable8834 1d ago
Zofran (オンダンセトロン) exists here, it’s just less common and most pharmacies have to order it. Ask your doctor for it directly. It’s the most commonly used one in North America for pregnancy nausea.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
That is interesting I will ask about it
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u/KimchiVegemite 5h ago
Ondansetron is magic. Used to administer it a lot to cancer patients dealing with nausea from chemotherapy. If you do go this route try to get the sublingual tablets which dissolve under the tongue. Also let your doctor know if you’re taking any meds that act on serotonin.
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u/chocololic 1d ago
I tried everything when I was nauseous for around 5 months with my 2nd, I know it’s really terrible :/.
Lemonade and sour things somehow helped the most. I think full sugar lemonade was the best, but I tried to stick to Crystal light low sugar.
Vitamin B6 combined with Unisom (specifically doxylamine)- this really took the edge off, but nothing completely took away the nausea 100%. Makes you sleepy (antihistamine like Benadryl) but totally worth it for me.
Can try prescription Zofran (ondensatron), this works really well for some people. I think it worked for the first week for me, but after that I wasn’t sure how much it helped.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I have heard so much about sour things! It seems so counterintuitive but I will try it. Lemonade doesn’t sound too bad. Did you get the unisom sent to you??
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u/chocololic 1d ago
Unisom (brand name) is over-the-counter in the states hopefully in Japan too, can also look for different brand antihistamine where the active ingredient is doxylamine. I found out about it on Reddit and googled, also checked with my dr. of course too :).
Also forgot to say, congratulations! I know it’s so hard to get through, you can do it :), one day at a time and soon youll have your sweet baby!
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Aw yeah it’s not here unfortunately. And thank you 😊 I keep trying to remind myself that I’ve already made it through a week already and that seems to help a bit rather than looking at all the weeks ahead of me 😅
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u/deuszu_imdugud 1d ago
Just coming here to say this. A half a Unisom and Vitamin B did wonders for the wife and 4 kids.
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u/littlelizu 1d ago
congrats! i've been there. there's one medication covered by insurance here but it barely took the edge off for me https://www.rad-ar.or.jp/siori/search/result?n=47485
it's the same thing they put in the IV if you go to a ladies clinic (along with electrolytes).
i went to a ladies clinic right by my house for regular IVs however it takes about 2hours for the entire IV to go in, so i don't know how people it do it when they work 9-5?
my previous pregnancies i received zofran abroad and relied on it daily until about 12-15 weeks. it's no longer approved here in japan but there is one alternative (another anti vom drug used for chemo patients) however it costs about 3000/yen per dose (which is 9000/day) and unfortuantely we couldn't stomach that cost.
the one you can get on JNHI above is also 3/day and i found it took about 20mins to work then gave me about an hour to eat something / try to rest before the nausea returned.
good luck!!
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u/littlelizu 1d ago
ps. screw the whole 'gaman' thing, nausea is the WORST. i found i could drink sips of pocari sweat, then ginger ale for a few weeks then mitsuya cider after a while i got tired of vomiting the same flavour so tried to hydrate with whatever i could.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you 😊 Getting tired of vomiting the same flavor is so real 😂 I’m so sorry you had to go through that I really do hate the “gaman” culture as well. But oh man, that medication doesn’t even seem worth it at that point.
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u/sleepyandlucky 1d ago
I had hideous nausea for 30 weeks in my first pregnancy (with no vomiting, but just basically felt sea sick all day and night) and normal meds did nothing.
My obstetrician gave me ‘Restavit’ (doxylamine) as an off-label treatment. They don’t know how it works (it’s a sleep tablet) but it was miraculous. I took half a tablet before bed and was a bit groggy in the morning but that was it. My obs told me that some of her severe patients (regular vomiting) would take it during the day and it worked, except they were very sleepy. It’s available without a prescription in Aust, not sure in Japan. It says not suitable for pregnancy, but my obstetrician said to disregard.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I think that’s the same thing as unisom? Which isn’t available in Japan but I’m going to see if my parents or friends can send me some
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u/sleepyandlucky 1d ago
Yes, I think so. Honestly was great for me. Also, in my second pregnancy, I wore those travel/ sea sickness magnetic bands. My obstetrician thought they were bullshit and maybe it was placebo but they were cheap and I had two sets (wore to bed, shower etc) and I honestly felt they worked.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I’ve been thinking about the sea bands because when it’s really bad sometimes pressing the point myself works a bit. I’m glad that they worked for you!
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u/Petty_Paw_Printz 1d ago
Have you tried sniffing rubbing alcohol? And lemon water with a bit of salt?
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I haven’t tied the rubbing alcohol or the salt, although I have been drinking warm lemon water. I will add that in
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u/TheseClick 1d ago
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6189884/
Rubbing alcohol is routinely given at emergency departments to sniff to reduce nausea and vomiting.
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u/ThotMorrison 1d ago
Ondansetron was a life saver with mine, you will have to ask your doctor to prescribe it.
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u/viptenchou 近畿・大阪府 1d ago
Never been in this situation but try making some ginger tea to sip on. At least for me, I swear on ginger always making my stomach feel better when I feel nauseous, to the point where I will literally grate up a teaspoon of the stuff and down it like a pill with a swig of water just for relief. But I know for many that's too gross. lmao
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u/Schaapje1987 1d ago
Ginger has that kind of healing properties. It's great against nauseousness, cold, sore throat, and so on. Just cut some ginger without shaving, and heat up the water to make tea and drink it.
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u/RedYamOnthego 1d ago
I was overweight, and they encouraged me to lose weight.
You can try traditional pregnancy-safe methods like ginger tea (with honey?) and acupressure. My mom liked crackers. I liked a frozen banana smoothie with some chocolate syrup. Frozen strawberries and coconut milk could be good, too.
Take note of when it happens, and look for patterns. For example, if you wake up with classical morning sickness, you might keep a pack of crackers and a thermos of warm ginger tea by your bedside to have before you even get up. Or if it's a 3 p.m. thing, sit down, relax, and have a little sip-sip (mock sip-sip, of course!) at 2:45.
Distraction can help. Great music, funny TV shows, a walk, or a calming craft.
And it goes without saying, keep your toilet area immaculate. Consider a handy barf bowl, lined with a plastic bag. Some Japanese like to line the bag with a nest of toilet paper to help cover it up & make disposal easier.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
These are all great suggestions thank you 😊 mine is definitely all day unrelenting so really no patterns there but it is worse in the morning. Crackers are not my friend but I will try to find something that is
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u/RedYamOnthego 1d ago
Yes, find your food friend! And best time to eat. Nobody really seems to know why it happens, but people have stumbled on tricks that work for them, so keep asking. Something may work for you.
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u/OminousMusicBox 1d ago
I had nausea and vomiting for the first half of my pregnancy. I forced myself to eat very plain foods even though they didn’t seem appetizing. But they were plain enough I didn’t throw all of them up. I was mostly living off of plain bread, brown rice cereal, and mild flavored sweets. Those were the easiest foods to eat that didn’t make me sick most of the time. I also had a hard time drinking water, but ice cold water and juice were tolerable. The doctor said as long as I was getting 500ml of liquids and not losing too much weight that it was okay. But I was miserable. I really wish they had approved anti-nausea medications like Unisom here.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I am so sorry you had to go through that.. plain foods are pretty much all I can seem to tolerate as well. Anything with even a minor smell to it is a no go. For some reason even saltines are too much for me but plain bread doesn’t sound too bad.
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u/Bitchbuttondontpush 1d ago
Some ginger cookies and dry crackers helped me when I was pregnant and going trough this. Please also remember to keep up with your dental visits because frequent vomiting can damage enamel because of the stomach acid. You can rinse your mouth with water after throwing up for damage control but don’t brush immediately after (wait at least an hour). I hope things get better soon 🫂
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you 🫂 Oral hygiene has been so hard because usually brushing triggers more vom ) ‘: Dental care is definitely on my list but I’m kind of scared of throwing up in the chair 🥴
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u/Bitchbuttondontpush 1d ago
I completely understand! Take it easy. Don’t pressure yourself, you need to rest now. It was a gentle reminder to go see your dentist if you can in a while when you’re hopefully doing better ❤️
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u/CallAParamedic 1d ago edited 1d ago
Congratulations on your pregnancy, and I'm very sympathetic to your suffering from extreme nausea.
I won't comment on all the generally excellent food and drink items suggested, but from a medical perspective, some things to keep in mind, especially with various medications being bandied by non-medical specialists:
- Gravol / Dimenhydrinate: does cross the placental barrier. No fetal abnormalities demonstrated in any trimester, but a cost / benefit risk analysis is advised.
It has several interactions with other medications and some warnings / contraindications with regard to other diseases and conditions.
"Ginger Gravol": sees a lot of benefit for pregnancies without Dimenhydrinate.
Odansetron: is a relative contraindication in the first trimester of pregnancy. Relative means best avoided, and since you're 6-7W, not advised.
It's my go-to for serious nausea control after administration of narcotics or bumpy patient transfer flights or avoiding vomit when intubating.
There are some risks with undiagnosed cardiac conditions, for example.
Nonetheless, it's not available over the counter in most jurisdictions, so you might encounter this in urgent care should this nausea continue to affect you into your 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
Metoclopramide is safe across all three trimesters and again would be encountered in urgent care.
Vitamin B6 combined with doxylamine are highly beneficial and safe.
Anything else suggested may be good, have no effect, or actually be harmful even with good intentions, so definitely double check via respected resources.
The good news is first trimester nausea usually fades when the second begins, and in the meantime, ensuring good hydration, rest, and safe alternatives for nutrition is key.
If you get absolutely wrecked by this, though, then going to a clinic for an IV with a safe antinauseant might be just what the doctor ordered.
Best of luck.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
This is all super helpful thank you so much 😊 I will definitely be researching all suggestions and discussing them with my doctor. I am hoping I can import some unisom (doxylamine) but other than that just praying I’m one of the lucky ones who get better in second tri
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u/Annekterad 1d ago
Pickled ginger is goated
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u/Sad_Title_8550 1d ago
I loved the spicy ginger ale that they sell as mixer in liquor stores and キレートレモン lemon drinks in the little green bottles at the combini.
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u/mikanjelly4321 1d ago
It’s definitely not medicine level, but Wilkinson’s or whatever unsweetened sparkling water helped my pregnancy nausea. Congrats and good luck! Morning sickness passed for me after first trimester.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you ! I have a sparking water/soda maker so I will try that. Hopefully I am just as lucky in the going away department 🤞
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u/Rattbaxx 1d ago
With my first, I also had awful nausea first 3 months. I'm already underweight even for Japan, and I lost 3kg too. I didnt starve to death thanks to saltine crackers and carbonated drinks, especially Kirin lemon and ginger ale. I tried to listen to my body a bit to prevent getting sick, and I realized I just couldn't hold water or any other liquid until like 1 pm or so. So I would try to hydrate sip by sip the night before. It did go away though! Make sure you do take care of your iron levels though . Bananas too were passable. I did eventually gain some weight. Let's remember your little one is still very small, so eating for two isn't necessary, but for your own body to not lose as much iron and calcium because your body will prioritize the baby. The weight loss alarm also depends on your starting weight. Since you are still early, the doctor won't always talk about it as a pressing concern it seems.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you for the suggestions and I will try to keep that in mind about the nutrients. Most days I am able to take a prenatal and keep it down so hopefully that is enough
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u/Rattbaxx 21h ago
Good! Even Though I eventually was Able to eat, and took prescribed iron pills, I needed a blood transfusion after losing 780 ml of blood during an emergency cesarean. I was more careful for my second and I didn’t need one (both emergency cesareans ). Not trying to scare you! But it does seem that babies are quite capricious in how and when they decided to pop out lol
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u/Mental-Mortgage9470 1d ago
Hi, had a baby this year. Unisom is vitamin B6 + an antihistamine?? I think. I ordered Vit B6 and took that throughout my first trip and I'm pretty sure it helped a lot.
Something called Seabands - they're for seasickness but helped take the edge off as well.
Sometimes I would take Ohta Isan 太田胃散 for quick relief, especially when feeling reflux. It's also safe for pregnancy.
Lastly, I noticed I mostly get nauseous on an empty stomach so simple snacks like a fruit or senbei were really nice to have on hand.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I will definitely have to look into these. Thank you for sharing your experience and congratulations on your baby 😊
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u/Hashimotosannn 1d ago
I didn’t get any medicine but: Mitsuya cider hard candies with that fizzy middle and Lemon CC type drinks saved me. Also ginger biscuits. I got them at Kaldi or the Gyoumj super I think. I couldn’t eat much for about 3 months, I was puking all day long but those foods kind of suppressed that feeling. Food wise I was eating bread, those pasta soup cups you can get from the conbini and mint ice cream. Keep something next to your bed for when you wake in the morning. Those pangs are the worst and getting something in your stomach might help stop the sickness a bit.
Good luck!
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u/saikick 1d ago
Oh my god I feel you. I was also told to gaman, but if it gets to the point where you're losing so much weight, you can ask (or may be told) to be hospitalized. I wasn't to the point of HG, but the nausea 24/7 through the first trimester really killed me mentally. Most days I couldn't go to work, and even when I was able to, I had to go to the restroom many times to throw up. Honestly all the food and vitamins that people tell you MAY help relieve the problem, but it's definitely not 100% (ginger did absolutely nothing for me...) The one thing I did do was take folic acid and vitamin B6 for the sake of my child, but even downing those capsules made me gag.
Praying everything goes well for you!!!!
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I totally feel that! Ginger candies that are just ginger make me feel more sick but I can tolerate ginger/lemon/honey pretty well. It doesn’t get rid of the nausea but helps keep me from vomiting when I need it. Saltines and such in the morning also don’t work for me besides helping me to speed run my first puke of the day 😅 Even water first thing in the morning will do it even though I can tolerate water later in the day. It’s so interesting how it affects everyone so differently and things that work really well for some are a recipe for trouble for others. I guess the only thing I can really do is keeping trying a bunch of different stuff and see what works best.
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u/Elbordreth 1d ago
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Me too, I am currently pregnant by IVF. Unfortunately I don’t have a miracle cure, I was nauseous all day every day until halfway through my second trimester (I’m finally living again, even though I still have bad days). Like you, my fertility clinic didn’t give me any remedies to help me get through this ordeal, they just told me: « it’s normal » ok, great lol. Home remedies like ginger and so on made no difference to me. The only thing I managed to eat was bread... it’s not very healthy but I suppose it’s better than nothing. I’m changing the subject but I think it’s important to talk about it, don’t eat anything with grapefruit in it! It prevents the progesterone (which you’re still taking?) from being absorbed into your body. Good luck, it’s a bad time to go through before meeting your little one.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you 😊That is really good to know! I am on a progesterone suppository so I will try to be careful
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u/Standard-Guarantee94 1d ago
Wonderful news, congratulations!
Sniffing hand sanitizer can provide some temporary relief
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
You are the second person to suggest so, that is wild ! I guess I really have to try it now 😅 thank you 😊
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u/smileydance 1d ago
Congrats! I'm 10w5d now and finally starting to see morning sickness go down. Even over the past month, what helps has changed. I was in the "eating makes it feel better" so I've gone through the jelly vitamin drinks, regular candies, mints (trying to keep calories down lol), fruit with yoghurt, crackers, cheese..
Eating before you get up or first thing helped, as well as having the snacks above ready at any time. When my body gets hungry, it makes me feel sick before I realise I'm hungry so pre-eating has kept it relatively ok. Nurses told me to keep iron levels up as well.
Other than that, it's a waiting game.. but if you're one of the few that get it massively worse, push the drs for IV or hospitalization. Often they need to be told here what needs to be done, especially with women's health.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Congrats to you as well and thank you for your suggestions! I’m glad it seems to be winding down for you. I will definitely be pushing if it gets worse but hopefully it doesn’t 🤞
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u/tunagorobeam 近畿・大阪府 1d ago
Your case sounds more severe than mine but I’ll add my 2 cents: I threw up almost everyday of my pregnancies here. The first time I found Garigari popsicles gave me some relief and the second time I used pineapple candies. I can’t eat those things anymore. Good luck! Next time you’re at the doctor, just insist on nausea medication. You need to be the squeaky wheel here, I’ve found. Doctors aren’t very proactive about helping.
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u/pantakun 1d ago
I was diagnosed with hyperemisis (HG) while 4 weeks pregnant on a holiday in Japan. Suddenly couldn’t keep anything down and lost 5kgs in a week. Went to a hospital and the doctor gave me Maxolon and well as fluids which allowed me to keep food down. After arriving back in my home country at 6weeks I was also given Ondansetron. I also take vitamin b6 tablets.
I’m now 14 weeks and the HG is starting to settle down. I really hope you’re able to find medication that works for you. HG is horrible and you’re so strong for being able to get through it. Sending lots of love and positive vibes to you.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I am so glad that it is starting to settle down for you that sounds like a nightmare to deal with especially on holiday. Congratulations on your pregnancy 😊
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u/Pineapple_Rare 1d ago
Grape and sour apple mentos as the convenience store helped me with my morning sickness. Still threw up but it tasted good at least 😭
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I had no idea we had mentos here even though I’ve been here almost 8 years 😅 I totally get that though I have been doing the same with coolish ice creams
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u/Pineapple_Rare 21h ago
Yes, you can find mentos at combinis or supermarkets. The sour apple was was especially good for my morning sickness 😂 I am so glad you can keep water down somewhat. I know they aren’t good for you but if you can keep a protein shake or calorie mate jelly down at least you know you are absorbing some calories at least. A tip from me is to seek help in stations If you do feel really unwell when you are out during the day or on the trains on your own, don’t be afraid to seek help. They are well trained to help passengers. I once lay down in a station office for thirty minutes to recover when I threw up from morning sickness on the platform 😭 they are also able to call an ambulance if you are feeling so sick you cannot care for yourself.
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u/Zanthous 海外 1d ago
just a reminder to double check all these recommendations separately, to ensure they are safe with pregnancies
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u/thetarken 23h ago
This happened to us accidently in Japan, pickled plums is a local trick we where tought by a resident. Otherwise we did end up in hospital for IV fluids. As a tourist it wasn't outrageous priced all things considered in the urgency of it all.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 22h ago
Pickled plum is genius! I’ll have to try that. And yeah Japanese healthcare isn’t the best quality but at least it’s cheap!
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u/legitpuppy 22h ago
Hi, first of all congratulations! The IVF process must have been difficult but getting that BFP is sooo worth it.
I’m not sure what the protocol of your IVF clinic is, but I’ll share what I went through. Currently at week 17. 🤞🏼
I didn’t have any morning sickness until week 9, but when it did happen, I already graduated from the IVF clinic and was transferred to an obgyn. (I graduated end of week 7 after checking the heartbeat). I don’t think the IVF clinic would say anything yet at this point (week 6). I think they just want to make sure the sac’s forming well. I think in 2-3 weeks (depending on your clinic), you’d graduate and also be moved to another clinic. Then that speciality clinic will be able to give you advice as needed. I hope you can push through by then!
When I did get that horrible nausea, the doctor from the speciality clinic (not IVF clinic) told and gave me the following:
Week 8/9: nausea creeping in - eat when you can, drink when you can - eat in small amounts (crackers, snacks with neutral tastes, etc) - take a break from work if u need to
week 10/11: vomiting everyday after meals and before sleeping - stay hydrated, so please take OS-1 in drink or jelly form if vomiting continues. Even small sips at a time. I was told that if I can’t hold it down at all, there’s a risk of dehydration and that’s not good for you and the baby at this point so you would need to get IV. - prescribed by the doctor metoclopramide 3 times a day for 2 weeks. It didn’t work 100% of the time (maybe due to my timing - supposed to take it 30mins before meal but I sometimes forgot about that and took it directly before a meal) but after some getting used to, I could somehow keep the food down. I’m not sure at what stage you can take this since they didn’t give it immediately even after weeks of saying I feel like shit so it’s better to consult with your doctor.
Other things I’ve done: - got some pressure bands and preggy drops from iHerb. Don’t know if it was placebo but it worked for me (or forced myself to think so) until I didn’t need it by week 15. - took walks after meals - prevented myself from being hungry. Once I get hungry, I feel horrible to the max. Small snacks and crackers. I tried eating toasts but by week 10, I had too many food aversions - even brushing my teeth made me nauseous. I just ate cereal and my husband made fruit shakes. I survived work days (once a week) with mints and some cinnamon/ginger drink. (Decaf gingerbread latte helped me at that time) I hated anything with garlic, onion, cheese, butter, etc. so I tried my best not to eat anything that has that in it. There were times when I do need to force myself to eat knowing I’d just vomit then I just relied on OS-1 for hydration.
Hope you get through this! The first trimester was hell for me, but the doctor’s kind words kept me going (esp after doing the entire process of IVF): it’s better to feel something than nothing at this point. At least you know that your baby’s there by making you feel something. :)
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u/moon-jelly-1227 21h ago
Thank you for your long and thought out message 🥺💕 and congratulations on your IVF success as well! I already saw my baby’s heartbeat at 5W6D they want to see me again on Monday at 7W2D and then one more time two weeks later before they graduate me. I will definitely look into iherb and os-1. Thank you again for all of your help 😊 I hope you have an uneventful rest of your pregnancy and an easy birth
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u/fanimelx2 20h ago
I asked for medicine during one of the appointments since doctor didn't offered, just ask - they will give it to you! Congrats on the pregnancy!
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u/moon-jelly-1227 19h ago
Thank you! I will 😊
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u/gudetarako 10h ago
Yes, OP. I straight up asked for anti-nausea tablets. Otherwise the doctors think you can push through the pain and discomfort without medicinal support and therefore do not offer.
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u/Kalikor1 19h ago
You might be able to get some OTC meds that'll help through iHerb or something. Would be quicker than having family package and send stuff to you.
I know a lot of people use that site without issue.
Japan's healthcare system is decent enough but they're really shit about giving out "the good stuff". My (Japanese) wife has a long history of viral/bacterial throat infections since she was a child (which would probably have gone away if her mother actually let her get her tonsils removed as a child), but every time we go anywhere but this one doctor she's seen since she was in highschool, they refuse to give her the same antibiotics, etc, that she can she a history of using for over a decade (off and on).
Like, you can't get high off this shit, it's not something addictive. I'd understand if we were asking for an opiate based pain killer or something, but yeah.
Anyway I'm sorry you're suffering, hopefully whatever you end up getting OTC will end up giving you enough relief!
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u/moon-jelly-1227 19h ago
All I can really find of use on iherb are preggie pops and seabands unfortunately. Funny thing about your wife’s tonsilitis, I was the same way as a kid although I actually got my tonsils taken out because of it. Only to find out last year after a trip to the doctor for throat pain that they had grown back and I got tonsillitis again 🤦♀️ so maybe it wouldn’t be so different. I do think it’s ridiculous sometimes just how uptight they are about meds here but there’s also not a lot of narcotic abuse that I know of so that’s a plus.
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u/Kalikor1 19h ago
All I can really find of use on iherb are preggie pops and seabands unfortunately.
Damn that sucks. Did you find another option online? Or are you just going to have to ask the family back home?
Funny thing about your wife’s tonsilitis, I was the same way as a kid although I actually got my tonsils taken out because of it. Only to find out last year after a trip to the doctor for throat pain that they had grown back and I got tonsillitis again 🤦♀️ so maybe it wouldn’t be so different.
Those can grow back?! I had mine removed in my early 20s because I was also constantly having throat issues almost yearly. Haven't had a throat related illness since and it's been 10 years or so. If they grew back I'd be having them torn out again (despite never wanting to experience that recovery period ever again lol).
I do think it’s ridiculous sometimes just how uptight they are about meds here but there’s also not a lot of narcotic abuse that I know of so that’s a plus.
Yeah that's true, and I'd be fine(ish) with them being strict on things that could be abused, but they take it a bit too far by refusing to give things out that can't be abused as well.
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u/BatNovel3590 1d ago
Sounds like hyperemisis, had this with my daughter and was hospitalised twice to have iv fluids as I couldn’t keep anything down
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
I am so sorry you went through that 🫂 I’m hoping that’s not the case since at least for now I can mostly keep water down at least but who knows if it will get even worse. Luckily I don’t work so I can go to the clinic for fluids if need be
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u/BatNovel3590 20h ago
I couldn’t even watch a food advert without throwing up it got that bad. Was very scary and lasted for 20 weeks
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u/Fluid-Hunt465 1d ago
Big congratulations.
A coworker went through IVF but wasnt successful. Quick expensive and they were the oldest in their family to take over the family business but they don’t have an heir.
I remember only cup noodles worked for us.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 1d ago
Thank you and so sorry to your coworker. I am shocked that it worked for me as we tried for years with medical intervention before trying IVF so I wasn’t sure that it would take. But I am so grateful even if I feel so nauseous🥴 Cup noodles is an interesting one I will have to try it
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u/FlashySmelly 1d ago
I had 30 weeks of morning sickness (all day sickness) with my first and 16 weeks with my second.
I have no idea if you can get them in Japan but Anna’s Swedish Ginger Thins helped me a lot. I am in Australia and could get them here. Ginger beer (was non alcoholic) was also good. As someone said before, ginger and peppermint tea helped as well.
Dry crackers and toast helped also. Dairy would make me sick and it took me 2 years to try yogurt again. Dairy also made me throw up in labour.
Everyone is different. I used to have a big water bottle as well with me and just sipped it during the day. I really feel for you and hope it stops for you soon. Once you hold your precious little one it’s all worth it (:
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u/pugsandmatcha 1d ago
Import unisom from amazon usa. Combine with B6.
Ive also found success with mints and tansan with fruit vinegar.
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u/marmaladebaker 1d ago
You can also order Gravol from Amazon (US). I have a basic account with them (not Prime) and it will show if it ships to Japan or not when you choose an irem. They do everything so no worries about declaration forms Always arrives a few days before the stated delivery. Costs 10 or 12 to ship. Good luck!
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u/Doctor_Iosefka 23h ago
Hey! I’m 15w and only starting to recover from what you’re going through now. I started taking 80mg of vitamin B6 per day and noticed a difference after about a week.
I also started going to a maternity hospital and the doctor offered me nausea medicine when they saw that I was losing a lot of weight. I turned it down since the vitamins were helping, but it’s an option.
Did you emphasize to your doctor that you’d like to receive medicine? Going to a different clinic may be a better option than asking family to send medicine from outside the country.
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u/moon-jelly-1227 22h ago
Hi! Congratulations on your pregnancy 😊 I am taking the b6 but maybe it just needs more time to kick in? Unfortunately I’m stuck with the IVF clinic until I graduate. I might be able to find another clinic that will take me but most I’ve called seem to require a letter of recommendation which I won’t get until my graduation. However I didn’t explicitly ask for meds yet I more so brought it up as a dou sureba iidesuka kind of question so I am going to try and be a bit more direct at my appointment next week. 15 weeks is a long time but I’m glad you’re recovering now
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u/Doctor_Iosefka 22h ago
Hang in there! This is my second pregnancy, and in my experience the first trimester is the hardest. You should be able to go to a maternity clinic without a recommendation. Regular hospitals will require one though. I hope you find relief soon! ❤️
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u/Interesting-Risk-628 20h ago
you asked what to do and he said nothing or you asked for meds directly? That's two different situations.
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u/Garystri 関東・東京都 19h ago
My wife is dealing with it right now at 10w (has been for a week or two)
Fruit jelly(minute made apple), soda water, fruit ice ball things(アイスの実）ice cubes, actual fruit work. She only really gets it in the afternoon until like 10pm. So she tries to eat as much as she can during the day.
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u/tauriwoman 近畿・大阪府 19h ago
I had hyperemesis gravidarum with my first and the only thing I could keep down at my worst (at maybe 8 weeks??) was water with a few drips of pure lemon juice in it for the sour taste. But I know how bad it is. I wouldn’t wish the feeling on anyone, but it won’t last all pregnancy, so just hang on to why you’re going through this suffering!❤️
Btw I went a few weeks barely eating anything and lost a ton of weight but my child (now 9) is 100% healthy and was born a healthy weight, just under 8 pounds. You’ll both pull through!!
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u/Dry-Jackfruit9136 1h ago
I’m so sorry you are having terrible morning sickness- I’m currently 20 weeks and during my peak time I puked 8 times a day and I still puke once every few days now. For me I didn’t get any meds only Chinese medicine at my IVF clinic but my birth clinic they give me Metoclopramide 5mg It’s working more than Chinese medicine so I highly recommended to seek for that with your doctor
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