Xonvea

I have HG and been hospitalised 3/4 times, vomited 20+ times a day and lost 7kg and Xonvea pretty much saved my life. I was first put on Cyclizine, Metoclopramide and Ondansetron and none worked until the consultant gynae put me on Xonvea. I have to go to the hospital for the refill as only that consultant can prescribe it and I didn’t have to pay at all.

@Joan that’s really helpful to know thank you. Has it just relieved the vomiting or the nausea too? This time Ondansetron is doing well to stop my vomiting but the nausea is very intense still x

@Emily oh how interesting. The BUMPS medical website seems to suggest it’s safe but it may explain why it’s non-formulary x

@Sophie it relieved both for me but I was started on a high dose i.e. 4 tablets a day and I’m down to 2 now and I’m still fine. Ondansetron barely did anything for me and there was a risk of the baby developing cleft palate on it so I guess it’s just to pick your poison unfortunately 😢.

@Joan thanks Joan. Yes I don’t understand why they won’t prescribe this which appears to be more low risk than Ondanestron. Did you have to stop the Ondanestron to trial this? I may be having to just purchase this medication without seeing a doctor so want to make sure I do it safely x

@Sophie apparently it’s a lot more expensive for the NHS (It costs nearly £30 for 20 tablets compared to £5 for 100 cyclizine tablets) Also not every GP is authorised to prescribe it. It was a consultant gynae at the EPU who prescribed it for me the last time I was hospitalised and I have to go to the hospital for a refill authorised by them. Yes, I stopped Ondansetron and all the medicines I was on as they were barely working anyway.

@Joan this is the problem I’m coming across, none of our local trusts or GPs are able to prescribe it so having to look at private avenues. But if it works it would 100% be worth the money x

@Sophie oh dear. I’m always surprised at how different trusts operate when it comes to health. Hopefully you’re able to get and it all works out for you and your symptoms go away because HG is horrible.

I had to use it alongside cyclizine and ondansetron. It didn’t work until I had it combined with steroids, once I was weaned off of steroids I was on 4 tablets a day, quite a high dose but by then it was effective.

Didn’t work for me, and it was so bloody hard to get!good luck xx

Today’s my second day of taking it. It’s working but makes me really drowsy

@Yashi I found it worked for the first 2 days but day 3 was probably my worst day of sickness for the entire pregnancy. Combined with feeling spaced out I decided to switch back to my ondanestron and cyclizine and glad I have x

The xonvea is really something that takes a week or so to kick in. I was terribly sick on it for the first week and it make me so drowsy i was unable to function. Stick with it! The drowsiness doesn’t affect me anymore as in i feel perfectly awake whilst on it. I sometimes wish it would help me sleep! I still have bouts of sickness with it and i’m 18 weeks now, but nowhere near as bad as before. And tbh with HG when you have a relapse nothing will help so just have to ride the wave.

I had HG for first 13/14 weeks of pregnancy, nothing worked until I took a combination of Xonvea and Cyclizine.. it is available on the NHS just have to phone around different pharmacies.. and yes as others have said takes a few days/week for Xonvea to kick in

@Sarah I'm sure it is safe for use during pregnancy, in fact isn't it one of few drugs licensed for pregnancy.. i used it up to around 16 weeks

@Sarah I had a good read through on the BUMPS website which is recommended by the nhs for looking at pregnancy medication and it seems to say Xonvea is perfectly safe x