18 Weeks & Migraines

If you are preg you need to consult a dr prior to taking any medd for a head ache. YOU ARE PREG..... KAthy

I had my migranes suddenly go away in my 5th month, my hope is that the same will happen for you.
Best of luck and congratulations, Parenthood is an absolute taste of heaven. You have so much to look forward to and maybe that can help you to eliviate some of this physical pain. Hang in there. My guess is a boy :)

"This too shall pass".

I also suffer from migraines but fortunately I didn't have any while pregnant. I would contact your doctor because not all meds are safe. My prescription meds are not intended for nursing or pregnant moms. I have heard that caffeine does help also. I would try to hang in there and just use asprin and try to lay down, sleep has always helped me. If you have never had one before you might just be prone to them with pregnancy. I didn't have a migraine my whole pregnancy and then had my first when my daughter was about 6 months old. Luckily I seem to only get one every couple of months. I feel for you because it is one of the worst pains ever.

I got migraines with both of my pregnancies. At times it was so bad that my Ob checked me into the hospital and gave me pain medication to cope. It would take a few days to recover as well.
I did figure out that they were more frequent when I wasn't drinking enough fluids. When I would force myself to drink all day I was fine- but if I forgot and got a little dehydrated they would start up again.
I also found that they would come when I wasn't getting enough sleep. So I would try to nap in the afternoons since I wasn't sleeping well at night. This was easier with my first pregnancy!
Caffeine never worked for me. It actually made me dizzy and edgy on top of the pain.
I would say just to watch out for what your triggers might be and discuss it with your Ob. If things get bad they will give you something for the pain.
Hang in there- I never had another migraine after my girls were born. It seemed to be a pregnancy thing with me.
Good luck,
S.

Caffine can start migraines and take them away. They only take them away if it has NOT caused it. I am a frequent migraine sufferer and if I have had chocolate or soda and I get one I know I can try it. But I have had something that I know brought it on like caffine, it wont work and sometimes makes it worse!
While I was pregnant with my DD migraines seemed to just be a part of the pregnancy. Luckily prior to this I had found the ONLY thing that worked. Massage. Most people I tell this to think I'm off my rocker, using it as an excuse to get one, or are just too uncomfortable to try. But trust me it is total worth it if you have someone who knows what they are doing. I'm not talking swedish massage, I'm talking deep tissue, firm pressure massage. But in your case you also have to make sure they know what they're doing with prenatal care also! It's no joking matter, they must know the areas they need to stay away from. So do some background work first. Plus geting massage while pregnant can help you in so many ways you wont believe it!

I had migraines throughout my pregnancy. If it becomes a chronic problem I would talk with your midwife. Although the tendency is to limit medications in pregnancy there are many over the counter medications with aspirin or ibuprofen that are safe to take up until the third trimester that work much better than tylenol.

Hi C.,
I had horrendous migraines when I was pregnant. The doctors actually had me taking vicodin which knocked me out until it went away and I usually only had to take one, but I hated the idea that I was taking a narcotic while I was pregnant. I am sure if you talk to your doctor they have safer things they can prescribe, as well as maybe going to a local health food store supplement aisle. They usually have someone working there that is knowledgeable. And there's also the Web if all else fails. Good luck. I know how hard it is and I feel for you.

Congrats! Someone mentioned Fiorocet and I have to say it worked wonders for me when I was pregnant. My ob assured me it was safe and I have a perfectly healthy baby boy. You should talk with your ob if the OTC's don't work for you and see if Fiorocet might be something for you. No need to suffer through them if you don't have to. Good luck with your pregnancy.

I spent most of my pregnancy with a headache. I'd talk to your doctor about it, since there are so many meds you can't take while pregnant.

Caffeine helps kick in the medications - and LACK of caffeine can give a lot of people heahaches - I think thats why it's in the OTC meds...

My suggestion -- when it's mild, take care of it... I tried to find what caused it... If it was lack of caffeine, drink a little... (a cup of coffee a day was allowed by my OB..) If it was sinus related, I would remove myself from the offending smell.. If it was stress related, I would try to take a hot bath and de-stress.. take a walk... or whatever works to de-stress you. Catching it before it blows up to the migraine status is not easy and not always possible, but thats my biggest suggestion...

Good luck.

Hello C.,
I am not sure how you feel about natural products but my friend takes a product for her migraines!!! It seems to work for her, she loves and takes it for everything. If you would like information about it please email me back and I will get it for you!!!

S.

Reliv Reliv Reliv! It's a food supplement that will replace all your vitamins, including prenatal, and has no drugs in it - just food! Migraine sufferers get wonderful relief - also allergy sufferers, and many other conditions. I can give you some people to talk to who have had this problem, also moms whose obstetricians told them it is perfectly safe during pregnancy. It's patented, and there's never been a successful claim against the company since it started 20 years ago. Very highly rated company, caring people, top scientists. It's not available in stores, only through distributors (many stay at home moms!), people who will help you network to get the info you need. I can't say enough about what it has done for my family.

I think you have to be very careful about caffeine, drugs, and over the counter products, including the stuff sold at health food stores - they all have side effects. Just because they are "natural" doesn't mean they are safe - arsenic is natural, for example, and so are poison mushrooms, but you wouldn't take them!! If you decide to go the prescription route, get several opinions, and be sure the doctors are not just pushing drugs to get rid of you.

I had the same thing happen with my second child. My midwife suggested two Tylenol, some black licorice & a diet coke (with caffeine). Evidently the black licorice has blood thinning/heart rate increasing potential that speeds up the delivery of the caffeine & Tylenol through your system. I have to admit, I'm not a big caffeine consumer and it's hard to find real black licorice (although Good & Plentys did work when I was in a pinch). This totally worked for me and I now have added it to my "Tried & True" list of easy home treatments.

Hi C.,
As a longtime migraine sufferer, I know what it's like but it IS Spring and there are plenty of things that will cause sinus pain that's is every bit as severe as a migraine and feel just like one. Absolutely check with your OB about taking any otc meds first. You might first try something like an antihistamine or decongestant, applying a hot facecloth to your forehead, a hot shower helps too.
If you do have actual migraines, Fiorocet with or without codiene works quite well. Please let us know how you make out.

I get migraines periodically, and all through both of my pregnancies. The worst is when you feel atrocious and the dr tells you to just take tylenol. My advice: if you feel even the slightest bit of a headache coming on, take tylenol, drink several glasses of water and have something with a little caffine in it. Hopefully this will help ward off the headache. I found that I could get many fewer headaches by eliminating a lot of dairy from my diet, as well as chocolate - everyone has different triggers. Finally, if you find that you have one long headache that won't go away, or lots of headaches, see if your dr will prescribe either tylenol-3 (tylenol with codine) or something else (the name is escaping me now) that is one of the early migraine meds. Both are safe during pregnancy when used in moderation. They didn't help a ton, to be honest, but they did help me sleep, and sometimes that's the best cure. I was really worried about taking anything, but at a certain point you just have to feel well enough to function. Both kids are happy and healthy now!

I agree with the other posters who mention speaking with your doctor about this. As someone who has a long history with migraines, I would be wary of adding in more caffeine without first identifying if this may be the reason. Although it can be a common trigger (if your body was used to drinking a lot of caffeine and now you have none) it is not, by far, the only reason for increased headaches. Another very probably reason is related to blood sugar. If your blood sugar dips and gets low this could also send your body into a headache mode. Your best bet is probably to try and catch the headache as soon as you can. Either by eating or taking tylenol and going into a dark room. Ice over the eyes and behind your neck is helpful.

I would, however mention this to my Dr. and if it keeps getting worse, there may be another culprit that needs to be looked at. Most likely it is hormones, low blood sugar, or caffeine withdrawl, but better to be safe than sorry. Good luck - headaches are a pain (literally)

I had same issue with my first and it turned out to lack caffeine. My doctor told me to have a cup of tea instead of skipping and it worked. I guess it depends on how much caffeine you were drinking before. Good Luck!

Hi. I had constant migraines during pregnancy, starting at about the same time as you. I just had my son in February. I had elevated blood pressure, which may have caused the headaches, or it may have just been the hormones. At any rate, caffiene can help, but only if they are mild will it take the headache away. My dr. prescribed a migraine drug that is supposed to be safe during pregnancy (fioricet), and I took it when I absolutely couldn't deal any more. My sone came out happy and healthy (and big!), so I think she was right. Good luck

Hi C.! Congrats on your pregnancy! Sorry to hear you are suffering. I was a long time migraine sufferer until a couple years ago. I had them during much of my first and some of my second pregnancy to the point that they made me throw up for a day or more sometimes! I feel your pain! I rarely have them now. I would encourage you to talk with your doctor, of course. I tried some of the medications others have mentioned and they didn't work for me. If you can keep a food journal you may find a connection with the caffeine or other things. What I have done is get regular chiropractic care, even during my pregnancies! This made a big difference. I also switched my home to non-toxic cleaning and personal care products. Many brand-name items have chemicals in them that trigger headaches (among other things). Even when you are not using them, they emit vapors that you are breathing - that's why that aisle and any storage place they are in smell so strongly. Those are my thoughts. Hope they help. Good luck!

Hi, I had the same type of headache with my first child. Never had a headache before in my life then out of now where. I could barely move. It turned out to be Toxemia. I developed Bells Palsy from the blood pressure being high. You should call your doctor.
Good Luck!

I have about 1 migraine a month, so I know how you feel. Have you cut back on anything during your pregnancy (caffiene, chocolate, sugar, wine?) Sometimes the triggers can be hormonal, but often they are these food items that we stop enjoying. If I can catch it early, I can drink a cup of coffee or soda and it may help the attack. I normally use Excedrin, which does contain caffiene, too. I would call your doctor's office and ask them what meds you are allowed, but then enjoy your normal foods so as not to trigger your headaches. Other than that, it may just be a surge in hormones!

Talk to your doctor and go to a nueroligist if your health care will cover it. I have migraines normally (and they intensified with pregnancy). I would say you need to keep good track of when they are happening and the circumstances around them to pinpoint your "triggers" (lack of sleep, certain food, extreme temp changes...) then you and your doc can discuss medicine or not. I would lay off the "old wives tales" fixes like more caffine. The baby is what probably brought it on but is most likely also going to be what prevents getting a quick fix to treat it! (they are like that for a long time too,,,, little buggers!) Good Luck!

Do you have any swelling in your hands or feet? if so, contact your doctor right away, you probably know that though. I had two high risk pregnancies and could not restist saying that. I had headaches in my first trimester, but they went away by my second trimester. However, I did end up with HELLP syndrome when I was pregnant with my twins and had to deliver at 35 weeks 2 days. It is good to let your health care provider know about symptoms like this as they may know of cures. If you start having trouble with heartburn, Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream works wonders (only the Breyer's brand.) My prenatal nurse gave me this tip and I had awful heartburn during both pregnancies.

I had horrible migraines all throughout my pregnancy with my son. I feel for you because they are truly terrible. For me, the best medicine was complete stillness and a quiet dark room. I know that can be a luxury to find sometimes though. My OB prescribed a medication safe to take during pregnancy called Migrin-A. It contains tylenol, caffeine and something else I think, but is safe during pregnancy. Good luck!

I wouldn't do soda. This is just one of many approaches, but you might also try avoiding things like cheese and other fermented foods, olives, red wine (if you even drink any), salty foods, and all caffeine. Also, be sure to rest and redirect the focus of your eyes frequently if you work at a computer (in case eye strain may be contributing to the pain you feel.) And yes, make sure to get enough water to drink, and don't skip meals/ and healthy snacks- dehydration and hunger can cause some wicked headaches, esp. during pregnancy.

I had migraines all throughout my first pregnancy - good news is it didn't repeat for the second one if you want to have more than one child. I'm afraid that I don't have any remedies, but do check with your doctor/midwife - in my case it was probably linked to high blood pressure problems I had (again didn't repeat the second time around thankfully!) and that is something that needs to be watched closely during a pregnancy.