AIBU to take ibuprofen at 3months pregnant?

[Dumptyhumpty101]

I always suffer with tension in my shoulder which if not resolved promptly, will lead to a migraine.

Usually taking ibuprofen, a shoulder rub, heat patches will sort it or make it manageable. On this occasion as I haven’t been able to take ibuprofen means I’m now on day 3 of a migraine.

I’ve tried paracetamol, heat patches, cold patches, soaking my feet in heat with a cold patch on my neck, hot bath, cold shower and nothing has touched it.

I’ve googled taking ibuprofen and it says don’t take before 30 weeks unless the benefits outweigh the consequences.

Now I don’t want to cause any unnecessary risk to the baby but I don’t know what else to do to resolve it.

Have you spoken to a doctor or pharmacist?

GP pronto! Surgery should offer a phone appt if you can't get there due to migraine, request a call back.

If I’m honest, I didn’t think it would be worthy, I thought it would be a waste of an appointment.

I feel so silly but I didn’t think of pharmacy, I think I’ll start there.

Thank you

Ibuprofen is not recommended during pregnancy as it can interfere with one of the hormones that's involved with the baby's development.

The pharmacist will only advise you to go to your GP, they're not allowed to advise pregnant ladies unfortunately.

It’s not recommended during pregnancy at all but you’re probably at the safest stage to take it. It can cause damage during the first and third trimester.

Speak to a pharmacist or GP. You have my sympathy though, paracetamol is crap.

There are other pain relief options available, you need to see your GP. In my experience, pharmacists will just tell you to see your GP.

The pharmacist will only advise you to go to your GP, they're not allowed to advise pregnant ladies unfortunately.

Not true.We can advise all people but I would not sell ibuprofen to a pregnant woman as it is not recommended unless the benefit strongly outweighs the risk. The doctor can prescribe it off licence if they so wish, it is more harmful during the third trimester (after 24 weeks) than the first and second so they may do this for you if you ask.

There are also preventive treatments that the doctor can prescribe too so I would make an appointment.

As pp pharmacist will likely tell you to ask gp or flat out say no. They told me not to take paracetamol in the first 3 months, I mentioned it the gp when I had an appointment anyway and they laughed.

As pp pharmacist will likely tell you to ask gp or flat out say no.

See my explanation above. It’s a product licensing issue, it cannot legally be sold for pregnant women nor is suitable without a doctor analysing the risk (a lot of GPs will refuse too). We are not being deliberately unhelpful or obstructive there just needs to be intervention from a prescriber.

I'm also pregnant and usually take ibuprofen to manage a back condition. Do not take when pregnant - it is a very real risk to baby's heart development.

@yellowmelon what are you taking instead?

Have you thought about acupuncture?
I was somebody who did not believe in it. GP sent me to physio for shoulder. She offered acupuncture as part if the treatment. It was brilliant. I go now regularly.

OP have you mentioned this migraine to your midwife? The trigger is most likely your shoulder but migraine in pregnancy can be a sign of high blood pressure which they might want to monitor.

Sorry for not replying sooner, op. I'm managing with regular paracetamol, minimal activity, hot water bottles, and using a donut cushion when sitting on hard surfaces. Not ideal, but it is what it is. Packing ibuprofen in my hospital bag so I can get straight back on it!

Just found this

NUROFEN PLUS should not be taken during pregnancy except during the first 6 months of pregnancy. All NSAIDS should not be taken during the last three months of pregnancy. you have peptic ulcer (i.e. stomach or duodenal ulcer),

Here's the link so you can see where I got this info from www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/nurofen-plus-tablets

That's not the advice in the U.K.

Nope we can’t allow women to work with ibuprofen when pregnant. It’s not a good idea. I have migraines and when 14 weeks pregnant I got one. I was told to lie in a dark room for days until it was gone . Once gone I went for acupuncture and I didn’t have another migraine for 3 years.

Thanks for the advice everyone, I finally managed to crack my neck which eased the tension and migraine a bit.

I’ll just continue with paracetamol and heat/cold packs until it properly clears.

I haven’t mentioned to midwife but blood pressure was taken last week so I think it should be ok.

Can you have acupuncture whilst pregnant? Does it work for knots caused by tension?

2 x paracetamol with a glass of coke has helped me relieve my migraines during pregnancy, was recommended by a nurse

Don't take Ibuprofen.

(I was prescribed it in the last few weeks of pregnancy. Result - one beautiful baby with a heart murmur - hence the rules now).

Physical treatment - such as shiatsu/osteopathy with somebody well versed in pregnancy contraindications, or, preferably/if you can't afford that, physio - combined with

attention to whether your head is supported properly and not flopping over or being pushed up at an angle whilst you're in bed, even trying a foam shaped pillow,

work on your posture (your centre of gravity might be out from the extra weight/poor core muscle tone and it's possible that you're pushing your head/chin out instead of tucking it in and lengthening your spine)

and gentle mobilisation stretches will be much safer. A physio would be able to help plan safe exercise to do in pregnancy, but might not do any hands on work, whereas a shiatsu practitioner or Osteopath if they're happy to work on you,

Cold packs are brilliant, if somewhat uncomfortable. Paracetamol is, as far as I know (check with your GP) safe in pregnancy - have two with a coffee or cocoa-cola at the first hint of heaviness. Tiger Balm smells horrid, but if your skin (or stomach) can tolerate it, it's very effective.

If you can still lie on your front, try laying flat with your forehead down and your arms by your sides. Can you lift your head at all without having to use your arms? If not, you've got very weak neck muscles, so they're going to struggle to keep your head up, especially as pregnancy will loosen everything. Those gentle exercises as advised by a physio will help increase your strength safely.

You could also look at pregnancy yoga. Even if it doesn't sort out your neck/shoulder completely, it'll be beneficial for you in terms of your entire body and mind.

I continued Osteopathy sessions throughout my first pregnancy. That woman had the ability to stop a migraine in its tracks and my yoga sessions left me feeling slightly high, I was so peaceful after them.

I still use my neck pillow now, about a million years later. It was horrible the first night, not much better the second - but on the morning of the 3rd day after the 2nd night, I woke up, moved ever so slightly, my neck cracked louder than I had ever heard it do before or since and I've been pretty much fine ever since. I won't change it just in case the pain comes back - it's just the cheap IKEA one that has a low edge and a higher edge and the only way I'm being separated from it is if it's torn from my cold, dead hands.

Acupuncture is great whilst pregnant so long as the therapist knows of the pregnancy.

Paracetamol not Ibruprofen in pregnancy is I believe the advice.