ttc #1 - migraine sufferer club

[happygojo]

Hi everyone.

I am 28 and ttc for the first time. I have been diagnosed with migraine since childhood and have been using triptans (zomig or imigran) since about 14. Now I am ttc any ideas on how to deal during the 2ww? I am 7 dpo and feel like a bag of spanners just using paracetamol and one single cup of coffee. Which isn't really cutting it! Any advice or just some empathy/sympathy definitely welcome! Xxxx

Hi happy. I have just started ttc#1. I also suffer from migranes and am prescribed sumatriptan.
When I had my copper coil removed I mentioned to the practice nurse that I was planning to see the gp to discuss triptan use while ttc. She told me not to bother and that it's fine to take them.
Have you had different advice?
I think I'll probably not need them during 2ww as my migranes are usually on cycle day 9. I also find that wine triggers them, so cutting down for ttc should help.
I hope you're feeling better. There is not a lot worse than migrane pain. I sometimes find Sugar and caffeine helpful.

Hi Frolic I asked the doctor and he just googled it and said 'yeah, not enough research, you should avoid it'... I suspect he isn't a migraine sufferer, I also asked about a few other things and he shrugged. I have heard that sumatriptan is the best for pregnancy (from the tinter web). I have been eating badly and cut my caffeine considerably so that has triggered attacks, plus hot humid stormy weather tends to not be good for me. I think I will be fine normally... but if I do get one paracetamol just will not cut it :(. The only true trigger I have found is orange juice from concentrate and the pill (hence I had the copper coil too). Hopefully we will both be among the 70% of female migraine sufferers that get 9 months without migraines when they are pregnant!

Oh when you got your coil out did the nurse give you the 'before you frolic, go folic' leaflet? The nurse gave it to me and just said 'it doesn't really rhyme but at least they have tried'

Long-term migraineur here. My migraines are pretty bad, and I've found first trimester horrible during pregnancy. I used Imigran sparingly (with the approval of my neurologist) from first trimester in my first pregnancy. About halfway through the second trimester, the migraines disappeared and stayed away right up until I quit breast feeding (mine are hormonal).

I'm about 14 weeks with #2. Was weeping with a migraine last weekend. I'm not under a neurologist's care and only had zomig (not Imigran as he recommended). My husband found this report: uk.reuters.com/article/2010/02/12/us-migraine-drugs-idUSTRE61B57J20100212

I tried zomig. It worked. The report eased my conscience.

Other things I try before triptans (when pregnant):

Coffee plus paracetamol.
Ice-cold compress on head, feet in roasting hot water.
Sleep at first sign (not easy with other kids/work/both).

The best solution I have (when NOT pregnant) is STRONG coffee plus ibuprofen before the migraine beds down...zomig otherwise. Ibuprofen is NOT recommended in pregnancy.

Wouldn't it be lovely to get pregnant quickly and not have migraines for a bit? Mine are hormonal and always come just after my period. Hopefully no period will equal no migrane.
I might do some research and arrange to see the gp to discuss. Thanks for your reply wildrover. Good to know there is hope I can take immigran if needed.
I wasn't given that leaflet happy. I feel a bit cheated as it would've made me giggle. My user name comes from an autocorrect fail when googling when to start taking folic acid

As triptans aren't painkillers, I think it might be better to pop one of them and end an attack (hopefully) than taking painkillers every 4 hours for 24-72 hours :-S. Thanks for the link to that article Wildrover. My friend is a fellow migraine sufferer and she had very mild migraines during pregnancy, that just made her feel a 'bit off' rather than full blown ones. As a rule I try and avoid painkillers unless it is a migraine. My Mum had 3 kids, 1 normal birth, 1 forceps and me who was a CS, she has also fallen from the top of a ladder and been knocked over by a car, and she still says a bad migraine is the worst pain she has been through in her life. So in a strange way that is comforting!

The triptans are very effective for me. If I manage to pop one as soon as I get the aura I'm usually fine within an hour or so. I don't bother with pain killers if it's a migrane as they don't make any difference.
I hope your mum's right. They really are painful aren't they? Taking triptans has really changed my life. I find it so incredible that something that used to knock me out for a good two days can be cured in an hour.

My mum did the tests for imigran like 25 years ago. Back then it was just the injection available (which by the way is immense if you are being sick). They really did change her life. She didn't have migraines when preg with my brothers but she did with me :-s so every pregnancy is different I guess

I've never heard of the injection. I struggle to keep the pill down sometimes, especially if I'm late taking it. Modern medicine really is amazing.
How are you doing happy? I recognise your name from the newbies thread. Are you getting to the end of your first 2ww now? How exciting / scary! I'm already symptom spotting. My af isn't due until the 16th!
I'm trying to be cool and acknowledge how unlikely I am to get pregnant within days of removing my coil. It's hard not to think about it though! Fx for you

Hi frolic I got the injection because I used to work offshore. Because I can get so sick with a migraine especially if you add being on a boat and diesel fumes to the mix, I needed something that would sort me out before they tried to medivac me off! My AF is due Sunday/Monday. No symptoms really. So guessing that af will turn up as expected. Although it will probably be late to annoy me. Then it will be back to dtd all the time. My boyfriend can't wait lol!