Migraines and conception/pregnancy

[nymphadora]

I have migraines every few weeks and I was wondering as we start to ttc what I will be able to treat them with?
ATM I am on combination of ibrupofen, paracetomol and codiene added to lots of sleep and usually take 2-3 days to clear

Bump

Hi,

I think there's a link between ibuprofen and an increased risk of miscarriage. Info here.

Paracetamol should be fine. No idea about codeine...

Good luck!

Hi IG is right, ibruprofen is contraindicated in pregnancy but paracetamol is fine.

I got the following of netdoctor about codeine:

"The safety of codeine for use during pregnancy has not been fully established. If codeine is used near term in the third trimester it may cause breathing difficulties or withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. This medicine should be avoided during pregnancy, unless considered essential by your doctor, and then only used if the expected benefit to the mother outweighs any potential risk to the baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor."

I suffered with severe migraines for years before going on a drug study after I had ds2 for use of the epilepsy drug Topiramate/Topomax, which for me was successful. The good news is that in many cases migraines disappear during pregnancy so no medication is necessary. (Something to do with increased bloodflow if I remember rightly.)

I think you would be fine to take your combo of meds whilst you are trying to conceive but maybe avoid them during the time between possible conception and testing.

doctor told me no ibuprofen, but codeine and para ok.

I believe migraines disappear for a large percentage of sufferers when they fall pregnant, so hopefully you (and I!) will be one of the lucky ones.

I too have taken Topamax, which succeeded in getting rid of the constant migraines that came on for no reason. I still get them if I do the things that I know trigger them.

I came off Topamax recently as you have to wait 3 months before ttc after taking it.

I had 3 solid months of migraine with each of my pregnancies. From week 12. With number 4 I stupidly took maxalt as I was desperate but had phoned the manufacturer and they said it was ok at 14 weeks. dd is brain damaged. Could have been the drug

Interesting about the Topomax Norky, I suffered with regular migraines lasting a week or longer at a time, never identified a pattern or any specific triggers and was unable to take any of the standard treatments due to bad side effects and violent reactions.

Took Topomax for 6 months, during which time the incidence and duration reduced significantly but had to come off it due to seriously awful cognitive and motor dysfunction. Amazingly, since being weaned off it over 3 years ago, I have only had 2 much milder migraines. Strange but true.

I have never come across anyone else who has taken Topomax for migraines.

Moosemama - I think it's getting more common using topamax to treate migraines (there are certainly others on here who have taken it). I was prescribed it by a private neurologist so not sure whether the NHS are doing so yet.

If you're ttc though OP then you can't start taking topamax, miracle drug though it's been for me.

topomax made my head stuffed with cotton wool. Its not called stupidomax for nothing! Its the one any-epileptic I wont let dd have.

Riven I can understand why you would take something though , migraines just wear you down so much.
I have been known to beg gps to stop the pain and the nausea.

I agree. I can remember begging someone/anyone to do something to stop the pain when mine were at their worst, don't think I could have coped with it on top of being pregnant. I totally understand your desperation to do something to make it stop, especially as it had been going on for 3 months solid.

Topomax seriously messed with my congnitive function, couldn't think, speech was impaired and my fine motor skills were shot (couldn't even write my own name properly) scary stuff! That said, if I knew then what I know now, I'd go through it again in a heartbeat if I knew it would stop my migraines iyswim.

Opiates are perfectly safe in pregnancy so stick to over counter opiate rain relief.

I've tried Topamax in the past - it worked for a while but then wore off. It made me feel rather weird and spaced out!

I'm currently on a mixture of low dose Amitriptyline and Metaprolol (betablocker). My Dr's advised me to stop the Metaprolol before trying to conceive. He's considering an alternative betablocker to replace it (i don't know which). I'm very nervous, because the migraines are just horrendous and come in clusters of about 2-3 per week, so I really need something effective. I'd be really interested to hear of anyone who has taken safe preventative migraine medication whilst TTC and during pregnancy...

Hi,

I had a lot of migranes in the first and second trimester.

I used cold /gel packs / frozen peas and a dark room - didn't take anything as paracetamol didn't touch it and the other stuff I take (tiny tablets whose name I have forgotten) weren't safe in pg.

Like someone else said, though, for some people, migranes clear up in pg.

Hi, we're about to start ttc and my gp has told me that I'm safe to continue with my amitriptyline, thank goodness. I know that a lot of people say they have fewer migraines in pregnancy. If I wasn't able to continue taking my amitriptyline though I'd probably never be able to get pregnant to find out! I'd have a bl**dy migraine all the time.

Im a migraine sufferer and have continued to get them with this pregnancy (am 13 weeks now)..but I have had to just muddle through with paracetamol and cool and soothe forehead gel thingies

Memorylapse, poor you, that sounds horrible.

I had one today (first day in a new job) and it was pretty tough but at least I was able to down the entire contents of the pharmacy...