Headaches getting worse - i’m scared

[Lanzy]

My 6 week check up was due this Wednesday but I’m going to try get through to the doctor tomorrow for an appointment (Monday is the worst day) but I’m worrying myself.

In pregnancy on the 37 week I went to doctor as had these stars in visual. Doctor done BP and off to hospital I had to go as blood pressure was high, It never turner pre eclampsia but it was monitored (no treatment just an overnight stay)

Baby came on week 38 naturally with gas and air. Retained placenta then happened so went into theatre ans had spinal/catheter in. 900ml blood loss. After pregnancy, just normal recovery. Baby is now 6 weeks and in the last two weeks, I have had this head pain always on left side that its agony for a few seconds 30 secs most then goes away. Horrible though. It has no pattern but exercise worse. It’s happening everyday (over week) and now sometimes the head pain is lingering longer. I have no other symptoms but vaginally which don’t think could connect. I had tonsillitis few weeks ago. (Viral so no antibiotics)
I am breastfeeding and history of anxiety and stress as autistic. I also have clicking in ear or head but on right side only when walking - but do have TMJ histoty.

I’ll mention to GP but can anyone reassure because google tells me I have a brain bleed :(

You don’t have a brain bleed. It’s just a headache. You’re tired and stressed and your body has been through a major upheaval, all of which can trigger sharp headaches. By all means see your GP and get checked but it’s very unlikely to be anything bad.

Agree with PP. Could be your blood pressure rising again though? In my last pregnancy I developed high blood pressure which never really left.

Don't listen to google!! Don't look for answers on there as you'll give yourself a nervous breakdown. I highly doubt it's anything to worry about. It could be a sinus issue or stress. Have you been sleeping? There's so many minor things it could be. Try to switch off for now and call the Doctor first thing tomorrow. I"m sure it's nothing serious but go to the doctprs anyway for peace of mind.

Are you drinking enough water?

Spinach can sometimes cause reoccurring severe headaches. It’s not dangerous, although not nice and I believe they can inject something into the spinal site that can help, if this is the cause.

otherwise, 6 weeks PP is still so fresh and your hormones are still levelling. I would mention it at your 6 week check for reassurance.

Waiting for @WhiteNoiseMoreToys to spot the spinach...

@JaneJeffer 😂 spinal!

I see someone has asked but are you dehydrated possibly? Breadfeeding needs you to keep your fluids up and dehydration can cause headaches.

I'm pregnancy I found I had to drink litres of water a day to keep headaches at bay. I'm not usually a headachey person and it was very noticeable the correlation between having had too little water and the pain. I don't mean simply having recommended daily intake (if you already do). Im suggesting that you increase whatever is normal for you. It's very easy to forget about yourself after having a baby.

I had been re reading this and thinking spinach? It’s not something I have! Trying to work out why spinach. Lol. Thank god - I do wonder if could be from spinal!
will defo ask! Thank you

This is what I need to hear, I have always been a stresshead and hoping it’s another case of just stress getting the best of me!

The midwife before discharge had been doing BP but it’s been weeks and had few stressful situations so do wonder if couldb. Xx

Prior to pregnancy and during pregnancy I had ketones a lot - the dehydration in urine. I also have always been bad for getting water in. Usually only have 1 500ml water a day. Sometimes two at most. With breastfeedint and loss of sleep and looking after baby I’ve probably been drinking less than that! Which is bad as although combo feeding i’m doing breast everytime!

Whatever it is, it's not going to be anything crazy. You just have a baby, I think that's enough to be getting headaches tbh

I would start by trying to up your fluid intake to at least 1.5 litres a day and see whether that makes any difference.

Some fresh air walks when you can as well.

Could it be migraines? A few days after my son was born I had funny vision for a few mins and then it happened a couple of weeks later and followed by an awful pain over my eye that I recognised as a migraine

@Lanzy Let me know if you'd like to chat - I'm a Women's Health Nutritionist specialising in postpartum recovery. Feel free to scope me out on insta etc. :) same username as here.

Sounds like a migraine to me. These things hit people in all sorts of different ways. With me, they hit and I have a dull pain to one side of my head that I'm mostly not all that aware of. However, if I shake or move my head too much or cough etc, then the bells start ringing in my head and I am in a load of pain for a while (30 seconds to a couple of minutes). These migraines can hang around for days. Stress causes my migraines.

Could it be visual migraines?
I had this in the last few weeks of pregnancy and early postpartum, sparkles or blurred vision, then a headache that wore off within an hour.
It was mostly linked to tiredness and dehydration, I’ve never had it happen again since (and the babies are 5&3).