Pregnancy answer to migraine problems?

[Nicoletta]

Hi All,
I have suffer from constant daily migraines (called Transformed migraine) and have so far been unsuccessful in treating them with medication (was on blood pressure medication for years which controlled them, but they have become resistant apparently).
My neurologist says that as I am having no luck with tablets (having tried dozens for over a year now), the best thing I could do to help would be to have a baby!! Sounds insane, right? Well, having done some research it seems that he has a point (approx 70% improve). The reason for this seems to be the huge overhaul your body goes through when you have a baby.
Has anyone had any experiance of this?
Naturally when you are not well the last thing you would think would help would be prenancy, so I would really appreciate any advice from anyone who has been through something like this.
Headaches aside, we are ready to start a family and it is my health that is holding us up!! Could this really be the answer??

Thanks!

Hi i get migraines too, not daily ones though...that sounds horrible. With first pregnancy migraines very bad, esp at end, cont headache(pain worse than normal) for 12 hours and vomiting every 10 -20 mins.Only tried paracetamal which vomited sraight up. On a more positive note didn,t have any migraines and very few headaches when breast feeding(for 13mths).Migraines still note as often as before( ds now 2). Just pregnant again so abit ,4 weeks, so abit concerned as now have toddler to look after and dh now working was student last time so he could look after me. Going to have to try other other pain killers and anti sickness, this time might give some relief, normally used zolmitriptan nasal spray but not recomended in preg.Everyone is ment to be diff though, so i if if you get preg you are migraine free.. think i was very unlucky!Like you though was so worried about being pregnant and having migraines, have to say though felt that the preg helped me cope better with the migraines than i normally do for some reason .

Thanks for replying! Having failed with conventional route, I think I am going to give it a go but it is a little scary! My headaches are so constant that I can't work but fortunately having stopped all medication (was getting rebound headaches as well, I think!) I am only having about 1 or 2 full on migraines a week. I guess that I'm worried that if I am one of the ones who don't get better then having a baby to care for will be a nightmare.
Good Luck with number 2! - hope you continue to feel better.

Hi

I am a migraine sufferer too but luckily only get them before, during or after AF each month. When I was PG with DD1 I didn't have one for 9 months and after they weren't so bad. Then had a miscarriage and they returned with a vengeance. Have just had DD2 so again no migraines for 9 months apart from usual PG headaches so am waiting to see if they have improved. Have been to the Dr today to get more prescription migraine tablets so am prepared. I heard that having a baby can cure migraines too. Didn't work for me but mine are nowhere near as bad as yours.

Good luck

xxx

Hi,

Glad to hear they eased off for you after - hopefully the same will happen again for you (and me too!!)

Good luck and thanks!

normally I suffer from regualar migraines and headaches but during pregnancies virtually none.
1st pregnancy felt absolutely fantastic, 2nd preg obviously more tired with 2 yr old to look after. Now 13 weeks with twins, and feeling pretty good.
I heard change in hormone levels is why migraine can improve esp. if your migraines linked to monthly cycle.
Feels so good not to suffer with migraine !!

I still very much suffered when pg, but it settled after the birth, but despite b/feeding, when af came back after a year, so did the migraines.

They suck

I didn't suffer with migraines in first pregnancy but this time round have been awful. GP put me on amytriptyline 10mg and its doing the job. I know its an antidepressant but at 10mg its very mild and no known side affects to unborn babies. Mine growing well and doing all the usual baby inside stuff, alot more chilled out than DS1 was inside! Will have to wait til Dec to see full affects!! Maybe you could try? I don't like taking pills especially in pregnancy but was at the end of my tether with daily migraines and toddler to cope with!

I normally got migraines every few months before having DS last July. Then had almost constant ones for the first few months of my preg along with raging morning sickness.

Then after that first few months, I only had afew. I was too scared to take anything after Doctor scared me to death with statistics saying that even paracetamol had been proven to raise the insidence of Asthma in infants (a fact which my current doctor does not agree with !!!-god knows how we are supposed to know what is safe if they dont!!). Just lay in a dark room trying to sleep and not to vomit every few minutes!

After having DS had about a week of having migraines every morning, then nothing until I stopped BF at about 8months. Seems to be conected to my hormones. Fell preg again almost as soon as I stopped BF and this time I have only had afew migraines, no where near as bad as last time. and none for the last few months (I am now 20wks).

Dont know if that helps? Much sympathy for the migraines. One every few months is bad enough but constant sounds awful.

Good luck with the trying!! xxx