Migraine & Pregnancy - any coping strategies?

[Treesandbees]

I'm 8 weeks pg with DC #2. So far I have had awful nausea but now migraines. I've suffered with them for a long time and normally use (sumatriptan) prescription drugs to stop them. These are very effective but not safe in pregnancy. I've been in bed for the last 24 hours with pounding head and vomiting . I don't know what to do?? Migraine is not subsiding and I'm barely eating/drinking. I'm meant to be at work and I've got a DS to look after too. Any coping strategies?

Drink plenty of water, take paracetamol and sleep as soon as you can. A flannel on the back of the neck helps, rinse it in cold water and wring out. It can also help putting it on your forehead.

Erm, my gp has told me that it's fine to take triptans in pregnancy. I've googled a bit and the advice is conflicting, but I'm going with the gp. I have only had one so far in 7 weeks. My migraines are usually ovulation / period related so hopefully they will stay away.

Frolic that's interesting! I'm desperate to take one as I know it will go. My GP said no...maybe I should ask another one.

Watching with interest as I'm in the same boat although 15 weeks and never suffered with migraines before. Cold flannel on forehead eases it sometimes plus im using 4head the stuff you rub on forehead

Just called the pharmacy and they said definitely not to take them. But I'm going to speak to another GP tomor.

I'm a bit worried now trees! I took 50mg (1/2 my usual dose) on nye. I waited 6 hours but it wasn't shifting and I felt so terrible.
Will you let me know if you see another gp? I have a midwife appt next week and will ask her.
Let's hope we don't get any in the meantime.

I am so sorry you are feeling so awful. I usually have chronic migraine, with symptoms every day, but touch wood it's been a bit better recently. One of the things that has helped me massively has been learning more about what my triggers are, which in my case is a very long list! I know that thinking of triggers is not much use in the middle of an attack, but I guess even if pregnancy is making the migraines worse, there might be food or lifestyle triggers you could avoid. There's plenty of information on the migraine action website, as well as a detailed booklet on migraine in pregnancy, but I would be happy to share my triggers if that would help.

My have always been hormone related. I get far more if I'm on hormone-based contraception

I also get them in very early pregnancy, just after fertilisation and before implantation.
I dread to think what they will be like if I manage to stay pregnant. Although I actually won't care if that happens, I'll take the migraines and be glad that a bean stuck

I used a heated eyebag which you microwave to warm up which really helped

I'm not sure about early pregnancy so please,please check beforehand. You can take paracetom and codeine when you are pregnant,(I had it for SPD) so maybe you could try Migraleve?

I use Kool'n'Soothe on my forehead and the back of my neck when my migraines are really bad. They're easier to keep in place than a flannel.

You have my complete sympathy, I don't know what I'd do without Sumatriptan.

*paracetamol bloody iPad

The only way I could cope with the hurrendous Migraines were Co-codamol prescribed by my Gp .
On the plus side they have reduced intensity through my pregnancy and dont last as long .
goodluck

I second 4head, it brought me relief

I'm 27 weeks & had the first horrendous migraine in about 5 years last week. Normally I'm lucky & can just pop an ibuprofen and go to sleep and it'll go away. The Dr has prescribed me some paramax, which is safe in pregnancy. I assume that what you are usually prescribed is way more powerful, but for them to leave you with absolutely nothing is odd.

Last time I got them just after ds was born for a couple of weeks.

Hopefully it'll turn out that it's just a phase relating to this stage of pg & they'll stop soon.

I was prescribed travel sickness pills for the vomiting and just advised to avoid the 5c's (cheese, claret, chocolate, citrus, caffeine). They were still awful an only thing that I could do was attempt to sleep it off in a dark room.

The second trimester saw a huge drop in them though an they weren't as bad/last as long when they did come.

Just keep your eye on the prize- you'll forget about them once you hold that new baby!!

I started to panic as I went from one every couple of months to one a week in early pregnancy. They seem to have calmed a bit - touch wood - but no fun without triptans!!!

My doc has told me that paracetamol and codeine is fine for treating mine. It doesn't stop them but it does take the edge off the pain.

I had horrendous migraines with ds2 from weeks 12-15. I actually thought I had a brain tumour it was that bad. They came one after another and I honestly thought I was going to have to live in a dark room forever .

I tried nurofen and paracetamol and it didn't work, I was terribly sick and couldn't see most of the time. It did stop suddenly at 15 weeks and I was very relieved.

I can empathise. I was having botox for prevention and maxalt when the attacks did happen and I had to stop all of this because of my pregnancy. With my migraine, I find that it starts with a pain in my right shoulder and right sude of neck. I have been having physio for the past months and luckily (keeping fingers crossed here) I've not needed to use any pain killers. Prior to this, it was almost daily use of dihydrocodeine which I absolutely hate. I had a weekly massage during my last pregnancy and that also helped.

If its really bad and you cant cope with paracetemol and 4head together, then my doc said it was ok to take a cocodamol in early pregnancy