Headache/migraines in early pregnancy, paracetamol does nothing!

[anroga]

Hi I am 13 + 1 and for the last couple of weeks wake up with a headache which over the day drifts away but I woke up with one on Sunday and still have it now!

Any suggestions apart from chopping my head off!

Hello!

I'm sorry about the headaches/migraines. I suffered with migraines pre-pg and have had some headaches during, so I totally sympathise. I found that acupuncture helped my migraines before I got pg (it also got me pregnant after 12 years of infertility, so there's that ), so that might be an option, though I know a lot of the points can't be used in pregnancy... You'd definitely have to find a really good reputable one if you did!

Other than that, try to limit screen time if possible (that always made mine worse) and drink plenty of water. Also bananas as low potassium can make them worse. Definitely agree with PP that cold flannel (I have a freezer gel pack that helps) and plenty of rest. Fingers crossed it'll get better for you soon!

If they are migraines, look out for blood sugar (a LOT of migraines were found to be either dehydration or blood sugar related) and note any particular foods that set them off hth!

I suffered with the same during my second pregnancy, debilitating headaches.

My OBGYN told me to drink something with caffeine. Seriously. Have a coffee or if you don't drink coffee, a coke or similar. It worked and I just told my friend about this 2 weeks ago as she is suffering with awful headaches too, and it worked for her.

I think I was only having tea at that point in my pregnancy because I'd gone off coffee but as soon as I had one it sorted me out.

I had migraines for the first trimester and the an infected tooth, paracetamol sucks! I asked my midwife about the migraines who checked with consultant who okayed migraleve so maybe ask your midwife or GP?

Paracetamol with a small amount of full fat coke. Other than that a dark room, sleep, and a mixture of cool pads and heat pads on your neck/forehead. I had a real doozy at 13 weeks but since then they have eased. I had 4 or 5 in the 1st trimester that really destroyed me. But now they are bearable.

Some migraines are associated with vasoconstriction and some with the opposite. Strokethefurrywall (love your name!) is right - for a some types of migraine, caffeine can constrict blood vessels and for some types, that will help. It's worth a try, if it helps then great and if it makes it worse then try the opposite - warming heat pad (not too hot) on your shoulders.

I sympathise - migraines absolutely suck. If they are really flooring you, go back to your GP. I think there are some things you can take, but your GP will need to assess.

I has awful migraines at 11-14 weeks in my first pregnancy and saw the doctor. He gave me cocodamol (unsure of spelling). I'd recommend calling your surgery.
Get well soon

I found that eating cúred my headaches even though I didn't feel hungry. Not sure about migraine though as I didn't have any during my pregnancy.

Hope you can find a solution.

i asked my doctor about this and as told that paracetamol+codeine would be absolutely fine.

Go and see your gp. I suffer hormonal migraines and they were quite bad for the first 14 weeks. My gp was able to talk me through the options and supported me to continue taking my usual triptan medication. I was vomittting so much between sickness and migraines that I ended up severely dehydrated.
Triptans might not be for you, but your hp will talk you through all the suitable options.

I'm now 20 weeks and haven't had a migraine in about 6 weeks. Probably the longest period in years.

I hope you feel better soon

I sympathise this was me a couple of months ago- pretty much from around 10 weeks till 18 ish I had almost a constant headache which progressed into migraines some days- I actually spent a WHOLE weekend in bed as one was that bad! I found a wheatgrass bag that you heat up in the microwave helped as mine were tension headaches stemming from tightness in my neck and shoulders- could pretty much feel a knot in my shoulder blade and the whole nerve connected up my neck to my head felt like it was on fire!

Also the weekend I spent in bed with the migraine was followed on Monday morning when finally it had lifted by an almost fainting/ low blood pressure episode- I ended up going back to bed for a few hours as I'd keep lying down and then standing back up to get ready for work only to go grey and clammy again feeling like I was going to drop- it had totally stopped when I got back out if bed and upon telling a friend who is about 10 weeks ahead of me she said that low blood pressure is linked to headaches/ migraines- doesn't help get rid of it but certainly made sense of it to me! Hope they lift for you soon x

I had this problem too. I'm prone to migraines already, although ones that can usually be managed fine with ibuprofen, but I've never had them as frequently as I did in my first trimester when it seemed like I was knocked out every other day.

I had one headache for four days when I was around 12 weeks, which happened to be the four days I was preparing for a major job interview... Paracetamol and changing my diet did nothing at all. Eventually I cracked and took ibuprofen: the headache was gone in half an hour, the world did not come to an end.

I asked a couple of friends about it later, and they all said there were times when they took ibuprofen while pregnant and I should stop worrying about it. My understanding is that it's one of those (many!) drugs that pregnant women are told not to take because there haven't been enough studies conducted yet to determine whether it is or is not a high risk. I decided that when my headaches were really terrible, I would take something to make them stop. But like all these diet and drug prohibitions during pregnancy, its ultimatum up to you to figure out the science behind the myths and then decide the level of risk you're comfortable with.

On the plus side, once I was in the second trimester the headaches stopped completely. Hopefully that'll happen for you too!

[and that should be "it's ultimately" not "its ultimatum"! bad typos...]

I remember this. I found that lavender candles worked, in addition to paracetamol.

Codeine can be used in pregnancy but needs to be discussed with your GP first and take the lowest dose possible.

Lily there is a WEALTH of evidence that taking ibuprofen in the third trimester is harmful.

If anybody is seriously struggling with pain then they need to discuss possibility of codeine with GP/ObGyn.

Medicines including Ibuprofen are not one of those things that you can just weigh up for yourself as many pregnant women do with food items.

I echo the caffeine suggestion, I get terrible headaches if I just drink decaff, just making sure that I have two cups of tea a day seems to really help at the moment

Have you tried massage? I used it in first trimester with first pregnancy and it was great. Expensive though (hence suffering in silence by baby number two).

Might work if it's one of those back of your neck headaches.

Good luck.

I swear by the 4Head sticks! Instant relief!

A MASSIVE thank you girls for all your helpful messages and I feel re-assured it is not just me getting them was starting to worry!

For all the caffeine related replies I am only on de-caff and have been since I started my IVF back in November so will give a coffee a day a go I think.

MrsAnxiety I used a screen nearly all day at work so that possibly isn't helping am now going to try and walk away and have more breaks from it.

Am seeing my midwife (for the first time I might add!) tonight so will ask about migraleve Bigbadgeorge

Lilydreams as I said above I am seeing my midwife tonight so will finally have my blood pressure checked so will see what the outcome of that is and if it is causing these headaches/migraines.

Carbolics I am heading out shortly to purchase the 4Head sticks! Anything that will give me instant relief!

If you're waking up with them, I wonder if it's to do with how you're sleeping and it stemming from tension in your shoulders/ neck.

I had similar during pregnancy, and found that a couple of physio sessions (and new pillows) sorted me out....although it may have just been fluctuating hormone levels, as it was around 16 weeks that they stopped.

I discussed codeine with my doctor but tried physio first and didn't need it. Hope you get it sorted soon- migraines are horrible!