16 weeks and blinding headaches daily. advice needed!

[bertieboo]

Hi, this is my first time on posting and i really need some advice. I am 16 weeks PG and this is my first time. For the most part it has been incredibly easy - no sickness and no extreme tiredness, but from about week 11, i developed daily blinding headaches. i am taking paracetamol and read somewhere that this can cause asthma.
Please can someone tell me if this is normal (i am sure it is and i am totally overreacting) and how i can get rid of them without resorting to my daily dose of drugs?
I work 11 hours a day so lying down and resting when they come on is unfortunately out of the question!
thanks in advance

Bertie, have you spoken to your midwife about the headaches? Only reason for asking is that i started getting headaches and nosebleeds at 23weeks and that was down to slightly raised bp. Cant hurt to just get yourself checked.

This happened to me and was caused by pregnancy related sinus problems. It's to do with the mucus membranes getting all aggravated in pregnancy.

Try pinching your upper nose, just below he part between your eyes... you should feel you sinuses drain down your throat. This gives some immediate short term relief. And the doctor will be able to prescribe some decongenstants for you to take. (Providing this is the problem.)

hi there, i haven't experienced this myself but i do remember my midwife saying to me that if any headache doesn't go away after taking two paracetamol, a pint of water and a lay down then you should defo speak to your midwife or GP. Headaches that don't go away are a symptom of pre-eclampsia so you need to be careful. Have you mentioned it to your Midwife already? Do your employers know you are pregnant?

I agree with April, ask your mw - or dr if that's easier, in any case it's probably better for YOU to not be taking any non-prescription drugs that regularly. One other thing, are you getting enough water?

I started getting serious two/three day headaches around this time for a couple of weeks too. Gone now but I found altho nothing cleared them completely, more water helped.

hi april meadow, i havent mentioned it to my midwife/doctor as they were so rushed at my 13 week scan/1st appointment that i completely forgot!

I agree - if you have had such persistent headaches, you need to get yourself checked out by a doctor...

am drinking pints of water, and yes employers do know, but i work in the city and they are not particularly sympathetic (office full of boys)
have just made an appointment to see dr for weds.
stupid thing is that its probably stress! and the more i worry about them the more often i will probably get them

Have you tried to see if you can feel your sinuses draining when you pinch the top of your nose (the bony part, firmly, for a few seconds)

just tried draining my sinuses, but couldnt feel anything! maybe i am doing it wrong! arggghhhh

Perhaps it isn't that then. Make an appointment to speak to the doctor. It unlikely to be anything serious.. probably hormonal.

Hi bertieboo. I can totally sympathise with you for the headaches. I suffer with them all the time but it's worse in pregnancy because paracetamol doesn't really work on its own. You should definitely get it checked out if it's not normal for you but don't worry too much about the effects of the paracetamol. I'm not recommending it obviously but I've been taking paracetamol based drugs every day for about 16 years and so far I've had no adverse effects.

Bertieboo - I've been getting headaches regularly for the last month or two. I'm now 23weeks.
When I had BP and urine checked at the beginning of Jan both were ok, so it isn't "serious" in my case. The possible causes I know of are stress, hormonal changes, sinus problems or eyesight changes, but I'm sure there are others.

Will be v. interested to see what your doc says on wed, as mine just put it down to hormones and left me to endure.