Severe Headache 12weeks

[Laura05]

Hi all,
Looking for a bit of advice. I woke up this morning with the mother of all headaches! It's like someone is squeezing my head! I've taken paracetamol every 4hrs really shit stuff and it's not shifting. I've had dizzy spells even when sitting down (like when you get up to fast iykwim) and little orbs floating about my eyes.
I managed to get a doc appointment earlier and I've got a slightly higher BP and slightly high temp. He's not 100% convinced whether it's a viral infection (possibly sinuses even though they don't hurt) but has said keep with the paracetamol and drinking plenty fluids.
He's advised if it doesn't settle during the night or shift by the morning then to phone out of hours (ideally he would've liked to see my tomorrow but with it being the weekend the docs is closed)
Has anyone had any similar experiences? I could cry with the pain of the headache and I'm a migraine sufferer who has prescribed meds so used to severe headaches!

I had this the other day amd paracetamol wouldn't touch it. A microwavable wheat pack around my neck helped -not sure if it was the heat or the lavender but it seemed to untense everything.

Hope you feel better soon

I've had similar, unbearable, def worse when I haven't drank enough or kept enough food down so make sure you keep the fluids up. Also I found the 'kool and soothe' strips take the edge off and I put them on whenever the migraines begin, hope it improves, but go back to the gp if struggling.

Thanks. It's definitely not a migraine (I've had them since I was 11-12years old) so not sure what's going on. This is my 3rd pg and I never had this with them although I think I'm growing an alien as I've got a DD and DS but completely different pg symptoms with this one
It's honestly feels like my head is in a vice that's being tightened!
I've got a micro bag thing and will send dh out to get the cool n soothe strips so hopefully something works. I don't fancy a out of hours phone call

Hi Laura, just wanted to let you know I really suffered with awful headaches when I was pregnant. I felt like my head was being squished. I kept telling my midwife and they said my blood pressure was fine and I didn't have anything worse than "normal" swelling. I was getting really fed up of the headaches and being in pain but nobody seemed interested. I wish I'd pushed them more now and nagged them for answers. Thankfully they went after I had my baby.
I also normally get migraines.
I hope yours clear up soon!

I had a severe headache around week 14 so similar time. It was the first headache I'd had all pregnancy (usually I suffer a lot but they've mostly gone whilst pregnant). In the end I went to A&E because I was suffering abdominal pain as well and was panicking. They took bloods and turned out my three day headache was a lack of potassium and sodium - pregnancy had completely drained my resources. I recommend lucozade, a banana and a packet of crisps! If they help then it was definitely a lack of something.

Could be hormonal. I've had no sickness then a few days really bad headaches about this time in both pregnancies. Apparently can be caused by a sudden big change in the types/levels of hormones in transition from first to second trimester.

Thanks ladies. I still had the headache on Saturday but by yesterday afternoon it was bareable. I've got my downs scan this afternoon so I've added it to my list of questions for the mw God help her
Hopefully it's just the change in hormones from first to second trimester. My mother in law was suggesting pre-eclampsia but I'm sure it's rare to get it before 20weeks?

Yes I don't think they would even consider pre eclampsia at this stage unless you'd had it before, it's very unlikely. I know the lucozade thing seems insane (and not that healthy) but it's definitely worth a try if another headache threatens or this one hasn't gone. I had a couple of weeks where they kept threatening and it kept them at bay every time so it was definitely something to do with salt levels in my body (I thought like everyone else I probably ate too much salt, however a few days of recording on MFP showed I was actually eating too little!)

Yes I told my mother in law it was too early for pre-eclampsia but she's a know it all who always wants you to accept her advice
There's no history of it in my family and this is my 3rd pg so I ruled it out as soon as she said it
I'm not a big fan of the fizzy lucozade but I'll give it a try. Thanks

At least you know not to worry about that!
I'm not a huge fan of lucozade either, never drank it previously and don't now that phase of pregnancy has passed. Someone I know recommended it for the headaches though and it really helped. There's a flat version which I found better because I was still quite nauseous at the time (no vomiting though so wasn't losing nutrients or anything).