Migraine and maybe acupuncture?

[clairemmcc]

I am 16 weeks pregnant at the moment and suffer from migraines almost daily which affect my eyesight and exhaust me. This is my second pregnancy, the first one, though otherwise thankfully problem free apart from the migraines, did include almost daily migraines right up until birth!!

I have been to my gp several times and he has nothing to recommend except lots of rest (although I can't exactly give up my job or call in sick every day!!) which I try to do as much as possible and drinking lots of water and eating fruit and fibre, which I do.

Does anyone have any experience of this and have they come up with any good solutions. I know I can take the occasional paracetamol but this really doesn't touch a migraine. Has anyone tried any alternative therapies such as acupuncture?

Any idea of how often you would need to go and how much it costs also?

Would really appreciate any ideas and input, thanks so much

Any opinions on acupuncture or other cures would be really appreciated

I have had awful migrains since having my dd (now 18 months) so really feel for you.

Have no experience of acupuncture at all but have tried physio which has made a world of difference. I knew I had very sore shoulders, neck and back and sorting that out has inadvertantly mostly solved the migraine problem as well. The man I saw thought that the tightness in my neck was restricting the blood flow up to my head and resulting in the migraines. I don't know whether that is true or not but I only get one every few months now and I was suffering at least twice a week.

Might be worth a go although would be difficult I would imagine being pregnant for you to lie on you tummy to be physio'd( so to speak!)

Hope that helps a bit...keep bumping though as somethimes things move so quick on the boards that the right people don't get to see it.

Hi,

I also suffer from killer migraines, although not every day thankfully!
I haven't tried accupunture for them but did have cranial osteopathy during my last pregnancy which REALLY helped a lot.
I highly recommend it.

hi there
i know how this feels - i had AWFUL migraines in early pregnancy and they only just started easing off at about 16 weeks. I had one which lasted nearly three solid days and was in total despair. The GP basically said there was nothing to be done and I left really, really dejected. I mean, like paracetamol even scratches the surface of a migraine!!
One thing I have found helpful (although they have eased off they are definitely still lurking and I'm sure i'll have more) was a Migrastick, which I got from a health food store.
It is basically a tiny little herbal thing which you rub on your temples and neck. it's lavender and peppermint and gives a sort of cold sensation on your forehead.
Although it says 'not to be used in pregnancy' I have checked it with the doctor and it's fine (companies just whack that on everything to cover their backs.) as all it contains is lavendar and peppermint.
I used it at the merest little hint of a headache coming on and I think it helped a bit.
Obviously it's far from a cure but that plus paracetamol extra (they have caffeine in, but that's okay too) plus lying in a darkened room and trying to sleep was the nearest I ever found to any relief.
Please try it and good luck. It's high time some pharmaceutical company developed a migraine medicine that's okay for use in pregnancy.