Migraine with aura

[Gerdticker]

Hi, I’ve suffered with headaches since I was a child then in my twenties these developed into migraines with Aura.

I get disturbed vision as a warning before the migraine. It usually starts as a small dot of fuzzy light, then over 20 mins or so it creeps across my whole vision, until I can’t see much at all, then the pain starts.

If I take 2 paracetamol straight away, I can reduce the symptoms hugely, and get a much milder headache. But I have to lie in a dark room for hours and feel very mentally muddled for a day or so.

In my last pregnancy I had a few of these migraines early (around 6/7weeks) then right before DC was born at about 38-39 weeks.

This time I’m having my first one at 14 weeks

I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to improve things, and accept it’s largely due to hormonal changes,

But i’d be really interested to hear if anyone else suffers, and what you do about them?

Thanks so much x

[BlueBlazerBlack]

Hi, having never had a migraine before in my life, I started having migraines with aura in my second pregnancy. I had them mainly during the first trimester and continued to have them for a year after DC2 was born. With this pregnancy, I had a migraine with aura before I even know I was pregnant, but nothing since.

In my case, they seemed to be triggered by low blood sugar. I have to be really careful to make sure I eat something every 2 to 3 hours. If I can feel one coming on I drink some juice straight away and then eat something with carbs as soon as I can.

It was very scary for me because I thought it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia, but all the tests for that came back negative.

I should add that I have a low BMI anyway but struggled to eat and put on any weight through pregnancy due to bad morning sickness.

[Miltonj]

I've had them since I was 13... for about the last 4 years it's been purely the aura with no associated headache afterwards... which I'm not complaining about!! The aura really is horrible though so I sympathise.

Interestingly I have not had one at all during this pregnancy (22 weeks) after having around 2 a month, wonder if it's a coincidence or if pregnancy can either trigger or stop migraines!?

[Frage]

OP, I have always had them, on and off. However, I had them every single day when pg with DC2. The weird thing with those, however, was that I only had the aura and no headache. They lasted about an hour each time, and I just got very bored with them. I just got used to shutting my eyes and waiting for them to pass easily done when you also have toddlers

I've had migraines with aura since I was pg (DC are now 16 plus), and they have always been the full-blown type with two-day headaches.

So in my case, with one of my pregnancies, they happened more frequently, but were less debilitating.



Good luck, OP...

[Boiledeggandtoast]

Hallo Gerdticker

I had never had a migraine before I was pregnant but then had migraines with aura in all 3 of my pregnancies. My youngest is now 21 and I had a long spell without any, but then they started again during my menopause and I still get them now every few months (I am 59). As you say, they are definitely hormonal. I found the only thing to do was to sit or lie quietly in a dark room but they do leave me feeling quite fuzzy.

[hoping2018]

I get them all the time.

My first pregnancy I had one at the beginning and then nothing - which was absolutely amazing.

This pregnancy I had 8 in a week one time early on!! I've had to give up chocolate along with the usual things you give up in pregnancy that cause migraines (soft cheese and red wine!) and that's helped but still getting them occasionally and I'm 22 weeks now. I was really looking forward to pregnancy getting rid of them again but hasn't worked out (though the sleep deprivation of covid worries+a 15 month old probably aren't helping!)