Horrible migraines, losing eye sight!

[aiti72]

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and migraines have become really bad. I know there are many threads about this, but wanted to ask if anyone has them this bad; I lose my eye-sight almost completely and also my ability to talk when an episode hits. I've always had migraines with aura and now read that they can become worse when pregnant, what worries me is that now I have to take Ibuprofen (midwife said it's ok until week 30) very often, nothing less powerful helps. Also, when I was pregnant with DD the migraines vanished for the whole pregnancy, now I worry something's really wrong with this pregnancy and my hormones fluctuate the way they shouldn't in the second trisemester. Any advice?

[millie1]

No advice really - just empathy. I ended up in hospital overnight last week (at 22w) after experiencing pins & needles in arm & lip. They tell me that it's migrane related - I've been getting the blurry/distorted vision thing for a few months now - but without the accompanyhing headache. Needless to say, last Friday's experience scared the living daylights out of me and I'm not a happy bunny!

Hope you can get some suggestions. Good luck.

[aiti72]

I know exactly what you are going through, millie, it's really scary, every time it happens to me I'm sure it's a stroke. Good to hear bad migraines might be normal in mid-pregnancy, though.

[needmorecoffee]

I get migraines like that and have had for 30 years now. All 4 of my pregnancies had migraines from 3-6 months every farking day. With number 4 I took a maxalt and she was born brain damaged. I have no idea if there's a connection but please don't risk it.
Sorry I can't suggest anything (although ask your GP about blood pressure and stuff in case this is a sign of something) but any migraine is preferable to damaging your baby. I can't even forgive myself

[3littlefrogs]

First, make sure your midwife/GP checks your blood pressure. Then, ask for a referral to a neurologist, someone with an interest in migraine. This sounds really awful and incapacitating. Poor you.

Needmorecoffee - so sorry to hear that - can you be sure that the medication was the cause? Maybe it wasn't related at all.Can anyone give you any answers? Sorry, don't mean to be nosy, but feel for you.

[needmorecoffee]

I can't be sure, you never can. But I took one maxalt at 14 weeks after phoning the Ob/gyn to ask and she called the manufacturers. Maxalt restricts blood vessels so could have caused lack of oxygen to the brain in the baby.
Its never ever worth the risk and I now have a lifetime of caring and dd will always be severely disabled (she can't move or speak) and it might have been my fault. Against that, 3 months of migraines are nothing.

[3littlefrogs]

So,so sorry nmc. Nothing I can say - I can't begin to imagine how you feel, so would not insult you by saying I could. Just feeling sad for you, and hoping you are getting the support and help you need.

[needmorecoffee]

I know how awful migraines are and I wish there was something to take while pregnant but nothing is worth the risk to me.
Mind you, most times even maxalt and imigran don't work. Ergotimine does sometimes but you feel like you've been beaten up. None can be taken while pregnant.
I oftne take a xanax (benzo) and sleep.

[aiti72]

I'm so sorry, nmc. But us mothers always manage to find fault in ourselves, don't we? And now you managed to scare me as well. It doesn't help this baby might already have a problem (nt measured 5mm at 12 weeks), if something's wrong with her then in my mind it m-u-s-t be Ibuprofen I now took. What puzzles me though, is that mums tend to say Ibuprofen is a no-no, but I've yet to meet a medic who says that (expect in late pregnancy). Don't know anymore, ideally we all want zero risk for our babies, it's just that taking care of a two year old if you cannot see or speak is a bit risky as well.

[tallbirduk]

I have infrequent (~1 a year) migraines with the full on aura / pretty much can't see thing - but when I was pregnant last year I had 2 on 2 consecutive days where I had all that plus speech disturbance (which is v.v. scary - so you have my sympathies), then had a miscarriage the day after!

Not saying that will happen to you at all, but I think (having read something about it since) in my case, those 2 migraines were brought on by my body's falling levels of progesterone, and that's why they were so bad.

On the ibuprofen thing, well, you just don't know do you? I have all but convinced myself that the reason I miscarried (it was actually a MMC, 'baby' had died 3 weeks earlier) was because of the large quantities of ibuprofen I had taken at and around the time of conception (I was training for and then running the London Marathon), but it could be totally unrelated.

Migraines are just such a mystery it seems.

[Sherida]

Ahhh this all sounds so familiar! I had a 6 day migraine which ended me up in hospital, and all my neurologis said was yes, that sounds like a migraine! I've been told it passes after pregnancy, but I've had them all my life and would be surprised if they stopped now!

All you can do is try, TRY not to stress about them, difficult I know as they are painful. I too lose all eyesight, ability to speak and move. It is frightening but used to it now.

[Buda]

nmc - so for you. But - it may not have been the medication. But I know you will always think it was.

I had a bout of migraines last year and went to a doc and a chiropracter and they had both been to a conference on migraines and said that it can due to not enough magnesium. They recommended a supplement of 500mg every day for a few months. It makes sense to me that if it was a lack of supply then they would get worse during pregnancy. It may be worth a try. I haven't needed to try it as the chiropracter sorted mine out.

[aiti72]

God tallbirduk, I am so sorry! And v.v. scared now! That is exactly what I was worrying about, falling levels of pregnancy hormones.. I have to book a scan tomorrow! And then worry if there are too many scans as this baby has been checked so many times for suspected abnormalities.

[needmorecoffee]

didn't mean to scare you aiti, I'm sorry

[gillythekid]

Hello aiti72 I've posted similar on various migraine messages. I've suffered with migraine and associated nausea, blindness, aura, inability to speak etc for years on a eekly basis. I had a really bad attack at the start of this pregnancy and went to see a cranio sacral therapist. I've not had another attack since. She has taught me how to avoid the stressors that bring them on and how to deal with an impending attack. I've tried every therapy and tablet over the years but this has really changed my life. If you can afford to see someone, I can't recommend it highly enough. I hope you get through this soon.

[aiti72]

Thank you so much for you advice, gillythekid, I start to look at craniosacral therapy straigh away. Just wonder if this is something you have to believe in for it to be effective? I tried acupuncture and didn't feel that helped, maybe I'm just way too negative for alternative therapies to take any effect..

[gillythekid]

It's very powerful, I've tried everything else, I never believed anything could help me! It has nothing to do with attitude!

[tallbirduk]

sorry aiti - didn't mean to worry you either, just wanted to share my experience is all.

Did you get a scan booked? what news?

[Sketchi]

I suffer badly with migranes it doesn't atter if I'm preggers or not.

I have them again this time around (not losing eye sight though) I have been prescribed Co-Codine whihc seem to help. I didn't think we could take Ibuprofen?

I wouldn't just in case. The doc has said to me that co-codine is the only thing I can take, obviously paracetemol (whihc doesn't touch it).

Go to docs straight away and get an experts opinion. Good luck

[Sketchi]

Oh just remebered took co-codine with first dd and she turned out bright as a button. Now taking it with 2nd and i'm now 20 weeks, I'll always try paracetemol first, then after 3 attempts move onto the co-codine (soluble - gets to the bloodstream quicker)

Good luck

[Sketchi]

SCRAP THE LAST TWO MESSAGES!

=I CHECKED AFTER LOGGING OFF LAST NITE AND I TOOK CO-CODAMOL (not co-codeine). I'm sure you still have to go to doc's to get them prescribed anyway.

[laura032004]

I had horrific migraines with DS1 (ended up in hospital countless times), but none with DS2. Both babies absolutely fine.

Since the birth of DS2, I've had less than 10 migraines (would have them at least weekly before I got pg with him).

I took Paramax during pg and whilst bfing (on prescription).

[aiti72]

Hi, went to an extra scan and all was fine with the baby. Also, went to see a doctor, who -once again- said Ibuprofen is absolutely fine until the last trisemester. "Just don't take more than three a day." Three a day! Gosh, I have taken one, which helped perfectly and I think I've damaged the baby!!! And 'very often' for me means one in every two to three weeks! Getting sick of this worry, which my common sense tells me is just stupid, apparently there are women who, because of their medical conditions, have to take ibuprofen every day throughout their pregnancies and they go on having healthy babies. Will of course try co-codamol first next time an episode hits, but will also try to keep my head together before it literally blows up.