headaches, high blood pressure and light sensitivity - at 18 weeks?

[CherryPie3]

Anyone know what this or how to get rid?

Feels like someone is squeezing my temples really tight, hurts behind my eyes and having to squint in the office cos the light seem too bright for me.

Also my blood pressure is up - I'm having to be monitored every week now.

I mentioned it to my consultant and my midwife and they've both said it's too early to be pregnancy related.

But I didn't have it before I was pregnant, in fact...didn't have it before my blood pressure went up.

Help Please! Feel like sitting in a dark room and never coming out!! Also not comfortable with the 2x500mg paracetamol I'm having to take every 4 hours to control my headache!!!

Thanks

The high blood pressure and headache may not be related to each other. I have had on and off periods of having a bad headache and I think it is a fairly common complaint in pregnancy. If it does not get any better you could go for eye test to see if your vision is the cause. Hope you feel better soon.

hi
I am 17 weeks and have had similar problems. my blood pressure is higher (although not as high as it was by the end of my previous pregnancies!) and I have headaches the same as you describe although I dont have light sensitivity and they do not sound as though they are as severe or as regular as yours. I am being seen every week or two as well as I have had preeclampsia in my other pregnancies.

Out of interest how high is your blood pressure? I am not an expert or anything it would just be nice to see someone elses! Mine was 14?/97 and ?/89 the last two i remember off the top of my head.

are you on medication to control it? I have been told I may have to start that soon and was on it in my second pregnancy (but not my third).

I would take the paracetamol to be honest (I have in three pregnancoes plus this one with no trouble) although if you are needing it every four hours every day then I would make more of a fuss about it as normal pregnancy headaches shouldnt be that long or that severe.

sorry no actual advice and I am sorry you are going through this I just had to reply as our situations are so similar!

I DO take paracetamol for headaches

I have no idea how I ended on "I DO take paracetamol" - must have typed it and somehow moved it it was supposed to be higher up!

I'm sorry it's taken a while to get back to you fernie Thank you for replying!!

My bp when it was high was 141/91 - that was at e consultant meeting. It's fine now but they're still watching it (at my witch of a consultants bark order).

It was my mw that made me uncomfortable about the paracetamol saying too many aren't good for me or baby. I get that but feel like someone is drilling my head most of the time. They check urine every week for P.E just in case but they don't think it's pg related still. 20wks now so am hoping these headaches aren't in for the duration!!!

Thanks again for the reply and I'm so sorry I didn't reply sooner!

xxx

oh and forgot to add - I'm not on meds for BP, w's don't think I'll need them either (in fact they're convinced the consultant used the wrong arm cuff to check bp - which would result in incorrect reading anyway as I have...ahem...large upper arms)

Also not needing both paracetamols every 4 hours now - instead I'm taking one every 6, so a definite improvement I feel