Excruciating headaches, any suggestions?

[StoriesInTheSoil]

I'm 13 weeks pregnant.

For a little over a week I've been having bad headaches and they are getting worse and worse. Yesterday I had serious vision problems including the left side of my left eye going "watery" like I was seeing through a sheet of flowing water. I was driving when it happened and it was really scary because my left side peripheral vision was just... gone.

I thought I might be dehydrated but I posted to my facebook for suggestions on getting more water and mentioned that I was drinking at least 6 Kleen Kanteens (27oz) of water per day and a lot of people said that I couldn't be dehydrated drinking that much. I started drinking electrolyte beverage last night as well.

I called my midwife today and she said that it was probably fine, something about increased blood-flow to the brain causing tension headaches and migraines and that some caffeine might help. She said if they don't get any better with anything that I try in the next couple of days that she'll come check my iron and see if it's low.

So, I tried a warm bath with lavender and peppermint EOs. That helped somewhat. I drank a coffee drink which was yummy but I don't know if it helped much. I had about 30 minutes of 85% relief after the bath and coffee (pain at a probably 2/10) and now I'm back up to a 7/10.

Any ideas? It is really hard to problem solve or process or really even think to type because the pain is so distracting and awful

[MaerynPearl]

I cant help, just say hope you get better soon.

I can do nothing for mine, even when not pregnant, prescription pain relievers do nothing for me.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

That is the other thing, I do not regularly get headaches when not pregnant. In case that helps with figuring it out.

Thanks for the well wishes, Maeryn. I feel like this pregnancy has been just one thing after another!

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by tinyactsofcharity

That is the other thing, I do not regularly get headaches when not pregnant. In case that helps with figuring it out.

Thanks for the well wishes, Maeryn. I feel like this pregnancy has been just one thing after another!

Ugh, I can feel ya there! Infection after infection after finding out placenta is previa and anterior (so I dont feel as many kicks) and now I may possibly be dealing with SPD...

This girl is already a pickier little princess than her sister...

[queenofchaos]

It seems like you have hydration covered, which
is huge. I found this out with pg #2 (currently working on #7/8). More blood flow is a big cause, plus could be some hormone componet. I don't know how to help that. How are you sleeping? I have found lack of sleep will set me up for a migraine, anytime, but esp. pg.
I hope you feel better soon!

[HeatherB]

That sounds absolutely like a migraine to me. Do you have a natural foods store like Whole Foods around? Hylands makes a homeopathic remedy called, aptly, "Migraine," I think - or maybe "Migraine Headache Relief." I have had the same type of migraine with visual disturbances and the Hylands made enough of a difference that I could get to sleep and sleep it off. Homeopathics are also quite safe in pregnancy.

Other things that sometimes help are a hot bath, or a cold pack. Sometimes a cold pack on the back of the neck (right at the base of the skull) can really help. Caffeine is often helpful because it helps dilate the blood vessels which constrict in migraines. And like I said, sleeping it off. For pretty much every migraine I've ever known, that was the best cure.

Hope you are feeling much better already and don't have any recurrences!

[at_the_hip]

I suffer from migraines and some of my pregnancies (particularly in late first tri/early 2nd tri) were AWFUL for headaches. I had to break the cycle or they wouldn't go away...the headache would just continue for an undefined number of days.

What was safe and really did work (especially when I took care of it early in the cycle so that I didn't get 'stuck' in the headache), was taking regular Tylenol with caffeine. The caffeine dilates the blood vessels or some sort and really helps more than anything else.

Another thing to try if you feel a migraine coming on quickly (if possible)...is to get yourself something REALLY cold (like a slurpee) and give yourself a few giant brain freezes. Funny but often helps!

[Just1More]

Originally Posted by at_the_hip

I suffer from migraines and some of my pregnancies (particularly in late first tri/early 2nd tri) were AWFUL for headaches. I had to break the cycle or they wouldn't go away...the headache would just continue for an undefined number of days.

What was safe and really did work (especially when I took care of it early in the cycle so that I didn't get 'stuck' in the headache), was taking regular Tylenol with caffeine. The caffeine dilates the blood vessels or some sort and really helps more than anything else.

Another thing to try if you feel a migraine coming on quickly (if possible)...is to get yourself something REALLY cold (like a slurpee) and give yourself a few giant brain freezes. Funny but often helps!

Yeup. At the very first sign of anything, I take a tylenol, and drink a coke. Better yet, a frozen coke. And for some reason, I need to drink it from a straw, otherwise it doesn't seem to help as much (a frozen drink that is, the coke helps either way). And I get ice packs and ice my head all over.

If I don't catch it in the early stages, I'm had, and nothing helps but throwing up.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

I thought that with migraines, pain was usually localized or on one side or the other. Is that right or not? I'm not thinking very clearly.

For me, the pain is mostly in my forehead and the base of my skull/into my neck, it is also on both sides in a pressing, throbbing kind of way.

I'm also now on day 7. It's been going on since last Saturday.

I've been in enough pain for long enough that I'm starting to feel somewhat irrational. I'm going to send DH out for the hyland's remedy and some tylenol. I really hope it works because I don't think I can take a whole lot more of this

[JTA Mom]

Do you have a chiropractor you trust? If so, go there! Ask for a massage therapy session too. Specifically trigger point & craniosacral massage. What they do is hone into the muscles that are spasming, press down on it (this increases the pain momentarily) but it gets them to stop spasming. I had a 7 day migraine that tylenol with codeine wouldn't touch. One massage & chiropractic session later, and 90% of my pain was gone. I could function!

I also referred a friend there once for her migraine. She had the exact same experience as I did. It works really well.

You can do a version of this at home. Have dh find the sore spots on your back & neck and have him press on them for 10 seconds. It should be firm, and while he's pressing the migraine will get worse. Once he lets go though, it should feel a bit lessened. Do this to your neck and scalp/head area too. With pain behind the eyes, I get a lot of relief from just pressing a finger on the front of my sinuses, at the sides of my nose and my temples. Also, the top of your head, in the middle, press there. Big sore spot, usually.

27 ounces a day isn't much. You should be getting 64oz. Also, take a big amount of magnesium. Something like Cal-Mag will relax all the spasming muscles.

Ami

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Originally Posted by JTA Mom

Do you have a chiropractor you trust? If so, go there! Ask for a massage therapy session too. Specifically trigger point & craniosacral massage. What they do is hone into the muscles that are spasming, press down on it (this increases the pain momentarily) but it gets them to stop spasming. I had a 7 day migraine that tylenol with codeine wouldn't touch. One massage & chiropractic session later, and 90% of my pain was gone. I could function!

I also referred a friend there once for her migraine. She had the exact same experience as I did. It works really well.

You can do a version of this at home. Have dh find the sore spots on your back & neck and have him press on them for 10 seconds. It should be firm, and while he's pressing the migraine will get worse. Once he lets go though, it should feel a bit lessened. Do this to your neck and scalp/head area too. With pain behind the eyes, I get a lot of relief from just pressing a finger on the front of my sinuses, at the sides of my nose and my temples. Also, the top of your head, in the middle, press there. Big sore spot, usually.

27 ounces a day isn't much. You should be getting 64oz. Also, take a big amount of magnesium. Something like Cal-Mag will relax all the spasming muscles.

Ami

Chiro is open again on Monday, they don't do massage there but they do acupuncture so I'm going to ask for an adjustment and some needles even though it squicks me out.

I'm getting 164 oz a day (6x27oz) My pee sticks at prenatals still say I'm dehydrated. I am nursing a toddler but I am not overly active. I'd say I'm normally above average in activity level but I've gotten downright sedentary with all the issues I've had so far in this pregnancy.

I will ask DH to do the pressure point thing- thank you for the tip!


To everyone: most of the things I read online say to consult a doctor if your headache lasts more than 24 hrs. I'm coming up on 8 days. Is this totally abnormal? Worrisome? Should I be examined? What would a doc do at this point anyway?

[porcelina]

If you are having pain of 7/10, you should talk to a general practitioner. It does indeed sound like migraines, but it's worth ruling out anything else. A friend of mine started getting migraines during pregnancy. It turned out to be a (benign, thank goodness) tumor, and she had to be carefully managed and eventually undergo surgery. I think as a general rule, if the pain is enough to keep you from sleeping or to wake you up at night, it might be something serious. Not sure if 7 meets that criteria for you, but worth it to be on the safe side.

[JTA Mom]

If you are still coming up as dehydrated, you might be really low on your electrolytes. I had major issues with migraines post partum, until dh forced me to only drink gatorade for a few days. Instant energy and overall vitality difference. I think with the amount of water you are drinking, it's odd to be so dehydrated. Definitely get some electrolytes in you.

Definitely go to the doctor though. You might *just* have a migraine, or it might be something more serious, like bleeding in your brain. The fact that this is the *worst* headache you've ever had tells me something is really, really wrong. Perhaps the ER doctor will be able to run some other tests/look for things that the OB won't?

Ami

[StoriesInTheSoil]

I did actually have one similar headache once when I was on hormonal birth control (NuvaRing) prior to DS's conception. I went off of it due to headaches and they were gone in a few days.

I have been able to get the pain under control tonight with constant ice packs on the neck and a dose of Tylenol (we had to go to the store, it'd been so long since we'd used an OTC we had none in the house!)

If this isn't better on Monday, I'll be seeing a doctor.

Thank you so much for all of your help and suggestions, the things I've picked up here have been so helpful!

[HeatherB]

If it doesn't come under control (and stay there) with the Tylenol and ice, definitely see a doc. It really does sound like a migraine to me (they're not always unilateral, and I've had ones go from the base of my neck up my skull and finally to the front of my head, accompanied by ocular disturbances). But it's hard for any of us to know for sure.

How is your blood pressure? If it's low, and you're coming up as dehydrated, can you increase your salt intake? My sister has low blood pressure and has to eat/drink lots of salty foods (i.e., full-salt V8, Wendy's french fries, etc.) to keep it up. The salt helps keep fluids in your blood stream (protein does, too!) - it's an electrolyte. She has also had to take straight salt (I found tricks in the H&H boards here to help disguise the taste. Anyway, depending on any deficiencies you may have, simply increase your salt intake may help, or drinking an electrolyte beverage may help. Gatorade, as a PP mentioned, has lots, but also lots of sugar. Recharge is a natural gatorade - fruit juice, water, salt. Coconut juice is high in electrolytes (potassium) and overall quite good for you (I've recently discovered the Vita Coco brand and love the tangerine flavor). Simply adding salt to water can help - but it's not as tasty!

Hope this makes some sense!

I hope you're feeling better soon and that it doesn't come back!

[HeatherB]

How are you doing, mama?

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Originally Posted by HeatherB

How are you doing, mama?

Thanks for the check in. It's a very long story but my headache is nearly gone, I am however now sick with some kind of respiratory sick which is terrible.

This had been a terrible week in a terrible month, I'm ready for June.

[HeatherB]

I'm so sorry it's been so rough. I hope things start looking up VERY soon!