Headaches...anyone getting them?

[Tumble Bumbles]

I was feeling super great up until about a week ago when I developed tension headaches on and off. It's becoming annoying and of course, I am getting a little worried. My BP is fine (although dh is getting a cuff today so I can take it more often), no protein in my urine, no swelling at all (my wedding ring still fits, amazingly).

So, I don't believe there is anything serious going on but it's becoming a bit disruptive. I usually don't take anything (even OTC) during pregnancy but dh is getting me some Tylenol today because I want it gone.

I'm not dehydrated, I've been drinking tons of water. I've been eating fairly okay although I know I need more protein. No stressful situations currently. I am wondering if it's hormone related.

Anyone else?

[Intoit]

I got them pretty bad sometime after my first trimester, I'm thinking around 15-17 weeks? Horrible sinus-like headaches, tylenol wouldn't touch them. My BP was great, the only thing we could think of that was causing them was the increase in blood flow/fluid volume in my body, I had some very mild head congestion as well.

My MW gave me a big green light to resume my coffee habit (only 1 or 2 cups a day), since coffee was a panacea in making my headaches disappear. I would have killed for a sudafed at the time though!! I hope you get to feeling better soon 

[korintherin]

How are your iron levels? With my first pregnancy I had terrible, horrible, pounding headaches every time I stood up (blood pressure related I thought), only thing I could compare them to was caffeine withdrawal headaches, though I'd already been off caffeine for months at that point.

Around the same time my iron levels came back low, the dr put me on ferrous gluconate pills, and the headaches miraculously went away. It might have been a coincidence, but might not, either, based on my reading.

[Tumble Bumbles]

Wow thanks so much for that response! I hadn't thought of that, but my iron very well could be lowish, it was low a couple of years ago as well -- I keep a vegetarian diet (except for the rare fish) and though I try to eat enough iron in my diet, I may very well be lacking. I will up it for a week or two and see if it helps.

Thanks again :)

[EnchantedMamma]

I don't know where you live, but you may want to check local allergen levels.

Our cedar pollen counts went up right around the time I started getting awful headaches. Sinus headaches can feel an awful lot like tension headaches. And I think they even cause secondary tension headaches as I feel so awful when I have allergies.

Only Sudafed is helping, so I alternate that and Tylenol sparingly. And I take Claritin at night most of the time.

[Aliy]

i get headachs and they are much better with hydration, chiro and massage. the relaxin in your system can really shift your body around. i have issues with my neck sometimes. and chiro really helps.

there has been a few times where i needed a bit of caffine or sugar to relieve a headaches as well

[Tumble Bumbles]

@ enchanted -- wow, I looked at the pollen counts and they are sky high right now where I live. I never had issues with allergies before, but pregnancy can do lots of weird things to our systems. Thanks for that info, there might be a connection.

@ aliy -- thanks for your input. I was having neck issues too. I've never been to a chiro, but I may check it out if it continues. I am well-hydrated. I did try about 3 ounces of coffee tonight and it seemed to have helped. I also took one tylenol (the headaches aren't severe, just minor but annoying), and it went away.

DH got a BP cuff and BP is awesome, so that's good. I'm just chalking it up to changing hormones/tension/possibly some outside factors, but not worried at all now.

Thanks again for all your input. I really appreciate it.

[Aliy]

well i hope it gets better for you. If you do decide to go see a chiro find one who actually works with pregnant woman and not some one who has just taken the course. trust your instinct ask around. there are good one and there are bad ones

[HawaiianBlesing]

My MW told me to expect them come the second trimester.  Something to do with the blood volume shift.  I seem to get them too if I don't drink enough water.  One morning I had to have my DH give me a 1000 bag of fluids (he's a FF/paramedic)--it really helped.  Also red that anemia can cause them. 

They are the pits so I hope they go away soon for you. 

[korintherin]

Originally Posted by Tumble Bumbles 

Wow thanks so much for that response! I hadn't thought of that, but my iron very well could be lowish, it was low a couple of years ago as well -- I keep a vegetarian diet (except for the rare fish) and though I try to eat enough iron in my diet, I may very well be lacking. I will up it for a week or two and see if it helps.

Thanks again :)

Yeah, even if you had a good amount, when your blood volume increases rapidly (as it does in pregnancy), the iron gets thinned out, so to speak.

Just to re-emphasize, the prenatals I was taking had iron in them, but it wasn't doing a damn thing for my bloodwork.

Also, if you are taking iron and calcium, spread them out over the day (I take iron at night and calcium when I wake up, with OJ). If you take them together they can bind to each other and then neither is doing much good.