Migraines?

[cameragirl]

Have any of you with migraines found success treating them without strong medication? I get migraines from tension in my neck irritating the nerves. Normally I get injections of steroids around the occipital nerve, and I can go in for a shot if it gets bad. Now that I'm pregnant, options are limited. I get adjusted weekly by the chiropractor, which helps some. I lay down in a darkened room with an ice pack for my neck, and take Tylenol. Benadryl was suggested by an ER doc years ago, and it does have some effect...just not enough at a regular dose to make me functional again. When I was pregnant with DD, the headaches lasted until after the first trimester. Has anything work for you?

[libabean]

My migraines are actually less severe since getting pregnant.  They are manageable now if I take tylenol and drink a Dr. Pepper.  The caffeine really helps.  You might want to look into acupuncture as well.

[PreggoMamma]

I am also having severe headaches starting in my neck. I have an old break which has lead to arthritis in my neck and muscle spasms. When I had my son 12 years ago (I used to get regular headaches) they completely went away but with this one they're daily. Tylenol and coke helps some people a ton....me a bit. 

[cameragirl]

Originally Posted by PreggoMamma 

I am also having severe headaches starting in my neck. I have an old break which has lead to arthritis in my neck and muscle spasms. When I had my son 12 years ago (I used to get regular headaches) they completely went away but with this one they're daily. Tylenol and coke helps some people a ton....me a bit. 

That's my issue. I've got Stiff Man Syndrome - a ridiculous name for a condition that makes muscles spasm and lock up. (Luckily no genetic links have been found.) I can't get down a coke or coffee, but can still sip some mountain dew if I need it. Ice and Tylenol help a little bit, but I'm still stuck in bed. Because of the spasms, sometimes they last a few days. My neurologist said that the hormones that cause a spike in migraines during the first trimester level off around 11 or 12 weeks, which is what happened when I was pregnant with DD. I didn't start getting migraines again until she was 9 months or so.

[dollyanna]

My migraines have different causes than yours, but here's what helped me:

extra magnesium & riboflavin

caffeine

benadryl at night

making sure to eat enough, esp enough fat

smelling peppermint essential oil

acupuncture

tylenol

[konayossie]

What I've done during pregnancy migraines is to take phenergen at the first sign of one coming on. Makese sleepy and sometimes I can fight it off with sleep. You could probably also get a Rx for Tylenol with codeine. I've been offered it before by both Ob and Perinatologist, but can't take it since it makes me extremely sick.

[cameragirl]

I'll have to ask what the options are when I see my neuro again. I know my cousin got an Rx for Tylenol with codeine for her migraines, but she's out of the first trimester.

[konayossie]

I'd ask your mw/Ob, rather than the neuro. IME no one but a pregnancy specialist want to be prescribing to a pregnant lady...

[birdhappy85]

May I ask what kinds of symptoms you experience with your migraines? I just had a really bad scare today, thought I was having a stroke or pre-eclampsia (I'm 6 months pregnant), and ended up in the ER getting all sorts of tests done. They ruled both of those out, thank GOD, but they think I had a severe migraine. I woke up this morning with a headache and a short time later I lost my peripheral vision in my right eye and I was seeing flashing lights... It lasted for over a half hour and I became confused and disoriented, I couldn't type or spell words that I was thinking, I was having trouble reading... Seriously one of the scariest things I've ever experienced. So I guess the doctors think it was an aura, and I've had a horrible headache for over 9 hours now. Is any of that something any of you have experienced? This is so new to me, I'm so terrified of it happening again and am hoping that kind of aura is fairly common?

[cameragirl]

I haven't had auras in a long time. I used to get them, but after I had a child the headaches got a little better. My reason for getting them is different than most, though. I feel my neck tighten up, and then my occipital nerves get irritated, causing a migraine.

[Katico]

My migraines are caused both by hormones and shifts in weather.  With my first DD (a winter pregnancy), I didn't have a single migraine and it was wonderful.  This time around (a spring-summer pregnancy), my migraines actually increased in frequency, length and severity - lots of nausea and vomiting, too.  Major bummer with a toddler to take care of.  My doctor prescribed me one medication to try - I can't remember what it was called now, sorry - but it was not a painkiller and safe for pregnancy.  It didn't work for me unfortunately, but it does mean that there are options.  But, she did also prescribe Tylenol -3 with codeine and it has worked quite well.  I have tried to take it very sparingly, trying to catch it at the very first sign of a headache when one pill will take care of it. It does cause some vomiting if I have to take more than one dose, and I try not to drive because it does make me a little loopy.  But...I feel safe taking it as sparingly as I have, and it's allowed me to function.

[cameragirl]

I'm almost out of the first trimester, and my next appointment is at 12 weeks. I'll have to ask what she prefers I use when it gets bad.

[buddhasmomma]

<<May I ask what kinds of symptoms you experience with your migraines? I just had a really bad scare today, thought I was having a stroke or pre-eclampsia (I'm 6 months pregnant), and ended up in the ER getting all sorts of tests done. They ruled both of those out, thank GOD, but they think I had a severe migraine. I woke up this morning with a headache and a short time later I lost my peripheral vision in my right eye and I was seeing flashing lights... It lasted for over a half hour and I became confused and disoriented, I couldn't type or spell words that I was thinking, I was having trouble reading... Seriously one of the scariest things I've ever experienced.  So I guess the doctors think it was an aura, and I've had a horrible headache for over 9 hours now. Is any of that something any of you have experienced? This is so new to me, I'm so terrified of it happening again and am hoping that kind of aura is fairly common?>>

I just saw this and wanted to comment that I had a similar but shorter experience when I was pregnant with my son, it lasted only about a minute or two and I didn't go in to the hospital, but my doctor told me to look at something called arterial migraines.  You might want to check into that.  I have since had the ones with the flashing lights and such, but not the confusion or inability to speak that I had that once.  It scared the hell out of me though.  But all was well.

[eggsandpancakes]

I've noticed when i take codeine if i have a cup of coffee when my tummy goes wonky it helps. I've been fortunate enough to only have two migraines this pregnancy, and was able to treat them both with Advil, caffeine, a dark room, hubby watching the kids while I slept it off, and ice pack and massage on the back of my neck.