Other Tricks for Migraines During Pregnancy.

Hi D.,
I have also suffered migraines since I was a child. Horrible ones that would land me in the emergency room with IV's in my arm! The pain is intolerable! I
I used to get migraines as often once a month UNTIL my boyfriend at the time (10 years ago) now my husband, recommended chiropractic care. I was willing to try anything. I went to Dr. Peter Alongi on Commercial Blvd and Lyons rd who the family recommended. I have been going to him for 10 years and have only had 3 migraines since.
2 of those migraines came when I was pregnant. I had my husband rush me to the chiropractors office and the migraine was gone in 30 minutes from receiving his care.
I don't know where you live, but you need to go to a good chiropractor! The migraines will go away! Look for a Dr. that is proficient in using an activator. I recomend Dr. Alongi in fort lauderdale

Find a chiropractor and get that spine adjusted. Where are you? There are a few in South Palm Beach: Derek Friedman, Jerry Tishmand and then Dr. Vanderbrook in Deerfield. All very good men.
My brother used to suffer from migraines and would peel a banana and place the inside of the skin on his neck. He said it was the "instant potassium hit" that relieved the pain.
Blessings, S.

you might try not eating anything with MSG and give up wheat/gluten.
this is something many people do not realize causes migraines.
this means reading all labels on foods. i know you did not askfor thiskind of answer but it just might help.good luck

I have struggled w/ them too....try a chiropractor!! You'll be amazed! If you're near Niceville,Fl go to Zook Chiropractic. Blessings and good health for you and your new baby!

D.,
I also have migraines and being pregnant was hard for me also. For me I found the number of them declined after about 16 weeks. I also found that increasing the amount of fluids helped - I never drank sports drinks but found they helped as plain water made me gag during my pregnancy. I'll keep my fingers crossed you will be feeling better soon.

D.,

I would recommend looking into acupuncture & or cranial-sacral therapy. I have had migraines since a car accident in 07. My migraines are alway worse in the summer- probably due to heat.

I had a migraine last week, when I saw my acupuncturist- he treated my head- I did not take an migraine medicine (midrin is the only thing that works for me). Lately the T-storm affect me- it must be changes in the barometric pressure.

My acupuncturist takes insurance (many don't).- He is in the USF area- his wife works there too- she is also an acupuncturist- both are chinese and were trained in china.

If you want the info on them or my crainial sacral therapist email me privately & I will give you the info

Hey D.! Congratulations! I suffered from headaches during the first 2 trimesters of both my pregnancies - I wouldn't call them migraines, though. My doctor explained that it has something to do with the extra fluid your body produces during pregnancy. He assured me that they would disappear by the end of my 2nd trimester and they did. Nothing worked for me...I know this isn't uplifting, but there is a light for you!

Migraines come from some form of pressure - and there is obviously stress associated with pregnancy and anything else that is non-routine in life. With an already stressed energy system certain things will trigger the threshold where it blows up into the headaches. I'd encourage working on building faith and a mindset that reduces stress, as well as receiving energy system therapies like acupressure and reiki. Taking extra magnesium can help, also some essential oils and Bach flower remedies can help relieve headaches. Read up on that.

I have had migraines for years now. i break them into 2 categories. the ones that start at the base of my skull are stress migraines i have permanent damage where calcium has fused the vertebrae and i no longer have a curve. when these happen the only thing that helps is a nap. sleep relaxes all those muscles. if i have a front forehead migraine even naps don't help and i just have to suffer. Tylenol and ibuprofen only ease it slightly i just try to lay in a dark cold room with a cold cloth on my eyes. i have occasionally had both at the same time not fun. i know i will get a reg forehead one with certain foods like passion fruit so these foods i avoid. other than that i wish you the best of luck.

I am also pregnant, and have had migraines throughout it. My doctor prescribed tylenlol 3's(aka tylenlol with codine) that has seemed to help alot.

I feel your pain. Literally. I, too, suffer from migraines and pregnancy was tough to deal with the headaches as you know, you are limited to what you CAN take. I know most of my triggers but for the ones I got out of nowhere at all, I would immediately take 2 Tylenol's the moment I felt the twinge of pain. For me, my migraines begin with pain at the back of my neck, below my head. It's like a twinge so the moment I'd feel the onset of a migraine, if I took Tylenol within 5 minutes of feeling the pain, I could almost always nip the migraine before it turned into a full blown migraine. Napping, cold compresses and believe it or not, deep rubbing into my neck relieved the pain. Talk to your doctor about any other medication that is safe for pregnancy. Also, you have to keep in mind that although you know your triggers, just the increased hormones that pregnancy brings is enough to trigger a migraine. I got migraines throughout my pregnancies as well.

Migraines are generally caused by pressure on the ocular nerve. Either your capillaries are being flooded with higher volumes of blood that can't get through the normal size capillaries...or the capillaries have constricted and are unable to allow normal blood flow to pass. A neurologist or ophthalmologist can tell you what kind you have if they see you DURING a migraine.
That being said, the first trimester, your blood volume basically doubles to support the baby. This increase in blood volume makes most migraine sufferers prime targets. Additionally, many migraines can be aggravated by hormonal fluctuations, which again are highest in the first trimester.
You are just about through the first trimester so I would hope that you see some relief naturally over the next couple weeks. In the meantime, make sure you are getting plenty of water to keep things flowing and moving well (80-100 oz per day.) Caffeine sometimes helps, but in some people it can also cause a rebound migraine, and those are generally worse than natural migraines so be careful.
Consider checking your blood pressure at the grocery store or drug store too...just to make sure nothing is seriously off.
I've had severe migraines (including auras and visual loss) since I was 10. It's been a battle but over the years I've managed them and was lucky to only have a couple while pregnant two years ago.
Since there can also be specific food triggers, you might want to keep a food journal so you can see if any patterns emerge.
Best wishes!

I used to have migraines but haven't for years. Not sure what ever caused them or why they went away but boy was I glad they did. When I would have one my husband would massage my head and they would go away usually. Nothing else worked. Maybe you could try head massages.

gatorade and water work for me

congrats on your pregnancy. Have you tried eliminating dairy from your diet. Dairy is the number one trigger for headaches. Www.notmilk.com

I am also a migraine sufferer. I am now 34 weeks pregnant and will take Midrine when needed. The beginning of the pregnancy was the worst, up intil 5 months I would have some sort of headache everyday, but I wouldn't always take something. I have taken Midrin with my last 2 pregnancies and everything turned out good. I am now at the point when I am not getting hardly any headaches. Somethings that help me are a massage, I will also drink one coke with caffine a day, early in the day (Before I was pregnant I didn't need any caffine) but now drinking the coke seems to prevent me from getting a headache. Best of luck to you!

I get severe migraines.
you could try a cup of coffee and tylenol (when it's 'safe' to have advil again, a cup of coffee w/ 2 advils and one tylenol is the same cocktail as an Excederin Migraine tablet).

also: I was prescribed fioroset and it helped and is safe while pregnant. took it during 2 pregnancies and while breastfeeding. there is fiorset and fioronal. you want the one with TYLENOL (the other one has aspirin which you can't take while pregnant!)

I only get migraines when I am pregnant. My doc told me to take tylenol and caffeine. She also mentioned that there was meds that were safe in pregnancy for migraines if I needed it, but the caffeine and tylenol worked for me.

Are you drinking enough fluids (water especially)? I find that I can usually dull the pain of a bad headache or stop the onset of a migraine by drinking a few glasses of water. Water is very important, especially now that you're pregnant and your body is using it up faster, not to mention the heat!

I have been in your situation also and I hate being medicated. Recently on a whim I got the headache aromatherapy bottle from Bath $ Body Works. The solution is a mixture of herbs and comes in a purse size roll on applicator. You apply a bit to your temples and breathe it in. I cannot believe how it has helped me.

Hope it helps.
C.

I know that a natural cure is to put cayene pepper under your tongue, this should not be harmful for the little one.
method is to get blood up to your hean to make the pain go away. Good Luck and God Bless C.

I didn't read the other responses. Please try chiropractic care. They can help you even if you are pregnant.

Hi D.,

Migranes made me miserable during both my pregnancies- but all they would give me at the time was Tylenol, which didn't help. (this was 15 and 18 years ago.
Because of the severity of these kinds of headaches- (probably hormonally triggered)I wouldn't wait for your next appointment. I'd call a.s.a.p. and explain what's happening and ask them to give you whatever they can NOW. There is nothing worse than a migraine headache- especially when you're pregnant AND caring for a three-year-old. Catching it the moment you feel it coming on helps- and sitting in an upright position while sleeping helped me too.
You and your baby do not need this kind of pain and stress!!! Call your doctor!

Congrats and best of luck!

L.

Apple cider- the best I have found locally is Zeigler's which I have found in Publix and Sweetbay's - the pectin in apple cider helps the liver which is part of the migraine cycle- I had them for 12-15 years before I discovered this- 8-16 oz a day is what I do.
Dizzy on standing is usually adrenals and I can make some suggestions on that if you respond privately-k

It may be your sinuses. I started getting massive headaches again that would turn migrane quickly during both pregnancies. Your sinus membranes swell significantly and also with the influx of hormones either one can trigger headaches, and since you are prone to migranes that may be the answer. Try a NeilMed sinus rinse. completely drug free, saline solution that you fill with tepid purified water and it works wonders for your sinuses...wish I'd known about it when i was PG! :)

sometimes a massage can help. my dad used to massage my head when i had a migriane when i was i kid. good luck! (mom of one toddler son.)

my doctor prescribed Tylenol3 (with codeine) when I was pregnant. I also have had migraines since I was about 10.