Migraines and pregnancy

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My husband and I are hoping to become pregnant with our first child soon. I get terrible migraines (and have since I was 16) and I am scared to death about the possibility of getting migraines while pregnant and not being able to take my Immitrex. I know that pregnancy could be a cure for migraines, but I am still nervous. I’m sure someone out there has a comment or two for me! 🙂
 
Kera said:
My husband and I are hoping to become pregnant with our first child soon. I get terrible migraines (and have since I was 16) and I am scared to death about the possibility of getting migraines while pregnant and not being able to take my Immitrex. I know that pregnancy could be a cure for migraines, but I am still nervous. I’m sure someone out there has a comment or two for me! 🙂
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Talk to your doctor, ask the Lord to take away your fears and try to relax. St Gerard is a good friend to lean on during pregnancy/childbirth.
 
My migraines actually went away while I was pregnant. I didn’t have a single one the whole time. I usually had several a month. They have come back now, but it was amazing. You may be as lucky. We can’t give medical advice on this forum, but talk to your doctor.
 
I have battled headaches for 20 years…but had great luck during my pregnancies…you may too!
 
I would get awful migraines as well but luckily I haven’t had any during pregnancy! I pray you don’t as there are only limited medicines you can take and even Tylenol doesn’t do much for serious migraines.

What I get bad is acid reflux…uuugh.
 
I too have battled migraines for the better part of my life; since I was 10. I cannot take Imitrex due to a heart valve defect I have. I have always had to survive with just prescription ibuprofen, and the usual dark ,silent room, ice on the back of the neck, pray and wait it out. I’ve been to to ER at least a dozen times over the years when they have gotten really really unbearable.

I did find that my migraines lessened in frequency when pregnant, but they definitely didn’t go away entirely. I think because I couldn’t take anything not even some Advil, while pregnant, it forced me to become more in tune with when they were coming on, and even things that triggered them. I learned to lie down in a dark silent room with my ice pack on the back of my neck and breathe deeply as soon as I had a hint that one was imminent, not a moment later. this helped tremendously in warding off that most severe pain and vomiting etc.

I also took some assistance from St. Terese of Avila patron saint of headache sufferers and kept a holy card of her near me when I was lying down with one. A most wonderful help.
 
Add me to the list of long time migraine sufferers (since I was 8 or 9 years old) who did not have any migraines during any of my pregnancies.
 
Have you gone through testing and a round of doctors? At least rule out possible issues that might cause complications during pregnancy.

I had an aunt who suffered from absolutely horrible migraines…since childhood. During pregnancy they became unbearable and she miscarried in the second month. Later that year, she miscarried again.

She extensively sought help from several specialists and even a few alternative/homeopathic doctors. It took several years. They found that a childhood injury to her front teeth and the roof of her mouth had left an abscess and rot in her nasal passages and mouth. She had to have several surgeries just to get the dead, rotting tissue out.

She had four teeth on the top and on the bottom removed, including some bone tissue. She wears a partial denture now and her migraines have disappeared. She is due in 3 months with number 9. 🙂
 
The wk we conceived (before we knew I was pg) I had a terrible migraine so I took my prescription meds… but then I got 2 more in the first 2 months but they didn’t hurt at all, I took tylenol and the pain went away. I was surprised that tylenol was enough to make the pain go away.

I had heard the pain lessens and that you might not even get them, and I found this to be true. But do talk to your dr. My OB told me if tylenol didn’t work, that maybe she could give me something stronger but safe for the baby.
 
Know what I LOVE about being Catholic? Knowing I have a place to go with questions where nice people (such as yourselves) will take me seriously and answer me. Thank you for all of your wonderful advice!
I just wanted to say that the reason I asked is because of my OB/GYN. I asked her about the Immitrex while I was pregnant and she said that it was a class 2 (???) drug meaning that we aren’t sure if it does any harm, but she would be OK with me taking it if I HAD to. I was a bit miffed by that because I really don’t want her experimenting with my baby. I sort of pushed her on that and she said that if I don’t feel comfortable she would give me Tylenol with Codeine. She doesn’t want me to have to be in pain all the time. (I get anywhere from 2 to 12 migraines a month…) I’ve been to a neurologist who keeps charging me hundreds of dollars to tell me that I am just one of those “lucky” migraine sufferers.
I really want to have a family and my husband has finally warmed up to the idea (but that’s a whole new post…) but I am really frightened about the migraine thing. I am a kindergarten teacher, which makes it hard to just up and leave work if I get a headache.
Anyway, I appreciate what you’ve already said and hope to hear more! Thanks! God Bless You all…
 
Kera said:
Know what I LOVE about being Catholic? Knowing I have a place to go with questions where nice people (such as yourselves) will take me seriously and answer me. Thank you for all of your wonderful advice!
I just wanted to say that the reason I asked is because of my OB/GYN. I asked her about the Immitrex while I was pregnant and she said that it was a class 2 (???) drug meaning that we aren’t sure if it does any harm, but she would be OK with me taking it if I HAD to. I was a bit miffed by that because I really don’t want her experimenting with my baby. I sort of pushed her on that and she said that if I don’t feel comfortable she would give me Tylenol with Codeine. She doesn’t want me to have to be in pain all the time. (I get anywhere from 2 to 12 migraines a month…) I’ve been to a neurologist who keeps charging me hundreds of dollars to tell me that I am just one of those “lucky” migraine sufferers.
I really want to have a family and my husband has finally warmed up to the idea (but that’s a whole new post…) but I am really frightened about the migraine thing. I am a kindergarten teacher, which makes it hard to just up and leave work if I get a headache.
Anyway, I appreciate what you’ve already said and hope to hear more! Thanks! God Bless You all…
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Oh my!!! 2-12 migraines a month??? I am sooooo sorry Kera. I know how horrible they can be… but you know? My OB advised me to not touch the migraine meds at all… since migraines are caused by vaso-constriction or dilation, those meds mess around with your veins and arteries and they could harm the baby… go with your Catholic-gut feeling. The tylenol w/codeine sounds good… but I will pray that you don’t get any or if you do, that they can be like mine were, not painful at all.
 
one other thing to consider…I went through an extensive work-up in a hospital-based headache specialty clinic this past fall for my severe headaches/migraines and learned that I had several dietary triggers/food allergies that I now know to avoid. I have had a corresponding decrease in the frequency/intensity of headaches. The things that really set me off were chocolate (and I was an addict!!), white/processed carbohydrates (breads/pastry/cereal), white wine/beer. My doctor gave me the book The China Study, by Thomas Campbell to read. It is a great education about diet and nutrition generally and was very helpful in identifying/isolating food groups that can have a toxic effect on your health. Good luck.
 
I had migraines lasting 3 days each time from the time I was 18. The only time I didn’t have migraines was when I was pregnant. I felt absolutely wonderful and enjoyed being “normal” not having those terrible headaches. We didn’t have Imitrex then. I take it now. Still have migraines, but never had them when pregnant.
 
I am a chiropractor. . .chiropractic and pregnancy go together like peanut butter and jelly for the reason of “no drugs.”

The #3 complaint I see in my practice is headaches. . .I’ll admit, migraines are a tougher nut to crack compared to tension headaches but you may want to consider seeing a chiropractor if it gets too bad.

In my 11 years of experience, they tend to decrease the frequency of them. . .but if you are in a full blown migraine, unfortunately, a spinal adjustment won’t abort it. . .it’s got to run it’s course.

Good luck.
 
seekerz said:
Talk to your doctor, ask the Lord to take away your fears and try to relax. St Gerard is a good friend to lean on during pregnancy/childbirth.
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Suffering from migrain headaches is a lot more that having your fears taken away and relaxing is out of the question.When you suffer from them the fear of just getting another one can be overwhelming they are very very painfull.
 
Kera said:
My husband and I are hoping to become pregnant with our first child soon. I get terrible migraines (and have since I was 16) and I am scared to death about the possibility of getting migraines while pregnant and not being able to take my Immitrex. I know that pregnancy could be a cure for migraines, but I am still nervous. I’m sure someone out there has a comment or two for me! 🙂
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I suffer from horrible migraines have for over 40 yrs, there are times when I cannot even move my eyes the pain is excrutiating. So I understand your fear it is very real, however like many on here are saying I have been pregnant 4 times and those were the only times I was either free of them, or they were greatly diminished. I will keep you in my prayers.
 
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