Migranes, anyone?

[Tonya]

I don't normally get them, but I've been getting them alot sense I have been pregnant. I spoke with my doctor about them before, but I told her I could tough it out without medications. Well, this one has been here for two days. :o So, now I'm hating life.

There isn't much medication that I can take. What do you all do for migranes? Any suggestions? Did anyone else experience them when they were pregnant?

p.s. I know the first thing I should do is get my butt off of PT. lol. I'm sure the computer screen doesn't help!

[catnapper]

I get chronic migraines. I think I'd kill myslef if I couldn't take meds for them. but this should help you: Take a LONG HOT shower. Turn off the lights and make the bathroom as dark as possible. Just stand there as long as you can. Then go to bed with an ICE PACK on your forehead. Darken the room as much as possible, and also lower the AC if possible. Huddle under nice cozy blankets. There's something about the hot shower, followed by the ice and cool room that really helps. Let me know what happens... BTW: Get off the computer!!! :D

[wolflady]

Gosh, I hate migraines! I feel for you! They run on my mom's side of the family, so I get them from time to time. Thank goodness, it's rarely!!
I'm not really sure what you can do, since you're pregnant, but I know there are some medicines out there that are good for migraines. I think my sister said that Excedrine Migraine works wonders for her, but I haven't tried it.

What sort of migraine are you having? Some migraines improve with caffeine, while others get worse with caffeine.

Whenever I get migraines, the only thing I can really do is lay down in a dark room until it passes. Mine get so bad, though, that any amount of light bothers me, my left side goes numb, I get tunnel vision and sometimes pass out. It's almost like having the symptoms of a stroke, which scared me the first time it happened. Of course all of this is followed by the head-splitting headache. Ugh!
I hope you feel better soon! Migraines are no fun at all!
**hugs**

[wolflady]

Great idea about the shower, catnapper...I'll have to remember that next time I get one!

[lovemyshiba]

Definitely get off the computer. When I get one, the computer aggravates it so much.
I can't watch tv either.
I usually go in my room, turn out the lights, put a cold rag on my head, and lay down.
I realize with a son at home though, that may not be possible for you, but try to do whatever you can to just block everything out, and rest.

[jazzcat]

I get ocular migraines. I have weird vision when it happens and then my head will hurt some and then I'm wiped out for the day. The next day I will have this incredible pressure in my head which lasts for a few days. If I cough, sneeze or bend over I think my head is going to explode and it hurts so bad I sometimes end up crying.
My doctor finally prescribed me Imitrix back this spring and it stopped the vision problems immediately but I'll be derned if it didn't come back twice as bad a few hours later. Guess I need to try a different med. Luckily I haven't had one since mid May and that one was totally stress related.

I know mine is different from most but I still feel sorry for anyone with migraines of any kind. I have yet to find anything that will relieve it.

[Desert Arabian]

Ahhh! Good ol' migraines. I get them constantly, I usually get one once a week, but thank God I actually haven't had one for quite sometime. My mom's side of the family is plagued with them. My Mom, grandma, Aunt Debbie, Aunt Cathy, and I get them all the time. Mine get so bad I can't take any light or noise, I throw up every 5 seconds, get the chills, and the shivers. I just want to die. I had to be hospitalized back in December one was so bad. The doctors thought I was having a stroke and did tons of CAT scans. I was at school when it started. My whole body when numb and my fingers tingled, I could not walk or move, I threw up 18 times in 10 minutes, I was deathly pale (dad said he's never seen anyone that white), I had the chills- it was terrible. Not fun at all. Plus my mom was in California and had no clue that this was going on! :eek: My doctor has be on Butalbital (from WebMD: Butalbital is in a class of drugs called barbiturates that slow down your central nervous system (brain and nerve impulses) causing relaxation).
and it works great! Sometimes I only need to take one pill sometimes I have to take two, depending on how horrible it is. Right when I get the "warning signs" I take one, and it usually kills it before it gets really bad. I would die without those pills! W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!!

http://my.webmd.com/hw/drug_data/d03456a1?lastselectedguid={5fe84e90-bc77-4056-a91c-9531713ca348}

[Harmanie]

Dear head ached woman, LOL


although I have never experienced pregnency, I do know that even though you are looking in your computer moniter it does not affect your migrain at all. I'v checked that one out with the doctors with my MUM. its basically a myth that mothers tell their kids so they don't sit too close to the tv or computer. however. if the brightness is bothering you, for your confort, just look away every 5 minits.
Kate;)

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by Harmanie
Dear head ached woman, LOL


although I have never experienced pregnency, I do know that even though you are looking in your computer moniter it does not affect your migrain at all. I'v checked that one out with the doctors with my MUM. its basically a myth that mothers tell their kids so they don't sit too close to the tv or computer. however. if the brightness is bothering you, for your confort, just look away every 5 minits.
Kate;)

That makes no sense at all. Yes, the computer screen does affect migraines, any one who gets them knows that. It's the brightness of the computer screen which irriates your eyes. When you have a horrible migraine most people cant handle ANY light, and reading bothers me too when I have one. Looking away for 5 minutes won't help at all when you have a migraine. And yes, it is bad for eyes when you are too close to the TV and computer screen.

[nibblets]

I get Migraines once in a while. I get tension headaches a LOT, and I went through a spell of getting Cluster headaches..(no fun at all). They tend to run on my Dad's side of the family and I happened to have picked up that trait.

I had a lot of headaches when I was pregnant. I think it is actually very common to get them at that time. It just makes it rough because you really have to be careful what you take for them. Ralaxation techniques do help to relieve them some. Good luck dealing with them.

[sirrahbed]

oh MY! I am very familiar with migraine and am so sorry you are having them while pregnant Tonya. Thankfully for me, mine disappeared while pregnant and it was the only time I was free of them so mine seem to be hormonal related. It is my understanding that there ARE some of the newer classes of drugs that ARE safe for use in pregnancy so you may want to ask your doctor to look into that.

Mine are doozies that sound like wolflady and yellowlablover - with strokelike symptoms, seizures and ocassional hospitalizations and they require heavy duty drugs when they are bad. Some of them are the ocular variety that jazzcat describes.

A few non-drug things I have learned:
If you can adjust the *refresh rate* on your monitor to over 60 - this can help. Otherwise your eye may notice the flicker much like a fluorescent light and this can trigger migraines in some folks.

Avoid fluorescent lights in particular and any lights if the migraine has begun.

Drink plenty of water - dehydration can contribute to migraine and so does pregnancy add to the dehydration so there may be a correlation for you!

As soon as you feel one coming...if possible...get away from light and sound....some prefer quiet and some prefer a gentle sound. I like Norah Jones, Enya and John Coltrane!!!!

If you have nausea like I do - try sipping gingerale or warm ginger tea. I also like cola syrup poured over crushed ice. ( I get the syrup at the drug store, pharmacy or natural food store)

I also like to pack myself in ice and my favorite way is with frozen bags of peas. No kidding. They conform to the contours of your eyes, neck, etc and they feel wonderful - then just refreeze and re-use for migraines.

I also like to have my kitties with me and if I can get them to lay on my pillow - all the better because that purring makes such a soothing vibration on the pillow.

I like the smell of lavender when I have a migraine. It is known to be soothing and I keep a flaxseed filled satin pillow scented with lavender essential oil sealed in a ziploc baggy to get out for migraines. I got the seed bag at Bath and Body Works in the mall. The essential oil I got at a natural food store. The flaxseed bag is already scented but I bought extra oil to refresh it.

One more great tool is a small half donut shaped neck pillow with a pocket in it that holds a pouch that can be heated or frozen. I bought this for under $10 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. That frozen pouch feels great at the neck while my eyes are packed in frozen peas.

Tonya - I hope some of these ideas can help you!! So sorry you are having these things! Maybe once you get past the first trimester, they will ease off. Hope so!!

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Originally posted by Harmanie
Dear head ached woman, LOL


although I have never experienced pregnency, I do know that even though you are looking in your computer moniter it does not affect your migrain at all. I'v checked that one out with the doctors with my MUM. its basically a myth that mothers tell their kids so they don't sit too close to the tv or computer. however. if the brightness is bothering you, for your confort, just look away every 5 minits.
Kate;)

I agree with everything Laura said. Spell check, anyone?

[dukedogsmom]

I'm getting one from the trolls around this place lately!! I get so frustrated when their behavior is encouraged.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Originally posted by dukedogsmom
I'm getting one from the trolls around this place lately!!

Ugh.... it's irritating.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Debbie, I just have to say, great advice! Im going to start using some of those techniques on MY headaches!

I get migranes if Im in florecent light too much. The damn *sorry for the language but I hate stupid florecent lights* lights make a horrid buzzing noise I can hear. Some TVs and monitors do this too. I also get headachy if my blood sugar drops too quickly.

My eyes are severly sensitive to light, so that sometimes can make me have a horible headache as well.

[binka_nugget]

Wow.. I'm going to have to try some of the suggestions.

My doctor thinks my migraines are triggered by stress/lack of sleep. During finals, I couldn't read a darn thing! I literally had the exam just a few inches away from my eyes. When they get really bad, they seem to last for weeks (the pain comes and goes) but I sometimes get lucky and get them for a few days.

My doctor suggested taking 4 advils/tylenols when I feel it starting. She said it was better to stop it then with 4 pills than to take even more pills during the week. (I get away with taking 2 though.. luckily my migraines aren't that bad).

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by binka_nugget

My doctor thinks my migraines are triggered by stress/lack of sleep.

This is STRESSFUL to hear! I had my first migraine at age 13 and I am now 49. Hormone change time is a very common time to have a first migraine I have learned. I agree that having migraines IS very stressful but feel it is a copout to blame a medical condition on stress. Some headaches ARE stress headaches, but migraines are NOT. They are vascular (caused by a change in blood flow of the arteries) After LOTS of stress, I got my diagnosis at age 30. Yes, lack of sleep does cause migraine - probably because you get stressed when you can't sleep or because it is hard to sleep when you don't feel well. I hope you keep talking to your doctor and don't stop trying to get help when they use the word "stress". Just about every problem we have is made *worse* by stress but that does not mean it is *caused* by stress. Having a change in your vision signals something more serious than a stress headache so please keep trying to find good help OK?? ((((HUGS)))

[binka_nugget]

I think she (the doctor) meant stress causing me to get less sleep. :) I find that it happens at "the time of the month" or when I get VERY little sleep (I got 3-4 hours of sleep everyday for a little over a week during finals). They haven't been too bad since school ended though.

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by binka_nugget
I think she (the doctor) meant stress causing me to get less sleep. :) I find that it happens at "the time of the month" or when I get VERY little sleep (I got 3-4 hours of sleep everyday for a little over a week during finals). They haven't been too bad since school ended though.

I do not mean to bash your doctor - she may well be exactly right about what is going on with you:) I just get aggravated too easily when *some* doctors are too quick to smack a stress label on headaches without being careful. Stress does cause some headaches. NOT nasty migraine though:mad: Hormone (pre-menstrual) related headaches can often be migraine :( Hope yours continue to be mild and infrequent and controlable with Tylenol:)

[chocolatepuppy]

I started getting migranes when I was 17. I used to get them horrible! I'd get the lines in my eyes, severve pain of course, lose my vision in one eye(always the right) and even throw up. Over the years I stopped getting them so bad now I just gets some lines, maybe a little nausea, and a mild headache. The rest of the day my head feels sore.I feel for people who have them bad as I just wanted to die when I had them!

[RICHARD]

Got Accupressure?

I don't know how good THIS is but you can try it...

You massage the web in between your thumb and forefinger

http://www.alcanseek.com/articles/migraines.htm

Here is a site you may try....but remember when people start to laugh at you for rubbing all these places in one sitting....I didn't tell you ANYTHING.....

1. The indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows.

2. The indentation directly between the eyebrows where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead.

3. The bottom of the cheek line below the pupils of the eye.

4. The center of the back of the head in the large hollow at the base of the skull.

5. Below the base of the skull in the hollow between two neck muscles.

6. One half inch below the line of the skull on the ropy muscles, ½ inch outward from either side of the spine.

7. Top of the foot in the valley between the big toe and the second toe.

8. On top of the foot, 1 inch above the webbing of the 4th and 5th toes in the grove between the bones.

9. Webbing between the thumb and the index finger, at the highest spot of the muscle that protrudes when the thumb and index finger are brought close together.

;)

[Corinna]

I started having my migraines around the time i was 13 .I would get them once a month. I had to have codine to cope with them. I discovered about 13 yrears ago that they were coming about the time I was ovaulating, I started taking more soy at those times and they started going away.
Now that I'm on the other end of the scale (menopause Yes!!!!!!!!!) I only seem to get them from work. I can head them off by taking an extra black chosho and soy. I didn't have them during pregnacy ,but I think its hormonal changes in some cases.
Good luck lots of good advice for living with them.

[catnapper]

Debbie, I get migraines from 3 things: 1) food related allergies (or intolerances as some might say) ;) 2) lack of sleep and 3) stress. Stress is a big one for me since I can easily avoid the other two. I KNOW by now to get myself to bed at a certin time or ELSE! :D

I was on Prozac for many years to alleviate my stress in order to help my migraines and it REALLY REALLY helped - big time! When I stress, I am basically a basketcase... maybe it raises my bloodpressure, which causes a migraine? I don't know what happens to me when I stress to cause the migraines, but everytime I stress over something, I get very bad migraines. Don't ask me why, but I also get them when I have anxiety attacks too. You might thnk that my sleep is disturbed by stress, but a lot of stressful situations for me can be something I encounter during the day after a restful night's sleep. When I come across something stressful (say for instance an accident happens) a migraine will be instantaneous with the stressful event. Does that make sense? Luckily, since I'm not working with a bunch of morons anymore I don't get any stress migraines anymore! :D

[Tonya]

I'll tell you exactly when my migrane started. While I was out of town, the buying realtor called me and asked if her clients could stop buy to measure for curtains. I said yes. Then, I called my husband and asked if they made it. My husband said "Yes, and their realtor came to, she had me sign some papers."

"Uhhh, what papers, honey."

"I dunno, she said it was something we forgot to sign."

"Uhhh, honey our realtor says that their realtor isn't supposed to deal with us. You aren't supposed to sign anything...what did you sign?"

"OH, something about us being out of the house in one day....we don't need time do we?"

"Yes! We do need time, our loan won't go through for the new house until we get the money from this house. We need seven days!"

So, my realtor calls their realtor who denies even having Mike sign anything. Yet Mike says he signed two papers. :rolleyes:

So, THAT is where my migrane came from.

So, anyways, all your advice was great, thank you. I tried it all. It eased the pain, but none of it took it away. I just got off the phone with the doctor, she says if I never had migranes before, this could indicate a problem, so she wants me to come in to ER. She confirmed that Vicodin is safe and that the only thing I can do while pregnant is mask the pain. There aren't any safe migrane meds. But she didn't want me to mask the pain in case it's something serious. I don't want to go tonight, so I'm just going to wait until tomorrow. I took a Vicodin to make it through the night, hopefully it is gone by the morning.

[catnapper]

Whheee.. you get to be loopy for the evening! LOL. My dentist gave me those for my last absessed tooth and I have a few left over. I took one last time I had a migraine and no migraine pills. I have to say it was my happiest migraine ever! :D

[Miss Meow]

I get migraines, too.

Dehydration, flashing lights and that time of the month can bring them on.

I used to have Ergodryl to stop them at the start of an attack, but I've run out and can't be bothered going back to the doctor. Now I take a couple of aspirin at the very start, every two hours, and try to reduce the inflammation in the blood vessels that way.

I reach for the bag of frozen peas too! My heads feels really hot and the ice is such a relief! I don't know if it does anything for me, but it feels like the right thing to do.

Hope you're feeling better :)

[Tonya]

Cool! After some kicking and screaming, the doctor prescribed me a migrane medication that is safe when pregnant. I'm going to get it right now. :D

[jungle4u]

Uuuck! I hate them! I've been getting them lately. But do you know what works for me? I take an extra strength motrin. I don't know if it would work for you but its just an idea.

good luck

Jennah:)

[Miss Meow]

~* bump *~

I have been reading research that caffeine can help alleviate the symptoms of migraine at onset.

I woke up in the middle of the night with the start of a migraine so had two aspirin and one of those caffeine energy drinks after breakfast. It seems to have slowed down the progression of this migraine for now - fingers crossed.

[Tonya]

Originally posted by Miss Meow
~* bump *~

I have been reading research that caffeine can help alleviate the symptoms of migraine at onset.

I woke up in the middle of the night with the start of a migraine so had two aspirin and one of those caffeine energy drinks after breakfast. It seems to have slowed down the progression of this migraine for now - fingers crossed.

That is right! I've gotten quite a few migranes since I originally posted this. Caffeine has helped me quite a bit. In fact, I went to bed last night with a migrane. When I woke up this morning, it was still there, so I had a cup of coffee and before I knew it, it was gone. :D

I hope your migrane stays away for good!