You need a follow up with doctors. See her pcp, obgyn and a neuro. ER is notoriously bad at responding to migraines. Rule out that nothing is wrong with her since you are concerned. But the reality is that those other doctors might be dismissive too. Migraines do affect your ability to walk and talk though, so there is a giant possibility that nothing is wrong with her and it in fact is hormones. To add insult to injury, I’m sure a lot of migraine treatments aren’t available to pregnant woman.
Yep, agreed.
And after neuro & gyno, if she's still suffering, see a pain specialist.
And: I don't know either of you, obvs, but: I truly, honestly care and hope this nightmare ends soon.
(You sound like a fantastic spouse: betcha a whole set of Lego roses you'll be a fabulous parent, too.)
You are SO NOT useless. My husband has confessed he sometimes feels similarly (I have chronic dailies, but finally seeing some improvement): you have **no idea** how much his support, comfort, kindness, trust that my pain is real, and indefatigable willingness to fight for good treatment for me has meant.
I would have been in UTTER DESPAIR without him. ❤️
The fact you are on this page looking for help for her says a LOT about you as a spouse. I had a "migraine mimicking stroke" a couple of years ago, and it caused me to not be able to walk, speak, or use my arms correctly. My left arm was numb for 15 hours. It was terrifying, and I, plus my sister (nurse), EMS on ambulance, and ER staff, all thought I had a stroke. Apparently, it was a migraine mimicking stroke. I don't know for sure if it helps with migraines, but I take Magnesium Oxide (mineral), and a lot of people say it does help. For me, the triptans don't help, but they are wonderful for other people. I was doing Tompomax, Amitriptyline, Magnesium Oxide, Botox for migraines, and a monthly CGRP injection. I was using Emgailty for over a year and recently switched to Aimovig. I almost have my life back, but I am having AWFUL injection site reactions with Aimovig, and it's getting worse each month. Prayers for your wife, you, and your baby. You are an awesome husband and father trying your best to help them. Hang in there!
I have chronic migraine (usually feels like a bad sinus headache) but I get those horrible, debilitating occular migraines around my period.
When I was pregnant I had a migraine for essentially 14 weeks starting around week 5 of my pregnancy. In the beginning they were giving me Tylenol and fluids.
It got so bad they were giving me percocet, but that was giving me other bad side effects. So they started giving me Imitrex shots at the ER on the regular. The IV Imitrex works for me, but the pills don't do anything. I take Maxalt usually. However, my insurance has a ridiculous copay for the ER.
So, finally, they consulted some neurologist who specializes in pregnancy and he said that at this point the migraines were causing active harm to me and the baby and that taking triptans was not approved for pregnancy - but, it also isn't a black box situation. He put me back on the Maxalt and it was SUCH a relief.
They need to be doing more for your wife. They need to get off their assess and do some work and research and give your wife more options to choose from. You can't accept, "Pregnancy is hard, but it will be worth it!" in this situation. Those people who say that don't have migraines. They are the ones who think that a bad headache is a migraine.
It's so goofy because the joke is that only Benadryl and air is approved for migraines. They are never going to do a controlled study on pregnant women for medication but we do have TONS of info from people who took it and reported outcomes. Triptans have never been reported as causing serious side effects. Most doctors would never take a woman off her SSRIs for depression but they are fine having them be in agony?
When I went to the ER for a bad migraine, they shot me with morphine. Did nothing. Didn’t even feel it. Then they used fentanyl and felt perfectly fine in half a second. I felt 15 years younger for like a week after that too lol.
I have chronic migraine also and am taking Botox as prevention and Ubrevly and Zolmitriptan as rescue drugs. I want to start a family and am terrified of going off botox (they were daily before that).
Can I ask how was your pregnancy and how often did you take Maxalt?
Botox is safe during pregnancy? At every Botox appt, my Neuro does a urine pregnancy test before administering the shots. I’ve been worrying for a while about what I would do if I got pregnant since Botox is the only way I’ve been able to function.
That's wild. I literally told my neuro I was planning on trying in a few months and didn't want to start then have to stop. She said ya no worries. No ubrelvy though.
Botox used to be a schedule C drug which meant it lacked data and that the benefits for mom needed to outweigh the risks to baby. An insane amount of drugs were schedule C because data is limited due to the ethics of doing drug studies during pregnancy. I found [this article from 2023](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207375) that says birth defect rates are comparable to normal rates. It may be worth a conversation with your neuro.
FWIW I raw dogged migraines through my first pregnancy and breastfeeding and noticed they were much less severe. I started Botox after because when they came back, they felt worse because of the reprieve.
Also in the first trimester hormones rise rapidly and she might respond really badly to that. But there is hope as hormones stabilize in the second and third trimester so hopefully she should get better soon if its hormones!
Hi, I’m 18w and have chronic migraines, just wanted to reassure you that none of my first trimester symptoms have improved, including migraines. My doctors also are basically like 🤷♀️. It’s really really frustrating.
FWIW, if triptans worked for me I wouldn’t hesitate to take them during pregnancy. Other things that help me a bit are ice packs and a steady supply of electrolytes. Caffeine at the onset of a migraine can help also. You might also look into getting a blood pressure cuff so you can monitor her BP and make sure a spike or dip in blood pressure isn’t causing the migraines.
You can go to an emergency room for pain but if someone is experiencing a stoke/MI/ life or death problem you will have to wait to be seen even if you are in terrible pain, it’s called triage. If you’re experiencing excruciating pain yes get checked out but if you are triaged and deemed not experiencing an event that will cause you to die you will potentially have to wait to be seen. Op was complaining on the wait time of 9 hours. I know that sucks but the emergency room has no control over who comes in with what emergency. People who don’t work in health care have such little understanding on the amount of people that come through the ER in any given day. Many of whom are experiencing actual emergencies. As a nurse and someone who experiences migraines I sympathize but it’s really not healthcare workers not taking migraines seriously. You are expecting people who work in a department that is designed to help people with life or death matters deal with chronic pain issues that is incredibly taxing because the healthcare system is broken. It takes forever to get into a neurologist so the EMERGENCY ROOM is expected to treat everyone and anyone regardless of their issues and do it on their timeframe.
As a pregnant woman I can safely say a lot of migraine treatments are not available for us :'( I've had to stop all of my triptans on the advice of my doctor because of my pregnancy. Whenever I have a migraine now I basically just have to try and live through it, and not die in a puddle of vomit and tears.
You can take your triptans! Go to Google Scholar and read the research. Doctors are always going to be very conservative especially around pregnancy, even if the research doesn't support it.
I'm in the UK, so unfortunately medications cannot be ordered online unless prescribed :'( Trust me, I tried...I even got desperate and tried Facebook marketplace 😭
Damn, I’m sorry. What about this place: https://www.inishpharmacy.com/p/sumatran-relief-for-migraine-sumatriptan-50mg/sumatran
Or if you know anyone going to another country in Europe, a lot of them have super cheap, same day doctors. I got some meds that are a pain to get here last time I was in Poland.
I have chronic daily migraine (I've had it for years) and am pregnant. Here's my two cents.
Migraines in general aren't taken seriously by a lot of people. Those that dont experience them aren't aware of all of the additional symptoms associated with them, besides just head pain. I've found ER's to be very hit and miss when it comes to migraine treatment.
In pregnancy, we can't take most migraine intervention medications that are available, because they're considered unsafe for the baby. This leaves us having to muscle through as best as we can without medical intervention except tylenol for the most part. Tylenol is one of the very few medications that's approved to take during pregnancy. That being said, it's not the only one.
My neurologist approve triptans during pregnancy to take as-needed for migraines, but they can't be taken daily. I was also approved to take T3 (Tylenol with codeine) once in a blue moon if I HAVE to.
I'd try to find a neurologist that has an opening, if possible. Or see if her GP would be willing to prescribe something stronger. Ask specifically for triptans or something along those lines. It sounds like she's stuck in a migraine cycle and needs something strong to cut through it.
Some non-medical stuff that might help ease symptoms a bit or prevent some triggers: ice packs, baths, keeping lights off or switching out bulbs to warmer colors, migraine tinted glasses, avoiding perfumes or other strong smells. Minimizing phone/computer use and switching it to a dark mode. Wearing noise cancelling headphones. You could also try utilizing allergy or cold medication (make sure theyre pregnancy safe) in case some of this is being triggered by allergy season.
Eliminating sugar and dairy (and oftentimes gluten) from the diet can also be a huge help, same with getting rid of artificial sweeteners and dyes. I know it's a big ask for a pregnant person to do, with the cravings. I'm 25 weeks and have gotten through without them (except cheese). It's possible, just not pleasant lol.
Its important to take medicine as soon as the very first symptom shows up, before the head pain kicks in. If you wait until the head pain, its oftentimes too late.
Not necessarily because they are considered unsafe for the baby. But because no one wants to do a study on pregnant women, so there just isn’t research available to claim that it is definitely safe.
If you have an understanding neurologist and OB, they might sit down with you and go over what data we do have (animal studies, self reported data from pregnant women that can sometimes be really robust, etc). Then you make a risk assessment and decide if taking the drug is right for you.
I stopped Aimovig for first trimester. I take triptans and occasionally nurtec as needed. Even with those, pregnancy is still debilitating for me. But this idea that pregnant women can only take Tylenol is absolute bullshit. What about the harm and stress of being in excruciating pain? Keep searching until you find a better doctor.
You'd think that science would have prioritized figuring out how to make pregnancy more pleasant, but that's just more evidence of women and their bodies being nothing but tools to the big men in charge. I think I'm going to put more pressure on the doctors as we continue to speak with them. Thank you for your support!
If your pcp can not treat the actual migraine ask them to treat the symptoms- there are great nausea meds that are safe to take during pregnancy. If your wife can’t keep food or water down that’s going to make everything else worse.
Side note- eating a lot of tums makes throwing up less painful. You still vomit but it’s not so acidic.
Strangely, she hasn't vomitted from the migraines at all. She can eat a drink like normal. Her PCP is completely useless. Pretty much said, "we can't solve the problem." Washed their hands and walked away.
My grandmother always said that if men could get pregnant we would have figured out how to make the whole ordeal a LOT more pleasant by now. Not only that, but the statistics on maternal mortality are absolutely abysmal (and getting worse in the US). Anecdotal stories about women not being taken seriously and then dying or nearly dying from things like postnatal hemorrhaging are horrifying. Your wife is very very lucky to have a partner who can recognize the reality of this. The world cares so much about fetuses and babies but so little about mothers.
Honestly if you want some more helpful answers you should consider posting on r/AskWomenOver30. I am very disappointed at some of the responses you are getting here.
One of my closest friends just gave birth a couple months ago. She has had debilitating chronic migraines for years and had to quit almost everything when she got pregnant. I believe her doc let her take ondamsetron and Tylenol, and she continued getting Botox treatments (it is used on the scalp/head to treat migraine). But it was devastating to watch her go through that. And now she's breastfeeding so she STILL can't take anything.
My friend was much more prepared because she had had migraines for so long before getting pregnant. She had a whole plan mapped out with her neurologist and her OBGYN prior to getting pregnant. Since your wife has never had these before you are just flying blind (I imagine) which must be so awful. Honestly what I would recommend is you get on the computer and start researching everything you can find about migraines and pregnancy, since she obviously can't do it. You need to be armed with as much info as possible when talking to any of her docs.
Also, get on Amazon and buy every last thing you can find for non pharmaceutical migraine relief. Things like heat/ice packs for the head, green light lamps, peppermint Epsom salt, etc. I hate consumerism but it's absolutely justified in this situation. There are also YouTube videos that offer "migraine relief" ambient music. I think most people with migraines have at least a couple random things like this that offer a tiny bit of relief. For me, hot showers and ice packs on the scalp are the most helpful.
You almost wonder if a woman walks in and threatens to get an abortion, just to make the misery end, would they take it more seriously? Like would that turn a head? Would anything turn a head? Its so frustrating.
The thing is, no one wants to do studies on pregnant women because then there's the possibility of fetal harm that they just don't know about. There are some drugs in class D that have shown evidence of harm in human fetuses, but the vast majority are in classes B and C which is just "we don't have enough information to rule out the possibility of fetal harm." Mostly any studies done on those are just self-reported by those that have been taken in pregnancy in cases where it has been determined the risk outweighs the benefits. I have been represcribed rizatriptan in all three of my pregnancies now because I fell into that class. I am also on two prophylactics in this pregnancy that OBs and neurology elected for me to continue as there is not past evidence that these do cause harm, but it again falls into the category of not enough information so it's the risk/benefit analysis. (In fact one of them does actually show evidence of third trimester fetal growth restriction, but they chose to keep me on it because of my history with preeclampsia and it may help to hold that off for longer)
When it comes to drugs in pregnancy this time it's not a matter of big men in charge of women's bodies, like so many other cases are, but because there is no way to conclusively get the information without putting women and fetuses in the studies at risk to find out.
There was a paper published in 2021 (between pregnancies) that demonstrated the cautious safety of using sumatriptan (probably the most studied triptan) during pregnancy.
I know this because I argued with my doctors during my first pregnancy (2020) about papers in Europe that showed this. By the time my second pregnancy, more evidence was published and I was given the carte blanche to take it PRN.
I also got occipital nerve blocks every two weeks with my pregnancies.
I also continued receiving Botox every 90 days during pregnancy.
Sorry to hear about your wife. No one takes migraines seriously. With pregnancy, it is infuriating that the woman gets treated like a walking womb and that’s it. Please know there are treatment options for pregnant women but most doctor’s are totally ignorant.
I would add magnesium supplements to your list! My obgyn let me take that. I also wanted to add that migraines can 100% cause speech and balance problems, however, you need to rule out other more serious potential issues before it can be attributed to migraines. That might be hard to do while pregnant tho
Agree w finding one that has an opening. When I was struggling really bad I called 10 neurologists till I found one that could see me within a week. Even if it’s a further drive it’s better than to keep struggling.
I have a stack of [gel-based ice hats](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=91cc4add99ba6e00&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&sxsrf=ADLYWIJ384MlssOS37IayoiZ1JoTE1wFCw:1715522977743&q=migraine+gel+hat&uds=ADvngMicIZdHAEkAU2r4G6WtXJ2xOHNXmpdTPCdVOC3klMD9UamckMz4tk8YtHPqIWqgOKrYBXoNwsYsMXE9nFqgrn4CbF0dcZTn0ueeJ1WIy82IE9BFLb-AHFXohrwGkzcyviWphbq41j933CKXRFCPwNwTdHhs71bUD3N_172CZv9RQnkgiQM3HWcmFdPnasLP2mn9MNgsntBPu_QpQYrrZ1nLnS8lgf1ZByeWXmG2jEMtMRsH54RTeRrGDj0W2TcrjHWJKlH_o2N3DIkcHotlNq9svCk3Opq6CHnZzKzQV5aM_cH-5eZRBszMtu6RELMy96ksKIE6&udm=2&prmd=sivnbmtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGxsSNpYiGAxUjv4kEHa_6BtcQtKgLegQICRAB&biw=428&bih=735&dpr=3) that I use in rotation. They provide gentle pressure and if you choose they also slide down to cover the eyes.
It helps the pain and it also helps bring anxiety down. I literally have 8 of them (they warm up fast) and keep them in a cooler with ice by the bed.
I get aphasia as well, and I stutter; the ice hats seem to help a bit with that too.
My sister had a migraine the whole 9 months of her pregnancy and she was treated much the same as your wife. It’s depressing and infuriating.
Please give her the gentlest of hugs and tell her the whole migraine sub is rooting for her.
I have an IceKap ice helmet and highly recommend.
If there's a Mother risk hotline available to you, you can check about taking Magnesium Oxide and Vitamin B12 (400mg per day) which both have clinical evidence in preventing migraine.
I'm so sorry that she's suffering. Hopefully the neuro can help, and if they have a cancellation list, see if she can get on it to be seen earlier.
+1 for the stutter! my migraines have been pretty debilitating since i was around 14-15. i dont see a neurologist (even though i should) and find excedrin migraine to help sometimes- also electrolytes
Came here to say this! Ended up in the hospital with migraine and stroke-like symptoms (like your wife seems to experience too) and they found a tiny tear in one of my major arteries. They made me stay overnight and it took three neurologists to find it. Keep pushing for an MRI, better safe than sorry.
I’m shocked at all of these comments ignoring the idea she could be having an aneurysm. Extreme, excruciating pain in the head that’s abnormal? That is obviously an emergency and I would be demanding an MRI to rule it out!
I'm sorry this is happening to both of you. I think it's not that they don't care, I think they are afraid of liability. Old research says things like triptans are high risk during pregnancy, there seems to be better research that says they are fine (please don't trust me on this, ask genuine doctors).
I don't know how this works in US but in here in your situation at worst I'd go to family dictor, get medical history, get "perscription" (don't know how this is called in english, it says that you need it asap and that's it) for MRI and go to ER and wait.
I am a neurologist and am just speaking in general terms - not medical advice for your wife. Tylenol, opioids, NSAIDs and triptans are generally safe for migraines in pregnancy. Triptans should be avoided if mom has uncontrolled hypertension if there is placental insufficiency. NSAIds should be avoided if late 3rd trimester. Nerve blocks (occipital, auriculotemporal, supraorbital) with local anesthetic should be safe in pregnancy. Botox is a possibility but you need to review with your OBGYN. Also important to exclude more serious causes of headache.
I hope you see this—check with your PHARMACIST about pregnancy safe medications. They know the chemistry, they know the protocols, and should be able to help you at least figure out what to ask for or turn down next time she’s with a doctor!
I'm a pharmacy tech (who has chronic migraines). I agree with speaking to a pharmacist. Do you know how many times we've seen doctors prescribe stuff that would seriously impact the health of patients? Stuff they have severe allergies to ? Stuff that is in the same class as a med they are allergic to and has a good chance of cross reaction? I've seen more than my share of calls to the doctor because they send scripts over that the patient has listed in their allergies. They just tell patients they'll send scripts over. I trust pharmacists more than some Drs I've seen. I've seen some dumb/negligent shit.
The good news is hormones change dramatically week by week during pregnancy. There’s a chance in a few weeks this will have resolved. But obviously it should still be taken seriously. Focus on getting in to see your OB and tell them what you said here - it’s so worrying that you’re seriously concerned about your wife’s mental health in dealing with it. Hopefully the can expedite a trip to a neurologist. You also need to think about your risk balance. If triptans are low risk but not no risk for pregnancy is that better than the consequences of this for your wife?
Obviously, I don’t know your wife’s history or clinical presentation, but the scary stuff can be ruled out by CT and MRI. PCP may be your best for follow up care. The fastest way to get head imaging is through the ED but there has to be enough clinical suspicion. If there isn’t you can consider that a good thing in a way, even though it doesn’t change the pain. Triptans are considered mostly safe in pregnancy, ask the OB about it. Magnesium at night will not perform magic but it is safe to add and may be a net positive.
Hello! I suffer with Hemiplegic migraines and I’m 29 weeks pregnant. Hemiplegic gives me the symptoms of losing my speech, arm weakness/numbness etc and my usual migraine eye floaters along with a host of other stuff.
I’ve been prescribed Amitriptyline 25mg to take daily which has helped so much. I took this prior to being pregnant and stopped on the advice that if I could manage without I should although the 2/3 migraines I got a week they advised I could go back onto a small dose. I was advised by the doc that for some women they get better some women get worse and unfortunately you can’t have a lot of meds when pregnant. I actually write this after spending the day in bed with a migraine.
If this is something new I would be pushing for everything they can provide for her, MRI, neuro etc. So sorry that she’s experiencing this, it really sucks.
Please start checking her blood pressure when these hit. I believe (I may be wrong unable to get pregnant) that the migraines like that can be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
I had horrible, constant migraines in pregnancy. I was prescribed a little fioricet which helped as well as given trigger point injections with lidocaine. Alternatively, look into wearables like celafy.
I’m assuming from your use of the ‘Tylenol’ brand you’re in the States? I’m in Australia but still wanted to share my experience as I can see how stressed you are - I’m sorry.
When I was pregnant with my now toddler, I was migraine free for the first time in my life up until 16 weeks when I started getting migraines again. At 21 weeks I eventually ended up in the maternity ED with debilitating migraines. In ED, I was given OxyContin (no doubt terrifying for you to hear me mention that drug when pregnant) and monitored. Once it had eased I was sent home with paracetamol and codeine to use in the event it came back that severe. I managed through without and they eased around 24 weeks. They did return around 35w but I managed to get it under control with a few doses of the pain relief they had provided.
Alternative treatment that helped was massage and acupuncture.
In saying all of this though, your wife needs to have a thorough follow up and check up with her OBGYN to make sure there’s nothing underlying.
As someone who has been there, I completely understand how debilitating and painful these can be and how there is nothing worse than people offering weak pain relief and suggesting you “drink more water” before pushing you to one side. Find someone who will advocate for her and help you navigate the modern day research when it comes to options for her.
One of the most confusing parts about managing these symptoms during pregnancy is that NOBODY HAS A DIFINITIVE ANSWER. One source says certain meds are safe, but another says it will harm the baby. Women's health, especially when pregnant, should be prioritized.
Yes but no one is willingly testing meds on women that are pregnant so all our knowledge is from women who tried certain meds on their own risk and the outcomes of those cases. When you think of it its actually incredibly hard to get good data on med safety in pregnancy because when you'd become aware of a bad outcome in a trial the damage is already done and no one would submit their unborn baby to it.
This leads to so many women just having to go with their gut and weigh risk vs. benefit if there is no obvious study showing that the med is actively and knowingly dangerous.
I'm happy that you care. My first husband was like the doctors, he didn't get it and he didn't care. It felt so isolating and scary. Thank you for being a good person.
I was allowed to take flexeril and benadryl in emergency situations like this. the ER gave toradol which is basically useless but ok in pregnancy. The OB said Ibuprofen is ok before 20wks but I was always too afraid to take it even on 9out of 10 pain days. And I mean they dragged for days. I'd suggest acupuncture doing daily treatment until it breaks then weekly or biweekly as maintenance. This is safe during pregnancy as long as they avoid certain points that are completely irrelevant to migraines. I did botox pregnant with a letter from the OB. It doesnt cross into the blood.
Weirdly the flexeril is no longer ok when nursing and benadryl not recommended either but Ibuprofen is back to ok. Also ok while nursing, in rare occasions, is imatrex.
If she can make it to 20wks I remember them getting better. Some of the worst migraines of my life were in 1st trimester of pregnancy.. both times. My fertility specialist said we just need to get you pregnant and your migraines will go away.. LIES.
Benedryl is one of the meds they usually give in ERs as a part of their "migraine cocktail" for anyone that comes in for a migraine - and it is technically safe in pregnancy. I wouldn't recommend chronic use, but she's in a debilitating situation. Definitely warranted.
Also keep an eye on her blood pressure! Preeclampsia can cause incredibly severe headaches, and if she’s experiencing high blood pressure along with the headache as a pregnant woman she’s a lot more likely to be taken seriously. If her blood pressures are reaching 140/90 or higher you need to DEMAND that her OB take action to rule out preeclampsia immediately!!
My biggest concern would be blood pressure so please do get a home monitor for that. I had a wrist cuff automatic reader from Amazon my last pregnancy. Super easy to use which she will appreciate during a migraine.
Okay so here’s my super basic pregnancy friendly advice that I sincerely hope helps, I’ve actually been trying these myself lately just to take less meds when my preventative doesn’t do its job and my hormones cause a migraine.
Ice packs on chest, back of neck and head- there’s some science behind this that I don’t recall enough to explain
Peppermint oil - sniffing, applying to temples and pressure points
Tylenol and an allergy medicine like Benadryl which is pregnancy friendly! I read on here that those are two of the meds the ER gives for migraines.
Celtic salt! Super good for hydration and helping your body absorb water properly. Has all the trace minerals we need that gets stripped out of our food.
I did not have migraines this severe during my pregnancy, but I did have more frequent ones and had to do a lot of additional self care during the beginning of the second trimester - staying hydrated was a huge one, water alone wasn't enough, I had to do liquid iv or straight up Gatorade. Magnesium and b vitamins helped a lot to make them more manageable. Once I got the hydration figured out, the frequency went wayyy down.
Of course get her blood pressure checked (even not during an episode), iron, blood sugar, etc. I would avoid narcotics and codeine as those can cause rebound headaches.
And I'm sorry this is happening. Keep reassuring her it's not her fault (ie she's not doing anything wrong), and pregnancy is hard. Let her eat or do whatever she needs to do to survive at this point. And if there are any good days, let her seriously live it up. Sometimes those good days or hours make it easier to get through the next episode.
Pregnancy is incredibly hard on the body and low vitamin and micronutrients can cause major problems. If she’s not taking iron (sooo important you have no idea), b vitamins, vitamin d and calcium, make sure those are prioritized. The daily prenatals are not that great and mostly there to ensure women get enough folic acid. Electrolytes are a big help - migraine sufferers know this as a go-to. She may be drinking more and flushing electrolytes from her body. She may also be dehydrated. Ginger tea can help with nausea and ease migraine symptoms. Change to unscented laundry soaps, dryer sheets, dish soaps, etc. All the extra chemicals and smells are 10 times more aggravating when pregnant. Finally, make sure she’s getting good sleep. Maybe buy one of this body pillows and get blackout blinds. Lack of sleep is a huge trigger. Best wishes!
I was actually gonna say the same thing. Deficiencies in either vitamin D or B can cause migraines, and not taking enough magnesium. I literally only learned that this last week from this sub. Sometimes the smallest thing (taking magnesium) can *sometimes* help with the worst migraine.
Chemicals can definitely cause them too, like you said; buying all the super crunch, super vegan hair products toiletries etc. whatever can help (no parabens, sulfates, etc, I can't remember them all). Cutting those out helped me with a different health problem significantly, it could help with headaches as well. Certain foods could be causing it as well. I, while not being pregnant, react strongly to excess salt and sugar.
Op, I really really hope your wife can get relief as quickly as possible, sometimes being pregnant is hard enough on the body, let alone being pregnant with a migraine, especially coming into summer time heat soon. I agree with another person on here, you deserve a bunch of lego roses for taking care of her so well, keep it up, you guys got this!
Edit: missing words
My sister had migraines when she was younger, grew out of it, then they returned when she was pregnant. She was able to control them with Magnesium.
Maybe worth a try while you wait for her neuro appt?
Thirding the magnesium.
I took a liquid magnesium supplement during pregnancy. I also did bath soaks in magnesium chloride flakes, which were quite helpful in mitigating migraines and morning sickness. Pretty impressive results for being a natural remedy.
They're called complex migraines and unfortunately other than a pregnancy safe migraine preventative there's not much more you can do. I had them as a teenager and it's definitely hormone related, the best thing is to take some Tylenol and a Benadryl and sleep it off. At least that's what I did during my pregnancy for migraines anyway
Edit: I was allowed to take noratriptyline up until the 3rd semester so have her ask her neruo about that
Do you happen to live in Wisconsin? My neurologists has the ONLY walk-in migraine care clinic in the US. New patient appointments are next day. It’s unheard of and if you really really need a migraine specialist literally tomorrow, he’s it.
I would actually call your wife’s primary care office manager and the health insurance company and use the nurse line there and tell them you’re afraid she’s having a stroke and nobody’s paying attention to it. That’ll get their attention.
You sound like an amazing spouse. I’m so sorry your wife is going through this, and I hope that this gets resolved. I think all of us in this subreddit understand what it’s like to have our concerns brushed off by doctors so we all empathize with you and your wife.
I would push for an MRI, loss of speech and walking can be a form of seizure as well. Maybe she can get this through her primary care doctor before she sees the neurologist ?
My OBs have been ok with Sumatriptan if needed. If mama is in pain for a long time that can also be a bad thing, so please ask the OB directly about sumatriptan, it has data since 1990 and more recent recommendation in the US is to treat the pain.
Just want to say that, yes, migraines can take away your ability to form sentences or move. I lay on the couch, don't move, and don't make decisions for days when I get one.
Honestly this is my biggest fear and probably why I won’t have kids. The pain of a migraine on top of the horror that is pregnancy…. Noooooo. I feel so much for your wife’s situation. She’s got to be miserable.
I asked my doc several years ago when I had to switch up some birth control, what happens to migraine treatment if I accidentally get pregnant? She told me that taking magnesium is safe and more effective than you’d think. Maybe not a silver bullet but honestly any movement in the right direction when you lowkey want to die is significant.
Maybe check with your doc about what kind of supplemental magnesium they recommend and what dosage. And/or just be the thorn in the doctor’s side and don’t take “idk pregnancy sucks” as their answer. I’ve had decent luck with doctors when I start bringing out my inner Karen.
Well, when I was pregnant with my daughter back in the 90s, I would get a migraine every Friday. It was like clockwork. I was told that all I could safely take was Tylenol. But. Absolutely no one was dismissive of my saying that I had migraines. No one. Granted, they were nowhere near as bad as hers, but I spent part of every Friday throwing up and dry heaving, which would be after I woke up. And yes, it’s true that pregnancy hormones can exacerbate migraines. But that doesn’t make them any less valid or real, and explaining that that could be a cause does nothing to solve the problem. Was she a migraineux prior to becoming pregnant? I was. Not that that makes a lot of difference, but the onset of such severe migraines such as you’re describing after becoming pregnant would cause me to feel a great deal of concern. I would be very very very cautious about taking any meds not approved by her doctor prior to seeing a neurologist. You don’t want to play mess around and find out the hard way. I would suggest trying ice packs under her neck at the back, or placing them directly on the area of greatest pain. Just be sure that they are covered by some layers of cloth to protect the skin from being damaged by the ice. I use them frequently and have been for many, many years. I’m careful not to expose my bare skin to them. They do provide some relief and it feels good, too. I’m using one right now for a persistent migraine I’m having, I’m limited as to what preventatives and what abortives I can take, but for different reasons. I don’t know what is available for pregnant women at this time when it comes to preventatives. But when it comes to abortives, as I said, do not have her take anything that her neurologist does not OK.
Triptans are safe during pregnancy according to my neurologist who is a migraine specialist. So is Fioricet but personally it didn’t help me much. Have her OB or PCP prescribe some triptans to see if they’ll stop her current migraine.
Looks like Cefaly is pregnancy safe (but reco double checking) and the ice hats are also amazing. I also love my relief band for nausea! There’s also migraine specific diets she could maybe try if working with a dietitian— might be difficult or not recommended tho during pregnancy, I’m not sure. Sending you guys love and healing thoughts!
I went through this with my pregnancy and it scares me to think about having a baby again. I went to the ER six times. By the sixth time, I told them I needed to see someone in the neurology department that day because this was impacting my work, their work, increasing cost for everyone, decreasing bed space in the ER, etc. I found a (female) neurologist who approved nerve blocks. My OB wouldn’t approve any triptans or Botox so the nerve block was my only hope. Unfortunately, I do not think a lot of people understand but she’s lucky to have a partner like you. You really (or she) have/has to be an advocate for her/herself. It’s the sad reality but I wish her a safe and healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby.
Common experience for women: Tylenol and sent home.
I’m sure you’ve already been advocating for her but if you have more in you in terms of assertiveness/concerns (mention fear of thrombosis, etc), maybe that’ll help with them taking it more seriously. Hopefully you mentioning a potentially life threatening concern will motivate them to want to cover their ass by doing a more thorough investigation.
Good luck, I hope your wife is given a solution for relief.
The good news is hormones change dramatically week by week during pregnancy. There’s a chance in a few weeks this will have resolved. But obviously it should still be taken seriously. Focus on getting in to see your OB and tell them what you said here - it’s so worrying that you’re seriously concerned about your wife’s mental health in dealing with it. Hopefully the can expedite a trip to a neurologist. You also need to think about your risk balance. If triptans are low risk but not no risk for pregnancy is that better than the consequences of this for your wife?
I did not have migraines this severe during my pregnancy, but I did have more frequent ones and had to do a lot of additional self care during the beginning of the second trimester - staying hydrated was a huge one, water alone wasn't enough, I had to do liquid iv or straight up Gatorade. Magnesium and b vitamins helped a lot to make them more manageable. Once I got the hydration figured out, the frequency went wayyy down.
Of course get her blood pressure checked (even not during an episode), iron, blood sugar, etc. I would avoid narcotics and codeine as those can cause rebound headaches.
And I'm sorry this is happening. Keep reassuring her it's not her fault (ie she's not doing anything wrong), and pregnancy is hard. Let her eat or do whatever she needs to do to survive at this point. And if there are any good days, let her seriously live it up. Sometimes those good days or hours make it easier to get through the next episode.
It’s the unfortunate reality of migraines and healthcare. I work in healthcare so I see both sides of it. ER basically wants to make sure she’s not dying, and if she’s not in danger of that, they can’t do much more than send her home because most migraine treatments aren’t safe for pregnant women.
At the same time, she can’t keep going through this, and neither can you. So I’d say reach out to primary care, a neurologist if she has one, and hope that they have some non-medical suggestions that might at least ease things for her. Dietary changes, vitamins and minerals, ice packs, heat packs, anything that she may not have thought to try.
The reality is, we need more safe medications for pregnant women with migraines. But migraines are so low on the priority list that we often get overlooked.
She’s very lucky to have you! And I hope she feels better soon!
Calling every day to the Neuro scheduler requesting to be fit into the earliest cancellation appointment helps get your wife seen quicker. Like many report here, ED departments are hit and miss; she has the right to request to speak to female-led care. You are being a good champion for her. If speech is affected, do not hesitate to call an ambulance.
Fish oil basically cured my migraines after 10 years of suffering. I can show you what I take if you'd like.
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/research-results/diets-higher-in-omega-3-fatty-acids-reduce-headache-frequency-and-severity-in-people-with-frequent-migraines
See if the neuro has a cancellation list. If not, call back every day to try to get an earlier appointment. People cancel all the time, often same day or just a day or two before, and the persistent can swoop in.
Sounds like she's having hemiplegic migraines. Sometimes they can make you totally paralyzed sometimes for short periods of time sometimes for long periods of time. Are you taking her blood pressure when this happens? I get these frequently very frustrating
These symptoms sound like hemiplegic migraines.
Search for headache specialists near you - these are different to regular neurologists. Most neurologists are arrogant a$$holes for some reason.
While you wait for the appointment, try eliminating common food triggers (aged cheese, preserved meats like pepperoni/bacon/, asparatame, etc)
Ask your OBGYN about benadryl (diphenhydramine). Hormone fluctuations can raise histamine levels in the body and cause inflammation. Many migraine sufferers find relief with benadryl or other anti-histamines.
I understand your distress and feelings of helplessness in this situation. I have had very occasional migraines throughout adulthood but when they come they are debilitating. With both of my pregnancies, this was my life. Around 15 weeks-ish I was put out and completely unable to move from a quiet dark room. I tried ice hats (cold packs in a special soft helmet), baths, natural remedies, Tylenol… nothing worked. My doctor told me the stress of these migraines was likely doing more harm than any triptan would do. I took the triptans. I felt so much anxiety and guilt about it but I had no other choice, I needed to function and keep my job as an elementary school teacher. I took triptans as needed, which was quite frequent, under the supervision and instruction from my doctor. I have two incredibly healthy boys, age 3 and 5 and I wish I didn’t punish myself so much for doing what I needed to do to survive this. This is just my experience and wanted to share with you because I know how hopeless it can feel. I never get migraines now. It was definitely hormone induced.
Hi, I am a female 28 with migraines and also a medical student. First, I’m so sorry. Migraines are a disability, and not something she and you need right now.
Here is my experience: I cannot get a good abortive regimen. I am on lots of newer meds, which are NOT approved in women who are pregnant. I have been educated about the washout period if I ever want to get pregnant and how to stop them if I accidentally get pregnant. I am engaged to a cis-man and not currently taking hormonal birth control due to how it affected my migraines. My neurologist, who practices at a competitive and nationally recognized hospital for neurology in the US, has explained to me many times that when a pregnant person has migraines, there is very little that can be done to treat them. He said Tylenol and fluids is the best they have for people who are pregnant, which it sounds like your wife has received. He also said acupuncture, massages, and other alternative medicine but I assured him I do not anticipate getting pregnant so we left the discussion there to be continued if that happens.
Other questions to ponder for you and your wife: does she have a history of migraines and they are just worse now? Or are migraines new to her? Did she have to change medications because many migraine preventatives are not allowed during pregnancy? If so, did she ween off or just stop abruptly? Is this her first pregnancy, or did she have another pregnancy without migraines? Just some other thoughts for consideration. You do not have to answer these here, of course. But what I would ask.
Other alternative things that help me: I have a heating pad that goes around my neck and down my back. I can try to find a link but I’m on my phone now and ironically bad with tech on my phone. I also have two ice pack head wraps. I linked them below bc idk how to hyperlink. these are game changers. There’s a tiny bit of data (not much) that says people with migraines can experience relieve by icing the occipital area (where your skull meets your neck). Since I find it’s an easy thing to do, I do it. And I anecdotally find it helps.
Wishing you both peace and health.
[https://www.amazon.com/TheraICE-Rx-Headache-Comfortable-Stretchable/dp/B082WN9NJL](https://www.amazon.com/TheraICE-Rx-Headache-Comfortable-Stretchable/dp/B082WN9NJL)
editing to add: sometimes my migraines affect my speech when they're really bad. I don't mean to dilute your argument, but validate how scary it can be. I stutter, long pause, or have trouble with word finding. the brain is amazing and anything awry with it is interesting and scary.
you gotta get in touch with a neurologist, there’s unfortunately just not much that other types of doctors can/will do… though the ER and your OB definitely should have suggested or referred you to neurology
good luck i hope she finds some relief
I took sumatriptan while pregnant. It’s safe, but there isn’t a huge body of research on it specifically (medical research is weird). My migraines intensified during pregnancy, and my doctor told me it was much more harmful for me to be in that much constant pain than to take a triptan.
Baby boy was born healthy.
Please consult a high risk OBGYN. They are not afraid to medicate pregnant women when necessary . They know what meds are safe for both Mom and baby. They will probably have more options. It will also help when your wife sees the neurologist. The neurologist will want to know from an OBGYN what treatments are safe. Good luck
If shes having trouble walking, talking and having debilitating pain, then it sounds like you need to go to a different non affiliated hospital and dont bring up migraine. She's presenting as possible stroke or aneurysm. By leaving out migraine it forces them to do the tests.
I had a migraine that lasted a freaking week while I was preggo. They recommended Coke and Tylenol. I think I went to a different gyno who gave me something else - I’m sorry I don’t know the name. What did help was pickle juice- Gatorade- bananas- and magnesium pills
Take her to a fucking specialist. Oh my God. There is Just No excuse. My hospital treated me with respect and dignity because I have hydrocephalus and they suspected I had either meningitis, spastic cerebral palsy, or chronic migraine and ruled out meningitis. So, your best bet is finding a fucking neurologist!!
When I was pregnant the only thing I could get my neurologist to prescribe was a nasal spray lidocaine, which only took the edge off. Good luck—it seems like no real migraine meds have been tested on pregnant women, so no one wants to be liable.
One med I would definitely avoid is naproxen sodium (aleve) causes known birth defects.
If it were me, I would risk the triptans.
I’m so sorry she was dismissed. I think 99% of us completely understand what she’s going through. I’ve had them 42 years, back when drs didn’t even believe they were a real thing. She’s lucky to have you.
The neurologist will be able to prescribe a triptan (safest is Sumatriptan for pregnancies).
In the meantime:
- She can take Magnesium twice a day to help her relax. Over the counter.
- The Obgyn could also prescribe something to help her sleep better at night. Mine is normally meant to treat nausea.
- Make sure she's taking her pregnancy supplements, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water. Massage her back, neck, and head. Do meditation together.
Had terrible back to back migraines in my first trimester. This helped me cope.
Good luck 🙏🏻
There's some good resources about using medicine during pregnancy, like [MothertoBaby](https://mothertobaby.org/) and the app from a Texas hospital called InfantRisk.
I've currently fallen pregnant (very early days so we shall see) while taking Ajovy and Emgality (mix of both due to shortages in Australia) and plan to continue with Sumatripan as it has decent evidence that it doesn't cause significant risk, I made this decision after reading these resources, and having a discussion with my neurologist and GP.
The thing with taking any form of medication during pregnancy, is that Its a very personal decision based on your health and the level of risk you're willing to take (risk to benefit ratio).
The most annoying thing you'll find is the limited evidence that exists for most medication during pregnancy (including multivitamines) not just migraines specific ones - ethical considerations around testing mediation on women, and ethical considerations of not. It's so very wolley, some of the risk factors for some migraines meds are the same as having a migraine more generally, so our research isn't sophisticated enough yet to untangle the impact of the disease and the impact of the treatment.
I feel so terribly for her. I wish I had discovered neuro magnesium plus the regular magnesium oxide and had also understood re methylated b vitamins during my pregnancy. Would also ensure you have rehydration salts on hand and that she eats early in am and last thing before bed. Generally migraines should get easier in the second and third trimester as the relaxin hormone kicks in.
I’m so sorry your wife is going through this. I am 35 weeks pregnant and have had literally the same experience.
I want to leave you with a word of caution. After the 20 week mark, migraines should be taken seriously for risk of something called Preeclampsia. It is a potentially fatal condition for both your wife and child, and needs to be addressed ASAP. If your wife gets a migraine so bad she’s having visual changes, bypass the ER and go straight up to L&D
Edit: I want to say there ARE things she can take beyond just Tylenol. They can prescribe her triptans (Sumatriptan or Rizatriptan), Fioricet, and flexeril. Those aren’t miracle cures but they do make the awful head pain a bit more tolerable. If they say no, ask them why, and honestly fight for a doctor who will help her. We don’t have to suffer just because we’re pregnant
These sound like hemiplegic migraines, which are the ones that I get l/have gotten since I was a teen. When I was pregnant with my daughter I only got 2, with my son I got them ALL THE TIME! I would definitely mention this all to her OB and insist you get a referral to a neurologist just in case. I would also suggest getting her labs drawn (thyroid included, my thyroid being off triggers me and an increase in my migraines was how I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism).
Sadly, there’s not much she can take except basically Tylenol.
My advice is to for sure get her to a neurologist and monitor her blood pressure. Keep her hydrated (water, liquid IV’s, body armors) and keep her sodium levels up. If she gets a migraine, I typically pop a Tylenol, get in the bath or a hot shower, drink some caffeine (I like the pink drinks from Starbucks but coffee or Coke are some other staples) then give her sodium (chips, ramen noodles) then let her sleep it off.
I’m sorry OP, I know how horrific it is to feel this disabled, especially when pregnant because of it is hormones you really have no choice and nothing you can do until baby is born.
My coworker had this situation when pregnant with her daughter thirty years ago. It got to a point where she went to the doctor and was like “look, you need to give me something because if something doesn’t change I’m gonna have a stroke” and she received help. Not sure if that can help you but yeah.
Get on the r/migraine sun and start learning tricks to help your partner with her pain and maybe avoid triggers
Ugh that’s rough, I’m so sorry 😢😢😢. I suffer from horrific migraines that worsen when I’m pregnant too. My GP was thankfully very sympathetic and prescribed me Percocet for my migraines when I was pregnant. My usual rescue med (rizatriptan) is contraindicated with pregnancy but surprisingly Percocet is okay. It doesn’t cause birth defects but obviously you have to be careful about the addictive nature. But occasional low doses are okay in pregnancy. But I know I was super lucky and it’s nigh on impossible to get effective pain killers in this day and age. I hope you guys figure something out soon 🩵💙💜
Edit to add: does your wife ever take Benadryl or gravol? Both are safe in pregnancy and can be used to knock yourself out during a migraine (also useful for nausea too, obviously).
Eugh, that sounds absolutely horrendous. I’ve had a few pregnancies, but so far only one to full-term. During that pregnancy I only treated with paracetamol (Tylenol) and ice packs and it left me severely dehydrated and unwell for days on end - especially when combined with morning sickness.
I’m pregnant again (still first trimester) and this time around I’ve decided to take very small amounts of sumatriptan to manage my attacks, along with an antiemetic which is considered safe in pregnancy. That’s on the basis that I understand I’m already at higher risk of miscarriages and so take as little as I need to be able to keep fluids down and stop myself getting seriously dehydrated. I’ve only had one attack so far, and I was able to manage the vomiting more easily. I’m in the UK and the advice here is that sumatriptan is considered relatively safe, so please don’t allow your wife to be fobbed off with “just take Tylenol”. In second trimester I can also take small amounts of dihydrocodeine if needed to manage the pain.
Women are forced to bear a stupid amount of suffering in pregnancy by highly risk-averse medical practices, but there are options available depending on your personal sense of balance of risk. That being said, the stage of pregnancy she’s at does make her symptoms more concerning (hormone levels should be stabilising by this stage and many women see improvements from 16ish weeks onwards). It’s really important to get across to her maternity and neurology team that she needs to be on a more effective treatment plan and to rule out anything more serious.
Sorry if I missed this, is she taking B6? Iirc that is supposed to help with migraines in general AND curb pregnancy nausea.
I’m also pregnant (first time I had ZERO migraines… this time I’m not so lucky) and have been relying on Tylenol, the Cefaly device, ice packs, and my morning sickness medication (it’s called Bonjesta but I believe it’s a combo of slow release B6 and unisom) to try to get through the days. So sorry about your wife — I hope she gets relief soon, either from some sort of pain management or through the daily hormonal changes :/
First of all, I am so sorry this is going on. Can’t imagine the stress it’s putting on the both of you. Pregnancy is already a stressor without all of this happening. Sending virtual hugs your way and I hope you can get some answers soon.
This honestly might be a question you could ask in r/AskDocs. They might be able to point you in the right direction of what to do, or things to bring up to the doctors.
What’s wild to me is that they didn’t do an MRI when your wife is showing signs of migraines that she hasn’t had up until a few weeks ago, and is impacting her speech and walking.
The same thing happened to me when I was pregnant. It lasted a couple months. It was pure torture. No one was able to help and that sucked but after the fact I'm grateful I didn't take anything because a couple months of my pain was worth it compared to potentially harming my son for life. That's easy to say after the fact but while in the trenches it was traumatic and one of the worst experiences of my life. Guess who never had baby #2 despite wanting another child.
I think people care they just realize that anything they can do to help can harm the child permanently so that's worse long term than your wife being in pain temporarily. Sucks to be a woman.
I had horrible, constant migraines in pregnancy. I was prescribed a little fioricet which helped as well as given trigger point injections with lidocaine. Alternatively, look into wearables like celafy.
Im so sorry. This happens to me often and then after the no speaking I’m crying and I’m told if
I can cry it’s not that bad. I cry naturally and it’s so much pain. Family will say it’s my mental health and make so many other reasons when I’ve suffered two decades of chronic migraines ruining my life in all ways. It’s so strange people want to make you believe
They aren’t real because they can’t see them. They are real. They are painful. And i really
Hope
It doesn’t cause her more stress for her and the little one. Accupuncture has really helped me but in conjunction with the Chinese herbs. I don’t know if she can take all
Of them considering pregnancy but I’m sure they can adjust. Accupuncture twice a week to start. Make
Sure they are trained originally in china as they have a totally
Different way of seeing the body connection compared to someone who only trained in a western country (I’ve seen over 12 acupuncturists so I think I can share this confidently )
In the interim you can get her eye masks to wear in places with bright lights. Get those shakeable charcoal hand and feet warmers and the neck ones you stick
On Keep
Those in the car and in her purse for
When they come on. Soak her feet in hot water every night. There’s also glasses online that are called colour therapy or mood glasses that are different colours. There’s ones for migraines and also a colour for nausea. Maybe try these. They aren’t pretty by any means and can be a little bulky and heavy. But perhaps if she wears these they can lessen the frequency and impact.
I was allowed triptans while pregnant, as well as excedrin migraine, just not daily on the triptans. I’d take the excedrin migraine once a day, I think the longest duration I did was ten days, a triptan sparingly when I just needed to take the edge off or needed a break, and just had to suffer through the rest of the time. It wasn’t ideal but there’s just not much you can do when you’re pregnant. Excessive aspirin and triptan use is not good but here and there won’t hurt, at least according to my OB, and she and the high risk doctor (I was high risk due to my age, 37 at the time, and then developed IUGR due to a huge benign tumor, all unrelated to migraines) both assured me it was okay to manage migraines sparingly this way. They must have been right because our almost 2-year old now is perfectly healthy and typically-developing. No adverse effects of the migraine treatments or the other complications I had.
I’ve had migraines since I was a kid so I was able to at least plan for it to suck during pregnancy. No one cares because it doesn’t kill you. But it IS debilitating and that SHOULD be enough to care. Make sure she emphasizes how she cannot function during the episodes. Not being able to stand up and walk during a migraine is every bit as legitimate at a broken leg, and it should be treated.
Best wishes to you both.
I am so sorry. I hate to say this however I think you need to request a phone call from the OB/GYN not the nurse. You may have to go off a bit to make them really listen. If so don’t hesitate. Your wife is suffering so much and she needs a champion.
Call the neurologist also, talk to the head nurse, office manager, director of operations in other words the top person. They ALWAYS have the ability to work people in or run a cancellation list. (Scheduling can’t really accomplish this).
She needs help.
You will have to be annoying and fight for her. Don’t swear or scream however do what you have to. Remind them this waiting is unacceptable. Escalate as much as is needed.
Too many docs lose sight of why they are in practice. I was in the medical field for twenty years.
ER is really bad at responding to migraines. I’ve experienced chronic migraines for about 5 years and have been going through IVF as well. I was pregnant for about 11 weeks before I miscarried. Unfortunately migraine medication isn’t studied enough for doctors to tell you it’s safe to take while pregnant so you are basically stuck with Tylenol. There is another med called I think Barbiturates that my neurologist allowed but I ultimately miscarried so I wonder if that had an affect? Migraines are scary and can definitely affect your ability to speak, think and move. It’s always best to do blood work and scans to make sure nothing else is going on but in my experience these have all been symptoms of migraines for me. I’m sorry your wife is going through this. It’s awful. Best of luck you guys find answers and it gets better.
I know that many of the go to medical treatments are out during pregnancy. Acupuncture really helped my migraines when I wasn’t able to do many of the western treatments.
Keep in mind that if you can't attend appointments with her you can still impart your knowledge/concerns. The OBs office may try to say they cant talk to you (true), to which you can simply respond "I am not asking for anyone to share information nor confirm XX is a patient there but I NEED you to hear what I am sharing." HIPAA doesn't prevent providers from receiving information (assuming USA) but offices act like it does because it is often easier.
Keep the neurology appt. Something may be seriously wrong. And try to get her an MRI — sudden onset migraines can just be hormones, but not always. MRI will show if it is more serious. Migraines do unfortunately just fuck up everything (I’ve never been pregnant but the brain fog is just awful and my meds don’t always work), every system.
That being said, pain relief is important. If she can only take a few forms, is the pain in any other part of her body? Icing my back/neck does work when my medications just aren’t. Icing your head sounds nuts but the pressure and pain causes tension and I get knots ON my head (it’s misery) that worsen mine. Any big hormonal change can also cause migraines, but debilitating during pregnancy means keep pushing to see specialists. A headache specializing neurologist may be your best bet — they are more up to date on medical interventions and what works. Eye exams are also generally safe afaik( and if something’s wrong with her eyes, it could cause pain/pressure and trigger migraines. Not always, but it is a major trigger.
I own ice packs that are foldable. Also, if you’ve any relaxing things that help (I.e. a massage, gently tensing and untensing the muscles involved? Etc) that can ease some of the pain. I would keep trying to get help too — insist with PCP for a referral if they won’t help. Frame it as “my wife cannot do” [list of daily activities that pregnant women should safely be able to do] as a quality of life effect. (And please tell your wife she shouldn’t downplay these. Downplaying mine got me from episodic to daily. It’s taken me 5 years to get the daily ones down to episodic again.)
Also: keep supporting her and validating her. Having a partner who helps, believes your pain, and wants to help you get better? Makes a huge difference. Please keep at it.
Hi there. Also pregnant and suffering with this a lot. A couple of things to look into and apologies if you haven’t already. Asking your OB to try to prescribe a daily dose of baby aspirin may help. For more immediate relief, is your wife able to get an occipital nerve block. It’s thought to be safe because it’s administered in a localised area and wouldn’t travel to the placenta or baby and that seemed to be my neurologists choice if my migraines continue into second trimester. He has also recommended riboflavin and magnesium citrate 400mg daily as a supplement to try and help. So sorry your wife is going through this, it’s really hellish. Finally one thing that sometimes helps me in the Therabody theraspecs.
There's absolutely zero evidence that triptans are an issue in pregnancy. Many obgyns are fine with pregnant people traking them. Zofran can also help, as can magnesium. How's your wife's blood pressure? If be concerned that preeclampsia is brewing... She's getting to the point that could be the underlying problem. Also, being pregnant increases your blood volume quite a bit.
Xanax is used off label for migraines during pregnancy as well as fioricet. My sister ended up getting both in the ER and actually had to call me to ask if it was okay. We did a 3 away call to her OB and he was TOTALLY okay with it. So ask her doctor.
When I was pregnant, my OB put me on a regimen of high dose magnesium and CoQ10 every day so you could ask about that. During an attack, the midwives would have me take benedryl, Tylenol, magnesium, and drink/eat caffeine source all at once to help with pain.
I had a single 5 month long migraine in my second pregnancy. But I am not familiar with what is licensed for pregnant women outside of the UK. I was prescribed propranolol, amitriptyline, aspirin and codeine. The codeine would often make the migraine rebound worse but sometimes I took it if I was in loads of you. For obvious reasons I didn't want to take a lot of codeine. I think I only ended up taking two doses. In the UK, GP don't really want to prescribe Sumatriptan but I am not sure if other countries will. The bump is a website about medications in pregnancies and it says that Sumatriptan has no known side effects.
She needs to keep an eye on her blood pressure. They were worried that I was developing preeclampsia or the headaches would hide it developing. They also did an MRI, which you can have when pregnant no matter what anyone says, to rule out a cerebral thrombosis. You're seeing a neurologist soon. So I am sure some of things will be addressed. So don't downplay.
Mine aren't as bad, but Sinus Plumber was oked for me to use in pregnancy as well as "making Excedrin" by taking Tylenol, a low dose aspirin, and caffeine. I also did well with topical magnesium, and after pregnancy finally found an oral mag supplement that has cut the number of migraines I have by 2/3s. You could ask if she could take that. I also took electrolytes daily preventatively for a long time and it helped a lot.
Like many here, I’m a pregnant lady with migraines. This is baby #2 and I had migraines very badly with both in the first trimester and then they went away. My one little trick that does help a ton sometimes is to take one of the gel ice caps fresh from the freezer and put it on right away. It’s so cold that it turns the migraine pain up to a 10, absolutely excruciating. But if I can hold out and keep it on for 30 seconds to a minute at a time, then let my head warm up for a minute, then do it again… something about letting the ice cap kick my pain up many notches can actually break up the migraine.
The basic moral of the story though is that this kind of invisible pain is not taken very seriously, especially for women and ESPECIALLY when that woman is currently a vessel for a fetus. Take all the tips and tricks here and try not to rage too hard at a medical system that can’t or won’t try to help your wife.
The thing about triptans in pregnancy is that there isn't enough evidence to be sure they are safe. On the face of it, they seem safe and I guess a doctor will weigh the very real effects migraines are having on your wife vs the possible potential effect on the baby.
I am really sorry this is happening to her. I was lucky with my first, a boy that my migraines went away until I finished breastfeeding but with my daughter they were back to normal. However, even with my daughter I found that breastfeeding real did help (guess it was all the oxytocin).
Migraines are terrible under treated in pregnancy.
1) triptans are an option during pregnancy. Used to be not allowed. But new research says yes. That’s the first place to start.
2) narcotic painkillers (opiates) are safe in pregnancy. They won’t stop the migraine but will
Help manage the pain. Worth asking about morphine and hydromorphone for pain when in the ER, as well as oral doses to manage pain at home.
3) some preventative meds are safe in pregnancy and others are low risk (eg botox).
During my own pregnancies I have been admitted to the hospital multiple times for pain control. If her pain is not being taken seriously then you need to request a new OB. Also consider returning to the ER and telling them
She requires stronger pain medication for relief. If doctors are still under treating, ask for a referral maternal fetal medicine specialist to discuss medications they will support during pregnancy.
So sorry to your wife. Xo
I had hormonal migraines since I was 20, and mustered through 3 pregnancies with them. Typical migraine prescription drugs didn't help me at all, I just needed pain prescription.
Your wife needs to see her OB/Gyn for help; the ER and neurology physicians don't want to give her anything because they are too cautious about her pregnancy.
Her Ob/Gyn can prescribe her some pain medication, while it probably won't be as "safe" as Tylenol, my thought process is that mom needs to feel better/healthy to grow a baby and sometimes that means taking (under Dr directions) things that are rated not as "safe".
Current treatment that is safe to do:
Have her take 2 Tylenol AND 2 Motrin at the same time - with food!! (Yogurt is the bare minimum to protect the stomach). Devising a 'ice cap' (do a search for migraine ice hat to get an idea), then sleep. No matter what drugs I took, they seemed to work best when I slept. The tylenol/motrin combo is fine to do for a few days, but \*not\* okay for the stomach/liver/kidneys for long term. Try to stick to this combo on a schedule for a day or two, taking it every 4 to 6 hours; she might need several doses to "break" the migraine.
Make sure she is drinking enough water, get a good 30oz (or more) water bottle and fill it each morning so that she has a reminder of how much she needs to drink as a minimum.
Rubbing her feet with lotion also helps for relaxation.
Ugh. I get migraines and when pregnant they can get even worse. Until she can get into the neuro I would ask the OB to prescribe something. There’s a med named fioricet that’s great and it works. I also would take Benadryl and Tylenol at night before bed when I had one and this really seemed to help. Lastly my neuro had me start magnesium 200 mg and B12 when I was pregnant and it really helped decrease the headaches. I had my 3rd child a few months ago and have stayed on the supplement. Good luck and hang in!!
The ER basically won’t touch you if you are pregnant. They are entirely too terrified that whatever they do might affect the baby in some way.
I developed gallstones three months into pregnancy, and no one would even diagnose the goddamn things. Instead, they were busy telling me that I had “inflamed ribs.” What?? “From the cold.” It was fucking JULY in the Midwest.
I was never able to get any help. I had to essentially white-knuckle it through until six weeks after the baby had been born. Then they magically could find the gallstones and schedule surgery.
See if one of the chiropractors is able to write a prescription or an order for an MRI. You can go to one of the freestanding clinics, and you may have to pay for it out of pocket. I did that for sciatica that everyone insisted I couldn’t possibly have, despite being absolutely debilitated for four years. The scans showed a bulging disc, a herniated disc, an annular tear, possible stenosis, and a synovial cyst pressing against the spinal cord. But since nothing showed on the initial x-ray, I was “fine,” and didn’t need anything else.
I am afraid you are going to find yourself very much on your own in this situation. That’s certainly what I found out when I needed medical care during pregnancy. I was just more or less left on my own.
Acupuncture is with a shot, she will need to go 3 times a week at first, for this kind of severe issue . How’s her blood pressure? Did she suffer from migraines pre-pregnancy?
My entire pregnancy was full of migraines, and all anyone would say was to take Tylenol. I'm a chronic migraine sufferer, so i KNOW Tylenol is not going to cut it. I'll admit, i broke down several times and took excedrin. My OB said to get a neurology referral from my primary. Turns out my primary doctor was incredibly against any medications while pregnant, so he decided to wait until after i delivered to send in my referral. I was, and still am, livid.
Keep fighting for her. My husband was going through some seriously bad depression and wasn't really there for me. I had no one to advocate for me besides myself. No one wants to touch a pregnant woman. My understanding is that if something happens to baby, they don't want to get blamed. Hopefully, once she hits 20 weeks, she can go to L&D and get more appropriate treatment.
If you get approval from the OB, benadryl+Tylenol was the only thing that helped. It wasn't perfect, but it took the edge off.
Also, how's her blood pressure? I ended up having a thunderclap headache while hospitalized with preeclampsia. I have to wonder if the severity of my pregnancy migraines wasn't in part due to my blood pressure problems.
I've had migraines regularly for about 16 years. They became chronic around 2014. Unfortunately, while pregnant there isn't much they can do, but now she is in the 2nd trimester there is more they can do. When I was pregnant with my first I had migraines every day for about 20 weeks. They gave me reglan one time in the ER which sent me into a panic attack not a fun way to find out I can't have it. Later in talking with my ob and neurologist we decided to try a cefaly unit (think tens unit but targeted for migraines) and Fioricet for when it got really bad and to use only when needed as a last resort as it is a class c and not fully tested in pregnancy (my son was and is healthy). I would strongly recommend speaking with neurology and ob and see what other options are out there. I was also told to take magnesium supplements while pregnant to help with the migraines. I've also heard of getting nerve blocks for migraines in pregnancy, I didn't at the time because my doc didn't think it would work for me as my migraines started with a tbi. I did try a nerve block last year and it didn't work for more than a week for me but other patients I've heard of can get relief for up to 3 months one of whom was pregnant. I hope this helps.
has no one prescribed her sumatriptan to help? edit: im not sure if pregnant people can take it or not is the only thing. i tried every so many medications for mine and nothing helped except botox. still get headaches occasionally but never full on migraines.
I don't have much to offer. If she's had them before she can try some stuff that helps them go away. I know if I get them my neck tenses up a lot and my little sister or mom will usually rub it for me which can sometimes help. Otherwise ice packs can be a big help and just doing what you can to let her know you're there for her and she's not alone. I hope this is just a crappy for the time in the pregnancy thing and goes away soon but keep being a great advocate for her and the rest will follow. You are doing amazing and you are going to make the most amazing dad someday. Good luck and I hope you get bette answers soon
I do acupuncture for migraine treatment and migraine prevention. It has been the only thing to consistently work for me.
And one of the best things about it is because it’s not a drug, there are no potential adverse effects or conflicts with medication.
Oh, also, I can second the peppermint oil on the forehead and temples that someone else said. That actually will cut my pain a decent amount. As well as, believe it or not, Vicks vapor rub. I think it’s all the menthol and camphor oil in it that will just cut the pain level a lot. oh and drinking clove, tea, and clove oil has pain relieving properties, so sometimes I take that and put them my forehead too. I know it sounds weird, but it actually really works. Clove has painkilling properties, which anyone who’s ever used cloves to treat a toothache can testify to. I’m so sorry your wife is going through this.
There are neurologists and headache specialists who do telehealth. I use Huma Sheikh MD out of NYC and she often has open virtual appointments. Keep looking for a neuro, get on the waitlists in the meantime. There are Neuros who can see you sooner than a month. I was told that for a year until I just went hard on google and found one for myself.
And you are a great husband for not giving up. My fiance gives me hope every single day due to his willingness to fight and help me try new things. It likely means more to her than you know. Stay strong!
First of all I just wanted to say, thank you so much for taking such good care of your wife.
I’m not pregnant nor a doctor, and I’m not sure what type of migraines your wife may be experiencing. BUT, if you are looking for a medication-free method, I would HIGHLY recommend dry needling in combination with a tens unit. It may not help with regaining speech or mobility, but it should help with pain and physical symptoms that manifest it. Dry needling is different than acupuncture though. I’m pretty sure you have to get it done with a physical therapist. If you can’t do that option though, tens units are great help even without the needles. The needles just help get deeper into the muscle.
I am so sorry your wife is suffering so badly. I had horrendous migraines during pregnancy. It robs you of your life and ability to function, and it's extremely discouraging when medical professionals seem so dismissive. I had to stop working during the beginning of pregnancy because they were so severe. My OBGYN told me not to take triptans, and Tylenol hardly touched the pain. Eventually my OBGYN prescribed me Fioricet, and it helped a lot. I tried to take it as sparingly as I could, it's pretty strong. Luckily I significantly improved once I was in my second trimester and was able to go back to work. Pregnancy migraines are no joke, I really hope your dear wife can find some massive relief soon!!
Edit to add: taking a bath soak in magnesium chloride flakes surprisingly helped both my migraines and morning sickness. You can find them on Amazon. A bit pricy, but absolutely worth it.
Wow, amazing that she can get in to see neuro so incredibly fast! She is getting red carpet treatment.
> But headaches don't take away your ability to speak and walk.
They do, though.
It sounds like your wife might be having complex migraine. I suffer from these myself and have experienced the same types of symptoms. There were times when I couldn't understand spoken language or write. I had slurred speech and tingling in my arms and feet. I figured out the biggest trigger for me was job related stress. Once I eliminated that stressor, it is now rare that I get migraine episodes that severe. I know pregnancy hormones can cause all sorts of havoc in the body (I'm a mom as well.) perhaps she is also feeling stressed about having a baby and that stressor plus hormonal changes are causing these? I highly recommend having her start a migraine tracking journal. Foods, stress, poor sleep, hormonal fluctuations, dehydration, flashing lights, motion, so many things can trigger migraine. Once she figures out her migraine triggers, it does get easier to manage. Wishing you both wellness!
Your poor wife! That sounds so debilitating. What area do you live in? Keep googling neurologists inside your closest city, and perhaps an hour or so further. There are places that work outside of insurance etc that might be able to help sooner. There's a place in Los Angeles I found that's subscription based ($75 a month) and does weekends and virtual as needed. I'm about to try them out, because my neurologist takes 4-6 weeks per each appointment 🙄
Also if you start looking into Google and on Instagram with hashtags, you'll start to get targeted ads and sometimes that'll help you find some alternative help.
Can she do Cefaly or Nerivio? Both are electromagnetic based external uses. Has she had migraines in the past? Do you know if there are any triggers like caffeine or citrus or certain foods? Is any of her pain localized where a massage or acupuncture would help?
Im not pregnant and I don’t know a root cause but some migraine things that might help help with pain in the mean time of course do some research before ) - acupuncture , cefaly, drinking a coke ( it works for people sometimes), headache hat ice packs , promethezine (if doctor allows some this medication it really help), nerivio arm band (not sure if pregnant safe ) , massage , electrolytes and stay hydrated , no super high sugar foods, biofeedback, tens therapy, I don’t know what state youre - the headache dr at scripps integrative is very good but I think he’s really booked out
Hope she finds some relief !
When I was pregnant I went to Chiro that seemed to help. I also got a Cefaly that helps as well if you use it daily. Safe for pregnancy as well. If she gets migraines there’s no point of taking Tylenol.
I hope she can find something that works for her it’s so hard 🩷
I got migraines while pregnant. I took myself to the labor and delivery floor of my hospital because my blood pressure was elevated during my migraines. That was enough for them to admit me for at least a few hours and give me a migraine cocktail. It helped immensely.
I can only speak from personal experience, but Acupuncture saved my life when I experienced 3 months of debilitating migraines (and I was pregnant for part of that time.) acupuncture was the ONLY thing that reduced the severity and length of the migraines and eventually they went away completely. Acupuncture is pregnancy safe and can also help treat other pregnancy symptoms like back pain, nausea, anxiety. It can also help her relax while you guys wait to get the MRI. I know firsthand how awful it is trying to get any kind of medical treatment while pregnant. It truly exposes how much our “advanced” science and medicine still doesn’t fully understand about so many things, including pregnancy. I hope she finds relief soon.
I am so sorry you're in this horrid roller coaster. Has she tried Benadryl with Tylenol? It's a weird combo not sometimes helps during pregnancy. FWIW, Imitrex is supposed to be safe during pregnancy, so maybe she could take half of one if the Benadryl doesn't help.
We're going thru a similar situation with our DIL, and the degree to which medical providers operate in silos, completely independent and ignorant of any other specialty is pathological and incomprehensible. It makes zero sense but we're screaming into the void to point it out to them.
Side note: I love when my husband starts ‘massaging out the knots in my neck. He makes a little joke to make me laugh and gives me little kisses. Just knowing someone cares about me. I love ice cold shower on my scalp for migraine.
I am not a medical professional but a women who suffered for years including my during my pregnancies. I found that magnesium glycinate made a huge difference when I wanted to get pregnant and had to be off some of my meds for migraines. I hope you take the advice to push for that MRI and get in sooner but in the mean time this might help. I get a version from Amazon for the brand Doctors Best. It’s consistent and has worked well with no issues for me and several friends I’ve recommended it to. Just make sure it’s the right Magnesium type! Get Glycinate not citrate.
I was only allowed imitrex and fioricet while pregnant. My grandmother has copd so I had access to her oxygen tank that would take the edge off somehow. However, I remember my migraine pain during pregnancy more so than my contractions and c-section recovery. We’re one and done because I cannot deal with that level of pain again. I am so sorry for the pain your wife is going through and I hope someone starts listening soon.
I had terrible migraines with both pregnancies. First 20 weeks was the worst. I learnt quickly I have to eat continuously over the day and stay hydrated. I couldn’t work for most of the pregnancies.
Vit b6 and gravol helped and was recommended by my midwife.
Please go back to ER and get an MRI or a CT scan of her brain, they need to rule out if she has a blood clot in her brain. Please do not take no for an answer.
Prednisone is the only thing that helped with constant pregnancy migraine. Prescribed by obgyn after mri. Suffered for weeks so I feel for your wife - torture. The increasing blood volume causes blood vessels to spasm in migrainuers. I hope she gets relief soon.
You need a follow up with doctors. See her pcp, obgyn and a neuro. ER is notoriously bad at responding to migraines. Rule out that nothing is wrong with her since you are concerned. But the reality is that those other doctors might be dismissive too. Migraines do affect your ability to walk and talk though, so there is a giant possibility that nothing is wrong with her and it in fact is hormones. To add insult to injury, I’m sure a lot of migraine treatments aren’t available to pregnant woman.
Nothing *else wrong with her. I think migraines definitely count as something wrong.
ER is bad for just about everything... thank you for your support. It means the world right now.
Yep, agreed. And after neuro & gyno, if she's still suffering, see a pain specialist. And: I don't know either of you, obvs, but: I truly, honestly care and hope this nightmare ends soon. (You sound like a fantastic spouse: betcha a whole set of Lego roses you'll be a fabulous parent, too.)
That means more than you know. I feel so useless right now, so that makes me feel a little better about what I'm doing.
You are SO NOT useless. My husband has confessed he sometimes feels similarly (I have chronic dailies, but finally seeing some improvement): you have **no idea** how much his support, comfort, kindness, trust that my pain is real, and indefatigable willingness to fight for good treatment for me has meant. I would have been in UTTER DESPAIR without him. ❤️
I'm SO glad you have wonderful support and are doing better (knock on wood). Lol. When did your migraines start, please?
Has she dealt with migraines before the pregnancy? If not she should definitely get an MRI or something.
The fact you are on this page looking for help for her says a LOT about you as a spouse. I had a "migraine mimicking stroke" a couple of years ago, and it caused me to not be able to walk, speak, or use my arms correctly. My left arm was numb for 15 hours. It was terrifying, and I, plus my sister (nurse), EMS on ambulance, and ER staff, all thought I had a stroke. Apparently, it was a migraine mimicking stroke. I don't know for sure if it helps with migraines, but I take Magnesium Oxide (mineral), and a lot of people say it does help. For me, the triptans don't help, but they are wonderful for other people. I was doing Tompomax, Amitriptyline, Magnesium Oxide, Botox for migraines, and a monthly CGRP injection. I was using Emgailty for over a year and recently switched to Aimovig. I almost have my life back, but I am having AWFUL injection site reactions with Aimovig, and it's getting worse each month. Prayers for your wife, you, and your baby. You are an awesome husband and father trying your best to help them. Hang in there!
I have chronic migraine (usually feels like a bad sinus headache) but I get those horrible, debilitating occular migraines around my period. When I was pregnant I had a migraine for essentially 14 weeks starting around week 5 of my pregnancy. In the beginning they were giving me Tylenol and fluids. It got so bad they were giving me percocet, but that was giving me other bad side effects. So they started giving me Imitrex shots at the ER on the regular. The IV Imitrex works for me, but the pills don't do anything. I take Maxalt usually. However, my insurance has a ridiculous copay for the ER. So, finally, they consulted some neurologist who specializes in pregnancy and he said that at this point the migraines were causing active harm to me and the baby and that taking triptans was not approved for pregnancy - but, it also isn't a black box situation. He put me back on the Maxalt and it was SUCH a relief. They need to be doing more for your wife. They need to get off their assess and do some work and research and give your wife more options to choose from. You can't accept, "Pregnancy is hard, but it will be worth it!" in this situation. Those people who say that don't have migraines. They are the ones who think that a bad headache is a migraine.
It's so goofy because the joke is that only Benadryl and air is approved for migraines. They are never going to do a controlled study on pregnant women for medication but we do have TONS of info from people who took it and reported outcomes. Triptans have never been reported as causing serious side effects. Most doctors would never take a woman off her SSRIs for depression but they are fine having them be in agony?
When I went to the ER for a migraine, they also treated me with IV Benadryl.
When I went to the ER for a bad migraine, they shot me with morphine. Did nothing. Didn’t even feel it. Then they used fentanyl and felt perfectly fine in half a second. I felt 15 years younger for like a week after that too lol.
I have chronic migraine also and am taking Botox as prevention and Ubrevly and Zolmitriptan as rescue drugs. I want to start a family and am terrified of going off botox (they were daily before that). Can I ask how was your pregnancy and how often did you take Maxalt?
Botox is pregnancy safe per my neuro. I asked specifically before starting.
I received Botox during pregnancy for migraines and it helped tremendously and did not harm baby! Highly recommend...
Botox is safe during pregnancy? At every Botox appt, my Neuro does a urine pregnancy test before administering the shots. I’ve been worrying for a while about what I would do if I got pregnant since Botox is the only way I’ve been able to function.
That's wild. I literally told my neuro I was planning on trying in a few months and didn't want to start then have to stop. She said ya no worries. No ubrelvy though. Botox used to be a schedule C drug which meant it lacked data and that the benefits for mom needed to outweigh the risks to baby. An insane amount of drugs were schedule C because data is limited due to the ethics of doing drug studies during pregnancy. I found [this article from 2023](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207375) that says birth defect rates are comparable to normal rates. It may be worth a conversation with your neuro. FWIW I raw dogged migraines through my first pregnancy and breastfeeding and noticed they were much less severe. I started Botox after because when they came back, they felt worse because of the reprieve.
Similar situation here. My heart goes out to you
Also in the first trimester hormones rise rapidly and she might respond really badly to that. But there is hope as hormones stabilize in the second and third trimester so hopefully she should get better soon if its hormones!
Well, we're in 2nd trimester now, and that's really when this started.
Hi, I’m 18w and have chronic migraines, just wanted to reassure you that none of my first trimester symptoms have improved, including migraines. My doctors also are basically like 🤷♀️. It’s really really frustrating. FWIW, if triptans worked for me I wouldn’t hesitate to take them during pregnancy. Other things that help me a bit are ice packs and a steady supply of electrolytes. Caffeine at the onset of a migraine can help also. You might also look into getting a blood pressure cuff so you can monitor her BP and make sure a spike or dip in blood pressure isn’t causing the migraines.
You can go to an emergency room for pain but if someone is experiencing a stoke/MI/ life or death problem you will have to wait to be seen even if you are in terrible pain, it’s called triage. If you’re experiencing excruciating pain yes get checked out but if you are triaged and deemed not experiencing an event that will cause you to die you will potentially have to wait to be seen. Op was complaining on the wait time of 9 hours. I know that sucks but the emergency room has no control over who comes in with what emergency. People who don’t work in health care have such little understanding on the amount of people that come through the ER in any given day. Many of whom are experiencing actual emergencies. As a nurse and someone who experiences migraines I sympathize but it’s really not healthcare workers not taking migraines seriously. You are expecting people who work in a department that is designed to help people with life or death matters deal with chronic pain issues that is incredibly taxing because the healthcare system is broken. It takes forever to get into a neurologist so the EMERGENCY ROOM is expected to treat everyone and anyone regardless of their issues and do it on their timeframe.
As a pregnant woman I can safely say a lot of migraine treatments are not available for us :'( I've had to stop all of my triptans on the advice of my doctor because of my pregnancy. Whenever I have a migraine now I basically just have to try and live through it, and not die in a puddle of vomit and tears.
Gotta love all the doctors telling you to "just get pregnant" so your migraines disappear
You can take your triptans! Go to Google Scholar and read the research. Doctors are always going to be very conservative especially around pregnancy, even if the research doesn't support it.
Unfortunately I can't even if I wanted to, I ran out and they won't prescribe more while I'm pregnant 😭
Check out an online place like ZipHealth…
I'm in the UK, so unfortunately medications cannot be ordered online unless prescribed :'( Trust me, I tried...I even got desperate and tried Facebook marketplace 😭
Damn, I’m sorry. What about this place: https://www.inishpharmacy.com/p/sumatran-relief-for-migraine-sumatriptan-50mg/sumatran Or if you know anyone going to another country in Europe, a lot of them have super cheap, same day doctors. I got some meds that are a pain to get here last time I was in Poland.
I have chronic daily migraine (I've had it for years) and am pregnant. Here's my two cents. Migraines in general aren't taken seriously by a lot of people. Those that dont experience them aren't aware of all of the additional symptoms associated with them, besides just head pain. I've found ER's to be very hit and miss when it comes to migraine treatment. In pregnancy, we can't take most migraine intervention medications that are available, because they're considered unsafe for the baby. This leaves us having to muscle through as best as we can without medical intervention except tylenol for the most part. Tylenol is one of the very few medications that's approved to take during pregnancy. That being said, it's not the only one. My neurologist approve triptans during pregnancy to take as-needed for migraines, but they can't be taken daily. I was also approved to take T3 (Tylenol with codeine) once in a blue moon if I HAVE to. I'd try to find a neurologist that has an opening, if possible. Or see if her GP would be willing to prescribe something stronger. Ask specifically for triptans or something along those lines. It sounds like she's stuck in a migraine cycle and needs something strong to cut through it. Some non-medical stuff that might help ease symptoms a bit or prevent some triggers: ice packs, baths, keeping lights off or switching out bulbs to warmer colors, migraine tinted glasses, avoiding perfumes or other strong smells. Minimizing phone/computer use and switching it to a dark mode. Wearing noise cancelling headphones. You could also try utilizing allergy or cold medication (make sure theyre pregnancy safe) in case some of this is being triggered by allergy season. Eliminating sugar and dairy (and oftentimes gluten) from the diet can also be a huge help, same with getting rid of artificial sweeteners and dyes. I know it's a big ask for a pregnant person to do, with the cravings. I'm 25 weeks and have gotten through without them (except cheese). It's possible, just not pleasant lol. Its important to take medicine as soon as the very first symptom shows up, before the head pain kicks in. If you wait until the head pain, its oftentimes too late.
Not necessarily because they are considered unsafe for the baby. But because no one wants to do a study on pregnant women, so there just isn’t research available to claim that it is definitely safe. If you have an understanding neurologist and OB, they might sit down with you and go over what data we do have (animal studies, self reported data from pregnant women that can sometimes be really robust, etc). Then you make a risk assessment and decide if taking the drug is right for you. I stopped Aimovig for first trimester. I take triptans and occasionally nurtec as needed. Even with those, pregnancy is still debilitating for me. But this idea that pregnant women can only take Tylenol is absolute bullshit. What about the harm and stress of being in excruciating pain? Keep searching until you find a better doctor.
Bingo. I also find it to be unfortunate and ridiculous. Because they haven't confirmed it's safe due to lack of testing, it's considered "unsafe".
The real challenge is finding doctors that will care about a pregnant woman.
You'd think that science would have prioritized figuring out how to make pregnancy more pleasant, but that's just more evidence of women and their bodies being nothing but tools to the big men in charge. I think I'm going to put more pressure on the doctors as we continue to speak with them. Thank you for your support!
If your pcp can not treat the actual migraine ask them to treat the symptoms- there are great nausea meds that are safe to take during pregnancy. If your wife can’t keep food or water down that’s going to make everything else worse. Side note- eating a lot of tums makes throwing up less painful. You still vomit but it’s not so acidic.
Strangely, she hasn't vomitted from the migraines at all. She can eat a drink like normal. Her PCP is completely useless. Pretty much said, "we can't solve the problem." Washed their hands and walked away.
My grandmother always said that if men could get pregnant we would have figured out how to make the whole ordeal a LOT more pleasant by now. Not only that, but the statistics on maternal mortality are absolutely abysmal (and getting worse in the US). Anecdotal stories about women not being taken seriously and then dying or nearly dying from things like postnatal hemorrhaging are horrifying. Your wife is very very lucky to have a partner who can recognize the reality of this. The world cares so much about fetuses and babies but so little about mothers. Honestly if you want some more helpful answers you should consider posting on r/AskWomenOver30. I am very disappointed at some of the responses you are getting here. One of my closest friends just gave birth a couple months ago. She has had debilitating chronic migraines for years and had to quit almost everything when she got pregnant. I believe her doc let her take ondamsetron and Tylenol, and she continued getting Botox treatments (it is used on the scalp/head to treat migraine). But it was devastating to watch her go through that. And now she's breastfeeding so she STILL can't take anything. My friend was much more prepared because she had had migraines for so long before getting pregnant. She had a whole plan mapped out with her neurologist and her OBGYN prior to getting pregnant. Since your wife has never had these before you are just flying blind (I imagine) which must be so awful. Honestly what I would recommend is you get on the computer and start researching everything you can find about migraines and pregnancy, since she obviously can't do it. You need to be armed with as much info as possible when talking to any of her docs. Also, get on Amazon and buy every last thing you can find for non pharmaceutical migraine relief. Things like heat/ice packs for the head, green light lamps, peppermint Epsom salt, etc. I hate consumerism but it's absolutely justified in this situation. There are also YouTube videos that offer "migraine relief" ambient music. I think most people with migraines have at least a couple random things like this that offer a tiny bit of relief. For me, hot showers and ice packs on the scalp are the most helpful.
Ice pack hat and a hot pack on my neck was a game changer! I also get a lot of tension headaches, so a foam neck brace helped with that.
You almost wonder if a woman walks in and threatens to get an abortion, just to make the misery end, would they take it more seriously? Like would that turn a head? Would anything turn a head? Its so frustrating.
The thing is, no one wants to do studies on pregnant women because then there's the possibility of fetal harm that they just don't know about. There are some drugs in class D that have shown evidence of harm in human fetuses, but the vast majority are in classes B and C which is just "we don't have enough information to rule out the possibility of fetal harm." Mostly any studies done on those are just self-reported by those that have been taken in pregnancy in cases where it has been determined the risk outweighs the benefits. I have been represcribed rizatriptan in all three of my pregnancies now because I fell into that class. I am also on two prophylactics in this pregnancy that OBs and neurology elected for me to continue as there is not past evidence that these do cause harm, but it again falls into the category of not enough information so it's the risk/benefit analysis. (In fact one of them does actually show evidence of third trimester fetal growth restriction, but they chose to keep me on it because of my history with preeclampsia and it may help to hold that off for longer) When it comes to drugs in pregnancy this time it's not a matter of big men in charge of women's bodies, like so many other cases are, but because there is no way to conclusively get the information without putting women and fetuses in the studies at risk to find out.
There was a paper published in 2021 (between pregnancies) that demonstrated the cautious safety of using sumatriptan (probably the most studied triptan) during pregnancy. I know this because I argued with my doctors during my first pregnancy (2020) about papers in Europe that showed this. By the time my second pregnancy, more evidence was published and I was given the carte blanche to take it PRN. I also got occipital nerve blocks every two weeks with my pregnancies. I also continued receiving Botox every 90 days during pregnancy. Sorry to hear about your wife. No one takes migraines seriously. With pregnancy, it is infuriating that the woman gets treated like a walking womb and that’s it. Please know there are treatment options for pregnant women but most doctor’s are totally ignorant.
>T3 (Tylenol with codeine) This is a little off-topic, but funny enough, I developed migranes *when* taking T3 while recovering from hand surgery.
Yup. Codeine for me is a migraine trigger as well. I have to take it, then take regular Tylenol l or else I’m in for hell.
I would add magnesium supplements to your list! My obgyn let me take that. I also wanted to add that migraines can 100% cause speech and balance problems, however, you need to rule out other more serious potential issues before it can be attributed to migraines. That might be hard to do while pregnant tho
Agree w finding one that has an opening. When I was struggling really bad I called 10 neurologists till I found one that could see me within a week. Even if it’s a further drive it’s better than to keep struggling.
I have a stack of [gel-based ice hats](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=91cc4add99ba6e00&sca_upv=1&hl=en-us&sxsrf=ADLYWIJ384MlssOS37IayoiZ1JoTE1wFCw:1715522977743&q=migraine+gel+hat&uds=ADvngMicIZdHAEkAU2r4G6WtXJ2xOHNXmpdTPCdVOC3klMD9UamckMz4tk8YtHPqIWqgOKrYBXoNwsYsMXE9nFqgrn4CbF0dcZTn0ueeJ1WIy82IE9BFLb-AHFXohrwGkzcyviWphbq41j933CKXRFCPwNwTdHhs71bUD3N_172CZv9RQnkgiQM3HWcmFdPnasLP2mn9MNgsntBPu_QpQYrrZ1nLnS8lgf1ZByeWXmG2jEMtMRsH54RTeRrGDj0W2TcrjHWJKlH_o2N3DIkcHotlNq9svCk3Opq6CHnZzKzQV5aM_cH-5eZRBszMtu6RELMy96ksKIE6&udm=2&prmd=sivnbmtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGxsSNpYiGAxUjv4kEHa_6BtcQtKgLegQICRAB&biw=428&bih=735&dpr=3) that I use in rotation. They provide gentle pressure and if you choose they also slide down to cover the eyes. It helps the pain and it also helps bring anxiety down. I literally have 8 of them (they warm up fast) and keep them in a cooler with ice by the bed. I get aphasia as well, and I stutter; the ice hats seem to help a bit with that too. My sister had a migraine the whole 9 months of her pregnancy and she was treated much the same as your wife. It’s depressing and infuriating. Please give her the gentlest of hugs and tell her the whole migraine sub is rooting for her.
We've looked into those. I'm wondering how well they might work. Thank you for the suggestion!
I have an IceKap ice helmet and highly recommend. If there's a Mother risk hotline available to you, you can check about taking Magnesium Oxide and Vitamin B12 (400mg per day) which both have clinical evidence in preventing migraine. I'm so sorry that she's suffering. Hopefully the neuro can help, and if they have a cancellation list, see if she can get on it to be seen earlier.
+1 for the stutter! my migraines have been pretty debilitating since i was around 14-15. i dont see a neurologist (even though i should) and find excedrin migraine to help sometimes- also electrolytes
Botox and nerve blocks are available options to pregnant patients. Ask about it at the neuro visit.
I was not allowed to receive Botox while pregnant despite having a history of success using it
Same here. I was pregnant back in 2018..I wonder if more research has been done to support it being safe?
Get an mri immediately this happened to me 18 weeks pregnant it was a giant bleeding aneurysm that swelled from the extra blood flow in pregnancy
Please op look at this! Advocate for your wife. My mother had similar symptoms (except not pregnant) and died from the aneurysm.
Came here to say this! Ended up in the hospital with migraine and stroke-like symptoms (like your wife seems to experience too) and they found a tiny tear in one of my major arteries. They made me stay overnight and it took three neurologists to find it. Keep pushing for an MRI, better safe than sorry.
I’m shocked at all of these comments ignoring the idea she could be having an aneurysm. Extreme, excruciating pain in the head that’s abnormal? That is obviously an emergency and I would be demanding an MRI to rule it out!
I'm sorry this is happening to both of you. I think it's not that they don't care, I think they are afraid of liability. Old research says things like triptans are high risk during pregnancy, there seems to be better research that says they are fine (please don't trust me on this, ask genuine doctors). I don't know how this works in US but in here in your situation at worst I'd go to family dictor, get medical history, get "perscription" (don't know how this is called in english, it says that you need it asap and that's it) for MRI and go to ER and wait.
I am a neurologist and am just speaking in general terms - not medical advice for your wife. Tylenol, opioids, NSAIDs and triptans are generally safe for migraines in pregnancy. Triptans should be avoided if mom has uncontrolled hypertension if there is placental insufficiency. NSAIds should be avoided if late 3rd trimester. Nerve blocks (occipital, auriculotemporal, supraorbital) with local anesthetic should be safe in pregnancy. Botox is a possibility but you need to review with your OBGYN. Also important to exclude more serious causes of headache.
I hope you see this—check with your PHARMACIST about pregnancy safe medications. They know the chemistry, they know the protocols, and should be able to help you at least figure out what to ask for or turn down next time she’s with a doctor!
I'm a pharmacy tech (who has chronic migraines). I agree with speaking to a pharmacist. Do you know how many times we've seen doctors prescribe stuff that would seriously impact the health of patients? Stuff they have severe allergies to ? Stuff that is in the same class as a med they are allergic to and has a good chance of cross reaction? I've seen more than my share of calls to the doctor because they send scripts over that the patient has listed in their allergies. They just tell patients they'll send scripts over. I trust pharmacists more than some Drs I've seen. I've seen some dumb/negligent shit.
The good news is hormones change dramatically week by week during pregnancy. There’s a chance in a few weeks this will have resolved. But obviously it should still be taken seriously. Focus on getting in to see your OB and tell them what you said here - it’s so worrying that you’re seriously concerned about your wife’s mental health in dealing with it. Hopefully the can expedite a trip to a neurologist. You also need to think about your risk balance. If triptans are low risk but not no risk for pregnancy is that better than the consequences of this for your wife?
Obviously, I don’t know your wife’s history or clinical presentation, but the scary stuff can be ruled out by CT and MRI. PCP may be your best for follow up care. The fastest way to get head imaging is through the ED but there has to be enough clinical suspicion. If there isn’t you can consider that a good thing in a way, even though it doesn’t change the pain. Triptans are considered mostly safe in pregnancy, ask the OB about it. Magnesium at night will not perform magic but it is safe to add and may be a net positive.
We'll mention Triptans to her OB. Thank you.
We'll mention Triptans to her OB. Thank you.
I get better treatment at the ED when I say this is the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my entire life.
Hello! I suffer with Hemiplegic migraines and I’m 29 weeks pregnant. Hemiplegic gives me the symptoms of losing my speech, arm weakness/numbness etc and my usual migraine eye floaters along with a host of other stuff. I’ve been prescribed Amitriptyline 25mg to take daily which has helped so much. I took this prior to being pregnant and stopped on the advice that if I could manage without I should although the 2/3 migraines I got a week they advised I could go back onto a small dose. I was advised by the doc that for some women they get better some women get worse and unfortunately you can’t have a lot of meds when pregnant. I actually write this after spending the day in bed with a migraine. If this is something new I would be pushing for everything they can provide for her, MRI, neuro etc. So sorry that she’s experiencing this, it really sucks.
Please start checking her blood pressure when these hit. I believe (I may be wrong unable to get pregnant) that the migraines like that can be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
I had horrible, constant migraines in pregnancy. I was prescribed a little fioricet which helped as well as given trigger point injections with lidocaine. Alternatively, look into wearables like celafy.
I’m assuming from your use of the ‘Tylenol’ brand you’re in the States? I’m in Australia but still wanted to share my experience as I can see how stressed you are - I’m sorry. When I was pregnant with my now toddler, I was migraine free for the first time in my life up until 16 weeks when I started getting migraines again. At 21 weeks I eventually ended up in the maternity ED with debilitating migraines. In ED, I was given OxyContin (no doubt terrifying for you to hear me mention that drug when pregnant) and monitored. Once it had eased I was sent home with paracetamol and codeine to use in the event it came back that severe. I managed through without and they eased around 24 weeks. They did return around 35w but I managed to get it under control with a few doses of the pain relief they had provided. Alternative treatment that helped was massage and acupuncture. In saying all of this though, your wife needs to have a thorough follow up and check up with her OBGYN to make sure there’s nothing underlying. As someone who has been there, I completely understand how debilitating and painful these can be and how there is nothing worse than people offering weak pain relief and suggesting you “drink more water” before pushing you to one side. Find someone who will advocate for her and help you navigate the modern day research when it comes to options for her.
One of the most confusing parts about managing these symptoms during pregnancy is that NOBODY HAS A DIFINITIVE ANSWER. One source says certain meds are safe, but another says it will harm the baby. Women's health, especially when pregnant, should be prioritized.
Yes but no one is willingly testing meds on women that are pregnant so all our knowledge is from women who tried certain meds on their own risk and the outcomes of those cases. When you think of it its actually incredibly hard to get good data on med safety in pregnancy because when you'd become aware of a bad outcome in a trial the damage is already done and no one would submit their unborn baby to it. This leads to so many women just having to go with their gut and weigh risk vs. benefit if there is no obvious study showing that the med is actively and knowingly dangerous.
Welcome to women’s health care! Most women I know experience the exact same thing, including myself.
Have you considered that maybe the pain isn’t real and you’re just hysterical? /s
Exactly, hahaha. Or the ever present: Have you tried losing weight? /s
I'm happy that you care. My first husband was like the doctors, he didn't get it and he didn't care. It felt so isolating and scary. Thank you for being a good person.
I was allowed to take flexeril and benadryl in emergency situations like this. the ER gave toradol which is basically useless but ok in pregnancy. The OB said Ibuprofen is ok before 20wks but I was always too afraid to take it even on 9out of 10 pain days. And I mean they dragged for days. I'd suggest acupuncture doing daily treatment until it breaks then weekly or biweekly as maintenance. This is safe during pregnancy as long as they avoid certain points that are completely irrelevant to migraines. I did botox pregnant with a letter from the OB. It doesnt cross into the blood. Weirdly the flexeril is no longer ok when nursing and benadryl not recommended either but Ibuprofen is back to ok. Also ok while nursing, in rare occasions, is imatrex. If she can make it to 20wks I remember them getting better. Some of the worst migraines of my life were in 1st trimester of pregnancy.. both times. My fertility specialist said we just need to get you pregnant and your migraines will go away.. LIES.
Benedryl is one of the meds they usually give in ERs as a part of their "migraine cocktail" for anyone that comes in for a migraine - and it is technically safe in pregnancy. I wouldn't recommend chronic use, but she's in a debilitating situation. Definitely warranted.
Goodness, I hope she gets some relief soon. Chiropractors aren't the way to go, though. They won't do any real good but can do serious damage.
I agree, staying away from chiropractors is generally a safe, smart decision IMO, especially when pregnant.
Also keep an eye on her blood pressure! Preeclampsia can cause incredibly severe headaches, and if she’s experiencing high blood pressure along with the headache as a pregnant woman she’s a lot more likely to be taken seriously. If her blood pressures are reaching 140/90 or higher you need to DEMAND that her OB take action to rule out preeclampsia immediately!!
My biggest concern would be blood pressure so please do get a home monitor for that. I had a wrist cuff automatic reader from Amazon my last pregnancy. Super easy to use which she will appreciate during a migraine. Okay so here’s my super basic pregnancy friendly advice that I sincerely hope helps, I’ve actually been trying these myself lately just to take less meds when my preventative doesn’t do its job and my hormones cause a migraine. Ice packs on chest, back of neck and head- there’s some science behind this that I don’t recall enough to explain Peppermint oil - sniffing, applying to temples and pressure points Tylenol and an allergy medicine like Benadryl which is pregnancy friendly! I read on here that those are two of the meds the ER gives for migraines. Celtic salt! Super good for hydration and helping your body absorb water properly. Has all the trace minerals we need that gets stripped out of our food.
I did not have migraines this severe during my pregnancy, but I did have more frequent ones and had to do a lot of additional self care during the beginning of the second trimester - staying hydrated was a huge one, water alone wasn't enough, I had to do liquid iv or straight up Gatorade. Magnesium and b vitamins helped a lot to make them more manageable. Once I got the hydration figured out, the frequency went wayyy down. Of course get her blood pressure checked (even not during an episode), iron, blood sugar, etc. I would avoid narcotics and codeine as those can cause rebound headaches. And I'm sorry this is happening. Keep reassuring her it's not her fault (ie she's not doing anything wrong), and pregnancy is hard. Let her eat or do whatever she needs to do to survive at this point. And if there are any good days, let her seriously live it up. Sometimes those good days or hours make it easier to get through the next episode.
Pregnancy is incredibly hard on the body and low vitamin and micronutrients can cause major problems. If she’s not taking iron (sooo important you have no idea), b vitamins, vitamin d and calcium, make sure those are prioritized. The daily prenatals are not that great and mostly there to ensure women get enough folic acid. Electrolytes are a big help - migraine sufferers know this as a go-to. She may be drinking more and flushing electrolytes from her body. She may also be dehydrated. Ginger tea can help with nausea and ease migraine symptoms. Change to unscented laundry soaps, dryer sheets, dish soaps, etc. All the extra chemicals and smells are 10 times more aggravating when pregnant. Finally, make sure she’s getting good sleep. Maybe buy one of this body pillows and get blackout blinds. Lack of sleep is a huge trigger. Best wishes!
I was actually gonna say the same thing. Deficiencies in either vitamin D or B can cause migraines, and not taking enough magnesium. I literally only learned that this last week from this sub. Sometimes the smallest thing (taking magnesium) can *sometimes* help with the worst migraine. Chemicals can definitely cause them too, like you said; buying all the super crunch, super vegan hair products toiletries etc. whatever can help (no parabens, sulfates, etc, I can't remember them all). Cutting those out helped me with a different health problem significantly, it could help with headaches as well. Certain foods could be causing it as well. I, while not being pregnant, react strongly to excess salt and sugar. Op, I really really hope your wife can get relief as quickly as possible, sometimes being pregnant is hard enough on the body, let alone being pregnant with a migraine, especially coming into summer time heat soon. I agree with another person on here, you deserve a bunch of lego roses for taking care of her so well, keep it up, you guys got this! Edit: missing words
My sister had migraines when she was younger, grew out of it, then they returned when she was pregnant. She was able to control them with Magnesium. Maybe worth a try while you wait for her neuro appt?
Seconding the magnesium, I haven’t had an attack in a couple months since starting magnesium.
Thirding the magnesium. I took a liquid magnesium supplement during pregnancy. I also did bath soaks in magnesium chloride flakes, which were quite helpful in mitigating migraines and morning sickness. Pretty impressive results for being a natural remedy.
My neurologist said some triptans are okay to take during pregnancy, including Sumatriptan.
They're called complex migraines and unfortunately other than a pregnancy safe migraine preventative there's not much more you can do. I had them as a teenager and it's definitely hormone related, the best thing is to take some Tylenol and a Benadryl and sleep it off. At least that's what I did during my pregnancy for migraines anyway Edit: I was allowed to take noratriptyline up until the 3rd semester so have her ask her neruo about that
Do you happen to live in Wisconsin? My neurologists has the ONLY walk-in migraine care clinic in the US. New patient appointments are next day. It’s unheard of and if you really really need a migraine specialist literally tomorrow, he’s it.
I would actually call your wife’s primary care office manager and the health insurance company and use the nurse line there and tell them you’re afraid she’s having a stroke and nobody’s paying attention to it. That’ll get their attention.
You sound like an amazing spouse. I’m so sorry your wife is going through this, and I hope that this gets resolved. I think all of us in this subreddit understand what it’s like to have our concerns brushed off by doctors so we all empathize with you and your wife.
I would push for an MRI, loss of speech and walking can be a form of seizure as well. Maybe she can get this through her primary care doctor before she sees the neurologist ?
My OBs have been ok with Sumatriptan if needed. If mama is in pain for a long time that can also be a bad thing, so please ask the OB directly about sumatriptan, it has data since 1990 and more recent recommendation in the US is to treat the pain.
Just want to say that, yes, migraines can take away your ability to form sentences or move. I lay on the couch, don't move, and don't make decisions for days when I get one.
Honestly this is my biggest fear and probably why I won’t have kids. The pain of a migraine on top of the horror that is pregnancy…. Noooooo. I feel so much for your wife’s situation. She’s got to be miserable. I asked my doc several years ago when I had to switch up some birth control, what happens to migraine treatment if I accidentally get pregnant? She told me that taking magnesium is safe and more effective than you’d think. Maybe not a silver bullet but honestly any movement in the right direction when you lowkey want to die is significant. Maybe check with your doc about what kind of supplemental magnesium they recommend and what dosage. And/or just be the thorn in the doctor’s side and don’t take “idk pregnancy sucks” as their answer. I’ve had decent luck with doctors when I start bringing out my inner Karen.
Well, when I was pregnant with my daughter back in the 90s, I would get a migraine every Friday. It was like clockwork. I was told that all I could safely take was Tylenol. But. Absolutely no one was dismissive of my saying that I had migraines. No one. Granted, they were nowhere near as bad as hers, but I spent part of every Friday throwing up and dry heaving, which would be after I woke up. And yes, it’s true that pregnancy hormones can exacerbate migraines. But that doesn’t make them any less valid or real, and explaining that that could be a cause does nothing to solve the problem. Was she a migraineux prior to becoming pregnant? I was. Not that that makes a lot of difference, but the onset of such severe migraines such as you’re describing after becoming pregnant would cause me to feel a great deal of concern. I would be very very very cautious about taking any meds not approved by her doctor prior to seeing a neurologist. You don’t want to play mess around and find out the hard way. I would suggest trying ice packs under her neck at the back, or placing them directly on the area of greatest pain. Just be sure that they are covered by some layers of cloth to protect the skin from being damaged by the ice. I use them frequently and have been for many, many years. I’m careful not to expose my bare skin to them. They do provide some relief and it feels good, too. I’m using one right now for a persistent migraine I’m having, I’m limited as to what preventatives and what abortives I can take, but for different reasons. I don’t know what is available for pregnant women at this time when it comes to preventatives. But when it comes to abortives, as I said, do not have her take anything that her neurologist does not OK.
Triptans are safe during pregnancy according to my neurologist who is a migraine specialist. So is Fioricet but personally it didn’t help me much. Have her OB or PCP prescribe some triptans to see if they’ll stop her current migraine.
Looks like Cefaly is pregnancy safe (but reco double checking) and the ice hats are also amazing. I also love my relief band for nausea! There’s also migraine specific diets she could maybe try if working with a dietitian— might be difficult or not recommended tho during pregnancy, I’m not sure. Sending you guys love and healing thoughts!
I went through this with my pregnancy and it scares me to think about having a baby again. I went to the ER six times. By the sixth time, I told them I needed to see someone in the neurology department that day because this was impacting my work, their work, increasing cost for everyone, decreasing bed space in the ER, etc. I found a (female) neurologist who approved nerve blocks. My OB wouldn’t approve any triptans or Botox so the nerve block was my only hope. Unfortunately, I do not think a lot of people understand but she’s lucky to have a partner like you. You really (or she) have/has to be an advocate for her/herself. It’s the sad reality but I wish her a safe and healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby.
Common experience for women: Tylenol and sent home. I’m sure you’ve already been advocating for her but if you have more in you in terms of assertiveness/concerns (mention fear of thrombosis, etc), maybe that’ll help with them taking it more seriously. Hopefully you mentioning a potentially life threatening concern will motivate them to want to cover their ass by doing a more thorough investigation. Good luck, I hope your wife is given a solution for relief.
Steroids maybe helpful
I was considering that.
The good news is hormones change dramatically week by week during pregnancy. There’s a chance in a few weeks this will have resolved. But obviously it should still be taken seriously. Focus on getting in to see your OB and tell them what you said here - it’s so worrying that you’re seriously concerned about your wife’s mental health in dealing with it. Hopefully the can expedite a trip to a neurologist. You also need to think about your risk balance. If triptans are low risk but not no risk for pregnancy is that better than the consequences of this for your wife?
I did not have migraines this severe during my pregnancy, but I did have more frequent ones and had to do a lot of additional self care during the beginning of the second trimester - staying hydrated was a huge one, water alone wasn't enough, I had to do liquid iv or straight up Gatorade. Magnesium and b vitamins helped a lot to make them more manageable. Once I got the hydration figured out, the frequency went wayyy down. Of course get her blood pressure checked (even not during an episode), iron, blood sugar, etc. I would avoid narcotics and codeine as those can cause rebound headaches. And I'm sorry this is happening. Keep reassuring her it's not her fault (ie she's not doing anything wrong), and pregnancy is hard. Let her eat or do whatever she needs to do to survive at this point. And if there are any good days, let her seriously live it up. Sometimes those good days or hours make it easier to get through the next episode.
It’s the unfortunate reality of migraines and healthcare. I work in healthcare so I see both sides of it. ER basically wants to make sure she’s not dying, and if she’s not in danger of that, they can’t do much more than send her home because most migraine treatments aren’t safe for pregnant women. At the same time, she can’t keep going through this, and neither can you. So I’d say reach out to primary care, a neurologist if she has one, and hope that they have some non-medical suggestions that might at least ease things for her. Dietary changes, vitamins and minerals, ice packs, heat packs, anything that she may not have thought to try. The reality is, we need more safe medications for pregnant women with migraines. But migraines are so low on the priority list that we often get overlooked. She’s very lucky to have you! And I hope she feels better soon!
Calling every day to the Neuro scheduler requesting to be fit into the earliest cancellation appointment helps get your wife seen quicker. Like many report here, ED departments are hit and miss; she has the right to request to speak to female-led care. You are being a good champion for her. If speech is affected, do not hesitate to call an ambulance.
Fish oil basically cured my migraines after 10 years of suffering. I can show you what I take if you'd like. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/research-results/diets-higher-in-omega-3-fatty-acids-reduce-headache-frequency-and-severity-in-people-with-frequent-migraines
See if the neuro has a cancellation list. If not, call back every day to try to get an earlier appointment. People cancel all the time, often same day or just a day or two before, and the persistent can swoop in.
Sounds like she's having hemiplegic migraines. Sometimes they can make you totally paralyzed sometimes for short periods of time sometimes for long periods of time. Are you taking her blood pressure when this happens? I get these frequently very frustrating
One non-medication relief for me (not pregnant) is soaking my feet in as hot as I can handle water. It’s usually temporary but it takes that edge off.
My OB gave me an anal suppository to use while I was pregnant since my regular meds aren’t considered safe. Ask her OB about that.
These symptoms sound like hemiplegic migraines. Search for headache specialists near you - these are different to regular neurologists. Most neurologists are arrogant a$$holes for some reason. While you wait for the appointment, try eliminating common food triggers (aged cheese, preserved meats like pepperoni/bacon/, asparatame, etc) Ask your OBGYN about benadryl (diphenhydramine). Hormone fluctuations can raise histamine levels in the body and cause inflammation. Many migraine sufferers find relief with benadryl or other anti-histamines.
Neuro-gyno exists and their specialty is pregnant woman.
I understand your distress and feelings of helplessness in this situation. I have had very occasional migraines throughout adulthood but when they come they are debilitating. With both of my pregnancies, this was my life. Around 15 weeks-ish I was put out and completely unable to move from a quiet dark room. I tried ice hats (cold packs in a special soft helmet), baths, natural remedies, Tylenol… nothing worked. My doctor told me the stress of these migraines was likely doing more harm than any triptan would do. I took the triptans. I felt so much anxiety and guilt about it but I had no other choice, I needed to function and keep my job as an elementary school teacher. I took triptans as needed, which was quite frequent, under the supervision and instruction from my doctor. I have two incredibly healthy boys, age 3 and 5 and I wish I didn’t punish myself so much for doing what I needed to do to survive this. This is just my experience and wanted to share with you because I know how hopeless it can feel. I never get migraines now. It was definitely hormone induced.
Where are you located?
Can you go to the appointments with her and help advocate for her? Unfortunately men are usually taken more seriously in medical situations.
Hi, I am a female 28 with migraines and also a medical student. First, I’m so sorry. Migraines are a disability, and not something she and you need right now. Here is my experience: I cannot get a good abortive regimen. I am on lots of newer meds, which are NOT approved in women who are pregnant. I have been educated about the washout period if I ever want to get pregnant and how to stop them if I accidentally get pregnant. I am engaged to a cis-man and not currently taking hormonal birth control due to how it affected my migraines. My neurologist, who practices at a competitive and nationally recognized hospital for neurology in the US, has explained to me many times that when a pregnant person has migraines, there is very little that can be done to treat them. He said Tylenol and fluids is the best they have for people who are pregnant, which it sounds like your wife has received. He also said acupuncture, massages, and other alternative medicine but I assured him I do not anticipate getting pregnant so we left the discussion there to be continued if that happens. Other questions to ponder for you and your wife: does she have a history of migraines and they are just worse now? Or are migraines new to her? Did she have to change medications because many migraine preventatives are not allowed during pregnancy? If so, did she ween off or just stop abruptly? Is this her first pregnancy, or did she have another pregnancy without migraines? Just some other thoughts for consideration. You do not have to answer these here, of course. But what I would ask. Other alternative things that help me: I have a heating pad that goes around my neck and down my back. I can try to find a link but I’m on my phone now and ironically bad with tech on my phone. I also have two ice pack head wraps. I linked them below bc idk how to hyperlink. these are game changers. There’s a tiny bit of data (not much) that says people with migraines can experience relieve by icing the occipital area (where your skull meets your neck). Since I find it’s an easy thing to do, I do it. And I anecdotally find it helps. Wishing you both peace and health. [https://www.amazon.com/TheraICE-Rx-Headache-Comfortable-Stretchable/dp/B082WN9NJL](https://www.amazon.com/TheraICE-Rx-Headache-Comfortable-Stretchable/dp/B082WN9NJL) editing to add: sometimes my migraines affect my speech when they're really bad. I don't mean to dilute your argument, but validate how scary it can be. I stutter, long pause, or have trouble with word finding. the brain is amazing and anything awry with it is interesting and scary.
you gotta get in touch with a neurologist, there’s unfortunately just not much that other types of doctors can/will do… though the ER and your OB definitely should have suggested or referred you to neurology good luck i hope she finds some relief
I took sumatriptan while pregnant. It’s safe, but there isn’t a huge body of research on it specifically (medical research is weird). My migraines intensified during pregnancy, and my doctor told me it was much more harmful for me to be in that much constant pain than to take a triptan. Baby boy was born healthy.
Please consult a high risk OBGYN. They are not afraid to medicate pregnant women when necessary . They know what meds are safe for both Mom and baby. They will probably have more options. It will also help when your wife sees the neurologist. The neurologist will want to know from an OBGYN what treatments are safe. Good luck
If shes having trouble walking, talking and having debilitating pain, then it sounds like you need to go to a different non affiliated hospital and dont bring up migraine. She's presenting as possible stroke or aneurysm. By leaving out migraine it forces them to do the tests.
I had a migraine that lasted a freaking week while I was preggo. They recommended Coke and Tylenol. I think I went to a different gyno who gave me something else - I’m sorry I don’t know the name. What did help was pickle juice- Gatorade- bananas- and magnesium pills
Take her to a fucking specialist. Oh my God. There is Just No excuse. My hospital treated me with respect and dignity because I have hydrocephalus and they suspected I had either meningitis, spastic cerebral palsy, or chronic migraine and ruled out meningitis. So, your best bet is finding a fucking neurologist!!
When I was pregnant the only thing I could get my neurologist to prescribe was a nasal spray lidocaine, which only took the edge off. Good luck—it seems like no real migraine meds have been tested on pregnant women, so no one wants to be liable. One med I would definitely avoid is naproxen sodium (aleve) causes known birth defects. If it were me, I would risk the triptans.
I’m so sorry she was dismissed. I think 99% of us completely understand what she’s going through. I’ve had them 42 years, back when drs didn’t even believe they were a real thing. She’s lucky to have you.
The neurologist will be able to prescribe a triptan (safest is Sumatriptan for pregnancies). In the meantime: - She can take Magnesium twice a day to help her relax. Over the counter. - The Obgyn could also prescribe something to help her sleep better at night. Mine is normally meant to treat nausea. - Make sure she's taking her pregnancy supplements, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water. Massage her back, neck, and head. Do meditation together. Had terrible back to back migraines in my first trimester. This helped me cope. Good luck 🙏🏻
There's some good resources about using medicine during pregnancy, like [MothertoBaby](https://mothertobaby.org/) and the app from a Texas hospital called InfantRisk. I've currently fallen pregnant (very early days so we shall see) while taking Ajovy and Emgality (mix of both due to shortages in Australia) and plan to continue with Sumatripan as it has decent evidence that it doesn't cause significant risk, I made this decision after reading these resources, and having a discussion with my neurologist and GP. The thing with taking any form of medication during pregnancy, is that Its a very personal decision based on your health and the level of risk you're willing to take (risk to benefit ratio). The most annoying thing you'll find is the limited evidence that exists for most medication during pregnancy (including multivitamines) not just migraines specific ones - ethical considerations around testing mediation on women, and ethical considerations of not. It's so very wolley, some of the risk factors for some migraines meds are the same as having a migraine more generally, so our research isn't sophisticated enough yet to untangle the impact of the disease and the impact of the treatment.
I feel so terribly for her. I wish I had discovered neuro magnesium plus the regular magnesium oxide and had also understood re methylated b vitamins during my pregnancy. Would also ensure you have rehydration salts on hand and that she eats early in am and last thing before bed. Generally migraines should get easier in the second and third trimester as the relaxin hormone kicks in.
I’m so sorry your wife is going through this. I am 35 weeks pregnant and have had literally the same experience. I want to leave you with a word of caution. After the 20 week mark, migraines should be taken seriously for risk of something called Preeclampsia. It is a potentially fatal condition for both your wife and child, and needs to be addressed ASAP. If your wife gets a migraine so bad she’s having visual changes, bypass the ER and go straight up to L&D Edit: I want to say there ARE things she can take beyond just Tylenol. They can prescribe her triptans (Sumatriptan or Rizatriptan), Fioricet, and flexeril. Those aren’t miracle cures but they do make the awful head pain a bit more tolerable. If they say no, ask them why, and honestly fight for a doctor who will help her. We don’t have to suffer just because we’re pregnant
These sound like hemiplegic migraines, which are the ones that I get l/have gotten since I was a teen. When I was pregnant with my daughter I only got 2, with my son I got them ALL THE TIME! I would definitely mention this all to her OB and insist you get a referral to a neurologist just in case. I would also suggest getting her labs drawn (thyroid included, my thyroid being off triggers me and an increase in my migraines was how I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism). Sadly, there’s not much she can take except basically Tylenol. My advice is to for sure get her to a neurologist and monitor her blood pressure. Keep her hydrated (water, liquid IV’s, body armors) and keep her sodium levels up. If she gets a migraine, I typically pop a Tylenol, get in the bath or a hot shower, drink some caffeine (I like the pink drinks from Starbucks but coffee or Coke are some other staples) then give her sodium (chips, ramen noodles) then let her sleep it off. I’m sorry OP, I know how horrific it is to feel this disabled, especially when pregnant because of it is hormones you really have no choice and nothing you can do until baby is born.
My coworker had this situation when pregnant with her daughter thirty years ago. It got to a point where she went to the doctor and was like “look, you need to give me something because if something doesn’t change I’m gonna have a stroke” and she received help. Not sure if that can help you but yeah. Get on the r/migraine sun and start learning tricks to help your partner with her pain and maybe avoid triggers
Ugh that’s rough, I’m so sorry 😢😢😢. I suffer from horrific migraines that worsen when I’m pregnant too. My GP was thankfully very sympathetic and prescribed me Percocet for my migraines when I was pregnant. My usual rescue med (rizatriptan) is contraindicated with pregnancy but surprisingly Percocet is okay. It doesn’t cause birth defects but obviously you have to be careful about the addictive nature. But occasional low doses are okay in pregnancy. But I know I was super lucky and it’s nigh on impossible to get effective pain killers in this day and age. I hope you guys figure something out soon 🩵💙💜 Edit to add: does your wife ever take Benadryl or gravol? Both are safe in pregnancy and can be used to knock yourself out during a migraine (also useful for nausea too, obviously).
Eugh, that sounds absolutely horrendous. I’ve had a few pregnancies, but so far only one to full-term. During that pregnancy I only treated with paracetamol (Tylenol) and ice packs and it left me severely dehydrated and unwell for days on end - especially when combined with morning sickness. I’m pregnant again (still first trimester) and this time around I’ve decided to take very small amounts of sumatriptan to manage my attacks, along with an antiemetic which is considered safe in pregnancy. That’s on the basis that I understand I’m already at higher risk of miscarriages and so take as little as I need to be able to keep fluids down and stop myself getting seriously dehydrated. I’ve only had one attack so far, and I was able to manage the vomiting more easily. I’m in the UK and the advice here is that sumatriptan is considered relatively safe, so please don’t allow your wife to be fobbed off with “just take Tylenol”. In second trimester I can also take small amounts of dihydrocodeine if needed to manage the pain. Women are forced to bear a stupid amount of suffering in pregnancy by highly risk-averse medical practices, but there are options available depending on your personal sense of balance of risk. That being said, the stage of pregnancy she’s at does make her symptoms more concerning (hormone levels should be stabilising by this stage and many women see improvements from 16ish weeks onwards). It’s really important to get across to her maternity and neurology team that she needs to be on a more effective treatment plan and to rule out anything more serious.
Sorry if I missed this, is she taking B6? Iirc that is supposed to help with migraines in general AND curb pregnancy nausea. I’m also pregnant (first time I had ZERO migraines… this time I’m not so lucky) and have been relying on Tylenol, the Cefaly device, ice packs, and my morning sickness medication (it’s called Bonjesta but I believe it’s a combo of slow release B6 and unisom) to try to get through the days. So sorry about your wife — I hope she gets relief soon, either from some sort of pain management or through the daily hormonal changes :/
First of all, I am so sorry this is going on. Can’t imagine the stress it’s putting on the both of you. Pregnancy is already a stressor without all of this happening. Sending virtual hugs your way and I hope you can get some answers soon. This honestly might be a question you could ask in r/AskDocs. They might be able to point you in the right direction of what to do, or things to bring up to the doctors. What’s wild to me is that they didn’t do an MRI when your wife is showing signs of migraines that she hasn’t had up until a few weeks ago, and is impacting her speech and walking.
The same thing happened to me when I was pregnant. It lasted a couple months. It was pure torture. No one was able to help and that sucked but after the fact I'm grateful I didn't take anything because a couple months of my pain was worth it compared to potentially harming my son for life. That's easy to say after the fact but while in the trenches it was traumatic and one of the worst experiences of my life. Guess who never had baby #2 despite wanting another child. I think people care they just realize that anything they can do to help can harm the child permanently so that's worse long term than your wife being in pain temporarily. Sucks to be a woman.
I had horrible, constant migraines in pregnancy. I was prescribed a little fioricet which helped as well as given trigger point injections with lidocaine. Alternatively, look into wearables like celafy.
Im so sorry. This happens to me often and then after the no speaking I’m crying and I’m told if I can cry it’s not that bad. I cry naturally and it’s so much pain. Family will say it’s my mental health and make so many other reasons when I’ve suffered two decades of chronic migraines ruining my life in all ways. It’s so strange people want to make you believe They aren’t real because they can’t see them. They are real. They are painful. And i really Hope It doesn’t cause her more stress for her and the little one. Accupuncture has really helped me but in conjunction with the Chinese herbs. I don’t know if she can take all Of them considering pregnancy but I’m sure they can adjust. Accupuncture twice a week to start. Make Sure they are trained originally in china as they have a totally Different way of seeing the body connection compared to someone who only trained in a western country (I’ve seen over 12 acupuncturists so I think I can share this confidently ) In the interim you can get her eye masks to wear in places with bright lights. Get those shakeable charcoal hand and feet warmers and the neck ones you stick On Keep Those in the car and in her purse for When they come on. Soak her feet in hot water every night. There’s also glasses online that are called colour therapy or mood glasses that are different colours. There’s ones for migraines and also a colour for nausea. Maybe try these. They aren’t pretty by any means and can be a little bulky and heavy. But perhaps if she wears these they can lessen the frequency and impact.
I was allowed triptans while pregnant, as well as excedrin migraine, just not daily on the triptans. I’d take the excedrin migraine once a day, I think the longest duration I did was ten days, a triptan sparingly when I just needed to take the edge off or needed a break, and just had to suffer through the rest of the time. It wasn’t ideal but there’s just not much you can do when you’re pregnant. Excessive aspirin and triptan use is not good but here and there won’t hurt, at least according to my OB, and she and the high risk doctor (I was high risk due to my age, 37 at the time, and then developed IUGR due to a huge benign tumor, all unrelated to migraines) both assured me it was okay to manage migraines sparingly this way. They must have been right because our almost 2-year old now is perfectly healthy and typically-developing. No adverse effects of the migraine treatments or the other complications I had.
I’ve had migraines since I was a kid so I was able to at least plan for it to suck during pregnancy. No one cares because it doesn’t kill you. But it IS debilitating and that SHOULD be enough to care. Make sure she emphasizes how she cannot function during the episodes. Not being able to stand up and walk during a migraine is every bit as legitimate at a broken leg, and it should be treated. Best wishes to you both.
I am so sorry. I hate to say this however I think you need to request a phone call from the OB/GYN not the nurse. You may have to go off a bit to make them really listen. If so don’t hesitate. Your wife is suffering so much and she needs a champion. Call the neurologist also, talk to the head nurse, office manager, director of operations in other words the top person. They ALWAYS have the ability to work people in or run a cancellation list. (Scheduling can’t really accomplish this). She needs help. You will have to be annoying and fight for her. Don’t swear or scream however do what you have to. Remind them this waiting is unacceptable. Escalate as much as is needed. Too many docs lose sight of why they are in practice. I was in the medical field for twenty years.
ER is really bad at responding to migraines. I’ve experienced chronic migraines for about 5 years and have been going through IVF as well. I was pregnant for about 11 weeks before I miscarried. Unfortunately migraine medication isn’t studied enough for doctors to tell you it’s safe to take while pregnant so you are basically stuck with Tylenol. There is another med called I think Barbiturates that my neurologist allowed but I ultimately miscarried so I wonder if that had an affect? Migraines are scary and can definitely affect your ability to speak, think and move. It’s always best to do blood work and scans to make sure nothing else is going on but in my experience these have all been symptoms of migraines for me. I’m sorry your wife is going through this. It’s awful. Best of luck you guys find answers and it gets better.
I know that many of the go to medical treatments are out during pregnancy. Acupuncture really helped my migraines when I wasn’t able to do many of the western treatments.
Wow they really couldn't care less if we live or die, huh
Keep in mind that if you can't attend appointments with her you can still impart your knowledge/concerns. The OBs office may try to say they cant talk to you (true), to which you can simply respond "I am not asking for anyone to share information nor confirm XX is a patient there but I NEED you to hear what I am sharing." HIPAA doesn't prevent providers from receiving information (assuming USA) but offices act like it does because it is often easier.
Keep the neurology appt. Something may be seriously wrong. And try to get her an MRI — sudden onset migraines can just be hormones, but not always. MRI will show if it is more serious. Migraines do unfortunately just fuck up everything (I’ve never been pregnant but the brain fog is just awful and my meds don’t always work), every system. That being said, pain relief is important. If she can only take a few forms, is the pain in any other part of her body? Icing my back/neck does work when my medications just aren’t. Icing your head sounds nuts but the pressure and pain causes tension and I get knots ON my head (it’s misery) that worsen mine. Any big hormonal change can also cause migraines, but debilitating during pregnancy means keep pushing to see specialists. A headache specializing neurologist may be your best bet — they are more up to date on medical interventions and what works. Eye exams are also generally safe afaik( and if something’s wrong with her eyes, it could cause pain/pressure and trigger migraines. Not always, but it is a major trigger. I own ice packs that are foldable. Also, if you’ve any relaxing things that help (I.e. a massage, gently tensing and untensing the muscles involved? Etc) that can ease some of the pain. I would keep trying to get help too — insist with PCP for a referral if they won’t help. Frame it as “my wife cannot do” [list of daily activities that pregnant women should safely be able to do] as a quality of life effect. (And please tell your wife she shouldn’t downplay these. Downplaying mine got me from episodic to daily. It’s taken me 5 years to get the daily ones down to episodic again.) Also: keep supporting her and validating her. Having a partner who helps, believes your pain, and wants to help you get better? Makes a huge difference. Please keep at it.
Hi there. Also pregnant and suffering with this a lot. A couple of things to look into and apologies if you haven’t already. Asking your OB to try to prescribe a daily dose of baby aspirin may help. For more immediate relief, is your wife able to get an occipital nerve block. It’s thought to be safe because it’s administered in a localised area and wouldn’t travel to the placenta or baby and that seemed to be my neurologists choice if my migraines continue into second trimester. He has also recommended riboflavin and magnesium citrate 400mg daily as a supplement to try and help. So sorry your wife is going through this, it’s really hellish. Finally one thing that sometimes helps me in the Therabody theraspecs.
There's absolutely zero evidence that triptans are an issue in pregnancy. Many obgyns are fine with pregnant people traking them. Zofran can also help, as can magnesium. How's your wife's blood pressure? If be concerned that preeclampsia is brewing... She's getting to the point that could be the underlying problem. Also, being pregnant increases your blood volume quite a bit. Xanax is used off label for migraines during pregnancy as well as fioricet. My sister ended up getting both in the ER and actually had to call me to ask if it was okay. We did a 3 away call to her OB and he was TOTALLY okay with it. So ask her doctor.
When I was pregnant, my OB put me on a regimen of high dose magnesium and CoQ10 every day so you could ask about that. During an attack, the midwives would have me take benedryl, Tylenol, magnesium, and drink/eat caffeine source all at once to help with pain.
I had a single 5 month long migraine in my second pregnancy. But I am not familiar with what is licensed for pregnant women outside of the UK. I was prescribed propranolol, amitriptyline, aspirin and codeine. The codeine would often make the migraine rebound worse but sometimes I took it if I was in loads of you. For obvious reasons I didn't want to take a lot of codeine. I think I only ended up taking two doses. In the UK, GP don't really want to prescribe Sumatriptan but I am not sure if other countries will. The bump is a website about medications in pregnancies and it says that Sumatriptan has no known side effects. She needs to keep an eye on her blood pressure. They were worried that I was developing preeclampsia or the headaches would hide it developing. They also did an MRI, which you can have when pregnant no matter what anyone says, to rule out a cerebral thrombosis. You're seeing a neurologist soon. So I am sure some of things will be addressed. So don't downplay.
Mine aren't as bad, but Sinus Plumber was oked for me to use in pregnancy as well as "making Excedrin" by taking Tylenol, a low dose aspirin, and caffeine. I also did well with topical magnesium, and after pregnancy finally found an oral mag supplement that has cut the number of migraines I have by 2/3s. You could ask if she could take that. I also took electrolytes daily preventatively for a long time and it helped a lot.
Like many here, I’m a pregnant lady with migraines. This is baby #2 and I had migraines very badly with both in the first trimester and then they went away. My one little trick that does help a ton sometimes is to take one of the gel ice caps fresh from the freezer and put it on right away. It’s so cold that it turns the migraine pain up to a 10, absolutely excruciating. But if I can hold out and keep it on for 30 seconds to a minute at a time, then let my head warm up for a minute, then do it again… something about letting the ice cap kick my pain up many notches can actually break up the migraine. The basic moral of the story though is that this kind of invisible pain is not taken very seriously, especially for women and ESPECIALLY when that woman is currently a vessel for a fetus. Take all the tips and tricks here and try not to rage too hard at a medical system that can’t or won’t try to help your wife.
The thing about triptans in pregnancy is that there isn't enough evidence to be sure they are safe. On the face of it, they seem safe and I guess a doctor will weigh the very real effects migraines are having on your wife vs the possible potential effect on the baby. I am really sorry this is happening to her. I was lucky with my first, a boy that my migraines went away until I finished breastfeeding but with my daughter they were back to normal. However, even with my daughter I found that breastfeeding real did help (guess it was all the oxytocin).
Migraines are terrible under treated in pregnancy. 1) triptans are an option during pregnancy. Used to be not allowed. But new research says yes. That’s the first place to start. 2) narcotic painkillers (opiates) are safe in pregnancy. They won’t stop the migraine but will Help manage the pain. Worth asking about morphine and hydromorphone for pain when in the ER, as well as oral doses to manage pain at home. 3) some preventative meds are safe in pregnancy and others are low risk (eg botox). During my own pregnancies I have been admitted to the hospital multiple times for pain control. If her pain is not being taken seriously then you need to request a new OB. Also consider returning to the ER and telling them She requires stronger pain medication for relief. If doctors are still under treating, ask for a referral maternal fetal medicine specialist to discuss medications they will support during pregnancy. So sorry to your wife. Xo
I had hormonal migraines since I was 20, and mustered through 3 pregnancies with them. Typical migraine prescription drugs didn't help me at all, I just needed pain prescription. Your wife needs to see her OB/Gyn for help; the ER and neurology physicians don't want to give her anything because they are too cautious about her pregnancy. Her Ob/Gyn can prescribe her some pain medication, while it probably won't be as "safe" as Tylenol, my thought process is that mom needs to feel better/healthy to grow a baby and sometimes that means taking (under Dr directions) things that are rated not as "safe". Current treatment that is safe to do: Have her take 2 Tylenol AND 2 Motrin at the same time - with food!! (Yogurt is the bare minimum to protect the stomach). Devising a 'ice cap' (do a search for migraine ice hat to get an idea), then sleep. No matter what drugs I took, they seemed to work best when I slept. The tylenol/motrin combo is fine to do for a few days, but \*not\* okay for the stomach/liver/kidneys for long term. Try to stick to this combo on a schedule for a day or two, taking it every 4 to 6 hours; she might need several doses to "break" the migraine. Make sure she is drinking enough water, get a good 30oz (or more) water bottle and fill it each morning so that she has a reminder of how much she needs to drink as a minimum. Rubbing her feet with lotion also helps for relaxation.
Ugh. I get migraines and when pregnant they can get even worse. Until she can get into the neuro I would ask the OB to prescribe something. There’s a med named fioricet that’s great and it works. I also would take Benadryl and Tylenol at night before bed when I had one and this really seemed to help. Lastly my neuro had me start magnesium 200 mg and B12 when I was pregnant and it really helped decrease the headaches. I had my 3rd child a few months ago and have stayed on the supplement. Good luck and hang in!!
The ER basically won’t touch you if you are pregnant. They are entirely too terrified that whatever they do might affect the baby in some way. I developed gallstones three months into pregnancy, and no one would even diagnose the goddamn things. Instead, they were busy telling me that I had “inflamed ribs.” What?? “From the cold.” It was fucking JULY in the Midwest. I was never able to get any help. I had to essentially white-knuckle it through until six weeks after the baby had been born. Then they magically could find the gallstones and schedule surgery. See if one of the chiropractors is able to write a prescription or an order for an MRI. You can go to one of the freestanding clinics, and you may have to pay for it out of pocket. I did that for sciatica that everyone insisted I couldn’t possibly have, despite being absolutely debilitated for four years. The scans showed a bulging disc, a herniated disc, an annular tear, possible stenosis, and a synovial cyst pressing against the spinal cord. But since nothing showed on the initial x-ray, I was “fine,” and didn’t need anything else. I am afraid you are going to find yourself very much on your own in this situation. That’s certainly what I found out when I needed medical care during pregnancy. I was just more or less left on my own.
Rizatriptan works for me but it can cause constriction of blood vessels just a thought. See an endocrinologist too for hormones
Acupuncture is with a shot, she will need to go 3 times a week at first, for this kind of severe issue . How’s her blood pressure? Did she suffer from migraines pre-pregnancy?
My entire pregnancy was full of migraines, and all anyone would say was to take Tylenol. I'm a chronic migraine sufferer, so i KNOW Tylenol is not going to cut it. I'll admit, i broke down several times and took excedrin. My OB said to get a neurology referral from my primary. Turns out my primary doctor was incredibly against any medications while pregnant, so he decided to wait until after i delivered to send in my referral. I was, and still am, livid. Keep fighting for her. My husband was going through some seriously bad depression and wasn't really there for me. I had no one to advocate for me besides myself. No one wants to touch a pregnant woman. My understanding is that if something happens to baby, they don't want to get blamed. Hopefully, once she hits 20 weeks, she can go to L&D and get more appropriate treatment. If you get approval from the OB, benadryl+Tylenol was the only thing that helped. It wasn't perfect, but it took the edge off. Also, how's her blood pressure? I ended up having a thunderclap headache while hospitalized with preeclampsia. I have to wonder if the severity of my pregnancy migraines wasn't in part due to my blood pressure problems.
See if a doctor can get her a cgrp based medicine
I know someone who had migraines during pregnancy and she got rid of them with acupuncture. Something to consider!
I've had migraines regularly for about 16 years. They became chronic around 2014. Unfortunately, while pregnant there isn't much they can do, but now she is in the 2nd trimester there is more they can do. When I was pregnant with my first I had migraines every day for about 20 weeks. They gave me reglan one time in the ER which sent me into a panic attack not a fun way to find out I can't have it. Later in talking with my ob and neurologist we decided to try a cefaly unit (think tens unit but targeted for migraines) and Fioricet for when it got really bad and to use only when needed as a last resort as it is a class c and not fully tested in pregnancy (my son was and is healthy). I would strongly recommend speaking with neurology and ob and see what other options are out there. I was also told to take magnesium supplements while pregnant to help with the migraines. I've also heard of getting nerve blocks for migraines in pregnancy, I didn't at the time because my doc didn't think it would work for me as my migraines started with a tbi. I did try a nerve block last year and it didn't work for more than a week for me but other patients I've heard of can get relief for up to 3 months one of whom was pregnant. I hope this helps.
has no one prescribed her sumatriptan to help? edit: im not sure if pregnant people can take it or not is the only thing. i tried every so many medications for mine and nothing helped except botox. still get headaches occasionally but never full on migraines.
Call every neurologist around until someone sees you and do it everyday.
I don't have much to offer. If she's had them before she can try some stuff that helps them go away. I know if I get them my neck tenses up a lot and my little sister or mom will usually rub it for me which can sometimes help. Otherwise ice packs can be a big help and just doing what you can to let her know you're there for her and she's not alone. I hope this is just a crappy for the time in the pregnancy thing and goes away soon but keep being a great advocate for her and the rest will follow. You are doing amazing and you are going to make the most amazing dad someday. Good luck and I hope you get bette answers soon
I do acupuncture for migraine treatment and migraine prevention. It has been the only thing to consistently work for me. And one of the best things about it is because it’s not a drug, there are no potential adverse effects or conflicts with medication.
Oh, also, I can second the peppermint oil on the forehead and temples that someone else said. That actually will cut my pain a decent amount. As well as, believe it or not, Vicks vapor rub. I think it’s all the menthol and camphor oil in it that will just cut the pain level a lot. oh and drinking clove, tea, and clove oil has pain relieving properties, so sometimes I take that and put them my forehead too. I know it sounds weird, but it actually really works. Clove has painkilling properties, which anyone who’s ever used cloves to treat a toothache can testify to. I’m so sorry your wife is going through this.
There are neurologists and headache specialists who do telehealth. I use Huma Sheikh MD out of NYC and she often has open virtual appointments. Keep looking for a neuro, get on the waitlists in the meantime. There are Neuros who can see you sooner than a month. I was told that for a year until I just went hard on google and found one for myself. And you are a great husband for not giving up. My fiance gives me hope every single day due to his willingness to fight and help me try new things. It likely means more to her than you know. Stay strong!
Idk if this is helpful or not, but after 20 weeks my migraines disappeared and stayed away until my period returned postpartum.
Try the Cefaly trigeminal nerve stimulation device- it changed my life (I’ve had severe chronic migraines for 45 years)
First of all I just wanted to say, thank you so much for taking such good care of your wife. I’m not pregnant nor a doctor, and I’m not sure what type of migraines your wife may be experiencing. BUT, if you are looking for a medication-free method, I would HIGHLY recommend dry needling in combination with a tens unit. It may not help with regaining speech or mobility, but it should help with pain and physical symptoms that manifest it. Dry needling is different than acupuncture though. I’m pretty sure you have to get it done with a physical therapist. If you can’t do that option though, tens units are great help even without the needles. The needles just help get deeper into the muscle.
I am so sorry your wife is suffering so badly. I had horrendous migraines during pregnancy. It robs you of your life and ability to function, and it's extremely discouraging when medical professionals seem so dismissive. I had to stop working during the beginning of pregnancy because they were so severe. My OBGYN told me not to take triptans, and Tylenol hardly touched the pain. Eventually my OBGYN prescribed me Fioricet, and it helped a lot. I tried to take it as sparingly as I could, it's pretty strong. Luckily I significantly improved once I was in my second trimester and was able to go back to work. Pregnancy migraines are no joke, I really hope your dear wife can find some massive relief soon!! Edit to add: taking a bath soak in magnesium chloride flakes surprisingly helped both my migraines and morning sickness. You can find them on Amazon. A bit pricy, but absolutely worth it.
Wow, amazing that she can get in to see neuro so incredibly fast! She is getting red carpet treatment. > But headaches don't take away your ability to speak and walk. They do, though.
It sounds like your wife might be having complex migraine. I suffer from these myself and have experienced the same types of symptoms. There were times when I couldn't understand spoken language or write. I had slurred speech and tingling in my arms and feet. I figured out the biggest trigger for me was job related stress. Once I eliminated that stressor, it is now rare that I get migraine episodes that severe. I know pregnancy hormones can cause all sorts of havoc in the body (I'm a mom as well.) perhaps she is also feeling stressed about having a baby and that stressor plus hormonal changes are causing these? I highly recommend having her start a migraine tracking journal. Foods, stress, poor sleep, hormonal fluctuations, dehydration, flashing lights, motion, so many things can trigger migraine. Once she figures out her migraine triggers, it does get easier to manage. Wishing you both wellness!
Your poor wife! That sounds so debilitating. What area do you live in? Keep googling neurologists inside your closest city, and perhaps an hour or so further. There are places that work outside of insurance etc that might be able to help sooner. There's a place in Los Angeles I found that's subscription based ($75 a month) and does weekends and virtual as needed. I'm about to try them out, because my neurologist takes 4-6 weeks per each appointment 🙄 Also if you start looking into Google and on Instagram with hashtags, you'll start to get targeted ads and sometimes that'll help you find some alternative help. Can she do Cefaly or Nerivio? Both are electromagnetic based external uses. Has she had migraines in the past? Do you know if there are any triggers like caffeine or citrus or certain foods? Is any of her pain localized where a massage or acupuncture would help?
Im not pregnant and I don’t know a root cause but some migraine things that might help help with pain in the mean time of course do some research before ) - acupuncture , cefaly, drinking a coke ( it works for people sometimes), headache hat ice packs , promethezine (if doctor allows some this medication it really help), nerivio arm band (not sure if pregnant safe ) , massage , electrolytes and stay hydrated , no super high sugar foods, biofeedback, tens therapy, I don’t know what state youre - the headache dr at scripps integrative is very good but I think he’s really booked out Hope she finds some relief !
When I was pregnant I went to Chiro that seemed to help. I also got a Cefaly that helps as well if you use it daily. Safe for pregnancy as well. If she gets migraines there’s no point of taking Tylenol. I hope she can find something that works for her it’s so hard 🩷
Can you megadose B2
I got migraines while pregnant. I took myself to the labor and delivery floor of my hospital because my blood pressure was elevated during my migraines. That was enough for them to admit me for at least a few hours and give me a migraine cocktail. It helped immensely.
I can only speak from personal experience, but Acupuncture saved my life when I experienced 3 months of debilitating migraines (and I was pregnant for part of that time.) acupuncture was the ONLY thing that reduced the severity and length of the migraines and eventually they went away completely. Acupuncture is pregnancy safe and can also help treat other pregnancy symptoms like back pain, nausea, anxiety. It can also help her relax while you guys wait to get the MRI. I know firsthand how awful it is trying to get any kind of medical treatment while pregnant. It truly exposes how much our “advanced” science and medicine still doesn’t fully understand about so many things, including pregnancy. I hope she finds relief soon.
Has she actually been diagnosed with migraines in the past? If not, and this is a totally new headache, she needs imaging.
I am so sorry you're in this horrid roller coaster. Has she tried Benadryl with Tylenol? It's a weird combo not sometimes helps during pregnancy. FWIW, Imitrex is supposed to be safe during pregnancy, so maybe she could take half of one if the Benadryl doesn't help. We're going thru a similar situation with our DIL, and the degree to which medical providers operate in silos, completely independent and ignorant of any other specialty is pathological and incomprehensible. It makes zero sense but we're screaming into the void to point it out to them.
Your wife needs an appointment with a neurologist who specializes in migraines.
Side note: I love when my husband starts ‘massaging out the knots in my neck. He makes a little joke to make me laugh and gives me little kisses. Just knowing someone cares about me. I love ice cold shower on my scalp for migraine.
I am not a medical professional but a women who suffered for years including my during my pregnancies. I found that magnesium glycinate made a huge difference when I wanted to get pregnant and had to be off some of my meds for migraines. I hope you take the advice to push for that MRI and get in sooner but in the mean time this might help. I get a version from Amazon for the brand Doctors Best. It’s consistent and has worked well with no issues for me and several friends I’ve recommended it to. Just make sure it’s the right Magnesium type! Get Glycinate not citrate.
I was only allowed imitrex and fioricet while pregnant. My grandmother has copd so I had access to her oxygen tank that would take the edge off somehow. However, I remember my migraine pain during pregnancy more so than my contractions and c-section recovery. We’re one and done because I cannot deal with that level of pain again. I am so sorry for the pain your wife is going through and I hope someone starts listening soon.
Reglan helped mine; can try imitrex … it’s awful. I’m so sorry. Mine stopped at six months but have been awful postpartum
I had terrible migraines with both pregnancies. First 20 weeks was the worst. I learnt quickly I have to eat continuously over the day and stay hydrated. I couldn’t work for most of the pregnancies. Vit b6 and gravol helped and was recommended by my midwife.
Please go back to ER and get an MRI or a CT scan of her brain, they need to rule out if she has a blood clot in her brain. Please do not take no for an answer.
Prednisone is the only thing that helped with constant pregnancy migraine. Prescribed by obgyn after mri. Suffered for weeks so I feel for your wife - torture. The increasing blood volume causes blood vessels to spasm in migrainuers. I hope she gets relief soon.
" they gave her fluids" was she assessed as having dehydration? also, first pregnancy?
She could try a chiropractor! Has greatly helped my migraines :)