Migraine Headaches Support Group

The only thing you can really do with migraines during pregnancy is treat the pain, although some doctors are willing to prescribe phenergan as well - to deal with the nausea (phenergan is drug most used to treat hyperemesis, when pregnant women cannot stop vomiting). Recently, it was found out, though...that Tylenol with Codeine, which is the most likely pain medication to be prescribed to a pregnant woman...can actually cause a woman and a baby who is then later exposed through breast milk..to overdose unintentionally. Apparently there is a percentage of women out there ...while their bodies and hormones are changing...actually convert MORE codeine to morphine than usual. So, if you do ask for pain meds..you might want to ask for Ultram or Vicodin, rather than Tylenol with Codeine.

Make sure you're getting enough magnesium, because the baby takes that nutrition from you - but it can leave mothers not having enough for themselves. And migraines can be affected by low magnesium levels. The same with B vitamins.

Also, steroid injections are safe for pregnant women, so you might want to see if your doctor can refer you to a pain specialist to get a Greater Occipital Nerve Block.

Take care,
Laura

My pregnant friends with migraines generally end up with Fioricet from their doctors.

It may only be a slight relief, but Head-on actually helps me. There might be other topical creams for the head or neck that are safe. Good luck, it'll be worth it once you see the baby! :-)

Thanks everyone.
I was told not to use head on because it's homepathic.
I have fioricet, but also have a heart condition that I need to becarful with caffine.
I also have percocete, I am trying to be proactive with tylenol, but it's bad.
I have a roll on thing from bath and body, it's peppermint oil and geranuem....and it takes the edge off..
Thanks everyone.

I would recommend an anti-inflammation diet to reduce the frequency, length and severity and to figure out what your triggers are more accurately. Yoga and ginger are safe, but I don't know about feverfew.

If you are taking Percocet but are concerned about the tylenol, you can get oxycodone by itself, just ask your doctor. I don't find it to be as effective though.

I am going to get pregnant soon but am very worried about what to take for migraines, too. I'm glad I'm not the only one so thanks for posting. So far all I have heard from my OBGYN is that the narcotic with tylenol options are safest (if there is such a thing as "safe") but I don't know enough about the butalbutal in the fiornal (I take this when needed) during pregnancy. Plus, the caffeine in it or anything is such a controversy I don't know what to think. I do LOTS of alternative treatments without meds but sometimes it just isn't enough and I have to medicate. If you or anyone else finds more ideas, please please let me know and I'll do the same if I figure it out. Good luck with the migraines, I have one now so I know the pain. *Alina*

My migraines for some reason seemed to improve dramatically when I was pregnant and weren't too bad but if I did NEED something my doctor told me to take Vicodin which I normally take for them...Of course I was very nervous to take this but if the pain was severe enough I would try with a half the dose I normally took and if it helped then I wasn't taking that much, even just taking some of the edge off made a difference :)
Ohh I also agree with TinaSteel Oxycodone by itself does NOT work the same at all, I don't know why but it works much better when with the Tylenol!

I was lucky, the migraine was one thing that went away when I was pregnant, but I did have pancreatitis which caused lots of emisis and I used zofran and mophine, my son was a very healthy 9lbs, but I didnt take anything during the last trimester