I'm nearing my breaking point with these headaches..?

Question

I've been on propranolol, a beta blocker, for about a year now in order to prevent daily headaches and migraines.

I had been doing pretty well on the beta blocker. I was still having a pretty much daily headache, but atleast they weren't severe and didn't incapacitate me. I could push through them.

I'm almost 4 months pregnant now, and since I got pregnant I've been having problems with my headaches.

I chose to stay on the beta blocker because I was so incapacitated by my headaches before -- the benefit outweighs the risks, which are minimal.

I'm nearing my breaking point right about now. My head is killing me, and has been for about 4 days. This is a migraine. I understand that. But this is just, I have had a pretty bad headache since the DAY I conceived.

I thought I could handle this without a higher dose of the beta blocker and without any pain medication -- but I cannot enjoy my life like this. I'm miserable.

All I want to do is curl up in a ball on the couch. I do dishes, laundry, go for groceries.. simple things.. and my head starts to pound and after about 20 minutes of my head pounding I get so incredibly tired.

I feel like I'm some sort of wimp. If I can't tolerate headaches, what am I going to do when I am in labor?

The thing is, it's not how bad -- it's how often. Labor lasts what, 2 weeks pre and 48 hard if you're unlucky? And it stops and starts. This has been 4 months of me trying to smile and tell people I'm fine.

Ugh!

I told my midwife at my last visit that I'm starting to regret not taking the OB up on his offer of a pain killer, and she talked me out of it.

I feel like, if I take the pain killer, codeine, I'll have to take it every day. That is not a solution.

Should I push them to find out if this is just chronic headaches -- total fluke reaction to pregnancy -- or if it's something else? Like, could I have spinal fluid leaking or some sort of issue with my blood vessels in my head??

I'm a 22 year old, healthy weight, healthy labs, this isn't allergies, normal pregnancy aside my headaches, and so no one seems to want to figure this out.

I'm not hysterical.

I don't have high blood pressure.. My bp has been steady at 110/65-70.

Would I be a bad future mom if I decided to take pain killers until I get this under control?

What do I do.. ?

Answer 1

Hi Leuko,

I don't know if you should increase your dose of beta-blockers or take any pain meds, but you should definitely push your doctors to run some tests. You're pretty smart and can figure out if the benefits of the pain relievers significantly outweigh any risks. It's a good realization that if you do the pain meds once, you'll likely continue to do them. Since you've held on for as long as you have you can probably make it for a while longer(until you receive the test results) before seriously considering your medication pain relief options. And of course you want to do a good amount of research and get some sound professional advice, prior to increasing anything or starting anything new. And NO, you're not a wimp for the fact that you're going through something that's difficult. Why would u think that? Nope, not a wimp! The only thing that comes to mind aside for getting as many tests as you can get the doc to do, is to get some hypnotherapy. This has been well documented to help people with chronic pain and specifically migraines. Of course this all depends on the individual and the hypnotherapist. I know someone who uses self hypnosis, with success, on her terrible headaches and she has an odd nerve bundling thing or something along those lines. I think that somewhere, in your questions or answers, I read that you think you might have something like that. Here's a link to a site that sells a self hypnosis CD for migraines, with a 60 day money back guarantee. It's probably worth a try. http://www.stevegjones.com/overcomemigra...

If you go to a professional hypnotherapist, (s)he will give u a tape or CD as well, and it might be more customized. Better to exhaust completely safe options, prior to even thinking about anything that's potentially dangerous. I know that you've tried a lot of things already, but hypnotherapy could work. I wish you all of the best!

James

Answer 2

When i got pregnant i got really bad headaches that i have never had before and so my doctor checked all my blood leaves and all that and he found that there was something low that i had to get a shot for so you should ask your doctor even know you have had headaches before you were pregnant because now that your pregnant your baby can be taking what you need  

Answer 3

I was having terrible mind splitting headaches that would last for days on end @ the begining of my pregnancy as well. I will say that mine did go away after a few weeks However, you were having this problem before you got pregnant, and it seems like the pregnancy is just intensifying it

I totally agree with you, you should not have to live that way There is no way you can enjoy your pregnancy when you are constantly suffering. It does not make you a wimp to take stronger medication for it I think it is a very smart choice to opt to enjoy the pregnancy with medication then to dislike every moment of it due to the stress of headaches

Not only would I push for pain relief, but I would also ask them to check the status of my spinal fluid etc Whatever it takes In this day & age with such medical advances there is no reason you should be written off

I have always said the best kind of mom is a relaxed sane happy one If you have to take something to make that happen, then so be it It does not make you any worse than anyone else Feel better :)