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Pregnant. Now What.

I know. Getting pregnant while being a migraine sufferer is not the smartest choice. However, migraines have stolen so much of life's good things that this pregnancy is a ray of sunshine. A complicated ray.
I've had a continuous migraine since August. There has been no significant change to the ebb and flow of the pain due to pregnancy. The only thing to change is, now Doctors are even less willing to help.
The reason I'm here is to ask for advice on how to get a doctor (and which doctor) to seek further testing.

I'd like to be tested for overgrowth of Candida (Primary Dr. refuses to do this)
I'd like to be tested for food allergies.
I have a horribly condescending and unhelpful Headache Specialist, who have you had the most help with? An OB? Primary? General Neuro? Specialist?

Has anyone else dealt with an intractable migraine while pregnant?

Thanks for reading and for any advice.
Sending healing thoughts to you all here.

  1. Hi DevilWoman,

    Thank you for sharing your story with us and congratulations on your pregnancy!! This is a very special time.

    It sounds like its time to seek out a few new doctors. Doctors who will work with you as a partner, not a dictator. After all, it is YOUR health care.

    I had increased head pain during the last trimester of one of my pregnancy's but that was 28 years ago! I can provide our resources on migraine and pregnancy and hopefully others will be along shortly to share their experiences with you: https://migraine.com/living-with-migraine/hormonal-migraine-the-basics/.

    Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and keep us posted on how you are doing,
    Nancy

    1. Congratulations... hard to believe it but you will survive. And it will be worth it. You may decide, like I did, that one was enough and never again, but it’s worth it.

      I have heard of people who stopped having migraines after the first trimester.

      Me? That’s when they got worse. I went on leave from work at 18 weeks because I couldn’t function. My OB led the treatment, and she approved Norco (not ideal but it got me thru the first half) and then when I went on leave I took a muscle relaxer that was class B and it just put me to sleep for 80% of the day. When I was awake, I was in pain, but I wasn’t awake much.

      I also was on antidepressants which help a bit as well. (Some people have great results from those).

      There are options other than Tylenol. You just have to find a doctor that will listen.

      I will say, that when. I showed up the few times at the ER while pregnant with migraine I got amazing treatment, especially compared to pre/post baby. So if it gets bad enough, that may be worth a shot. That’s how I found the neurologist that I worked with thru my pregnancy. She really worked hard with my OB to at least make sure I would survive as comfortably as they could while my baby was safe.

      1. Hi MaddieG,

        Thank you for sharing those tips with us - they are great!!

        Nancy

        1. Thank you for sharing your story with us and congratulations on your pregnancy!! This is a very special time.

          Nidan Mother and Child Care

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