15 Weeks Pregnant and Have Daily Headaches

Updated on July 09, 2009
F.B. asks from Overland Park, KS
24 answers

I am 15 weeks pregnant and for the past 2 weeks I have had a headache daily. I take Tylenol and that seems to work, however I don't feel comfortable taking it everyday. I've tried other remedies such as a cold pack, resting, acupressure, but those just don't work. Anybody have experience with these pregnancy headaches? Any suggestions? Is Tylenol really safe when used correctly?

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M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

I had the same thing happen around the same time. I took tylenol, and everything is fine. The headaches should go away soon, I think its just a phase.

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K.G.

answers from St. Louis on

When I was pregnant with my twins and my little man I had headaches and terrible sciatic pain. I took Tylenol arthritis and had wonderful results. My doctor said it was fine (just time realease Tylenol). I only had to take one dose in the morning and felt great all day.

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S.V.

answers from St. Louis on

My prenatal vitamins gave me bad headaches. I switched to using flinstone vitamins every other day and my heachaches were gone.

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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

My daughter is at almost the same point in her pregnancy and she had also been having the same issue on a daily basis. I suggested to her that it could be the fact that she had suddenly cut out ALL caffeine. She now has one cup of coffee in the morning when she gets up and it seems to have lessened the headaches to a great degree. I don't know if this is something that might help you or not.
Congratulations on your new baby and I hope that you are able to get a handle on the headaches.
R. Ann

1 mom found this helpful
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A.K.

answers from Kansas City on

Have you been to a chiropractor?

A.S.

answers from Kansas City on

I had those with my 2nd pregnancy too. They were terrible! I always had them at the back of my head/base of my neck. I took tylenol when it got really bad. Massaging the base of my neck/head area helped, and I also used a warm compress on my neck and that helped the most. My headaches went away towards the end of the 2nd trimester and most of the 3rd, only to come back a few weeks before I had our daughter.

I really hope you find some relief, I know it's miserable. Bring it up with your doc at your next appointment.

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C.B.

answers from St. Louis on

I had the exact same thing at the beginning of this pregnancy. I think it was b/c I cut caffeine out all together and I was used to drinking Diet Coke and Starbucks daily. Tylenol didn't help and they were so bad I had to keep constant pressure on my temples to ease the pain. I tied a scarf around my head to watch tv! lol
I started drinking about one soda a day and they went away. I also think they start to naturally go away as you get further into your pregnancy. I don't get any headaches now, even if I don't have caffeine. I am 24 weeks. I hope they get better for you!

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S.D.

answers from Topeka on

I had them with all 3 of my pregnancies.They do subside after the 2nd trimester and then return at the end of the 3rd tirmester.I did ask if it was a reason for concern they said no it is due to raging hormones but if they are unbearable causing dizziness blurred vision etc. call your dr right away.Is your blood pressure good?I was always told and it helps to drink a Coke and take Tylenol they went away with in 20 min.But ask your dr if that is ok for you to do.

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D.I.

answers from Wichita on

When I struggled with headaches, I got relief by taking a supplement called OPC-3. It is not a drug. It is an antioxidant. It's great for energy too! (I suffered with chronic fatigue.) It would be very safe for the baby (and even beneficial). You can check it out for yourself at: www.marketamerica.com/rndirby

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R.D.

answers from Kansas City on

Many headaches can be caused by dehydration. Try drinking more water or ask your doc about Gatorade for the additional electrolytes. Going to a chiropractor is a good idea as well.

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S.C.

answers from Kansas City on

I had terrible headaches with each of my pregnancies. My dr said that Tylenol is safe to take everyday if necessary, as long it is used correctly. I tried to get more rest and take naps when possible...I know that isn't easy with a two year old around!

He told me that sometime it helps to have a little caffiene like a coke which can help too...I'd check with your dr if they don't get better though and see what they think.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

Yikes, I must say there are some responses here that would make me nervous, but i don't really think you have anything to worry about. I had with my first and am experiencing headaches as well with my second pregnancy. Tylenol is totally okay to take everday but you are not to exceed 8 tabs in 24 hours...my hubby is a pharmacist so I feel very safe with this advice! Sometimes caffeine does help, sometimes it doesn't, probably depends on the person and the headache! ;) I personally have had a headache for going on 4 days straight now, so it may be the weather, that's what I think mine is related to! Good luck and hang in there, it's no fun trying to function with a headache!

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C.F.

answers from St. Louis on

hey congrats i had bad headaches when i was pregnant with my daughter i was told to drink a big glass of water and lay on my side in a dark room sounds funny i know but it worked for me better than meds your body is still getting used to being pregnant and you become dehydrated more easily wont hurt to try it good luck

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K.B.

answers from St. Louis on

Hello - I can relate to your headaches as I experienced the same and my dr at the time rec an over the counter but it had caffine and I didn't feel comfortable taking it so I checked with the nurse in the office about a safe natural alternative Progestrone cream - Prolief from Arbonne International and she said yes I could use it until 8th month of pregnancy and my headaches were no more. If you would like additional information on why and what it is message me back.
Thanks for listening!

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K.G.

answers from St. Louis on

I had really bad headaches with my second. I had stopped drinking all caffeine cold turkey when I found out I was pregnant, and on top of that, I had pregnancy headaches. Anyway, I talked to my doctor, and at his recommendation, I drank one cup of coffee per day. After that, my headaches mostly disappeared. Sometimes I would still have one, but rarely.

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K.B.

answers from Wichita on

Good Morning F., my first thought was high blood pressure, because of hormonal changes. So the trusty goggle search came into play.

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/headache...

This sight says headaches during pregnancy is very common.
Hope something helps and like you since the News has been talking about Tylenol lately, I would be leary about taking it daily also. Check with your OB for other types of medications to take safely

God Bless you
K. Nana of 5

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L.B.

answers from St. Joseph on

Yes, I can say I have had quite a bit of experience with this...My first pregnancy was a boy...so it was thought that because of the extra testosterone that was what caused my headaches...and I'm not talking little headaches...I'm talking can't stand light, sound, smells, or food headaches. I lost 30 lbs in the first month and was sicker than a dog. They prescribed Tylenol3 for me because it was the only "approved" drug to treat a migraine for pregnancy. I can say I took A LOT of it while I was pregnant (probably as much as 3-4 pills a day). My son was born fine and healthy BUT he seemed to have an immunity to Tylenol products the first 2 years of his life...so for teething and fevers I used Motrin.

Fast forward 9 months and I end up pregnant a second time...this time a girl...headaches aren't as bad but still occurring. My doctor (now a different Dr.) also prescribed for me Tylenol3 but I didn't take it near as much and again my daughter was born healthy (maybe too much so at 10.65lbs) and with no side effects towards Tylenol.

A cold pack at the base of your neck or over your eyes (or both) can help alleviate some of the pain. I've never tried accupressure but I HAVE done massage and I can tell you if you can get your hands into a certified massage therapist who is qualified in massage for preganancy you will feel much better (an unqualified person could accidently induce you by the way...). I've found meditation, exercise (swimming, walking, or yoga), and warm showers to also help.

I will tell you since my first was born I have been plaqued with migraines. I don't know what exactly triggered it but I was glad to be off breastfeeding and to go on a regimine to keep it under control...they are no fun. Best of luck to you...any questions..just email me.

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B.S.

answers from Springfield on

Are you making sure that you're getting enough fluids? Dehydration is one of the major causes for headaches.

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K.K.

answers from St. Louis on

I did not have problems when I was pregnant but I used to get severe headaches and blurred vision - after many doctor visits and an MRI, the neurologist told me to get off of birth control - he said that birth control for the most part, makes you body think it is pregnant and some people have those headaches and such while they are pregnant. My sister has 3 children, and one of her pregnancies she experienced the same thing, headaches and tunnel vision. So I dont have an answer for you...but you are not alone.

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J.B.

answers from Kansas City on

tylenol is safe when used correctly however you may get better relief from another med... i forgot the name of what they gave me but my doctor gave me a med that was for severe headaches/migraines in preggos. never had a migraine before or since but during pregnancy i had severe headaches daily and i was hyperemetic... throwing up with a migraine is intolerable good luck! :)

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L.C.

answers from Kansas City on

My first thought is your blood pressure. How is it? Is it high? When did you last have a DR appointment? If the headaches started since then I would call immediately. My dil has migraines before and after pregnancy but NOT thrugh them. Call the DR and see what he/she says first. Except for my first pregnancy 40 years ago, where I was ill for nine months with morning sickness I was healthy and felt the best of my life while I waqs pregnant.

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E.S.

answers from Kansas City on

Hello!
I also have a two year old and number two is coming in a few weeks.
I also had headaches during both of my pregnancies. I was worried about taking tylenol all the time too. I tried not to take it every day, although my doctor assured me that it was totally safe. I usually just took one at a time, but never really more than two in a day. It did seem to help. Nothing else really did, just waiting it out.

So I think you are probably fine. When I felt them coming on, I would try to close my eyes for a few minutes (not easy with a toddler, i know!) and drink a big glass of water before I went for the tylenol.

Good Luck!

E.

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A.Y.

answers from Kansas City on

F.-

Headaches in early pregnancy are common, but still an issue. I am a pregnancy chiropractor, and in my experience there a couple things to look for. A little disclaimer: I'm going to share some info, but I am in no way diagnosing your condition based on your question. I do encourage you to consult with a chiropractor who specializes in pregnancy care, as well as your primary care provider (midwife/OB).

Hormonal shifts can cause problems, so making sure that you are eating well and drinking plenty of room temperature water can help with that. Prenatals can cause problems, too--- sometimes just switching to taking them at night can help. Often there is an iron issue, and you would need to have a blood test to check out if your iron levels are off. I agree that blood pressure can be an issue, but there are usually additional symptoms; it is easy to check if your blood pressure is too high.

From a chiropractic standpoint, this is what I often see in my patients with early pregnancy headaches: The biomechanical changes that happen in pregnancy shift the pelvis. For many, this is minor and not really noticed until later in pregnancy. For others, even this minor shift can throw things way out of whack. Often, the neck and head will shift to try to offset the misalignment in the pelvis, and this creates neck pain and headaches. If this is the issue, the headaches typically resolve quickly (2-3 adjustments) once the pelvis, neck and head are aligned properly. This misalignment is more common after the first baby, as you are still picking up other little ones, often holding them on one side.

I hope this information helps. If you have any questions, you can PM me. I am always happy to help.

Yours in health-
Dr. Alyssa

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M.J.

answers from Kansas City on

While Tylenol is safe to take every day, I never felt any relief from the pregnancy headaches while taking it. You can talk to your doc- I was prescribed a narcotic when I was pregnant with my first- however I can't be on those same meds now- it knocks me out- and with other kids that's not an option. So, talk to your doc and see what they can do for you. One thing to try on your own is Excedrin Tension Headache-- none of the other Excedrin products are safe- but the Tension Headache is. It helps me a ton! I am on baby #4 and I have taken it with all of my pregnancies. Good luck!!

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