Headaches-Imitrex-Trying To Get Pregnant

I took Imitrex twice while trying to get pregant. I get severe migraine every couple of days and was worried about what I would do while pregnant. My headaches stopped while pregnant (kinda makes me want another one-not!), maybe you'll get so lucky!

Hi A.,
Have you found the root of the headaches?
Headaches can result from eating foods that you are allergic to and you can go on an elimination diet (usually gluten, eggs, dairy,can be main culprits) and monitor how you feel.
Stress underlies the headaches, underlies all disease, and you relieve the stress and the body heals.
I am a health professional and I use frequency medicine to help detect and reduce the stress.
Be healthy and then get pregnant.

I get really bad headaches as well. When I was trying to get pregnant and was pregnant my Dr. told me not to take Immitrex because it is a drug that has not been tested on pregnant women and they do not know what the effects are.

I took Imitrex and my OB said sorry kid you can't take that when you are preg and nursing. So I relied on Tylenol. Also, when I was pregnant I rarely had a migraine
My suggestion for you is to find your triggers and eliminate them. It will take some time but it is well worth it.
GL!

Hi. I have migrane's too and as it turned out it had to do with my increased blood pressure when preganant and stressed. Glasco Smith Kline the manufacturer of imitrex posts on their website the side effects regarding preganancy. I used acupuncture and reflexology to deal with many of the aches and pains before getting pregnant and during/ after the babies were born as well.
Good luck!

I tried Imitrex for my headaches and it seemed to work ok; however, I never took it when I was pregnant. The good news is that I never needed to, once I got pregnant my migraines stopped. I still got regular headaches but nothing that Tylenol and a coke couldn't handle. Doctor told me that this was sometimes the case but I didn't believe him prior to getting pregnant. Now I believe. I hope this is the case for you!!

I have suffered from severe headaches monthly for 15 some years and I have tried everything from Imitrex to muscle relaxers. If they worked at all it really only temp covered up the cause of the headaches. I recently visited a chiropractor (Dr. Ray Rickards in Escondido CA)for my headaches and found I had a vertibre out of alignment in my neck which can cause headaches as well as other things. I was adjusted (it did not hurt) and I have not had a headache since(it's been a little over a month now). I am hoping it will stay that way. I have always been afraid of going to a chiropractor but am so glad I did. Whatever you decide... best wishes in the future!

Dear A.,
Address the reason behind the headaches. If it is hormonal, chances are you won['t get rid of it. is something triggering the headaches? Food, drink, stress? All these things will affect your pregnancy to some degree. Get yourself healthy before you get pregnant. Your baby will be healthier as a result! First things first, try a rotation diet and eliminate the most common food stressors, wheat, corn, soy, dairy, sugar, caffeine. Diet and hormone fluctuations are key in headaches. If it is coming from biomechanical insult (ie: youa re out of alignment in your spine) the base of your head may be putting pressure on the brainstem. If you are interested in seeking out a GOOD chiropractor that may help you, let me know.

Hi A.
The FDA lists Imitrex as a category C medication. This means that it was not studied in human pregnancies but causes birth defects in animals. It is also not advised to use it while breast feeding since it is released into the breast milk.
I'm a mom of 3 boys and currently pregnant again. I have to deal with a lot of pain myself. Taking pain medication is not an option for me because I'm terrified of the possibility of harming my unborn child. So I worked with my midwife and got into homeopathic remedies. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but I tell myself it's only for a short period of time and then I can use my medications again. I also learnt to find out what is triggering my pain, so that I can avoid these situations.
I would recommend you talk to your doctor. He'll be able to work with you and find the right solution for you.
Good luck. M.

Hi A.,
I would call your doctor about this. If its tough to reach him/her, then call the Pharmacist..they are very helpful too! Also, if you have health insurance, you might have a nurse hotline for advice. Hope this helps!
God bless you,
M.

I get migraines so bad that I have to be put in the hospital. If I can catch them when I see the aura I need to take a cocktail of Imitrex and 500 mg of Naproxin. I wouldn't recommend taking Imitrex while pregnant, but I'm not sure about taking it prior to that. Here's a good thing to know, that when you are pregnant the hormones keep you from getting migraines. I may get a little headache every once in a while, so I just take a coupld of extra strength Tylenol. Talk to your doctor to get the whole rundown. Good luck! I am ready to deliver any day now, so I'm on the tail end of what you are beginning. \"/

I was on medication (not Imitrex) when we were trying to get pregnant and I was very concerned. I talked with my OB at length about the pros and cons of coming off and staying on. I was adamant about a drug-free pregnancy. Here is the advice my Dr. gave us:
1.It could take a year to get pregnant, do you need the medication for daily life quality?
2.Most people find out they are pregnant within 6 weeks. That is the point I was advised to come off medication. She said that damage to the fetus was highly unlikely. And she backed up her opinion with a bit of humor. Many, many, many children are conceived on a romantic evening which usualy includes a fair amount of champagne, and thay turn out just fine!

I decided to stay on my medication until I found out I was pregnant, and that worked for me. Of course whatever your Dr. says should guide you.

Have fun becoming Mom!

Try drinking more water. Most headaches are caused by dehydration. Consciously breathing also helps. It sounds obvious but you'd be surprised how many people hold their breath when they get stressed. If that doesn't work homeopathics are good, which you can research at your local health food store. Also, there is a great pressure point on the hand. Pain killers just block the pain and repress the problem. It would be better to resolve it!

Feverfew tea can help a lot but I'm not sure if it's recommended to take when you're pregnant.

4. Migraine Pressure Point on Hand
Surprisingly, you have a migraine pressure point on each hand. It’s the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger. Using the thumb pad and index finger of your opposite hand, gradually squeeze the upper portion of this migraine pressure point, counting to 10 and breathing deeply. When you reach the deepest point, massage with tiny, circular motions, still holding the pressure. As you feel a change in the point, slowly release the pressure, counting to 10 as you do so. Repeat 10 times.

http://www.ehow.com/how_6608_shiatsu-tension-headache.html

hope this helps!

A. S
Have you tried seeing an acupuncturist for your headaches? Acupuncture has been successful in treating all types of headaches including migraines. At the same time you would also be preparing your body for a healthy conception and pregnancy. I am a stay at home mom of a 2 and 3 year old, but I am also an acupuncturist (cant wait to get back to work). I treated lots of patients who were taking Imitrex with success. I also treated patients who wanted to prepare their bodies for pregnancy. You would be killing two birds with one stone. Worth a shot! Good luck!

Try steeping fresh rosemary into a tea. I've heard it tastes awful but gets rid of severe headaches remarkably well.

Imitrex should be alright while you're ttc because it doesn't affect your hormone levels but I would still try to avoid it if possible. But don't worry if you do become pregnant, strong pregnancies tend to be a bit forgiving at first. I tried for 4 years to have our second and I got pregnant right before having my wisdom teeth out under general anesthetic. I didn't know I was pregnant until after 3 days of taking that horrible pain medicine they gave me. Everything was fine though.

Hi A.
I totally feel your pain. I use to get horrible migraines, so bad I would have to go the ER and give myself Imitrex Injections. I got pregnant by surprise but I immediately stop taking those strong meds. I had a few headaches in the beginning of my pregnancy and I knew I would have to do something since I couldn't take the medicine. I began acupuncture which saved my life!! I would definately give it a try, also it can help with fertility- so it would be two things in one. Now that I'm nursing, I still do acupuncture, but I also have taken tylenol and then a capsule of magnesium- and that has helped too.
Good luck!

I was taking Imitrex for migraines before I got pregnant, but not regularly. The last time I took it was actaully the week before I got pregnant. My doctor said that it can not be taken while pregnant though. You should check with your doctor because it seems each doctor has a different opinion on what medicines are okay to take while pregnant.

Hi A.:

My suggestion is looking into why you have headaches to begin with. Often times they can be the result of consuming or coming into contact with something your body considers an allergen. You may want to visit NAET.com, order and read the book "Say Good-Bye to Illness." This will help you understand how the body perceives allergens and what can be done to cure the allergies. I have read the book and read case studies where allergens were preventing pregnancy from occuring.

If you decide to look into this further, you can find an NAET certified doctor through the website. I (and 2 of my grand children) go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton and absolutely love him. His phone number is ###-###-####.

Here's information from the book jacket for your consideration:

Say Good-bye to illness, 3rd Edition:
- Devi S. Nambudripad, M.D., D.C., L.Ac., Ph.D.

In this 3rd edition of Say Good-bye to Illness, Dr. Nambudripad, the developer of Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET®), xposes the truth behind the many health problems plaguing people today. In her book, Dr. Nambudripad gives a new definition for allergies and a deeper understanding of how our bodies relate to or retreat from the millions of natural and artificial substances around us.

Patients are encouraged to read “Say good-bye To Illness” prior to starting NAET® treatments with their practitioner. This book will give you some understanding about allergies, allergy related diseases, and how a non-invasive, easy to follow, holistic treatment can give you freedom to live comfortably again. Many case histories of managing various health problems are given in this book. Young infants from day five to older patients as old as 94 have been treated with NAET® with excellent results. Many so-called incurable problems have been traced to food or environmental allergies and treated with great success.

She shares the amazing story of her personal struggle to free herself from lifelong allergies and also explains the theoretical basis for her technique. The book provides hundreds of true testimonials and fascinating case histories of patients who have been treated successfully with NAET® for various allergy-based health disorders and living normally now.

Say Good-bye to illness is recommended reading for anyone who gets frequent acute health problems as well as who suffer from chronic health disorders. Dr. Nambudripad has helped thousands of people with multiple health problems by tracking down and reversing their allergies using NAET® techniques. She has trained over 9,000 practitioners all over the world so that people who suffer from allergies can find help in their local area. Her book is thoroughly researched and supported by many double blind studies

(JNECM, 2005, 2006, 2007). It is also supported by testimonials from practitioners, as well as success stories from hundreds of patients who have suffered and now live allergyfree.

Have you ever tried going to an acupunturist. Find a good one and they can do wonders. I went to one for my back and it helped me more than any other treatment. They are great for people with chronic headaches. It is safe before, durning and after pregnancy. I went to him when I was 8-9 months pregnant.

I took Imitrex while trying to get pregnant but not while pregnant. Imitrex is a classification C- which means there haven't been enough studies on taking Imitrex in pregnancy...so I would suggest not taking it while pregnant.

How often do you get headaches? Are they always migraines? I found that when I got pregnant and my period stopped…so did my migraines. So my need for Imitrex went away. I did, however, have some bad 1st Trimester headaches but those also went away after the 1st Trimester.

If your migraines are hormonal chances are you won’t have an issue once you get pregnant.

Good luck!

Besides finding the cause of the headaches... have you considered alternative options?
Not all the people that offer these (Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Bach Flowers, Aromatherapy) are equally great and really "get it" yet, it is a fabulous option.
Basically any holistic approach will suggest that any illness is related to an imbalance (can be emotional) and that illness is the way for our body or soul to speak.

Some years ago I tried getting pregnant doing an acupuncture treatment and could not take any medicine for headaches. PEPPERMINT escencial oil on my temples kind of helped (I was under a great deal of stress)
I am a big supporter of holistic medicine.
Good luck on the migrain and the baby search.

A. you are so not alone on this issue. First of all, it's okay to take Imitrex up until you know you are pregnant. It will not prevent you from getting pregnant (I have two kids). Everyone's situation varies.

I have suffered from migraines for 16 years and nothing worked for me, but imitrex. I went under every testing known to man and there was no conclusive effidence of why I was getting migraines. It wasn't until my first child that I realized my migraines were hormonal. While I was pregnant and ending my second trimester my migraines stopped all together. I nursed my daughter for seven months and no migraines were in sight up until I stopped nursing and they were back. You cannot take Imitrex during pregnancy and believe you me I wanted to grab one of those pills many a times, but my OB said they cut blood circulation off to the baby. As you know most migraines are caused by constricting blood vessels. I suffered for five months during my pregnancies. Yes, I had another child three years ago and went through the exact same thing. It was dejavu all over again. I am sure there are some holistic things that can be done, but nothing has worked for me. Good luck on this issue. I hope this helped.

Hi A.,
I would try acupuncture for your headaches. It can't hurt you and if it works for you, you won't need medication. I have used acupuncture for asthma, allergies, backaches and I haven't had PMS in 14 years - it works. It can also help you get pregnant.

Check it out.

Hope this helps.

L.

A.,
Have you tried using the "Mona Vie" product? I put my friend on it who has chronic migraines and she does not have them any more. It is worth a try and it is natural so it will not hurt your body or your baby.
K.

Research says that it is basically safe to take imitrex during pregnancy.

I would definitely suggest talking to your doctor about what medications while TTC (trying to conceive).

Do you see a neurologist? Keep in mind, while some people don't get migraines during pregnancy, sometimes pregnancy worsens them, which could end you up in the hospital during your pregnancy.

A.,

I can tell you first hand that Imitrex is not safe for a baby. I was diagnosed with migraines at the age of 9 and have taken everything under the sun. When I had my first child my headaches didnt really bother me, they actually got better but now that I am pregnant with my second child they are worse. I take Midrin for them now and they say its safe during pregnancy I have also taken Tylenol #3. Now nothing is guaranteed to work because when you get pregnant all your hormones get thrown out of wack and that can either make your headaches better or make them 10x's worse.
I personally have not taken Imitrex for about 5 years because of what it does to me. Have you ever considered going to a Neurologist to see if you can take the daily pill that controls headaches? Just a thought, I finally get to start that after my daughter is born.
If you have any questions let me know. Hope this helps.

How old are you A.? Sometime as we get older...in the 30's, our hormones go a little haywire. That could be causing the headaches and potentially could make it more difficult to get pregnant. Please let me know because I may have a wonderful product for you to use on both cases that is "natural".

Lifewave.com/kherihealth drug free pain patches that get rid of your headache in 10 seconds. Are you pregnant yet? I sure hope so!!

Hi A.,

I am a mom of boys, 7 1/2 and 3 1/2. I am Holistic Health Practitioner/massage therapist. When I do get a headache which is not often, I use therapeutic grade essential oil of peppermint on the back of my neck and that usually does the trick. I also use other oils to help as well.

Do you know why you get the headaches? Are they tension/muscle related or say hormonal or food related?

Have you tried using homeopathic headache products. From what I have learned and studied there are no side effects and if it doesn't work then you try a different one.

There is an OB/GYN in the clinic I work at that is working with patients holistically and there is a Doctor of Naturopathy that might be able to help as well if you have any questions. You can go to www.eternalhealthclinic.org for more info on them.

Good luck,
T. Gates

I am not pregnant, nor am I trying to become pregnant, but I do know something about migraines & the use of Imitrx. I had migraines for years and started using Imitrex about 10 years ago. It wasn't until I found out that the migraines were triggered by CHOCOLATE. That was huge for me. My dr said many women had the same problem. I looked back at the times my headaches were most frequent. Christmas- thought it was the stress of the holidays. I ate larger amoounts of chocolate. Valentines - I ate larger amounts of chocolate. Birthdays - I ate larger amounts of chocolate. I have since learned to eat chocolate in small doses and I choose not to get migraines. I have not had a migraine in two years. I have not had to use Imitrex in two years. Just try it. Most migraines are caused by food allergies, not stress. I know I relieve stress by chocolate. I also know I don;t want migraines.

Hi A., my name is C. Pearson and I am a Chiropractor. We have had great success with helping patients with headaches. I would definitely give it a try before you resort to meds...especially if you are trying to get pregnant! I don't know where you live, but I could help find you a good one!
C.