# Headaches in late pregnancy?



## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

Let me preface this by saying I do not have pre-eclampsia.







I have low BP that's checked regularly.

Anyway.

I've been having really bad headaches late at night. Tylenol doesn't touch them and the Flexeril I took in early pregnancy for migraines doesn't seem to be helping much either. I've tried a humidifier and various homeopathic remedies.

Nothing seems to be helping.

What's causing this? It feels hormonal or something to me? Anyone else having bad headaches at the end of pregnancy?


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## SallyN (Feb 5, 2008)

I'm a migraine sufferer in general, and the second trimester was the worst for me. That said, I've been getting some low-grade headaches now in the third trimester as well.

First thought... are you hydrated. Even deeper than that, not just are you hydrated at the end of the day, but are you hydrating throughout the day? I've found that if I don't drink a certain amount of non-carbonated/non-caffeinated fluids by a certain point in the day, it doesn't matter how much I drink in afternoon/evening, I'm likely to get a headache in the evening.

Second thought... how are your sinuses. Sometimes headaches can be brought on by barometric pressure changes (ie: change in weather) and sinus congestion, or the 'normal' increased sinus swelling from pregnancy (especially late pregnancy) can exacerbate this.


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

It very well could be triggered by barometric pressure. What helps prevent that?

It's not hydration....

I thought maybe it was sinus-related but the humidifier hasn't helped at all, and it usually does for those.


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## SallyN (Feb 5, 2008)

re barometric pressure...

Move somewhere where the weather doesn't change. lol.

Sorry... I've only just 'discovered' this trigger for myself so haven't looked into it much. But I have a feeling there's not much to be done for that one other than wait it out.


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## KLM99 (Aug 9, 2007)

As background, I rarely if ever get headaches and I have low blood pressure (and did through my entire first pregnancy). At 39 weeks, I started having pretty bad whole head headaches. They weren't enough that I needed to shut down (I still went to work until I was 40 weeks), but enough that they were annoying and worrisome. My midwife never did find a reason for them, and they finally went away when I gave birth at 42 weeks.

So no explanations or ideas for you, sorry - but your situation sounded so similar to mine, I had to say something. I'll be checking this thread for suggestions in case this happens to me again this time.


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## PTmorgan (Oct 23, 2007)

I'm just starting the third trimester, and am starting in with my headaches again. I had them with DS as well.

SallyN makes a good point about hydration, and my headaches can definitely be caused by poor intake during the day.

The primary cause of headaches for me is when my neck goes out of alignment. With all this relaxin flowing, my neck and sacrum are out and in alignment as frequently as the tides! Many times my "alignment headaches" are in front, in my teeth, sinuses, or eyes. They don't hurt back in the neck. Tylenol & heat doesn't help. Sometimes homeopathic Hypericum (for nerve injuries) helps. Going to a chiropractor helps a lot, but of course I'm right back out of alignment soon.

Good luck finding the cause!


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

Well someone just told me that prostaglandins can cause nausea and headaches, so maybe that's it?

It's not an alignment thing -- I see a chiro regularly. It might be triggered by the barometric pressure though, as the weather's been crazy here lately.

I'm hoping whatever the cause, it goes away soon, and/or baby comes and that solves it.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nighten* 
Well someone just told me that prostaglandins can cause nausea and headaches, so maybe that's it?


That's interesting-I had both severely at the end of my 3rd tri with DD, I never had M/S in the beginning(did have the headaches), but holy moly I was sick all. the. time. during my last month being pregnant. I have to say hormones did a doozy on me with my headaches, especially prolactin-I had fierce migraines when I was nursing DD, some so bad it was hard to care for her as a young baby. Those hit when she was like 5 months or so, I ended up nursing until she was 18 months, but I had to wean because I felt so bad. After that they went away. I've struggled with wretched headaches, so sorry. It's hard to deal with.


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