How Do I Get Rid of This Stupid Pregnancy Headache????

Updated on July 03, 2010
B.C. asks from Arlington, TX
19 answers

I woke up with a nagging headache that has lasted all day and through 6 tylenol. My hubby just massaged my neck and shoulders and as I type this, I have a heating pad sitting on the top of my head and I look like a doofus. :)
Anything else I can do??
Oh, and thanks for the scare, but I don't think it's preeclampsia b/c I'm only 4 weeks along.

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

I thank you ladies! I will try to eat more potassium and drink plenty of water. I am not a usual caffiene drinker, but since someone mentioned it, I just drank a dr. pepper and I'm feeling a little better already. :)

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with lots and lots of water. B vitamins also helped me tremendously.
If you happen to shop at any health food type of stores, ask for B12 boost. It's a vitamin drop and it's pretty cheap. It worked wonders for my pregnancy headaches!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.K.

answers from Albuquerque on

Ithink you should go to the Dr. it can be a sign of something more serious because I did have preeclampsia and it started with a headache.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.S.

answers from Appleton on

Eat a banana and drink lots of water. It's probably from dehydration or a lack of potassium. Hope you're feeling better soon!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.W.

answers from Dallas on

I had horrible headaches in my first trimester and went to the doctor, come to find out it was headaches from a lack of protein (which I never knew was possible). I was having the hardest time eating during that trimester and lost a bunch of weight, when I spoke to the doctor she said it was probably from lack of protein. So I increased my protein and it is a miracle, headache free! A quick fix was a glass of chocolate milk or a smoothie!

If you used to drink a lot of caffeine it could also be caffeine withdrawals, try drinking half a glass of soda if that is the case.

Dehydration, like the others suggested, is a possibility.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.O.

answers from Chicago on

I'm even later responding, but my Dr. suggested taking 2 Tylenol with 1 can of regular Coke. He said the Caffeine and Tyelnol together would help. I only did it once and it helped. I also told a friend and she did it...worked for her too. Good luck...hope your headache is already gone by now! Congrats!

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.M.

answers from Portland on

Something I learned to do decades ago and still use to this day is what I fondly think of as ear-pulling. I lie comfortably on my back with good neck support, and start pulling, kneading, and folding my ears, seeking out tender spots and working those until they sort of give up. After 10-15 minutes, my ears are glowing with heat from all the great circulation, and the headache is almost always gone.

I've done this process to numerous other people with similar results, and my husband claims that's how I got him to marry me – I got him hooked on ear-pulls.

I think it works so well because it stimulates the many acupuncture points in the ear. And it's drug free – and feels great.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.K.

answers from Miami on

Easy on the tylenal it causes liver damage . And drink plenty of water my doc says at least eight water bottles. Also take the tylenal when your going to sleep or if you are needing it to leave the house bc all that tylenal is no good not just for you but for the baby too:) take it easy on sodium.eat fruit it helps the blood flow bananas have pottasium that helps with headaches. I'm sure it's nothing serious bc if it was youse be seeing flashing lights and such but if it doesn't go away you should tell your dr best of luck though :) feel better:)

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.K.

answers from Chicago on

Lots of water!! Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.K.

answers from Washington DC on

I know I'm a little late posting, but one of the most common triggers for headaches is lack of protein. Seriously. A high-protein snack will usually cure the grumpies in children because the grumpies are usually caused by a vague headache in the first place. It works wonders for my kids and for myself.

Try boosting up your protein intake a little bit. Keep high-protein snacks on hand, like string cheese and yogurt, bean dip, healthy hot dogs (like Hebrew Nationals) etc... Also don't forget to stay hydrated. Dehydration is another very common cause of headaches.

One more thing. There is a yoga pose (don't know what it's called) that helps with tension headaches. What you do is go down on all fours, then put the top of your head on the ground. Roll forward gently until you feel your neck muslces stretching. Hold until you get a really good stretch in the muscles. Repeat a few times a day.

I'm a migraine sufferer. I'm a tension headache sufferer. I'm also sensitive to dehydration and protein headaches. I've even suffered a spinal headache before (a spinal headache will make you black out from the pain alone if you've been upright for more than a few seconds, no joke, no exaggeration). So I've been through it all as far as headache pain goes. I hope my experience can at least give you a few useful tips to minimize your discomfort.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.A.

answers from San Francisco on

Go to the doctor now. A headache can be signs of preeclamsia, high blood pressure during pregnancy. It is very serious and can be life threatening.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.K.

answers from Chicago on

Good to hear you are feeling better. I agree with the caffeine, but you might try (if it happens again) cool wash cloth on your face and neck.
My OB let me take excedrin tension headache. Now, this was a few years back and every Dr is different, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Good Luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

For me, two Tylenol + a Coke is usually the only remedy. And, when I can swing it, a nap. If I skip the Coke, I'm out of luck for sure.

Can't wait to be able to pop Excedrin again! :D

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.D.

answers from Albany on

Talk to your OB. I had horrible headaches with my third child and the doctor told me a supplement to get but by the time I bought it, I didn't have the headaches anymore. LOL I forget what it was though! The other thing they did was give me a prescription. The meds were safe for pregnancy as it was a type of excedrin without aspirin is what it boiled down to I think. Be careful going off vitamins and taking in too much caffeine!!! I'd talk to your doctor instead about the supplement and headache meds for pregnancy.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.J.

answers from Rochester on

I get get a lot of headaches. Talk to your MD, but my MD told me that caffine can help. Not a lot, but 1 can a day is what she told me. I never drank caffine before I was prego so it was hard to drink the sugery soda, so I did the diet soda. good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Mine was caused by my prenatals.

Went off vitamins entirely for a week & switched to chewable kids viatmins a couple times a day, and poof... no more headache.

((just to edit: Excedrin Tension Headache = Tylenol + Caffeine... aka tylenol & coke))

N.O.

answers from Dallas on

The caffeine is a good suggestion. I rarely get headaches (when not pregnant) but suffer bad with them during pregnancy. My doctor prescribed me Firoricet and two of the main ingredients are caffeine and tylenol. I realized since being pregnant, I drink a TON of water and hate cokes so I'm not getting any caffeine and any time I take one of my headache pills, it goes away. Your still too early for your doc to prescribe any pain meds but if the headaches don't get better in your second trimester, you might want to ask for some fioricet and see if it helps, my OB says it's one of the meds he worries about least.

Good luck, hope you feel better soon!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.L.

answers from Cleveland on

I really recommend a neti pot rinse every morning. Tylenol won't touch my headaches and mine are allergy induced. Been using a neti for over a year which you can find at any grocery store. 100 salt packets will run you $10-15 and lasts over 3 months! Cheap and works!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.S.

answers from Chicago on

I swear by green tea with freshly squeezed lemon. I never thought it would work but it took away a pretty bad headache!

Also peppermint oil rubbed on the temples.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.M.

answers from Dallas on

also try this as someone else told me when i was preggers...take a really cold coke can and put at the base of your neck and lay down for 10 mins if you can. also try holding the can on the sides of your temples...it worked wonders for me while i was preggers as i had headaches

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions