Unusual headache for me

[scaredpreggo]

Hello,
I am currently almost 36 weeks pregnant.  For the past month or so I've had a gradual dull headache that seems to be getting more persistent.  The headache can be described as right temple dull ache (with tender to touch), that sometimes occurs on the other side of head and then pressure is felt behind eyes, forehead and nose.  I do have hx of sinus headaches, but these feel slightly different in two ways: 1. sometimes sharp pains accompany it and 2. they occur most often when laying down and then in am, although I've been getting them around dinner time as well.  The pain seems to come and go when the headache occurs.  Please advise......

[LifesAHeadache]

Don't be too worried, although you have to call the OB/GYN just for safety sake.  You have to get your BP checked or you could be gaining water and that would explain some of symptoms.  You know how women get hormone headaches around period - well alot of women start getting those headaches the closer they get to delivery.  My hormones impact my migraine so badly that they have considered doing a hysterectomy - but the OB/GYN wants to avoid messing with it because I am so bad.  Relax, I am a really rare case.  Anyway, the headaches are most likely hormones.  You probably cannot take Advil - what month do they say now to stop - its been years.  Do they still let you take Benedryl?  Its a histamine (sp) blocker that has shown to help migraine.  Of couse, the doc has to approve anything.  New info - I heard in passing that they don't use codiene for pregnant women anymore - it used to be allowed if necessary - I'm not 100% on this but info to ask in case it gets bad.  I had Demerol at 2 month, its a bad hormone month and my BP went up so they gave me that in the hospital.  Best Wishes - I'll say a quick prayer for a happy healthy little one!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,
You need to relax, and try to sleep well.
It is important to understand that hormonal fluctuations especially close to your delivery can cause migraine like headaches. Also you need to get regular check ups done by your OBG.
Have you got your blood pressure and blood sugar checked by your doctor?
Do not take any medication without a prescription and without consultation with your OBG.
Eat small frequent meals to keep you going.
Schedule an appointment with your OBG and see what she says and what needs to be done.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[scaredpreggo]

I appreciate both your replies.  I just wanted to add that I did try to rest last night, but was also trying to pay attention to the pattern of the headache to provide more information, as the pain happened again.  I also somewhat can't help it as I'm up every 2 hrs. to use the restroom:(  I started to notice around 4:00 am the right temple pain and pain behind the eye.  My right nostril was stuffy and it would get worse when I layed on the right side.  In addition I'd notice a specific spot in the back of my head was sore (I think there's a large artery there that I could literally press and it would lessen the pain).  Around 6:00 am-ish when I'd lay on my left side I'd notice a similar sharp pain in my left temple and began feeling pressure in my forehead and nose.  This pressure seemed to be less than the previous morning b/c when I woke I had a massive headache whereas today it's very dull.  However this pressure did persist until I woke.  I used saline and a vaporizer last night.  Does this change your viewpoint at all?  I've also had what appear to be other neuro symptoms throughout this pregnancy, so I am worried about a tumor.  However I did have non contrast MRI that checked out neg. 5 weeks ago.

[LifesAHeadache]

I love that you spent the time proactively trying to figure this out.  If you don't have kids already - you are going to be a great mom - I can tell.  Now if you blew your nose, saline etc.. in the morning - was your nose better for the day or did it hang on all day?  That would be more sinus.  But waking up with stuffy or running nose can happen with Migraine.  Pressing the specific spot (probably above a trigger point) is textbook for migraine type headache - unless you were pressing hard enough that you replaced the pain signals from your head with the pressure from your finger but I bet its the first.

Please list all things that you say are neuro symptoms.  Also, can you sleep with a couple extra pillows so your head is more elevated?  Then see how you wake up as far as stuffy or runny nose.  Sinus, BP, Migraine, Blood Sugar - too early to tell but don't even worry about a brain tumor.  The odds are so rare you wouldn't believe it. I'm not lying.  Remember, your pregnant, hormones make you worry about everything.  You are about to have a baby and almost every Mom starts imagining all these bad "what ifs" that could spoil this wonderful thing.  ALLOW YOURSELF A HAPPY PREGNANCY AND A WONDERFUL BABY.  YOU DESERVE IT.  And again kuddos on the analysis.  Call that OB/GYN asap - just for safety.

[scaredpreggo]

You don't know how much I appreciate your reply.  I had another headache in right temple area that started middle of night and got worse until I woke this am.  When I lay on that particular side it gets worse, but is still there if I switch sides.  I had a sore throat and still stuffy nose on that side this morning as well and alot of sinus pressure.  Interestingly I also noticed both sides of my jaw were very sore when I opened my mouth with the headache.  I also noticed sometimes the pain would radiate to the back right side as well and then let up and sometimes my right eye feels like someone is pulling it.  My headache lasted about 1/2 this am and then once I got up when away and throat feels better too.  It often though lasts in a dull way throughout the day and may exacerbate again in the evening only to clear again until I'm sleeping.
Neuro symptoms in order of appearance have been gradual and are:
tingling or shooting pains that come and go mainly on left side of head, 4 episodes of seeing yellow flashes of light in vision (I may have connected this to either when I'm feeling really warm-BP? or when my blood sugar is low), buzzing or muscle twitching randomly throughout limbs, ringing in left ear/sizzling noise in neck and clicking noise in left ear (mainly when laying down or bending over), intermittently my right arm and leg feel heavy although oddly this seems to have lessened lately, slight nausea randomly and now sharp pains in my spine (baby?) .  I think I previously mentioned I've had fluid in both my ears and until recently seemed to have difficulty regulating blood sugar levels (since I've gotten then more under control my dizziness, nausea, brain fog, and fatigue have lessened).  Thanks again for your reply and encouragement.  This has been frightening and I really would love to just enjoy the anticipation of my little one.  I am already mother of an almost 4 yr. old by the way:)

[scaredpreggo]

Just thought I'd write again that I tried what you suggested and slept with my head propped up on pillows.  I still woke with a right temple ache (although more dull) and pain on the back of the right side of my head.  Also intermittent stabbing pains go through occassionally on both temples.  I have less nasal congestion this am probably from being elevated.  I know brain tumors are rare, but with the possible neuro symptoms I mentioned yesterday and the fact that these headaches come on over night and in am, only to usually disappear I'm scared.  Your thoughts.....

[LifesAHeadache]

I completely understand.  I went back and reread your posts because I want to make sure before I respond.  Now, your pain is there but sometimes is not there, and I know you're not taking heavy narcotics because of the pregnancy. Brain tumors don't just stop hurting and then start up, depending on which part of the brain they affect, the person can't talk, they walk into walls three times in a row, their pupils don't react to light - and some have different or minor symptoms.  I'm not worried about a brain tumor but You HAVE to call the OB because you could have BP issues, blood sugar is a biggie at your stage, are you feeling the baby moving all over?  Remember, you can go to the ER at anytime - they are used to pregnant women coming in for everything.  So don't be afraid to go - or to call that OB on New Years Day.  They will understand.  But for my two cents:

Sharp pains in spine - baby, baby, baby.  The little bugger is not worried at all and sleeping all over the place inside.  My daughter's head circumfrence (sp) was in the 97% - and I worked past my due date - one day my boss came into my office and I was laying half over my desk and I couldn't move.  The whole office was laughing at me, including me.

Muscle twitches - headache can cause this plus your anxiety is releasing adrenaline.

Jaw pain - you are at a minimum clenching your teeth when you sleep.  That could actually be causing the whole darn headache.  You can get a mouth gard at Walgreens for $26 or if you are short on cash, get clearance from the pharmacist but you can get a cheap mouth guard from wal-mart that athletes use.  Ask the pharmacist though -  I don't know if you are short on funds.

Yellow flashes - really point to migraine aura.  I don't think you are getting different headaches, I think you have one really bad migraine that you can't fully break.

Comes back at night - all pain is usually worse at night - it has been shown to be connnected to circadian rythms, brain function etc..

Pain up to eye - those irritated nerves go all the way up to the eyes - this is common with migraine and tension headache.

Noises in neck could be transferrence of cerebral spinal fluid - baby on spine and all - also can cause headache.  The elevated pillows help this but as you said could be helping sinus too.

Top Advice - at least call the OB exchange - especially since you are this far along.  They will ease your mind or want you to go get checked out.  And if they want you to get checked out - you deserve that healthcare and so does that wonderful little baby.  Hey, and tell that little one to lay off your spine. LOL  - I'll check back later today - if you have any questions or just need to talk - I'm around today.

[scaredpreggo]

Thanks so much again for your reply and offer to talk.  You don't know how much I appreciate it and the extent you went to giving advice.  I feel so unheard as my family is very supportive but since all my tests have been negative they are insistent it's pregnancy related.  I would love to believe them, but I have this weird feeling something is not right.  I just sometimes get these weird dizzy sensations and just feel off sometimes.  Then weird stuff will happen like the left side of my tongue will itch or my ear cartilage will hurt when laying on it.  I'm trying to stay positive as I know these symptoms are very nonspecific and could be cause by a number of things.  Docs don't seem to know what it is and don't want to address it until after I have the baby which is also frustrating.  
The aura's I get don't seem to be connected directly to headache (as I don't get a headache around the time of the aura), but I did notice it when I'm hot or anxious or possibly during low blood sugar times.  I know too that the head noise could be a form of tinnitis which is exacerbated sometimes by pregnancy and congestion.  I thought about the spinal fliud too.  I also thought about the jaw pain being tension b/c I definelty have some of that.  
Thank you for reminding me that brain tumor symptoms don't come and go, but you seem to know a great deal about headaches and this is my main concern right now as they're sometimes debilitating in the am when I first wake and it's been seeming to get gradually worse.  Concerns are: It's usually in the same right side temple, gets worse when laying down and at nighttime then gradually worsens until I wake up and then usually turns dull and clears quickly upon getting up out of bed the headache even when dull also seems to make my right eye feel weird like it's being pulled.  However sometimes the dull ache or pulling sensation just lingers with occassional stabbing pains through the eye until the evening.  Then I have had some evening "migraines" as well, so there really isn't a clear pattern.  I also didn't think it could be migraine if it wasn't switching sides of the head upon episodes, is this true?  I also thought migraines had to last 4-72 hours and sometimes they only last an hour or so.  Things are probably not textbook though due to being pregnant as I know that really screws with your body.  Anyway, as I already mentioned I appreciate your comments very much.

[LifesAHeadache]

I know how hard this is and when you have a "different" type headache.  Since I have headaches that are tied so much to hormones, I had one giant migraine my whole pregnancy.  It was hell and the last two months were really bad because your homones start changing again, that nesting syndrome where you start cleaning and getting everything ready for the baby - All hormones.  So I didn't get to clean, I got to throw up alot. LOL

Here is how the doctors look at it and why you are probably so frustrated.  The docs have their magical spreadsheet in their brain (these are good docs, don't be fooled) and as long as you don't have anything wrong from that spreadsheet, they know you are safe and the baby is safe.  They cannot say with 100% accuracy what those yellow lines are any more than you or me.  But they do know you are OK.  And even if you get really goofy symptoms, as long as you check out on that spreadsheet (of course a metaphor) then they sometimes say, you are having Atyical symptoms.  Remember, the 4 - 72 hours is just a baseline.  I am an extreme, I can have a migraine for 12 days.  I also have CSF headaches which took forever to get figured out but it took forever for me to find a neurologist who worked with me and not just assume same ole migraine.  And you do have some CSF symptoms that could be because of that baby on the spine but as long as the spreadsheet checks out, the docs aren't going to worry about it.  After the baby, if symptoms persist - then there is a lot you can do but has nothing to do with a brain tumor.  If hormones give you a headache and you keep getting jolted with the hormones, you keep getting jolted with the pain.  But I still keep with my original post - you have to call the OB to check your BP, etc.. I know you are probably doing all that - can they give you anything for pain?  It's usually in the right side temple is also normal - you don't have to switch sides for a Migraine.  Remember, this is a malady affecting the brain, so there is no textbook case 100%.
Oh, one more thing - hearing ringing in the ears is one thing - hearing squirting or liquid in the back of your head can be something else.  I have both and can clearly tell the difference.  The squirting in the back of my head, I think is that CSF pressure.  Most ER docs won't know the difference because it is not their specialty.  Like I said, I'm not a doctor but I have sat in an ER and had a doctor tell me the most bazaar story of how a migraine is formed - completely unconventional and in left field.  I just said OK, can I have my toradol shot.  He said sure so I was happy to call it a day there.  Most however, are very good.  Feel free to always ask questions, we'll get you through this pregnancy hopefully not in too much pain.  Take Care.

[scaredpreggo]

You are a very kind person to be helping me, and I've noticed some others.  I like how you give advice but also refer us to professionals as you acknowledge you are not a medical professional.  I too research and in my case it tends to cause more anxiety.  As you've probably already noticed I know the symptoms of brain tumor and can "justify" all my symptoms to match.  My husband is about ready to ban me from the computer but is the love of my life and tolerating me so very well:)  I just read a post you replied to about nighttime headaches and CSF.  This does sound like what I may have as well, just not sure of the cause and that's what was terrifying me.  I posted my symptoms on neuro board as well and Dr. said "I'd like to think about tumor but your scan came out normal" in response to my question of whether this could be a tumor.  
Anyway, sounds like you have been through a great deal and still struggle at times as well.  I am sorry for that, but am thankful for people like you who are willing to give insight to others.  It's comforting.  The sounds in my head are ringing and clicking in right ear and a sizzling noise in neck (when I turn my head fast like to dance or something it crackles or grinds too), but it doesn't resemble squirting or liquid I don't think.  Thanks for explaining doctor mentality.  I am confident I have good ones and I know they are thinking at this point they've done all they can, testing wise and are confident that I'm okay enough to get through this pregnancy and then if symptoms persist attack from there.  It's just hard to go through this, not have answers and continue to have more symptoms.  I have an apt with OB Thurs. and they always do BP check among other routine "stuff" but I will be talking to her again about symptoms, especially headache.  Thanks again for your post and I'll keep in touch.....