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Topic: Clusters and Pregnancy (Read 297 times) |
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smilesforsomeone
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Clusters and Pregnancy
« on: Oct 29th, 2004, 2:16am » |
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Good morning --
I first experienced cluster headaches in College and now five years later, they're back...oh and lucky me, they're back during my 3rd trimester of pregnancy. My nurse midwife advised me to take Excedrin. Does anyone out there have experience with 1) cluster headaches and pregnancy 2) excedrin and 3) any other forms of alternative forms of relief? The excedrin works great (relief w/ in 5-10 minutes), but it contains caffiene which is probably why I couldn't fall back asleep! And, the aspirin is not good for my baby. I'd love any insight on this...
thanks in advance 
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Bob_Johnson
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #1 on: Oct 29th, 2004, 8:37am » |
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Issues about med effects are sufficiently complex and fluid that I would work closely with your ob doc and, ideally, with a headache specialist (acting as a consultant).
Given where you are in your pregnancy, you might print out this message and show to your doc.
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CNS Drugs. 2003;17(1):1-7. Related Articles, Links
Safety of sumatriptan in pregnancy: a review of the data so far.
Loder E.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. eloder@partners.org
The high prevalence of migraine in women during their reproductive years means that new drug treatments for migraine, such as the serotonin 5-HT(1B/1D) receptor agonists (the 'triptans'), are likely to be widely used by women of childbearing potential. Scrutiny of these agents in an effort to detect any signal of teratogenicity is thus important. A systematic review of the medical literature was conducted to identify information regarding the safety of sumatriptan during pregnancy. This agent was chosen to be investigated because it has been available for the longest and is the most widely used of the triptan class. Information was obtained regarding the impact of migraine on pregnancy outcome, and data on sumatriptan use in pregnancy were obtained from animal studies, preclinical drug trials, postmarketing surveillance efforts, prospective pregnancy registries, national birth registries and teratogen information services. Synthesis of information from these sources is sufficient to rule out a large increase in birth defects from sumatriptan use during pregnancy and is reassuring for cases where inadvertent exposure to sumatriptan during pregnancy has occurred. However, current information is not sufficient to rule out small increases in the risk for birth defects. For this reason, caution should be exercised in making a positive recommendation for the use of sumatriptan during pregnancy.
Publication Types:
Review
Review, Tutorial
PMID: 12467489 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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I checked drug info on medscape.com and it's o.k. for limited use in pregnancy.
1: Headache 2001 Sep;41( :813-6
Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.
Rozen TD.
Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. The initial olanzapine dose was 5 mg, and the dose was increased to 10 mg if there was no pain relief. The dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg if the 5-mg dose was effective but caused adverse effects. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. It alleviates pain quickly and has a consistent response across multiple treated attacks. It appears to work in both episodic and chronic cluster headache.
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Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.
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OTC meds are not very helpful with cluster, as you know, but may be one of the few options available to you. Some folks have good luch aborting/easing an attack by applying an ice pack to the pain site. Others find very hot water also works; others have used a hair dryer blasting the pain site works! No predicting; just try.
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Bob Johnson
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nani
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #2 on: Oct 29th, 2004, 9:19am » |
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Quote:| The excedrin works great (relief w/ in 5-10 minutes), |
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It does? I was never able to get relief while in cycle, but can get it during my chronic shadows. I suggest that you get your ob to refer you to a neurologist/headache specialist so that you can get the right meds. Welcome and I'm sorry you're here.
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Valerie
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #3 on: Oct 29th, 2004, 10:10am » |
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Congrats on your pregnancy, sorry about the clusters!
I was fortunate enough not to get clusters during my pregnancies. I would definitely talk to a ha specialist, your midwife may not know much about clusters - most docs don't even know. Excederin never worked for me. How often are you getting them and how intense are they?
A lot of people get some relief from ice on the head/neck, others from hot showers, etc.
Welcome to the board!
Valerie
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angel-ache
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #4 on: Oct 29th, 2004, 8:27pm » |
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Oxygen...? It seems pretty darn safe to me.
Welcome...and good question. I, myself, might be on my way to 'reproducing' soon. I just ended my cycle, and hopefully if timing has it, it will be about 2 years till the next cycle.
Happy Hallows Eve
Angela
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"We gather strength from sadness and from pain. Each time we die we learn to live again." Unknown Author
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smilesforsomeone
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #5 on: Nov 3rd, 2004, 11:31am » |
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Thanks all for your advice. I'm off of Excedrin completely and actually the hospital is dropping off an O2 tank today! I had O2 for the first time yesterday and I didn't get a CH until 7:30 p.m. - it was great. The Dr. is having me continue taking Tylenol III (w/ Codiene) - when needed, but hopefully the O2 will take that over as well.
This is a great site, I appreciate your help!
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marieinthesprings
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Re: Clusters and Pregnancy
« Reply #6 on: Dec 10th, 2004, 11:13pm » |
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I had a cycle in my last month that I was pregnant with my daughter. My doc gave me tylenol III, did nothing and some anti nauseau pill cuz the tylenol made me throw up. That was 5 years ago and I am doing my first battle with the beast since then  ....When I told my neuro about that he said I could have taken Midrin. I was terrified as to what the meds were doing to my baby but she was born very healthy thankfully. I told my sister I could not imagine child birth to be as painful as a CH but I was wrong, completely different kind of pain and to be honest I can't really say what is worse, I don't ever want to do natural child birth again almost as much as I don't want to do the dance again, but everyone is different. All the best....pain free wishes....Marie
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