Hi Jen, that sounds like a real mixture of symptoms that could easily individually be classic symptoms for a few different headache types. This is where you really do need a headache specialist to sort out which headache type or types you have and to determine what the best treatment options are for you.

Hopefully there will be someone along with suggestions soon as I doubt you'd be wanting to visit my excellent neuro here in New Zealand, unless you want a break from the hot weather.

You could also check the OUCH doctors list - Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .

Cephalalgia. 2009 Jan 19. 
Treatment of cluster headache in pregnancy and lactation.

Jüergens TP, Schaefer C, May A.
Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Treatment of cluster headache in pregnancy and lactation. Cephalalgia 2009. London. ISSN 0333-1024

Cluster headache is a rare disorder in women, but has a serious impact on the affected woman's life, especially on family planning. Women with cluster headache who are pregnant need special support, including the expertise of an experienced headache centre, an experienced gynaecologist and possibly a teratology information centre. The patient should be seen through all stages of the pregnancy. A detailed briefing about the risks and safety of various treatment options is mandatory. In general, both the number of medications and the dosage should be kept as low as possible. PREFERRED TREATMENTS INCLUDE OXYGEN, SUBCUTANEOUS OR INTRANASAL SUMATRIPTAN FOR ACUTE PAIN AND VERAPAMIL AND PREDNISONE/PREDNISOLONE AS PREVENTATIVES. IF THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON TO TREAT THE PATIENT WITH ANOTHER PREVENTATIVE, GABAPENTIN IS THE DRUG OF CHOICE.

WHILE BREASTFEEDING, OXYGEN, SUMATRIPTAN AND LIDOCAINE FOR ACUTE PAIN AND PREDNISONE/PREDNISOLONE, VERAPAMIL, AND LITHIUM AS PREVENTATIVES ARE THE DRUGS OF CHOICE. As the individual pharmacokinetics differ substantially, adverse drug effects should be considered if unexplained symptoms occur in the newborn.

PMID: 19170693
====
Ann Pharmacother. 2008 Apr;42(4):543-9. Epub 2008 Mar 18.
Use of 5-HT1 agonists in pregnancy.

Evans EW, Lorber KC.

Department of Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA. eevans@ulm.edu

OBJECTIVE: To report and evaluate available data on the use of serotonin 5-HT(1) agonists (triptans) during pregnancy. DATA SOURCES: A PubMed search, limited to English-language articles on human subjects, was conducted (1990-December 2007) using the search terms pregnancy, migraine, and the individual triptan drug names. In addition, the manufacturers of all 7 available triptans were contacted regarding the existence of a pregnancy registry for their drug(s) and the availability of registry reports. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All retrospective and prospective studies reporting on pregnancy outcomes after the use of a triptan were included and critically evaluated. Data from all available manufacturer-sponsored pregnancy registries were also included. DATA SYNTHESIS: Safe and effective treatment of migraine during pregnancy is imperative. DATA INVOLVING SUMATRIPTAN AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, NARATRIPTAN AND RIZATRIPTAN, EXIST PRIMARILY REGARDING EXPOSURE IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER. THESE DATA SHOW NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS OR POOR PREGNANCY OUTCOMES WHEN COMPARED WITH EXPECTED RATES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION OR WITH THE OBSERVED RATES IN CONTROL SUBJECTS. THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION REGARDING EXPOSURE IN MIDDLE AND LATE PREGNANCY. CONCLUSIONS: SUMATRIPTAN APPEARS TO BE A SAFE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN WHO EXPERIENCE NEW-ONSET OR WORSENED MIGRAINES IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER. FURTHER OBSERVATION IS NEEDED PRIOR TO RECOMMENDING ITS USE IN LATER TRIMESTERS. BASED UPON AVAILABLE DATA, THE OTHER AGENTS IN THIS CLASS CANNOT BE RECOMMENDED FOR USE DURING PREGNANCY AT THIS TIME.

PMID: 18349309 [PubMed]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ther Drug Monit. 2008 Feb;30(1):5-9.
Triptans in pregnancy.

Soldin OP, Dahlin J, O'Mara DM.

Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA. os35@georgetown.edu

The triptans are a class of tryptamine-based drugs indicated for in the treatment of migraine headaches. The triptans act as serotonin (5-hydroxytriptamine) (5-HT) agonists by binding to various serotonin receptors, causing vasoconstriction and neuronal inhibition to alleviate migraines. There are 7 types of triptans currently available on the U.S. market: almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. The objective of this study was to examine the use and effects of triptans in pregnancy. ALTHOUGH THREE OF THE TRIPTANS HAVE PREGNANCY REGISTRIES MAINTAINED BY THE MANUFACTURER, TRIPTAN USE IN PREGNANCY HAS NOT BEEN EXTENSIVELY STUDIED. INFORMATION ON THE USE OF SUMATRIPTAN DURING PREGNANCY IS RELATIVELY MORE ABUNDANT, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET LONGER THAN THE OTHER TRIPTANS AND MAY ALSO HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THE MARKET SHARE. THERE ARE NO DATA TO SUGGEST TERATOGENICITY FOR ANY OF THE TRIPTANS, ALTHOUGH PRETERM BIRTH RATES APPEAR TO BE ELEVATED.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 18223456
===

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.


2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; On-line screen to find a physician.

5. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

6. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.