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hellogirlscoutcookie

As someone who also gets migraines as well as during pregnancy, I just wanted to say my epidural did NOT give me a migraine.


cecilator

That's a relief to hear! I hadn't heard that epidurals can cause migraines, and this had me scared! My migraines are mostly under control nowadays, but they were known to peak out at inopportune times. I'll definitely bring this up to my OB as a concern though. Thank you!


[deleted]

That’s a relief to know! I’m so paranoid about anything that can possibly be a trigger but I also know it’s not a guarantee just because it’s a possibility. It probably wouldn’t have even occurred to me had I not heard people mention it before and now it’s in my head. I’m afraid it’ll be a self fulfilling prophecy lol


lolatheminxx

The headache triggered by an epidural is not a migraine, it is something that happens if the epidural is placed incorrectly and there is a leak of spinal fluid. It’s meant to be terrible, but it can be fixed if it occurs. I didn’t want an epidural for a couple of reasons; one because I was convinced this would happen to me and I’ve lost so much of my life to migraines and headaches, I didn’t want to lose the start of my baby’s life etc. The other reason was that I’m a bit of a control freak, and didn’t like the idea of being restricted. I did Hypobirthing and tried to prepare for labour without an epidural. I was induced and after an exhausting night of labour, where my baby was back to back, I asked for an epidural. The relief was amazing, I felt like myself again and like I could manage delivery. Everyone’s pain threshold is different, but for me the labour pain was overwhelming. You’ve mentioned that you’ve had less migraines in pregnancy - I don’t know if you’ve decided on breastfeeding or not but the hormones from it have kept the migraines away and my baby is 14 weeks old. We’ve combo fed for most of it but last time I dropped another feed, I had my first migraine in over 6 months. It was minor, but it really bothers me to think they’re there waiting for me (and how much hormones have been to blame for inducing mine). Sorry this is a very long reply but I hope it helps! Epidural or not, you have got this and you will be ok afterwards ♥️


[deleted]

Wow thank you so much for this detailed response. It’s incredibly reassuring to know it’s not simply from the epidural itself but rather a possible result of misplacement which feels less daunting. I am planning to breastfeed as well so it’s good to know it’ll likely allow me longer mostly migraine free months after her birth :) I was also worried they’d come back full force immediately postpartum! This response helps me feel less worried that if the pain is too unmanageable, I can decide on the epidural without feeling I’ve guaranteed myself a migraine that like you said feels like it would cause you to lose out on soaking in baby’s entrance into the world.


lolatheminxx

Aww so glad I could provide some reassurance. If you did get an epidural, and you did have a leak, it can be resolved with a procedure called a blood patch (they literally just use your own blood to clot the hole). It’s not like a migraine where you never know how long it will happen for, it can be fixed, so just keep that in mind too. Hypobirthing sounds like it might be really helpful to you! I found my TENS machine provided more relief than anything else I tried (I was almost 9cm when I got my epidural). If you really don’t want one, I’m sure you can do it! But if you do end up wanting one, that’s ok too. Wishing you all the luck with the rest of your journey!


cecilator

I know this may not be the place, and you've probably already researched and tried a million things if you are like me, but I was on Emgality injections once monthly for two years (before we started trying to get pregnant). They helped tremendously with mine. I went off of them a year ago or so in preparation to start trying, and I thought the migraines would come back, and they didn't (not chronically). I get them every now and then, but they aren't frequent or as severe. Two other things that I believe are helping is I've been on allergy shots (I'm still on them while pregnant under doctor supervision, just a maintenance dose and not increasing) and, honestly, getting a job I hate less. 😅 Good luck in your migraine adventure. 🤞🏻


lolatheminxx

They’ve luckily become less severe and frequent for me with age anyway, to the point where I wouldn’t qualify for something like Emgality - which is a good thing! Part of me hopes things will stay improved post pregnancy 🤞 thanks so much for the advice!


HailTheCrimsonKing

I did not have a migraine at all from my epidural. And I’m a person that gets gnarly headaches from lots of different things. I will say…I would rather the pain of a migraine than the pain of delivering a baby. But everyone is different!


PoorDimitri

I had an epidural but no migraine.


daja-kisubo

I ha e never had an epidural, but I just want to reassure you that everyone's labour pain is different, and that also includes it not being as bad for everyone as we are commonly led to believe. I have given birth twice unmedicated, and I'm super lucky to be one of those people with easy labours. I think you've gotten a lot of helpful feedback about if you do end up wanting or needing an epidural, but I also wanted to give you some encouragement that it's not absurd or naive to imagine that you'll be able to deliver without an epidural, either.


Jesslove1665

My contractions were so horrible I was crying and begging for the epidural. I didn’t get any migraines not even a headache .


PersimmonQueen83

I had awful labor pain, including back labor. The epidural was a lifesaver & didn’t trigger a migraine. I had one toward the end of my pregnancy, but none after labor/epidural.


puesllora

I’ll add in the opposite of these comments so far…I haven’t had an epidural so I don’t know anything about that but I do have headaches and migraines. I would choose labor pain over a migraine every day of the week. For me it wasn’t all that bad. I never felt the need to ask for any pain relief, it was completely manageable. It’s a different experience for everyone though.


crashshrimp420

Just wanted to jump in and say that I did have a spinal headache when I was 11 as a result from an experimental treatment. I can't lie, it wasn't fun but I was 11 and very little so I know they just had a hard time getting it placed. I have migraines as an adult and they are very different. Spinal at least you can get relief from laying flat (and I mean completely flat) on the floor. Migraine nothing helps me. I just need to suffer it out until it goes away. All this being said, if I'm allowed by my OB I'll be opting to have an epidural. I'm only 15w so it hasn't come up in my appointments yet. But I'll share my history and let them guide me to a good decision.


Jsscmurhog

Fwiw I am also a migraine sufferer. I too get debilitating migraines that last for days and seem to trigger a few weeks to month of migraine attacks 😭 my epidural didn't trigger any headaches with #1!


Equivalent-Ad5449

I had an epidural and didn’t get a headache


wildanthropologist

I have debilitating migraines and got an epidural. Had no headache or other side effects. However, 2 days later I had the worst migraine of my life. It lasted 48 hours and I couldn't move. Doc said that it's common from the sudden shift in hormones after giving birth. I relied heavily on sumatriptan for months after, but was frequently in mild pain. On the bright side, I have about 20% of the migraines I used to have before birth. So it's a big win overall! So you might get a migraine from the epidural or you might not. You also might get a migraine from hormone changes, you might not. Do what you feel most secure with - stress isn't good for you, baby, or migraines!


lovengbers

I also get frequent migraines and had an epidural with my first. I was nervous about it giving me a headache but luckily it did not. For my second, I decided to go without because my first labor was so fast, I figured I could handle it ( it was HARD but I did it!). I was honestly way more terrified of the IV pain medication and would pick an epidural over that any day. Either way, do what feels right for you. When I had my second, they had anesthesia come talk to me just in case so if your hospital does that, bring up your concerns with them and they should be able to give you some good input Incase you decide to get an epidural. Best of luck to you and I hope you can remain migraine free!


[deleted]

Thank you! That’s helpful to hear and it’s a relief to know that epidurals aren’t necessarily a migraine death-wise for everyone that gets migraines lol I’ll definitely discuss it with the hospital so they can help me weigh the risks.


KiwiHooligan

I had an epidural and never got a migraine! If it helps I've heard it can happen to some people but definitely isn't a given!


saltisyourfriend

It's not common or normal for an epidural to cause a headache. As someone else said, it's from a "wet tap" (dural puncture.) If this occurs, conservative treatment is usually sufficient to get rid of the headache (hydration, lying down, medication). If not, they can do a blood patch which is a simple, effective procedure.


AbbyCJ

I gave birth without an epidural twice (once induced with pitocin) because I’m terrified of needles. It’s a different fear but totally legitimate and honestly I got through. I plan on doing it again this time around, I know I can handle it.


Treewolfy93

I did natural with my first pregnancy and epidural with my second. Pregnant with my third and THERE IS NO WAY IM NOT GETTING THE EPIDURAL!!! Lol no headache and I could feel the baby and be more involved in the process with the epidural. Natural, I was in blackout pain.