Migraine

I'm wondering if there are any nursing Moms out there. My daughter is nursing her one-year-old and has just gone back to work part-time, and her migraines have been acting up. I think her hormones are probably all over the map because her periods have not started yet. She only takes Naproxen for her migraines. I gave her a triptan once and it did help her.

She called tonight and was very concerned because she was having quite severe visual problems, which I have never had, in spite of my history of severe migraines. Her visual aura came on very suddenly. This has only happened to her once before. She was not experiencing any pain but she felt as though it was coming on. All she has in the house is Naproxen. She was alone with the baby and she has to work tomorrow. I really feel concerned and helpless - as you mothers and maybe grandmothers must know!

She has a doctor's appointment next week and I will babysit for her. She obviously must get some specific meds for migraine. Does anyone know if it's safe for nursing mothers to take triptans?

I'm so sorry that your daughter is suffering so much! Did she wind up getting the pain from the Migraine? If she didn't, it's possible that she could be getting • Acephalgic or Silent Migrainess

I'm glad that she has a doctor's appointment next week. Her doctor can tell her what he or she feels would be safe to take while nursing. This question has also been answered more completely in our top 75 frequently asked questions over Here.

You mentioned that you gave your daughter a triptan in the past. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that just because a medication works for you, it doesn't mean that it's going to be work, or even be safe for another person.

(I know it's so tempting to help, but unless a medication has been prescribed for a person, with the doctor knowing what else they're taking or how things might interact, it could be dangerous!!)

However, since you DID give the triptan to your daughter, and she knows that it works, she might want to ask her doctor (neuro?) about adding it to her treatment arsenal once she's no longer nursing, or, if her OB/GYN thinks that it's safe for her to take now, then she may be able to try it now...

Best of luck to her!!

In RE to taking what is safe while nursing, I suggest you contact someone from La Leche League. Do not bet that a regular dr has any idea what is safe and what is not. Many, many won't reccommend anything but tylenol, (becasue they are clueless on the concept of what will transfer through the breast milk and what won't) LLL has books and knowledgeable leaders who can help you find a dr who is breast feeding friendly. I nursed for 3.5 years. I'm familiar with the idea of worrying about to take.

My midwife, who was very pro-breast feeding, gave me fioricet. Just my personal experience.

Hi there,

Can your daughter come in the forum and read too?

Not to jump down your throat, because I am a mommy of a 20year old with Migraines, BUT, has your daughter been diagnosed with Migraine disease? That would be the first step. You mentioned she has a doctors appointment next week, is it with her GP, OB/GYN or a neurologist? In the best situation, her OB and neuro would work together to formulate a treatment plan if she is having more than 3 Migraines a month.

Having said that, since her Migraine pattern HAS changed, a call to the doctor today not next week, is a good idea. Migraine specialists we work with always say if you have any change in your Migraine pattern or if it is a new symptom call your doctor right away. Of course if it is the WORST pain of her life get to the ER.

Now, on to the triptan thingee....a big no no here. No sharing of medications even though your poor daughter was in pain. Had she been given a prescription for that medication before? God forbid she experienced one of the potential rare cardiac side effects. That's why it is imperative to have an accurate diagnosis and then we get the proper treatment plan. So when the Migraine hits, and they always do, we are ready for the.

In answer to your question - yes there are meds she can take, timed correctly, while nursing when she has a Migraine attack. We have more information on this topic in a great section here called Ask the Clinician Hydrocodone for headaches & Migraines while breastfeeding?

Hope this helps,

Thank you so much ladies!! I don't know what else transpired last night with her migraine attack and if she's heading to work this morning or not. I haven't been able to stop worrying about her. We share the same GP (general practitioner). I happen to have an appointment with her today and I emailed my daughter that she can go in my place instead of waiting until next week. There has definitely been a change in severity, symptoms, and frequency.

I don't know that she's been diagnosed with migraine per se but I know the territory well and without being a doctor I'm saying that's what she has, although she's been able to cope with Naproxen up until now (it's like your Aleve). She only used an OBGYN for her pregnancy and has never seen a neuro.

I didn't realize it was dangerous to give her my Maxalt. I'm an educated person too. Oooops. Should have known better. It made her feel a bit weird and tired for a while but it aborted her attack. That more or less proves it's migraine, no?

I've sent her the link to this site and I hope she'll jump on board when she's feeling better and has a moment.

This is bringing back memories of when she was a baby and I was nursing her and suffering..........there's been progress but not enough.....

Update - she's feeling better today and is having an easy day at work - but - she clarified what happened last night - and this is something I've never heard of before.

She was reading a bedtime story to her toddler - an easy board book - and suddenly it was like she had dyslexia - she could see the word alright - which is not what she told me last night - she was kind of panicked last night - but she couldn't SAY it properly - more like verbal dyslexia. She said it only lasted for a few seconds but it was really scary and she wondered if she was having a stroke. Then she did develop a migraine.

I mentioned to the doctor today and she seemed very concerned but she'll check her out next week.

I know you folks can't diagnose but does this ring a bell with anyone?

If I had a dollar for every time I verbally goobered something I was reading aloud due to a migraine or a migraine coming on, I'd be a gazillionaire. Lots of us have issues with stumbling over words with migraine. It's pretty common among us.

quote:

Originally posted by Oksana:
Update - she's feeling better today and is having an easy day at work - but - she clarified what happened last night - and this is something I've never heard of before.

She was reading a bedtime story to her toddler - an easy board book - and suddenly it was like she had dyslexia - she could see the word alright - which is not what she told me last night - she was kind of panicked last night - but she couldn't SAY it properly - more like verbal dyslexia. She said it only lasted for a few seconds but it was really scary and she wondered if she was having a stroke. Then she did develop a migraine.

I mentioned to the doctor today and she seemed very concerned but she'll check her out next week.

I know you folks can't diagnose but does this ring a bell with anyone?

quote:

If I had a dollar for every time I verbally goobered something I was reading aloud due to a migraine or a migraine coming on, I'd be a gazillionaire.

Oh my dear lady, your words are so comforting. At least, I think so. We're not talking about Shakespeare here.

My DD poked around the forums and realized that it is very common so she's not stressing about it. It had just never happened to her before to be getting weird visual disturbances and have garbled words coming out of her mouth. Then a really wicked migraine came on.

I gave her the link about half-life of certain meds and she will print it off and take it to her doctor.

To answer a previous poster, she has been in touch with La Leche League before, when the wee one was newborn, so she can always contact them again.

A pain-free night to all.