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Caryn
Ask the Experienced Moderator
USA
8780 Posts |
 Posted - 04/12/2007 : 10:04:09 PM
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"The mean onset of headache was 3.4 days (range, 2-32 days) after delivery. Tension-type/migraine headache was the most common cause (47%). Preeclampsia/eclampsia and spinal headache comprised 24% and 16% of cases..."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17403403&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum
Information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disorder, or prescribing any medication. The Preeclampsia Foundation presents all data as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained on the site. Professional opinions on this condition vary greatly. The Preeclampsia Foundation endorses no one course of treatment or "cure". |
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missgamecock
Senior Member
USA
6191 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2007 : 06:57:49 AM
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| I had that and was given Tylenol with codeine at first. That made me puke. Then it was changed to Fiorinal which helped. I left the hospital with a Fiorinal rx. |
Sabrina, mom of Kirsten Scout DOB 3/27/99, 5lbs, 1oz., 36 weeks, severe PE, & Sara Grace DOB 6/28/05, 6lbs 1oz., Severe PIH, 35 weeks 5 days. #3 Peyton, lost at 13 weeks 3 days on 2/21/08
4th - Lost at 5 weeks 4/30/08.
DD #3, Caitlyn Elyse (Catie), a Rainbow Baby, DOB 1/16/09, 5lbs 7 ozs, 36 weeks, Diagnosed w/ chronic HTN, RT Uterine Artery Notching, and mild PE before delivery, severe after.
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Caryn
Ask the Experienced Moderator
USA
8780 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2007 : 10:45:58 AM
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Interestingly, most people are *discharged* three and a half days after delivery -- and a quarter of the ones reporting headache had it because they had PE, and probably a lot of those are postpartum PE cases and no one's watching them. I assume most of them stay home and take Tylenol, and it doesn't work, and eventually the headache goes away, because they're lucky.
Which means they have no idea that they ever had PE... |
Science is getting us closer to finding a cause, and even a cure. The articles you don't want to miss:
The Preeclampsia Puzzle (New Yorker) and Silent Struggle: A New Theory of Pregnancy (New York Times)
Looking for recent articles and studies? Lectures from researchers? A chance to participate in research?
Caryn, who is not a doctor and who talks about science stuff *way* too much
DS Oscar born by emergent C-section at 34 weeks for fetal indicators, due to severe PE |
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AlexP
Moderator Emeritus
USA
1578 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2007 : 3:00:39 PM
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quote:
I assume most of them stay home and take Tylenol, and it doesn't work, and eventually the headache goes away, because they're lucky.
Anecdotally, this is what likely happened to me in my pregnancy with my oldest. I was discharged 48 hours after delivery, with bp running around 150/100 (I had no idea this might not be a good thing and assumed it was higher than normal due to "stress"). By my first day at home I noticed I had suddenly become very swollen (which after all is often normal postpartum). The headache hit on the second day at home - I did call in and was told to take tylenol and nap when my baby napped. It was a day of hell, but then the headache faded, my swelling disappeared and I forgot all about it. Until summer 2003.
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Alex, mama to:
Parker - born 4/15/2001 at 36 weeks
Vivian & Lily - born 7/14/2003 at 32 weeks
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smitty1212
New Member
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2007 : 12:36:54 AM
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| I had this with both my pregnancies - the "normal" one and the HELLP one. After the "normal" one I had swelling too. I thought both the swelling and headache had to do with my milk coming it. So maybe I did have PE with that one too? As for the HELLP one, I remember thinking "Thank God for the Percocet" for my headache, not for the c-section recovery. |
Linda
Mommy to Ivy (born at term on 8/3/03) & Savannah (HELLP baby 5 weeks early but healthy on 2/9/05)
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missgamecock
Senior Member
USA
6191 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2007 : 03:14:16 AM
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| I did have the worst headaches after Sara was born. I know Sara was bron just in time because the drs were serious about her coming out that night one way or another. But man those headaches were awful. I was in tears from them at the hospital, which bought me the tylenol with codeine and then was switched a couple of hours later to Firional. I know that my last 24 hr was a week before I had Sara. The dip was negative. But, there was no record of the dip in my records and well we all know how reliable those were. Also, my blood tests had started to come back funky with the liver enzymes and the uric acid. So who knows what would have happened if I went two days longer like I did with Kirsten. |
Sabrina, mom of Kirsten Scout DOB 3/27/99, 5lbs, 1oz., 36 weeks, severe PE, & Sara Grace DOB 6/28/05, 6lbs 1oz., Severe PIH, 35 weeks 5 days. #3 Peyton, lost at 13 weeks 3 days on 2/21/08
4th - Lost at 5 weeks 4/30/08.
DD #3, Caitlyn Elyse (Catie), a Rainbow Baby, DOB 1/16/09, 5lbs 7 ozs, 36 weeks, Diagnosed w/ chronic HTN, RT Uterine Artery Notching, and mild PE before delivery, severe after.
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celticepona
Senior Member
USA
1186 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 6:24:08 PM
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| I dug this out of the archives so to speak. I had a pretty good migrane today, and I am 15 days postpartum. It was not the intensity of "THE HEADACHE" but pretty good nonetheless. I took 600 mg of ibuprofin and then some tylenol which did not really touch it. I finally lay down and it eased up. I am hoping that it is just a hormonal thing. Any thoughts? |
Amy.
DH Rich and DD Emily born 4-01-04 at 37 weeks, 5 lbs 15 oz due to severe PE/borderline eclampsia/post partum preeclamsia. Strict left side bedrest for two weeks and three weeks postpartum.
DD Isabelle (Izzy) Born 4/19/08 at 37 weeks, 6 lbs 9 oz, sudden PE. Postpartum hypertension again and on aldomet, altace. (no bedrest this time:) |
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hhbeachgurl
Advanced Member
USA
625 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 6:34:36 PM
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| I had THE headache for days before Ansley was induced......it was worsen then any migrain I had ever had in my life, including those that I had gone to the hospital for to get a shot because they lasted days and medicine did not work. This was definitly different, but the docs kept telling me, it is probably a migrain and that is causing the visula disturbances, even though they started weeks before the headache. They didn't believe me till I had +4 reflexes and clonus even though I had a firm diagnosis of PE. I id have a headache for 6 weeks postpartume, but it was migraine type pain. I did go see a nuero for it though. I cna not imagine how many women are unaware that their headache may not be normal and how many doctors do not really respond practively psotpartum for it. It is scary |
Amanda (25),Tom (35),and Ansley born 3/10/07 @35w due to pre-e
m/c- 1/1/06 at 9w and m/c-7/4/06 at 5w
Officially diagnosed with Pre-e 29 weeks when bp jumped from 90/50 to 158/98 and protein of 450.... Made it to 35 weeks on complete home and hospital bedrest. Finally induced due to cerebral edema, +4 reflexes and 3 beats of clonus,and fetal indicators. Delivered a healthy baby girl at 35w3d :) |
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dkandm
National Fundraising Coordinator
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2008 : 11:11:20 PM
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interesting....I had the BIG headache a few days after delivery due to PE diagnosis. I had just come out of ICU and was on L&D floor. Got such a headache that I told DH "it hurts so bad - and they aren't helping me - I'm going to die!" Nurses kept asking me what I took for migraine headaches.....not seeming to realize that the pain was beyond ice and tylenol (at the time, there was no Exedrine migraine and I had not been prescribed migraine meds) ! I got the "rest in the dark" advice. They did do neuro testing following because seizure/stroke symptoms presented themselves in the days following.
FYI, I did have a spinal.
I was in hospital for over 2 more weeks after that and was on MAg the whole time.
Yes, I worry that women who have these "headache pains" are not being attended to properly....and without consideration of postpartum PE ! |
Dawn
Director of Local Fundraising
-- severe preeclampsia / condition remained severe postpartum; spent the 3-weeks after delivery in hospital on Mag
--daughter, Mya delivered @30 wks / emerg c-sec/ 3 lbs/ 30 days NICU |
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Postpartum headache: is your work-up complete?
