Migraine, depression and pregnancy - HELP!

by Catherine
(UK)

I'm 37 years old and 38 weeks pregnant! I've suffered migraines since puberty - variable in frequency and severity but for the past few years around 10/month, with visual aura. I've seen countless experts and tried so many medications - the only one that really helped was Venlafaxine (an SNRI antidepressant) but this has side effects. I've also noticed some help with drinking LOADS of water and a couple of dietary changes. I've also suffered on and off with anxiety, depression, insomnia and irritability (so many of your questionnaire items were really strangely familiar!!). Symptoms tend to be worse (but not exclusively) premenstrually.

During my second and third trimesters my mood and migraines have never been so good. In fact I've felt the best I can remember for years! Calm, happy, sleeping well and almost no migraines (tiny bits of aura which go in minutes, no headaches). Just after 37 weeks pregnant all my symptoms have returned and I'm getting migraines daily/2x daily. I'm presuming my prog levels are starting to fall (or are relatively low compared to estrogen rising) and that may be mucking up serotonin too. I feel so desperate and depressed at the thought of my mood and migraines returning to what they were. Clearly I can't be pregnant for the rest of my life and I so want to focus on the new arrival very soon...

So I bought some Serenity cream just before I fell pregnant (it took us over a year) and was thinking about starting to use it now. Should I during pregnancy? Will it work? How much should I use? I also have some serotonin supplements I haven't yet tried but these aren't allowed during pregnancy.

Any help and advice would be so very gratefully received!