You are 35 weeks pregnant and have been taking excedrin for migraines is your unborn child going to be ok?

Answer 1

Answer

Tell your doctor what you have been doing. NEVER take any meds, OTC or prescription when pregnant without Doc's OK.

Further Info

Excedrin Migraine contains three ingredients.

Acetaminophen - Tylenol, has been deemed safe to take during pregnancy.

Caffeine - (in two tablets it is about the amount of two cups of coffee) Drinking small amounts of caffeine during pregnancy is generally seen as safe. If your blood pressure has become high enough that your doctor is now having to keep a close eye on you, especially if you are at risk for preeclampsia, then having the equivalent of two cups of coffee at once is definitely something you want to avoid.

The third ingredient in Excedrin is what may present a problem - aspirin.

Aspirin is in a group of medications called NSAIDs or non-steroidal-anti-inflammatories, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are also in this group (and are also advised to be steered clear of during pregnancy, in most cases)

Aspirin is one of those medications that the majority of women will be told to stay away from during pregnancy. While a single dose is unlikely to cause a problem, taking the full adult dose repeatedly can cause problems. Taking it early in pregnancy is associated with increased risk for miscarriage. Late in pregnancy it can cause bleeding complications for both you and the baby.

That said - some women are candidates for low dose aspirin therapy during pregnancy. There has been evidence that it may actually help reduce the possibility of preeclampsia.

Aspirin is also something you do not want to have in your system while breastfeeding, because it is passed through breast milk. Children taking aspirin while they have a viral infection may develop Reye's Syndrome, a very serious medical condition. (On any packaging of meds containing aspirin, there is a warning about Reye's Syndrome and to not give aspirin to children under 18 years of age).

Excedrin Tension Headache has the acetaminophen and caffeine, without the aspirin. Excedrin PM contains the acetaminophen with diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Benadryl is Class B when it comes to pregnancy, meaning it hasn't been shown to cause problems, but they don't know enough to rule out that it could. Benadryl is sometimes used in the emergency room to help relieve migraine headaches. Either of these options would be something you could discuss with your doctor for OTC medications.