Botox and the Superstitions of Chronic Illness is my first post on Migraine.com, which I’ve joined as a patient advocate. In the post, I describe the pros and cons of Botox and my decision to get the injections today.
I have just returned from the doctor’s office and do not have a horrendous migraine from the injections, which was one of my big worries. I had a migraine going in, so I took a Midrin about 30 minutes before the injections and a Maxalt melt right after. I hope I’ve circumvented the post-Botox migraine.
My headache specialist’s physician assistant did the injections today. He has chronic migraine that is completely under control with Botox. Before Botox, he took nortriptyline and still had one severe and two moderate migraines each week. Now he is migraine free as long as he gets Botox every six months. He has had a total of 28 rounds of injections and has been side effect-free. That’s some powerful anecdotal evidence.
The physician assistant said it takes between a week and a month to see if Botox is helpful for a patient, though most people see results by 10 days after the injection date. My fingers are crossed that I’m one of the lucky ones.
I’ve had three rounds of injections, with four months between each. I’ve had anywhere from 3-5 weeks of relief, with the pain increasing after that. I can only receive the Medical Botox every four months, so that last month can be nasty, but otherwise, it’s the only thing that has really helped at all.
I have a friend that is a migraine sufferer and he told me a lot about his attacks being influenced by weather.He started to keep a journal about this and has some great observations.I hope he gets well.
Kerrie,
I just found your blog. Thanks for sharing your migraine journey with us! It will take me a while to catch up but a quick glance tells me you haven’t yet discovered my number one life-saver, Sandomigran. It’s a migraine preventative, and one of the few drugs developed specifically for that purpose. I went from have 20 migraine days per month down to just 2 or 3. Truly life-changing! The down side: I gained 20 lbs in 3 months (for me, this was a good thing as I was underweight), and the effect of the medication gradually wears off so that you have to take breaks from it every year or so. For some reason that they can’t fully explain, doctors are reluctant to prescribe it so it may be difficult to get. In fact, I’m not sure if it’s available in the US (I’m in Canada.) But if you’re suffering like Vibi, it is defintely worth searching out. Here’s the wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizotifen
Kerrie:
I hope the Botox injections are successful and your insurance
covered it. The first time tried Botox-insurance would not go
for it. But the 2nd time-they did. It is sure nice to save several
hundred dollars. Keep in mind some headache specialists start
with a 1/2 dosage of botox. And if that is not successful-3
months later they will do a full dosage. Please keep us posted
per your results. My neurologist/pain experts said relief could
start in as early as 4 days. Your post was 5 days ago-so we
hope relief is just around the corner for you.
To a “migraine/headache free day”!!!!
Good luck Kerrie, I truly hope the botox helps you and I am interested to follow your progress over the coming days and weeks.
Exciting times for you Kerrie!
I’ve done Botox injections for migraines for two years now. They certainly reduce the amounts of daily migraine. They don’t remove my migraine-attacks with aura, but probably makes them less intense.
The full effect of the Botox(the visible effect), is after ca one week. For your migraine, you might see results after a week or two, possible a month.
I have injections every four months.
After a terrible autum, with daily chronic headaches/migraines, and a use of 30-35 triptans a month, i’m now on a 6 week period without any drugs. This is the fourth day, and life is hell!! I’m taking corticosteroids for ten days, but so far no effect. I have severe migraine attacks, which lasts for 24-40 hours.
Can’t sleep, and is very depressed an anxious.
Is this really doable?? Anyone done it before, and can share some experience or give me a pep-talk?
I’m struggling big-time! Please let this get better soon.
Vibi