Botox

[burningembers6]

I'm currently on Topamax. I've started sleeping about 18 hours a day and feel like shit. I'm still getting migraines about 4 days a week. Every preventive pill I try, it works for a few months tops. Then it is back to daily migraines. I called my specialist today to tell him about the Topamax.He told me the regular medications aren't working. He

Comments

[omnipotentsushi]

I've been doing botox for, wow a year now and it's the best thing I've ever done for my migraines. I used to need to take upwards of 15 zomig pills a month for my migraines, but the botox dropped that down to about 4 when I was also taking doxepin daily. I'm off doxepin now because I'm trying to get pregnant, so that number has gone up to 7-9 or so now.
The only side effect I ever got was neck pain for a few days a week or so after the first treatment, but it was no where near the level of pain of a migraine.
I still take magnesium and b complex vitamins to help, and plan on going back to doxepin when it's safe. You might want to ask your doctor about adding something like that in addition to the botox. It's not a new migraine specific medication, it's actually an old school anti depressant, but I only took 100mg a day so not near the typical levels used for depression. I still have zomig for when I get migraines, so you will still want to have an abortive available unless you get lucky and the botox eliminates them completely.

[rasa]

I was only able to afford one round, so it was not helpful at all for my migraines but man if I didn't have a smooth forehead, haha! It was really disconcerting not being able to raise my eyebrows and my forehead felt like a slab of marble, but that wore off. Unevenly. So I looked like Mr. Spock. You have no idea how much you use your eyebrows until they don't move!

It wouldn't put me off trying again if I could though. Hope you find some relief.

[burningembers6]

How much did the Botox cost out of pocket? How long did it take to wear off?

[rasa]

Oof, it was a while ago. I want to say in the $500's. I only had to pay for the actual Botox, the neuro visit to get it injected was covered. My pharmacist was also a friend of mine and he got me the best deal he could find and applied some kind of special discount he had access to and it was still very, very expensive. At the time for me it was worth it to try. I was only able to get the one treatment (as I couldn't afford the $500 every time!) so I didn't get any benefit from it other than the super smooth forehead ;)

I would say the paralysis effect took a good 12 weeks to wear of totally. It got better gradually, and it was only my forehead/eyebrows that were affected. Man do you use your eyebrows a lot though! I wouldn't NOT do it for that reason though, it wasn't painful or uncomfortable, even getting the shots was just a minor annoyance.

[rooftop_views]

I looove my botox. I had some bad reaction to it being in my neck aka pain but now we just dont put any in my neck. thankfully for me my ins covers it. wouldnt ever wanna live without it! and yeah, totally freezes your forehead. but I still love it.
the CHRONICles --my journey of chronic pain and mental healt: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjDKXwXgzCngnFHalr53aTJ1QGTxsRzuo