Migraine: Did botox work for you?

Posted by johnetteg @johnetteg, Nov 25, 2018

I had Botox injections for migraines 2 1/2 weeks ago and have been feeling sick. My vision is blurry, I have pressure in my head, I’m lightheaded, I’m having heart palpitations, high blood pressure and heart rate, my stomach has felt sick, I’m having trouble concentrating and focusing. Has anyone else experienced this? It’s really starting to scare me.

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@nurseheadakes

IF BOTOX doesn't work OR you as a patient do not want to go the route of injections in the forehead, neck, and shoulders, then perhaps the next option would be the newest drug called 'aimovig/ally' which the neurologist can provide information about for you. It is advertised on TV all of the time. This medicine is also a program that allows you to give the medicine to yourself. It's not a scary as the BOTOX and it has good results I am told. I may consider going this route now that I have relocated to a more sunnier location, have fewer migraines and have managed to control my overall health to make the jump. With a new physician that specializes in Migraines, this would be a good time to weigh the pros and cons. Remember, looking at all of the possible ways to control your day to day life and what options you can take to manage it with the best controls is the target here. Evaluating what brought on a migraine will allow you to seek out the cause and the eliminate it to the best of your abilities.
I am glad you were able to re-evaluate your options by talking with your doctor about the effects brought on by the Botox and seeking to change it. That is good communication both for you and for the doctor. Good Job and I know it will continue to help you.

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Thanks for the info on the other drug. Will get with my doctor. As for what causes them that is still up in the air! All of my symptoms and start of all these headaches/migraines go back almost a year. They all point to Lyme Disease. Have only had one doctor say that is what it is! (He was a microbioligist from down south and is very farmiliar with it) I live in a Third World State, New Mexico, recent study shows we have the worst medical industry in all 50 states. Have gone through blood tests but have come up negative, but I hear that from most people say about the test. It was my neurologist who decided to treat them as migranes.
I just completed a 1,000 mile business trip over four days. I'm really hurting, all of my Lyme Disease symptoms come back from the stress of the trip. Have been down for 3 days since I got back. I took a chance taking the trip, but had forgotten how bad the symptoms can be.
Sundance

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@russy

Botox didn't work at all for my 8-12 migraines monthly. I tried Amovig and had severe nightmares. My neurogist indicated that he hadn't heard of that problem. The nightmares were very upsetting me. I would have to get out of bed or awhile until I got settled. on one of the cases I went back to bed only for the nightmare to come back. The nightmares were about people in my family getting killed. I have now tried Emgality for two months. I'm down to 3-4 migraines a month. I've had no side effects.

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Thanks for the other info. I just posted how I was doing. My own fault for putting myself in the sitition I did. Just very hard to change my life because of all this! With the exception of Stage IV colon cancer 20 years ago I have been a healthy and active person for over 70 years. I beat the cancer, it was easier than this!
My next avenue after these drugs is seeing a Physcrist. Maybe I need mental help to deal with all of this?
Sundance

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@sundance6

Thanks for the info on the other drug. Will get with my doctor. As for what causes them that is still up in the air! All of my symptoms and start of all these headaches/migraines go back almost a year. They all point to Lyme Disease. Have only had one doctor say that is what it is! (He was a microbioligist from down south and is very farmiliar with it) I live in a Third World State, New Mexico, recent study shows we have the worst medical industry in all 50 states. Have gone through blood tests but have come up negative, but I hear that from most people say about the test. It was my neurologist who decided to treat them as migranes.
I just completed a 1,000 mile business trip over four days. I'm really hurting, all of my Lyme Disease symptoms come back from the stress of the trip. Have been down for 3 days since I got back. I took a chance taking the trip, but had forgotten how bad the symptoms can be.
Sundance

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Lyme's disease is a catch-all disease that may or MAY NOT be what you have. Exhaustion, headaches, stress, jet-lag and disruption of your circadian schedule [ https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx ] will contribute to some of the symptoms you have been feeling just recently. But perhaps, all you have is a virus that is commonly found in all of us - is causing you to feel ill. Headaches/migraines are one thing but the other symptoms you are manifesting need to be addressed. Taking care of YOU should start with good food and liquids including: asparagus, blueberries, radishes, celery, cinnamon, garlic, apricots, and onions - these specific foods will kill the viral cells and help the healing process as discussed in Medial Medium by Anthony William's book. Zinc, thyme, lemon balm and licorice root are some of the herbs that he mentioned as well. Drinking plenty of water with lemon in it will keep you hydrated. Rest, write our your symptoms, diary your headaches and rethink your diet, day to day activities.

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@sundance6

Despite some of you saying not to try Botox Therapy for Migranes, I did anyway! What a mistake! Toxins such as Botox don't set well in my body.It has been almost three weeks since my treatment. I have been having the worse headaches than before I started. I have been having severe nick and shoulder pain. I get very lathargic and depressed because I have them all the time. Doctor said it just happens.Can someone give me some feedback as to if they have had the treatment and any side effects you may experienced. I go to bed with a headache and wake up with one.I won't do another treatment!Sundance

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Did the physician give you any 'break through medication (triptan) for taking to control your headaches? When you put on the BOTOX program, there will be headaches in between the injections and they are suppose to give your Imitrex to control them. If the physicians is certified to give the injections, he/she was not following protocol in writing a subscription for you. The script calls for having enough of the medication so that you can have one pill - take it and if the headache didn't go away, two hours later you could take another one. Call the doctor right away and let him know that the BOTOX was NOT helping. Also....some doctors do not give the higher doses of 200 mg but give only 150 mg (total amt) that could help you more. It is up to the doctor as to the amount that they give. ALWAYS call the doctor if the medicine is NOT working for you within the week post injections. And make sure you have standby medicines for ''Break-through" medicines to get you through until the next Injection in 12 weeks. As time goes by - you will need less and less of this. BUT both you and the physician need to understand how the program works.

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@sundance6

Despite some of you saying not to try Botox Therapy for Migranes, I did anyway! What a mistake! Toxins such as Botox don't set well in my body.It has been almost three weeks since my treatment. I have been having the worse headaches than before I started. I have been having severe nick and shoulder pain. I get very lathargic and depressed because I have them all the time. Doctor said it just happens.Can someone give me some feedback as to if they have had the treatment and any side effects you may experienced. I go to bed with a headache and wake up with one.I won't do another treatment!Sundance

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Was on the Triptan for a couple of months, did no good. Have let the dr. know about my constant and horrible headaches. She told me to take Tylenol. That was a joke. Then she said she had not heard of anyone with my reaction to the Botox. As I said our state is not known for our medical prowis! It has really gotten frusturating dealing with this.
No one has an answer or will not go out of their area to find anything out about what I have. I have had offers from friends in both Houstan and Phoenix to come stay and go to one of the Specail clinics.
Just can't do it now.
Sundance

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@sundance6

Despite some of you saying not to try Botox Therapy for Migranes, I did anyway! What a mistake! Toxins such as Botox don't set well in my body.It has been almost three weeks since my treatment. I have been having the worse headaches than before I started. I have been having severe nick and shoulder pain. I get very lathargic and depressed because I have them all the time. Doctor said it just happens.Can someone give me some feedback as to if they have had the treatment and any side effects you may experienced. I go to bed with a headache and wake up with one.I won't do another treatment!Sundance

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Okay....this physician does not know that there are levels of Triptans to prescribe for BOTOX Step System . If one level of the breakthrough medications does not work, there is the next level of triptan can be tried but there are steps that need to taken in order to get insurance to cover it. Imitrex (sumatriptan) is the first standby med that is normally prescribed for those first starting on this regime. After a course of using and documenting this with your diaries, you will need to show that you at least tried it and it did't work. Your doctor can then prescribed the next level up on the Triptan list to help rid you of your breakthrough headaches. A prior authorization may be needed in order to obtain the medicine but it will be worth it. This worked for me because the Imitrex did nothing for me. My neurologist showed my diaries and wrote the letters, I called my insurance and they authorized the new triptan which works in 10 minutes flat. I rarely get a migraine now. And I like that ...
As far as information - go to the National Migraine Foundation to start with understanding where to go....https://headaches.org/

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Hello, I'm interested if anyone can give me any incite on getting botox injections for headaches? I'm very nervous going forward with botox by looking at the previous comments and because there have been no updated comments for quite a while. I've had a allergic reaction to Ajovy and Emovig. Can anyone help me? Thank you

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@cindyhas123

Hello, I'm interested if anyone can give me any incite on getting botox injections for headaches? I'm very nervous going forward with botox by looking at the previous comments and because there have been no updated comments for quite a while. I've had a allergic reaction to Ajovy and Emovig. Can anyone help me? Thank you

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@cindyhas123 I tried Botox a few years ago for my head pain. It didn’t work for me. After going to the Mayo in Rochester they figured out I had 2 different types of neuralgia pain. I get 3 steroid shots in my head every 3 months. That works for me. They’ve asked if I’d want to ever try Botox again. I emphatically said no way. It didn’t work for me before, why would I think it would work now.
Of course medicine can change a lot in a few years. But, they haven’t presented me with any evidence that Botox would be better than what I’m presently doing. Who knows, maybe my current treatment will quit working and I’ll have to rethink my options.
Hope you can find some answers.

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@cindyhas123

Hello, I'm interested if anyone can give me any incite on getting botox injections for headaches? I'm very nervous going forward with botox by looking at the previous comments and because there have been no updated comments for quite a while. I've had a allergic reaction to Ajovy and Emovig. Can anyone help me? Thank you

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Hi. My experience receiving botox injections, every 3 months, for migraines has been a positive one. It took 2-3 treatments before noticing a benefit. Those final 4 weeks prior to next dose is usually a doozy. I know when I'm due. I also have neuropathy in head, neck, shoulders and I believe botox helps this as well.

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@cindyhas123 I have had boxtox for TMJ which causes ferocious headaches. My experience has been a positive one. At his point insurance will not pay when botox is administered for headaches due to TMJ. Hoping this will change. I am allergic to all steroids.
Keep in mind we are all different when it comes to medications. Also, oft the positive experiences are not what we hear about. Hope this helps.

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