ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Headaches => Topic started by: kma on August 05, 2010, 07:50:13 am
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I had my first round of Botox injections on Tuesday. The doctor tells me it will take about 5 days before I notice any difference.
Wasn't nearly as painful as I expected ~ more of a sting than pain.
After my appointment, my husband treated me to frozen yogurt for being brave!! (lol). 8)
Fingers crossed and hoping!!
Kathy ;D
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Great, hope this works for you, and remember Botox injections build on eachother too so you may see improvement over time as well. Congrats, hope the frozen yogut was yummy ;)
Liz
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Kathy,
Just interest to know if your insurance covered some of the costs and what knind of doc did your injections. Also my neurologist said that it might take 3 to 4 weeks to get the full effect of pain relief, so if you have a few headaches before then, don't get discouraged.
The side benefit for me is that my forehead, which has had hereditary furrows in it since I was a child, is now about as smooth as it was in high school! I haven't had as much luck with it helping the occipital part of the headache. Hope you get great results!
Capt Deb
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Hi Captain Deb...
I ended up going to my surgeon and talking to him about Botox. He said that once a month, he does a Botox clinic for his patients. He does it for his patients with facial nerve issues but he said that if I wanted to come in, he can do the injections for me.
I went in on August 3rd and he did four injections....two in the back of my head and two in my neck. It was by far the best visit I've had with him. Normally....he's mister speedy and in and out before I can even get my questions out. This time....WOW....he was patient and took his time and talked with me. IT WAS GREAT. That's the stuff that means a lot to me!!
So far....so good on the pain front. I believe I am seeing a difference. I still get some "headache" but there is definately improvement. Now that I've had it once and can see what it can do ~ there are a couple more spots that I'd like him to zap. He said it would/should last about three months and then I can come back in and we'll do it again.
Wish I could get him to zap my forever frown line between my eyes..........Heck, I'm so happy about having a few days without killer headaches.............who cares about my forever frown!!
xoxo Happy day!!
Kathy :D
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This is great news. Keep up the search for solutions and you will get there. I am crossing my fingers for you or should I say my frown lines.
Mei Mei
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Kathy,
So happy for you, hopefully you continue to have less painful and less frequent headaches. Cheers to relief from your headaches!
Liz
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It puzzles me that you only had 4 injections--I usually get at least a dozen or more and my doc said that was a conservative number. I hope your insurance covers it and hope that it works!
Capt Deb
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I found another anethesiologist that will give Botox shots but can't get in until the 30th. He wants to look at my records before he accepts me as a patient which is unlike all the other doctors I've seen. None of the Occipital Blocks have helped me and Dr. D that first anethsiologist said he wouldn't give me Botox because it is too expensive. What a disappointment. At least this doctor offers it. I was up all night with killer headaches. I don't know what to do until the 30th for treatment. The Verapamil isn't helping and neither is the Neutontin. What do you do when nothing helps? Maybe it's the Dura and I need a scar revision. How do you find out if you do? Who do you go to to tell you you do? I don't want to go through another night of this. I want to start living.
Mei Mei
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Just wanted to chime in on my Botox experience so far. It is definitely worth giving it a shot, especially if meds are not doing the trick for you or are giving you difficult side effects. I am not talking about Botox once or twice, but at least three to 4 times of at least a dozen to 16 injections. I had my third round, three months apart-- about a month ago and I have not been this headache-free since I woke up from surgery 7 1/2 years ago. I seem to even have less headaches than I did BEFORE surgery. Not to say that I am entirely headache-free. I still get an occasional occipital headache which I can stop in a few hours with 2 Fioricet, an ice pack, and rest. I cannot take NSAIDS like ibuprophen or aleve at all any more due to tummy issues, hence the Fioricet, which is Tylenol with a mild dose of valium-like stuff in it. Nothing like the rolling-around-crying-holding-my-head-and-wanting-to-DIE ones I was getting before, and I had about a hundred or so of those in the past 7 1/2 years. I spent thousands of $ on expensive meds--injectable Imitrex, Topamax, Depakote, even with insurance.
The funny thing is that Botox is what my neurologist mentioned to me on my second visit to him, but my insurance co refused to pay for it. It was off label use at the time, but nowdays Allergan markets two different Botoxes--Botox Cosmetic and Botox for theraputic uses. It was $1200 a visit. But that was almost 8 years ago and with new information and studies some insurance cos. may have changed their tune. When I got approved for disability, I got Medicare with it and as soon as I found out that Medicare would pay for it, I scheduled the injections. Since my last round of injections I have not once woke up in the middle of the night or in the morning with a headache, which were the absolute worst of the worst.
Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day to you wicked Wenches and swashbucklin' scallywags!
Capt Deb(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee60/Captdeb_photos/skull_swords_cross_display_md_clr.gif)
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Just had my second round of Botox injections in my myofascial and temporalis muscles. Like Deb, I receive about 17-20 injections each time. When my other doctor did my neck and shoulder, he only gave me 4 injections and they did not help. The more the merrier! :)
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Have my neurology appointment on the 28th. Will ask about them. Asked the Anesthesiologist for them and he immediately said "No, they're too expensive" then he asked me to get the Neuro Stim Implanted which Tricia says costs $40,000. Doesn't make sense. I think the Botox is cheaper, No?
Mei Mei
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Mei Mei,
My guess is that the anesthesiologist doesn't do the botox and wanted to keep you as a patient...just my 2 cents I guess...