Posted on 06/24/2004 6:26:37 AM PDT by TheExploited
After suffering with migraines for over 20 years and trying virtually every drug and treatment including no alcohol, strict diet and regular exercise, I almost fell out of my chair the other day when my Neurologist suggested Botox as a form of treatment for migraines. This appear to be the latest rage for migraine sufferers. At this point, I am willing to try just about anything to get over this. I just spent four days in the hospital getting a treatment called DHE that did not work at all.
I have to be concerned about the impact of the insertion of the Botox into my head on my few remaining brain cells. Please indulge me if by some strange turn of events a DNC talking point finds it's way into one of my posts. It's only the Botox. Don't ZOT me.
I think this the first vanity that I have ever posted so please indulge me. This is great forum and part of my everyday life. There are so many people here that I recognize by screen name that we hear from in good times and bad that would love to meet in person.
It would be great if we could all find a place to meet for the big celebration next January 20.
Botox is used for a lot of different pains. My wife gets it for a back pain. So it is has a lot of good uses other than trying to make Kerry look good. It does not seem to work in his case though.
Google search for botox and migraine:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=botox+migraine
I've heard of it before, but know nothing about it.
I'm willing to try anything at this point. I just hop it doesn't make my eyes bulge out like that nitwit from San Francisco. Everytime she open her mouth, Bush gets more votes from anyone with half a brain.
Try to find someone who has had the treatment and discuss it with them before you try this. Botox is not without dangerous complications.
I had terrible migraines from childhood to about age 35. Nothing helped. About 15 years ago my doctor prescribed a beta blocker for some mitral value prolapse symptoms that I was having. I didn't have another migraine after taking the beta blocker. When I let my prescription run out by mistake a couple of months ago and went a week without the meds, I got a migraine. First one in 15+ years. If you haven't tried this med, please ask your doctor about it. I pray it works for you.
BTW, I do hope you find a solution.
Do you get those crazy migraines where you see ziggy lines for a half hour and then it feels like your head is going to explode? I do. Man they suck. I only get 1 one or two a year though.
I've had BOTOX shots around my eyes for 14 years and my eyes don't bulge. I've had no adverse effects from it either. I get them to keep my eyes from closing involuntarily. Of course, one of the side effects is that I have no wrinkles. I guess that's okay too. LOL. Don't be afraid of it. Just find a good doctor who is experienced in using it.
I think you answered the wrong freeper as I do not get migrains.
That sounds like Optical Migraines.
I have discovered that as soon as I start feeling the slightest headache coming on, I take two Advil or Ibuprofen and it zaps it. Wait longer than that and it's out of control.
Strange..but throwing up eventually ends the long torture and I go to sleep...thank God.
Good luck, sw
That's a good plan. That's the way I keep colds away. The minute my mind says, "feels almost like a cold coming on," I take 2000 Mil of Vit.C and knock it out.
I get migraines fairly constantly, and have never found a conventional manner for trating them that works. So, now whenever I get a migraine, I go out and kill...
Seems to work... < shrugs shoulders >
Please let me know if it works!
sw - I finally caught on to the "go ahead and throw up" remedy last year. It really does work.
Yes. Along with the nausea and numbness. If I can take Tylenol3 during the aura (before the pain) then I don't get the pain-nausea combination.
I'm posting three abstracts from the Journal of Headache and Pain re botox.
December 2003: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BOTOX; Allergan, Irvine, USA) in migraine prophylaxis. We performed a double-blind, randomized, 90-day placebo-controlled study that enrolled 30 adult migraineurs. Patients received 50 units botulinum toxin type A (n=15) or placebo (n=15). Outcome measures were monthly frequency and duration of migraine attacks and the number of severe attacks. Botulinum toxin type A produced significantly greater reductions in the frequency of migraine attacks of any severity at Day 90 (-3.14 vs. -0.53; p<0.05) and in the frequency of severe migraine attacks at Days 60 (-1.4 vs. -0.54; p<0.05) and 90 (-1.8 vs. -0.20; p<0.02). One patient in the botulinum toxin type A group experienced mild, transient frontalis muscle weakness lasting approximately 30 days. Botulinum toxin type A injections were well tolerated and provided effective migraine prophylaxis in these patients.
September 2002: We examined the efficacy of physical therapy and adjunctive botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injections in the treatment of cervical headache. We performed a doubleblind, randomised, placebo-controlled study over a 12-week period in a university clinic outpatients department. A total of 33 patients with cervical headache, diagnosed according to International Headache Society classification were enrolled. All patients received standardized physical therapy over a three-week period. Patients were randomised to receive either BTX-A (Botox) or placebo. The BTX-A group received a total dose of 90 mouse units (mu) BTX-A at six trigger points while the placebo group received saline. Pain characteristics were reported in a headache diary. Tenderness in the neck muscles, the sagittal range of motion and biofeedback measurement were also documented. Both groups showed significant improvement in terms of headache severity (p<0.05), number of headache-free days (p=0.005) and number of headache hours per day (p<0.05). Trends towards an increase in the number of headache-free days and a decrease in headache hours per day were observed in the BTX-A group. No major side effects were observed. Physical measures and BTX-A injections are safe and effective in the treatment of cervical headache.
August 2003: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the use of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A; BOTOX; Allergan, Inc.; Irvine, CA) as preventive treatment of chronic tension-type headache (CTH) on analgesic use and expenditure. This was a prospective, single-center, 1-year, open-label study of the effect of BoNT-A treatment on acute analgesic use and expenditure in CTH patients. A structured headache questionnaire, which included questions about medication costs, was completed by CTH patients attending a specialist headache clinic in Rome prior to BoNT-A injections. Repeat injections were administered every 3 months for up to 1 year. Patients were required to complete the questionnaire prior to each injections cycle. A pharmacoeconomic analysis was performed at each assessment to determine the effect of BoNT-A treatment on analgesic use and expenditure. Three hundred questionnaire were distributed and 296 (98%) were completed. The study population consisted of 67.8% (201) females and 32.2% (95) males, with a mean age of 46.7±16.1 years. The economic evaluation of the pharmacologic treatment of CTTH was conducted on the 101 (34.12%) patients who gave complete information on posology. Pharmacoeconomic data analysis focused on the whole group using analgesics compared to those who self-prescribed and those who turned to health specialists before and after treatment with BoNT-A. Prior to treatment with BoNT-A the median monthly pharmaceutic expenditure per patient was euro (€) 24.30 for the whole group using analgesics, and € 34.93 and € 18.51 for the “self-prescribers” and the “prescribed by specialist” groups, respectively. Median monthly pharmaceutic expenditure decreased significantly for the whole group (p<0.001), the ”self-prescribers” (p<0.01), and the “prescribed by specialist” group (p<0.002) (3rd month: € 13.3, 9.3, 7.2, respectively; 6th month: € 8.9, 9.0, 4.1, respectively; 9th month: € 5.7, 12.4, 3.0, respectively; 12th month € 4.1, 9.8, 3.4, respectively). BoNT-A treatment produced significant reductions in both analgesic use and expenditure. The data suggest that consultation with a specialist would be helpful in patients with CTTH. Cooperative studies on cost analysis of chronic daily headaches, including both CTTH and chronic migraine, comparing the economic cost package borne by patient and community both before and after treatment with BoNTA, are warranted. However, in the near future additional studies to compare clinical efficacy of BoNT-A in CTTH with its painkiller use/expenditure in the control of pain are needed in order to avoid any possible interference due to placebo effect.
Those tiny little muscles cannot contract - or you cannot make them contract. . . and hold the tension. It is a 'beautiful thing' for sure!
.I wish someone would explain why throwing up works. It just takes alot to go ahead and force it, cause that's not pleasant either...ya know?!
sw
Nancy Pelosi. Hey her face is getting better. She can close her mouth a little now.
I don't know why it works, but it lets me go right to sleep. I wish I knew of a more pleasant method to achieve the same result!
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