My Botox eperience

For my migraines, I had my first Botox treatment in late December.  We have scheduled a second for the end of March.  I was aptly told that it would likely take 4-5 treatments, every 12 weeks, in order to see if any progress could be made with my migraine.

The first treatment did not effect my migraine or my cervicalgia, however they also did injections in my traps and my back and shoulders are so tight with so many knots, it actually after 4-5 days released some of the knots.  Not all, but progress.  I am hopeful for more progress there and then up into my neck to start working on my cervicalgia.  Working on this should help the migraine as one feeds off the other.

Interestingly, when I was at the neurologist yesterday and was mentioning how my Essential Tremor has, although improved some from last September, is still very bad in my left arm and hand mainly - although present and seen in my right hand - it acts up with any activity.

The interesting thing - my neurologist suggested and ordered more Botox and is going to have the neurologist who does the injections (they already were increasing number and amount of Botox) to put injections in my arm and see if it helps any my Essential Tremor.

I am excited, although patient and realistic, to see how things go. 

I have heard from others how sore and painful their Botox experience has been.  For me, my doctor gives me two Vicodin and a Lidocaine numbing cream for before.  I take one Vicodin 2 hours prior and one at the time of my appointment.  The Lidocaine cream I put on - well someone puts on for me - an hour before.  And I did not have this soreness and painfulness.  The injections did hurt - but no where near how bad my migraine hurts so easy to brush off for me.  I also received Lidocaine patches for my traps for after the treatment to put on right away and then again the next day also because they said it would be really sore.  That helped a lot and then I didn't get the experience others have mentioned.

I have heard others do not have doctor's give them the meds for this pre-treatment and perhaps it is cause of more pain.  I know I definitely said I needed the vicodin again for my next session because what I had heard from others and I thought that must have tempered it.

I also can say that for my migraine - Vicodin does Nil, Nada, Zilch - no effect or help for migraine pain.  I know others take Vicodin for their migraines and it helps which shows everyone is different - but for me, nothing.  Same for other narcotics that I was previously given for migraines - Oxycodone and the like - did nothing for the pain.  Maybe made me "care" less - be more out of it - not the Vicodin but these others - but did nothing to temper the pain.  But did hinder my thinking ability even more than the Migraine does - along with other chronic illnesses - so I don't like them personally because I like a sense of control, even with the constant pain.

Anyhow - those are my thoughts and update on my Botox experience.  Next up to look for - my month long drama with a problem with medications having nothing to do with doctors or prescriptions but insurance companies and going without and a change that made February so foggy.  Thankful for my appointment yesterday that straightened some out and already seeing the me back again some.  Hey there - missed you.

As always I wish you all the best health and best wishes.

Elizabeth

copyrighted by Elizabeth Wakefield