Migraines- Botox Treatment?

[Fuego1]

I have a combination of both migraines and tension headaches. The two types are very distinct to me- I have constant headaches that are attributed more to tension, but then I also have definite migraines that come on and it’s a very different feeling. Like I want to gouge my eyes out and stick them in a bucket of ice, while in a pitch black and silent room. My poor boyfriend has gotten great at bringing me ice packs to alternate while remaining very quiet.

My Botox is tomorrow!

Something else I wanted to ask about- at Horse Expo there was a booth with a company selling TENS units. The lady put it on me and wow it felt great… So yes amazing boyfriend bought me one. I have used it before bed the last couple nights- I’ve slept as if I took a few muscle relaxers. It’s great! Anyone have one of these? I wasn’t sure at first but in my opinion it was worth the money. It’s small and I can use it at work on tight muscles, too. Of course I have already tried to figure out if I can use it on my horse…

[Calamber]

I have a friend who works on both horses and humans with tens units. I had physical therapy for my back, (hydraulic bed to essentially lengthen the body), they put ice and a tens on me. It works, so does an infrared unit that I use called a Microlight laser. Glad that you are getting relief. Also, if you can find it and afford it, try to find a specialist in the Jones Strain/Counterstrain method, it is fabulous!

[anmoro]

I have had botox for migraines several times. I have found that cosmetic botox (the formulation as well as location of shots) did help but in a very minor way.

My neurologist gives me 45 shots when I get it. Does it hurt? HELL YES!!! The first time, the post injection headaches and muscle spasms were so bad I needed phenergan for vomitting and muscle relaxers. After the first 4 days I felt much better. That being said, while it didn’t “cure” me of migraines, it definitely reduced them. The first round only decreased them by a handful, however I decided to give it a shot and did round two, three months later, then round three, three months after that. I actually went 45 days with no headaches which is fairly unheard of for me. It is expensive and can be a hassle, but it allowed me to live a more “normal” (relatively speaking) life.

[Fuego1]

Just an update… I was pretty sore for the couple days after the shots, woke up with a BAD migraine 2 days after, but I’m now about a week and a half out and already notice some reduction in headaches!
It was the weirdest thing for a couple days though, I had cleaned a bunch of stalls and I don’t know if I used different muscles because some were paralyzed or what, but following that I was so sore and just…unable to move that I could barely lift my arms. Haha. I have regained normal range of motion. Maybe not 100% with my eyebrows

Anyway, summary is I was uncomfortable right after but it’s looking like it’s worth it! Since I am already having some reduction in headaches and a lot of people don’t seem to see any results this soon.

[LCDR]

Doesn’t the positive result only last a couple of months? Then when migraines return or go back to pre-treatment frequency, repeat injections around every three months are needed.

Have any of you had a longer duration effect or even better, not needed regularly repeated
injections?

[MaidenRiderCali]

I did not use botox, my n-migraine regimen entailed taking aspirin and feverfew at first suggestion of a mrgraine coming on. That was to open the capillaries and thin the blood.

Then I would do self-hypnosis, to entirely relax - any tension can get in the way of stopping or shortening a migraine. Even something like yoga breathing will work for this part. Or just lay down and completely r-e-l-a-x.

When the episode seems to have passed, I took a SAM-e and a multi-B vitamin (both of which I bought at Vitacost, online.

Now that I’m older, I barely ever get one. Mostly only if I get sick with something else, like the flu. (Which is rare.) Be well!

[eclipse]

Another migraineour chiming in! I’ve been getting Botox for the last 2 to 3 years and while it’s not a cure I’ve had about 75% reduction in severity….good enough my meds have been lowered (I’m no longer on Topomax and half a sumatriptan now gets rid of an active migraine)! My weather related migraines are so much better but I still cannot tolerate alcohol so I avoid usually.
Each time I get Botox it gets better although I do suffer with a sore neck more often! It wears off after about 10 weeks and I’m looking forward to getting it when the 12th week rolls around….it hurts me more in the right side while he’s injecting and that’s the side I get migraines on but when he does the injections into my occipital area “oh sweet relief immediately “…it’s like someone is instantly “popping a knot”…I’m just not sure how to describe it but that are definitely has issues!

I’m very thankful my insurance covers all but $25 and Alberta healthcare covers all injecting fees otherwise it would be $800Cad every 3 months!

It’s also given in slightly different forehead areas to cosmetic Botox, so while my “elevenses” have smoothed out the center of my forehead can still move ….theres 4 injections along the top of forehead, one between my eyes, one above each eyebrow! Then injections on the top of my head in the hair, a few on each side above the ear area, then in the base of neck are and finally across each shoulder….they feel like bee stings, not pleasant but not overly painful. The worst are the forehead ones!

[anonevent]

In my experience, I still had aura symptoms, but the pain didn’t escalate to full migraine pain where I fantasized about drilling through my own skull to relieve the pressure.

It really depends on the source of your migraines. Identifying and eliminating the triggers is the only real solution.

Good luck.

[Willesdon]

I see a McTimony Chiropractor regularly for maintenance but go immediately after I fall off a horse. This is because many years ago I had a concussion for several months until I went to see a McTimony practitioner who stopped all my symptoms with one adjustment. Peace: bliss! It hadn’t occured to me to try chiro. I’ve sent a friend who had frequent migraines to see my practitioner and her migraines seem to have stopped. It might be worth trying such treatment in preference to drugs.