So, about the botox

It's been 17 days since my first injections of botox for migraines. The session took about 1 1/2 hours and injections were given in my shoulders, neck, scalp, forehead, above my eyes, in between my eyes, and in my cheeks - where the muscles are that cause me to clench my teeth aggravating my TMJD. I was very nervous. My blood pressure was pretty high at the doctor’s office. “Would it hurt? Would it bruise? What if I had a reaction?” were all questions going through my mind. But the big question, the really, really, big question was “What if it doesn’t work?” This isn’t cheap, even with insurance paying. This is the last thing. There’s nothing else after this. I was afraid to be hopeful.

Botox is only sold in 100 unit vials

100 units of botox were injected. It didn’t hurt at all on my shoulders and neck and scalp. Injections above my eyes and in between my eyes were pretty painful. The botox stung. The doctor changed needles several times, and each time she changed the needle, the injections were less painful. Who knew a needle could dull so quickly? The injections bled, but I didn’t know that until afterwards when my husband told me about it. In my mind, as I was preparing myself for the injections, I had equated the needle pain to that of acupuncture. It was more painful, but only slightly. Some of the pain, I’m sure, came from the fear of the unknown. There was some minor bruising on one injection spot on the back of my neck and on my forehead.

My neurologist told me in the best case scenario I would start to see a decrease in intensity and longevity within 2 to 4 weeks. Worst case scenario would be no change at all.

I went back to work after the treatment, and about 2 hours later I had an aura – first one ever – that caused me to see dark spots, have fuzzy vision, and see a pulsing starburst pattern on the left side of my vision. I was concerned and frightened I was having a reaction to the botox. The aura lasted about 30 minutes, and then the pain started.

I had anticipated the treatment would trigger a migraine. Often times stimulation to my scalp will trigger one. Love to get my hair washed at the salon; hate that it might trigger a migraine. What I didn’t anticipate was the severity and longevity of the pain. 7 days later, on a Wednesday afternoon, I ended up in the ER because of the pain. Another first for me. During the past 7 days I had taken 6 Maxalt (a triptan that usually relieves the pain for at least 10 hours or so), ibuprofen, muscle relaxers, demoral, Phenergan, and allergy meds, but none of those things brought the pain level below a 3 on a pain scale of 1 to 10. After a very special IV cocktail of IV fluids, Phenergan, Toradol, Stadol, morphine, and steroids, I still did not leave the hospital pain free. I was seeing lots of pretty colors and pretty much didn’t care that I was hurting, but still hurting nonetheless. But the next day . . .

The next day, day 8, was amazing! I don’t remember the last time I felt that good. Duh! After all those drugs, of course I felt good. I was spiking a fever from a cross-reaction to the Toradol, but dang; I worked 10 hours that day and could have worked longer. The next few mornings were pretty rough detoxing from all the drugs. I was pretty shaky and dizzy until about 3:00 in the afternoons. It was 5 days after my trip to the ER before mornings started feeling normal. But I had no headache.

12 days after the injections someone at work asked me if I was wearing my make-up differently. I smiled and said “no, but here’s what you’re probably noticing.” I told her what she was probably seeing was the side effect of the botox – fewer frown lines between my eyes. When I’m in pain, I frown. My mom can always see it. She knows immediately when I’m hurting because she can see it between my eyes. The botox keeps those muscles from reacting to the pain, so I’m not frowning all the time. I think that’s the difference folks are seeing.

13 days after the injections, I was home chillin’ in the living room, when I started hearing my pulse in my ear. This usually happens after the migraine pain has escalated to a pretty intense level. But I had no pain, just the pulsing. I called my husband because I knew this was a sign the botox was working. After botox, migraine sufferers may experience the normal “first signs” that a migraine is happening, but never have the migraine pain. I was very skeptical of these reports, but then it happened. Pulsing in my ear, and no migraine pain. Wow!

14 days after the injections, I started with some mild tension pain that escalated to a migraine. Because I had taken all my triptans during the first 7 days after the injections, I had nothing but ibuprofen to take. Needless to say, I was unable to attend a church event that night. But the next day, I had no pain. A one day migraine? What’s that? That hadn’t happened to me in years, maybe even ever. I was starting to accept that this treatment might be working.

Today is 17 days after the treatment. I went out to dinner with friends last night – on a Friday night – after work. Planning to take my daughter to a concert tonight. I’ve had 1 migraine headache in the last 10 days and it lasted less than 24 hours. I’m still taking ibuprofen daily for the arthritis I have and the TMJD. I take a muscle relaxer occasionally for the TMJD as well. Taking allergy meds because well, I have to! Darn those allergens! But right now, today, I am hopeful this therapy may be an answer to prayer.