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BOTOX for Migraine?

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 3/22/2011 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
I am a 20 year old female that has been having migraines for the past 2 years. I usually have about 3-4 a week and sometimes they can last for about 5 days. They get to the point where I can't eat anything and am in bed for days at a time, which is very inconvenient since I am a college student. My neurologist has never done an MRI or CAT scan, but she has had me try countless medications such as topamax, gabapentin, and amitriptyline. Without any of these medications, I have a constant headache and can't function, but with them I still have migraines much of the time plus the side effects that they come with. Increasing the dosage of any of these would be risky because I'm so young and little and my body couldn't handle it. My neurologist has said the next step is Botox injections. I know that the FDA approved Botox for the treatment of chronic migraines, but I'm really not looking forward to having chemicals shot into my forehead with needles if it's not going to do anything. Has anyone had experience with Botox injections for the treatment of migraines and what were the results you had?

-Megan
Posted 3/27/2011 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
Megan, I too have chronic migraines, I am waiting to hear from my neurologist by March 28th about having the injections. I have been dealing with my insurance company for quite a while now, they did not want to pay for the botox injections. The insurance company said after reviewing my records and seeing how many medications I have tried for my migraines that they can see the botox injections are medically necessary. I have had a migraine all day, but had to keep going regardless. My youngest daughter had her 10th birthday party at a bowling alley with a group of her girl friends, talking about hard to do with a migraine! I tried to hide my pain, but it was so hard. I was hospitalized at UVA in Charlottesville Va back in the fall of 2010, they gave me DHE IV treatments, but that was short lived and was a total waste of money. I'm just praying the botox works, at $700.00 per treatment I sure hope so!! I hope you find something that helps you. take care!

Cindy
Posted 3/28/2011 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
I tried Botox it did not work for my migraines.
Mid 40s male.
I also tried the same prevetitives as you with no luck.
Just did 5 accupunture treatments and so far somewhat effective.
Posted 3/29/2011 2:49 AM (GMT 0)
Just talked to my doctor's office nurse, the botox injections have went up to $825 per vial and I have to have them every three months. WOW! I don't work out side the home because of these migraines, but might have to suffer through the migraines and find a job. I have to pay a $300.00 deductable then my insurance kicks in and pays 85% of the bill, but I'm still going to have a hard time paying for these treatments. I pray it's not more money wasted. I can't believe it cost that much! I have heard of accupunture helping some people, but have never tried that, not sure if my insurance would cover that or not.
Posted 3/29/2011 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Good grief! I really hadn't thought about insurance being such a problem. It's probably something I should look into before I agree to anything. Thanks for letting me know about that and I hope that it works for you!
Posted 3/29/2011 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
I have done botox for two sessions and no help at all. I have continuous headaches.
It it quite expensive and for me the injections were quite painful.
I wish you much luck.
Posted 3/30/2011 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
I guess when you suffer with migraines everyday, you really can't put a price on getting relief. The botox is very expensive, but if it gives me my life back and I'm able to get a job and work out side the home, that would be such a blessing. I have been on disability for several years due to epilepsy and migraines. I am seizure Free now, but migraines have increased to daily. :( I wish I was able to work at least part time to help pay for these injections, but I don't think you can work at all while on disability. I tried subbing at my daughter's school, but the noise was just too much. I don't know what I was thinking! LOL! I had to leave once because I just couldn't take anymore noise and having to take the kids outside in the bright sunshine was too much for my aching, throbbing head. I have to be at my neurologist office at 8:15am to start the botox injections. What a great way to start your morning having needles put in your head and neck, it sounds terrible, but I've been through worse. Blessings ~
Posted 3/30/2011 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
Yep, I've heard that if you get botox from someone who is very experienced with giving the injections for migraine(this is absolutely key) and you have chronic migraine, the success rate is between 55-65%. If you have a doctor who is exceptionally experienced, the success rate can jump to as high as 80% (after upto 3 rounds)... or so I've been told. Either way, those are some pretty impressive stats.

Mercyme, what are you on for the epilepsy? Is one of your drugs lamictal?
Posted 4/1/2011 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Yes Evil I take lamictal for seizure control. I have been seizure free for several years, but the neur surgeon suggest I stay on an anti convulsant for a safety net. I had an appt tomorrow morning for the botox injections for my migraines, but I cancelled it. My husband got hurt at work yesterday and I didn't want to get in a financial bind trying to pay for the treatments. My neurologist office charges $825! and that's per session. Have two to three rounds of botox could end up costing me thousands! Waiting to talk to a surgeon out in Houston Tx about having Nerve Decompression Surgery. If there is a nerve compressed then the botox will not help.

Cindy
Posted 4/2/2011 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Cindy,

I'm not surprised. Lamictal is a double edged sword when it comes to migraine. Some people find it helps (I've heard it helps those most who: are sensitive to MSG (glutamate) and who have migraine with aura without headache) and for others it can makes migraines much, much worse. Did the migraines start or get worse, when you started the lamictal?

Seizure control is definitely the most important thing and if it has been working then its probably worth sticking with. If you have an epileptologist that you trust, it wouldn't hurt to talk to him/her about your migraines and see if s/he thinks its lamictal related. There are other AEDs you could use as a safety net.

Post Edited (EvilFluorescents) : 4/1/2011 11:09:09 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/4/2011 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken lamictal for over ten years. The migraines have just gotten worse the past couple of years. My insurance company gave the approval for me to have botox injections for my migraines, but they don't totally cover it. I have to pay out of pocket around $300. every three months, right now that's a lot of money. The botox injections cost nearly $900.00 per treatment and that's every three months that I have to have them! They told me that I'd probably need to have them several times before I could feel any results, that could run into thousands of dollars quickly!! It's just so hard to know what to do. I've heard that botox for migraines was a waste, then I've heard it was wonderful. Something I for sure have to pray about. :) Any thoughts?

Blessings wink

Mercyme/Cindy
Posted 4/4/2011 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, it's a tough and personal decision. Botox certainly doesn't come cheap. But months of extra drug trials (and lost productivity) also cost money.

Usually if you see results it will be after the first, second, or third round. All I can re-emphasize is how important is it that you have someone giving the injections who has a lot of experience (doing it for migraine). This is were you often see the big discrepancies in results.

I hope this is helpful.

Best of luck!
Posted 4/4/2011 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
My wife is just starting this and the initial response to Botox is not as great as I had hoped. After the injection, she was pain free for 2 days. Day 3 pain starting returning and getting worse each day. Today is day 9 and the wife has been down in pain, and this after taking 10mg of Zomig. She received 200mg of Botox, what have you all recieved? Whats "normal" dosage? On a side note, if you have spouses / significant others, how do they cope? I am supportive as the next person but sometimes it's hard not to get discouraged and frustrated that the person i love cannot even get out of bed and live. I do work at staying positive and being her rock.
She has tried all the meds mentioned here, all with no success. She is currently on Zonegran 50mg, and all it seems to do is cause an annoying buzzing in both ears, which only adds to her insomnia. Has anyone had any luck with medicinal marijuana? She has tried some and it does seem to help with pain mgmt when Zomig is failing. As you can tell i am a little bit all over the place with this migraine stuff. Sorry about that, just at this point not sure where else to go or look to. It is definetly taking an affect on my wife's well being and it has at time driven her to a very depressed state. Thanks for the virtual shoulder.
Posted 4/6/2011 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
Dear SupportiveHusband...I have been disabled for 17 years--3 years ago I finally got a diagnosis of Chronic Lyme Disease. I've been treated now, but I'm not back to normal even though I'm not getting sicker. I haven't been able to work, clean the house, cook dinners, do the wash, or go the grocery by myself in all that time. I'm weak, dizzy, forgetful and have almost daily migraines. I spend 95% of my day in bed on the computer or watching TV. My "Supportive Husband" works for a paycheck, cleans, cooks, does laundry, shops, walks the dogs, brings me coffee in the morning and somehow keeps a cheery attitude year after year. He is an engineer and more than anything he would just like to "fix" me. And it frustrates him terribly that the doctors can't. But he never gives up looking for an alternative treatment (most of which I ignore cuz they're too flaky, LOL) and he never gripes about how it all turned out differently than we planned. It sounds like you are a great husband, too. Lots of marriages where one person gets sick end in divorce. Just keep doing what you're doing...and if she gets too depressed for too long, get her some therapy and meds. I needed them and they helped.
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