Blog #22: First round of Botox
Thirty-one small injections to the face, neck and shoulders. For many people this probably sound like torture. For me, I couldn’t have been any more excited.
No, my life isn’t that dull that a round of Botox is uber-thrilling. Mostly it has to do with the fact that Botox has been on my list of treatment options to try to help better manage my chronic migraine, but I was holding off as I explored other options.
In late June during an appointment with my neurologist, we discussed other treatment options I have yet to try.
Because a few preventatives haven’t been successful for me long term, including amitriptyline, topiramate, propranolol and candesartan, my neurologist and I agreed that Botox would be a good treatment option to explore.
I learnt a lot about Botox for chronic migraine when I wrote an article for Migraine and Headache Australia last year. Check out my blog about Botox and chronic migraine as it explains how Botox works for chronic migraine and the Botox migraine protocol.
First round of Botox
I know a lot of people are probably fearful of Botox because it involves 31 injections. Thankfully I’m not one of those people, probably due to many years working as a nurse and giving children and babies injections and dealing with a lot of things other people may find squeamish. I also used to be a regular blood donor – one time I even raced my brother-in-law to see who could pump out the required amount of blood in the quickest amount of time. I think he won but we both enjoyed the same number of chocolate biscuits afterward. So fair to say I’m not fazed by needles.
My first round of Botox was done during a quick visit to my neurologist at Auckland City Hospital. It took my neurologist about 10–15 minutes to do all 31 injections. I sat in a chair for some of them and lay down for others. A few injections hurt more than the others, but it was very minor discomfort.
Importantly, my Botox injections were given following the PREEMPT migraine protocol. This Botox protocol was developed and tested over 10 years specifically for chronic migraine. The Botox sites differ from the sites used for cosmetic Botox.
These are the Botox injection site following the PREEMPT migraine protocol:
Image source: MigrainePal.com
After my short appointment I drove home, and besides a couple of very minor marks on my face you couldn’t tell I’d had any injections.
I’d read in a few migraine Facebook groups and from other migraine bloggers that you can feel a bit ‘off’ a couple of days after Botox or develop a migraine. And there have been a few reported side effects such as temporary drooping eyelids and muscle pain and weakness Thankfully I had no side-effects.
Has Botox helped?
I had no expectation that the first round of Botox would significantly improve my migraine attacks. It’s often only after the 2nd or 3rd round, given 12 weeks apart, that it starts to be effective.
And I’m thankful I had this expectation because so far I haven’t noticed any difference in the frequency or intensity of my migraine attacks. I’ve had some clearer head days in the past month or so, but I can’t claim that these are due to Botox. I like to think my clear head days are because I work bloody hard at managing my migraine disease through exercise, eating well and other lifestyle habits.
Second round of Botox
I’m due for my second round of Botox in late September. I’m staying optimistic that round two may prove to be of some benefit and then round three I will miraculously be free of migraine attacks. Ha! No I don’t actually believe that, but I am hopeful that after a few rounds I will be one of the lucky ones that Botox does actually benefit. I’m under no illusion that Botox will completely take away my migraine attacks, but I hope it will help to minimise the frequency and intensity of them.
Botox for New Zealanders
Sadly in New Zealand it’s difficult to access Botox through our public health system. Pharmac has approved funding, but many district health boards choose not to fund it. I get it, migraine disease is one of hundreds of other diseases that are fighting for funding dollars. But it’s increasingly frustrating that a clinically proven treatment option, funded in so many other countries, is out of reach of hundreds of thousands of Kiwis affected by migraine disease. And even though I have great health insurance, Botox isn’t included in my coverage.
Frankly that’s nuts.
Like so many New Zealanders, migraine disease impacts my working life. Somewhere in between my less-than-desirable migraine genes are some great braining genes that I’ve put to good use in the workforce since I began adulting.
Yet how many hours I can work are hindered by the fact that very frequently my brain doesn’t do what I want it to do, and I need to take a break from work. Thankfully I can still work part-time, but for others, migraine disease robs them of being able to work at all.
There’s so much untapped potential in Kiwis affected by migraine disease. So many women, and men, who are limited in their working lives because of migraine. With access to better medications – including funded Botox – New Zealand would significantly increase the productivity of so many Kiwis living with migraine disease. It’s frustrating this barrier to effective care exists. And don’t even get me started on how migraine impacts people’s personal lives!
I’ve linked to Migraine and Headache Australia’s Migraine in Australia whitepaper before, which presents the social and economic impact of migraine disease. It’s such a great report about how migraine affects both the individual and society. New Zealand is without such a report but it’s fair to assume our numbers are similar – just divide by 5 to account for our 1/5 of the population of Australia.
I’m incredibly grateful I have access to Botox, partly because I have the means to advocate for myself and because I have invested thousands of hours into learning all about migraine disease, exploring my options and learning from migraine organisations and advocates overseas.
But we Kiwis shouldn’t have to fight for better care, and those of us with migraine disease are often so exhausted anyway to fight that it all seems too hard.
I’ll keep you updated after my second round of Botox. And I’d love to hear your experience with Botox for migraine, either through our public health system or privately funded.
Email me sarah@sayline.co.nz, join the conversation on Facebook or join the Migraine Down Under community in our private Facebook group.
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