A Professional question to any Migraine sufferers

[MarkO]

As part of the non-dental bit of my Practice I do aesthetic treatments with botox and fillers. Recently the FDA approved a regime of Botox injections to treat/prevent migraine.

As with all things FDA approved the guidelines are quite stringent and the treatment involves 7 sites of injection and a total of 155 units. To give a rough idea this would be around $2300 and the guidelines suggests every 12 weeks.

My question is if any members suffer from migraine is this a treatment you are aware of. Has anyone had this treatment and if so did it work. I am trying to find out if everyone has all 7 sites or if you have had just specific sites treated. How often are you repeating the treatment.

I am considering offering this as a treatment but before I go off on yet another course I wanted to do a little research among migraine sufferers.

If you don't want to post a public reply please feel free to pm me.

Obviously, given my location I am not trying to sell the good members of IWL anything, just seeking information.

Regards Mark

[Raza]

I get pretty bad migraines, but this is the first I'm hearing of the treatment.

Honestly, I'm skeptical of new treatments, especially ones involving injecting me with poison. I'll stick to my opiate painkillers.

[OTGabe]

I have suffered from migraines for years and I am aware of this treatment. Thankfully mine are successfully being managed with a low dose hypertension medication and rizatriptan. I have a sister in law who has been unable to find an effective treatment and she mentioned the botox injections recently. Apparently it has a high success rate based on what he doctors have told her, though some of the side effects are unpleasant. And as you mentioned, the cost is quite high. I would look at it as a last resort after everything else has been tried.

[93EXCivic]

Is it a one time thing? AKA do you only have to go thru the run 155 unit once?

My wife suffers from migraines badly and currently takes Topamax. But it's side effects suck (a lot of them have calmed down though) and I worry about the long term effects of a drug that works on the brain.

[MarkO]

My understanding is that if the trigger is from a muscle tension around the scalp/neck/forehead then this may work, but if the trigger is more vascular then perhaps not.

Raza - do you find opiates work better for you than one of the Triptans?

[MarkO]

Is it a one time thing? AKA do you only have to go thru the run 155 unit once?

My wife suffers from migraines badly and currently takes Topamax. But it's side effects suck (a lot of them have calmed down though) and I worry about the long term effects of a drug that works on the brain.

The full FDA approved schedule is for 155 units every 12 weeks.
I am trying to find out if variations on this work for people as this is a considerable expense. FDA have their guidelines and obviously the makers of Botox want to sell lots of product.

[Ryan]

I wonder if, in the US, insurers would cover this. My guess is no.

[MHe225]

I am aware of this treatment but never tried it. Heard / read about it for the first time several years ago - personally I am not too keen on (then still) experimental treatments and rather see some stats and long term side effects first. You never what you trade (no more) migraine today, for ......

That said, migraines are a bitch and only those who have them will understand. Mine are a left-over from a car-crash and subsequent (minor, fortunately) brain damage. Used to have near-photographic memory, but not anymore. I'm keeping stats and if I string all my migraines together, we're looking at over 5 years of continuous migraines ......

I have seen several neurologists, many tests were run and time-lapse / differential MRI has pinpointed the origin of my migraines, yet additional hi-res MRI's were unable to show or reveal any damage or anomalies. That's when the docs suggested exploratory surgery and I called it quits and decided to live with my migraines. Time has been my best friend, though and both frequency and intensity of these migraines is greatly reduced now.

[MarkO]

I wonder if, in the US, insurers would cover this. My guess is no.

As an on-label FDA approved treatment they may do, lets face it none of the prescribed drugs to treat are cheap either.
I don't have to deal with insurance companies here so I have not looked into that aspect.

[MarkO]

I am aware of this treatment but never tried it. Heard / read about it for the first time several years ago - personally I am not too keen on (then still) experimental treatments and rather see some stats and long term side effects first. You never what you trade (no more) migraine today, for ......

That said, migraines are a bitch and only those who have them will understand. Mine are a left-over from a car-crash and subsequent (minor, fortunately) brain damage. Used to have near-photographic memory, but not anymore. I'm keeping stats and if I string all my migraines together, we're looking at over 5 years of continuous migraines ......

I have seen several neurologists, many tests were run and time-lapse / differential MRI has pinpointed the origin of my migraines, yet additional hi-res MRI's were unable to show or reveal any damage or anomalies. That's when the docs suggested exploratory surgery and I called it quits and decided to live with my migraines. Time has been my best friend, though and both frequency and intensity of these migraines is greatly reduced now.

That sounds like an internal cranial issue, I doubt this would be any help with migraines of that origin.