Category Archives: Botox

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MHNI Visit #13

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2/2/2016 Yesterday I had my follow up with my Dr’s at MHNI yesterday.

I woke with a full blown migraine. I took my morning meds and an IMITREX, put my IceKap on and slept for an hour. When I woke up I felt so much better, thank goodness, because I had no idea how I would make it through the day.  Gideon took all of his meds like a champion this morning (thank goodness). He had to go with us to the Dr. appointments because he couldn’t go to school, I couldn’t drive and we didn’t want to expose anyone else to his multiple illnesses.  So he got to hang out in the car with us for the day. He is all set with electronics, movies and his new little stuffed animal. Then as we went to all get in the car, we had locked our one and only set of keys in the car. Luckily Dan is a pretty handy guy and we still had a metal hanger. Car unlocked, and only 15 minutes late. Then I downed some ice tea (caffeine) to further help knock out the migraine.

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My neurologist changed the triptan I was on (Imitrex) to a triptan called Amerge for an abortive med for the classic migraine, hoping it will have less side effects.   We also discussed adding Flexeril to my preventative meds for NDPH. He had read an article that people with NDPH have had great success with Flexeril, so I will be starting that tomorrow.  We will see how it goes. It is a low dose so hopefully I won’t have to many side effects.  The last change to my meds is to increase my migraine preventative medication, Robaxon to its maximum dosage to see if I had any better luck at a higher dose.  At my next office visit if my migraines haven’t gotten any better, we will try a new preventative med.  I didn’t want to add a new medication before our vacation. If the increase in this med doesn’t work, we try another at another at my next appointment. The goal is to find a med that will break the cycle of the migraines and NDPH and prevent further head pain. I also now have the option to make an apt for nerve blocks in my temples as needed every 6 weeks which thus far has been a miracle block.  I get an entire week of pain free.

2/3/2016 Today Gideon and I had a whirlwind day.  Josiah had a delay in school, so we drove him to school, so Gideon and I went to CVS to return our late Red box movies..ugh, we have to stop doing that!  And then I realized I forgot my prescriptions…ugh again!  We did manage to get to the post office to resend for the 3rd time documents to SSDI…ugh why do they keep losing my paperwork.  We drove back home to get the prescriptions…ugh.  Went back to CVS and then headed to Eaton Rapids for lunch with Dawn at McDonalds…Gideon was so excited!  Then a follow up with his Dr.  He is still full of illness 😦  Double ear infection still, swollen glands, sinuses completely blocked up.  So she prescribed prednisone to help all of the swelling (Is it bad that I want to keep the prednisone for myself 😛 and no I gave the steroid to Gideon.  He is feeling better, but just the energy level!  The rest of his little body still hurts.

Once we got home I passed out with a migraine on my left side (very unusual for me, most of my migraines are on the right side).  Still have a mild migraine but a good day overall.

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Botox: MHNI visit #6

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6/18/15 My insurance company finally approved the Botox for 3 rounds of injections through the end of the year. Headaches have been pretty awful lately so I am really hoping this does something positive.

June 18th

Botox is done. It was awful…30 injections in my face, around my head, down my neck and shoulders.  So yay!  No more wrinkles.  I did have to do a Toradol shot, so I am feeling a lot better now.  So my mom and I went off to lunch at Five Guys Burger where I was sorely disappointed because their fries are deep fried in Peanut Oil (allergic to peanuts) and the oil was everywhere. Just hoping I don’t have a reaction. Then off to Trader Joes where I bought spicy California roll and the very best spicy black bean dip!

On our way home to rest. Long morning!!  Unfortunately the peanut oil or the California roll hit me bad on the drive home…first the bloating (I can literally feel my pants get tighter) then the gas and then the cramping.  Luckily I had my antihistamines with me and took it but I always feel crappy for several hours after..until the bloating and gas and cramping stop.

So all in all a fun day 🙂  Haha!

 

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An Update

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Starting with the positives. The neurologist did the nerve block again and again with success. And although temporary it means that I not only have some headache free days over the next week as along as I don’t push it, but it also means that I am a good candidate for the radio frequency nerve ablation, where they basically kill the nerve that is giving me such terrible headaches. I meet with the Pain Specialist next Monday for a consult and will hopefully get that scheduled, however they are scheduling 6-8 weeks out. This will be a more permanent solution whereas the nerve blocks at most last a week.

They are also checking with my insurance company about Botox injections to see if they are covered. The neurologist is hoping that ablation in combination with the Botox and medication (of which I am now only on one called Lyrica) should treat all three headaches that I have going on at any given time.

The physical therapist also gave me a script for a tens unit to help between now and when all of the above have been completed and take affect. I am also going to physical therapy and for the first time in a long time the majority of the tension in my neck is relieved. So that is wonderful.

My next apt with the neurologist is June 10th and so my return to work date is June 10th. My FMLA runs out May 25th, so I am not sure what that will mean for my job. Trying pretty hard to put this all in God’s hands because it is truly out of my control. I really would hate to lose that job, it was one of the best jobs I have had and it was such a great company to work for, but at this point there is no way I could possibly work. When all 3 headaches decide to be present I am down for about 3 days, in bed all day. And although I am learning some of the triggers and can try to avoid them, talking is one of my biggest triggers as well as bending over or looking down, chin to chest. I have also found that using my arms out in front of me quite quickly brings on at least one of the headaches.

So again I say this is all in God’s hands at this point and I have to rely fully on him.

March 3rd