I’ve partnered with Allergan®, an AbbVie firm, to lift consciousness of Continual Migraine by sharing my private story and why I’ve determined to make use of BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) to deal with my Continual Migraine. I’ve lived with this continual illness for over 20 years and acquired BOTOX® injections from my neurologist this previous fall (2020) within the hopes of discovering an efficient therapy for my Continual Migraine.
BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) Vital Info
Indication
BOTOX® is a prescription medication that’s injected to stop complications in adults with continual migraine who’ve 15 or extra days every month with headache lasting 4 or extra hours every day in folks 18 years or older.
It isn’t identified whether or not BOTOX® is protected or efficient to stop complications in sufferers with migraine who’ve 14 or fewer headache days every month (episodic migraine). It isn’t authorised for adults with migraine who’ve 14 or fewer headache days a month.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® could trigger severe uncomfortable side effects that may be life threatening. Get medical assist straight away when you have any of those issues any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX®:
- Issues swallowing, talking, or respiration, on account of weakening of related muscle tissue, could be extreme and lead to lack of life. You’re at highest threat if these issues are pre-existing earlier than injection. Swallowing issues could final for a number of months.
- Unfold of toxin results.The impact of botulinum toxin could have an effect on areas away from the injection web site and trigger severe signs together with: lack of power and all-over muscle weak point, double imaginative and prescient, blurred imaginative and prescient and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or lack of voice, hassle saying phrases clearly, lack of bladder management, hassle respiration, and hassle swallowing.
Please see extra Vital Security Info beneath.
Wanting again on the final 20 years since I first began experiencing migraines, I’m truthfully in a little bit of disbelief over how a lot of an influence Continual Migraine has had on my each day life. And if that sounds a bit dramatic, I promise that, if something, it’s a little bit of an understatement after I look again and mirror on each the headache/migraine ache I used to be experiencing with my Continual Migraine in addition to the psychological anguish and anxiousness that I had.
My historical past with Continual Migraine has been lengthy and never significantly enjoyable to mirror on… I can’t keep in mind my first migraine however I keep in mind them beginning to occur after I was round 12 years outdated, turning into extra frequent and intense over the following couple of years. At 15, I had my first MRI, my migraine assaults turning into so extreme that ER medical doctors at first feared that I used to be experiencing an aneurism. My signs ranged from extreme ache and stress in my head, to dizziness and nausea, to excessive mild and sound sensitivity. All through the rest of highschool, I attempted my finest to push by way of my migraine assaults and tried to adapt to dwelling with them, regularly cancelling plans with buddies on the final minute or pushing by way of schoolwork and sports activities (I used to be a varsity swimmer and water polo participant) as a result of I felt I had no different selection. At occasions, I must keep in a darkish room on my own when experiencing a migraine assault.
At 18, I moved to New York Metropolis for faculty. I attended Parsons, a extremely aggressive design college that had a strict attendance coverage. I took college very severely and supplemented my lessons with a part-time job instantly. Whereas I used to be social and excited to be in New York, college was my precedence. When inevitably my migraine assaults turned worse, I sought out medical steering alone in my new metropolis — I simply knew that with out assist, my Continual Migraine would intervene with my class schedule and my research. Over the following couple of years, I noticed medical doctors that advised remedies, others that advised I used to be simply harassed or wanted extra sleep, many that mentioned I simply wanted to reduce weight (for migraines?!), and a neurologist who put me on a drugs that gave me extreme uncomfortable side effects, and not using a willingness to listen to about my experiences or regulate my therapy. My physician on the time advised it was the fitting strategy as a result of it had helped some sufferers handle their Continual Migraine, however extra importantly, to him (and to me, he’d counsel) was that it will make me reduce weight. I gave this medicine a attempt, however in the end I ended taking it as a result of it didn’t meet my therapy targets and, for years, prevented seeing neurologists once more, fearing the identical expertise.
For the following 10 years, give or take, I took a grin-and-bear-it strategy. I attempted to hide my migraine assaults or simply went by way of them in silence. I had anxiousness about making and having the ability to hold social {and professional} commitments. When, unavoidably, a migraine would come on without warning and I’d must again out of plans, I used to be nervous that buddies, colleagues, or shoppers would assume I used to be faking or dramatizing my signs–one thing I believe is a typical feeling for many individuals with invisible diseases. I attempted my finest to push by way of, however simply knew I wanted to discover a therapy plan that labored for me.
I first turned conscious of BOTOX® for Continual Migraine therapy a number of years in the past. A pal of mine had gotten it and shared the way it had helped her Continual Migraine, however I truthfully held again from trying into it or pursuing it as a result of 1.) I had a lot anxiousness about seeing medical doctors in any respect after years and years of dangerous experiences with medical professionals of every kind, and a pair of.) I positively had some misconceptions about BOTOX® typically. Then final yr, I lastly received to a degree the place “grinning and bearing it” was now not an choice and having the ability to say I hadn’t had BOTOX® for the sake of my ego was downright foolish. I needed, and I spotted, that I actually wanted to seek out the fitting therapy for me.
I discovered an incredible neurologist right here in NYC that actually listened to me, needed to be taught all about my previous remedies and was dedicated to serving to me discover the fitting path ahead. At that time, we started a therapy plan with new medicine that helped a lot, however wasn’t assembly all of my therapy targets. This previous spring, we determined BOTOX® could be the following plan of action, and I lastly received my first cycle of therapy this previous September.
BOTOX® for Continual Migraine is run in 31 completely different injection websites throughout 7 head/neck muscle areas and at about 4 weeks after therapy I began feeling outcomes. BOTOX® prevents on common 8 to 9 headache days and migraine/possible migraine days a month (vs 6 to 7 for placebo).1 I’m having much less headache days now that I’ve began therapy and have been in shock and disbelief that I’ve discovered a therapy that works for me. Simply the week earlier than I acquired therapy, I used to be with my associate, my childhood finest pal, and his spouse, for our quarantine pod Rosh Hashanah dinner, and needed to lock myself of their bed room when a migraine assault all of a sudden got here on – I felt gutted and cried, particularly because it was the one social interplay or vacation celebration we had in months. I had no concept at that second that only a week later I’d begin a therapy that might assist to successfully handle my Continual Migraine for the primary time.
The reality is that this expertise has been some of the empowering experiences I’ve had in my very own self-care and self-advocacy. Not solely did I handle to seek out and construct a relationship with an amazing physician who has been a part of my care group, however I’ve lastly discovered an efficient therapy for my Continual Migraine that I by no means actually believed was attainable. And I can’t lie: an enormous a part of me needs I hadn’t waited so lengthy to pursue extra therapy choices.
Since sharing a bit about my Continual Migraine historical past, therapy journey, and BOTOX® therapy, I needed to share among the Often Requested Questions I obtain, as nicely:
How do I do know if I’ve Continual Migraine?
Continual Migraine needs to be identified by a neurologist or medical skilled. It’s completely different from episodic migraine and is characterised by having 15 or extra headache days a month, with not less than half of these being categorised as a migraine. If you happen to assume you may need Continual Migraine, my private suggestion is to hunt therapy from a medical skilled prior to later, since discovering the fitting course of therapy or getting an correct analysis can take a while.
Did Botox® Therapy harm? What’s the precise injection course of like?
Whereas everybody’s expertise could fluctuate, the injections themselves really feel like small pinches or pricks – for me, I don’t discover them very painful and definitely not almost as painful as a migraine assault! It took about quarter-hour for my physician to manage all of the injections, and he or she took breaks in between as a lot as I wanted. For me, the injections on the decrease portion of the again of my head had been probably the most delicate. There was no down time, and I took the practice dwelling myself from the physician’s workplace and resumed all my different actions as I usually would.
What are the most typical uncomfortable side effects?The commonest uncomfortable side effects are neck ache and headache. This doesn’t cowl the entire attainable severe uncomfortable side effects of BOTOX®. Please see the Vital Security Info, full Product Info together with Boxed Warning, and discuss to your physician.
How usually do you obtain therapy?
My neurologist recommends receiving BOTOX® for Continual Migraine each 12 weeks.1 I had my first spherical of therapy in September, and my second spherical of therapy in December. Two rounds of therapy is required to really feel full results at 24 weeks. It is vital you’re employed together with your physician to find out what therapy plan is best for you.
How a lot did therapy price?
Due to my Continual Migraine historical past, my therapy was pre-approved and coated by my medical health insurance supplier. Practically all business insurance policy cowl nearly all of BOTOX® prices, however it is best to verify with yours. There’s additionally a BOTOX® Financial savings Program for anybody who’s eligible for therapy that might assist to cowl out-of-pocket bills. Additionally, for those who’re an acceptable candidate, free samples could also be out there by way of your headache specialist.
Disclosures: This put up was created in partnership with Allergan®. My therapy was not offered by the model, and all content material and opinions above are my very own.
Please see extra Vital Security Info beneath or go to www.BOTOXchronicmigraine.com for extra data.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (continued)
There has not been a confirmed severe case of unfold of toxin impact away from the injection web site when BOTOX® has been used on the really helpful dose to deal with Continual Migraine.
BOTOX® could trigger lack of power or common muscle weak point, imaginative and prescient issues, or dizziness inside hours to weeks of taking BOTOX®. If this occurs, don’t drive a automobile, function equipment, or do different harmful actions.
Don’t obtain BOTOX® for those who: are allergic to any of its components (see Treatment Information for components); had an allergic response to every other botulinum toxin product corresponding to Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a pores and skin an infection on the deliberate injection web site.
The dose of BOTOX® is just not the identical as, or corresponding to, one other botulinum toxin product.
Critical and/or quick allergic reactions have been reported together with itching, rash, pink itchy welts, wheezing, bronchial asthma signs, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical assist straight away for those who expertise signs; additional injection of BOTOX® ought to be discontinued.
Inform your physician about all of your muscle or nerve circumstances corresponding to ALS or Lou Gehrig’s illness, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as it’s possible you’ll be at elevated threat of great uncomfortable side effects together with issue swallowing and issue respiration from typical doses of BOTOX®.
Inform your physician about all of your medical circumstances, together with for those who: have or have had bleeding issues; have plans to have surgical procedure; had surgical procedure in your face; weak point of brow muscle tissue; hassle elevating your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; every other irregular facial change; are pregnant or plan to grow to be pregnant (it’s not identified if BOTOX® can hurt your unborn child); are breastfeeding or plan to (it’s not identified if BOTOX® passes into breast milk).
Inform your physician about all of the medicines you’re taking, together with prescription and over-the-counter medicines, nutritional vitamins, and natural dietary supplements. Utilizing BOTOX® with sure medicines could trigger severe uncomfortable side effects. Don’t begin any new medicines till you will have informed your physician that you simply acquired BOTOX® up to now.
Inform your physician for those who acquired every other botulinum toxin product within the final 4 months; have acquired injections of botulinum toxin corresponding to Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® up to now (inform your physician precisely which product you acquired); have not too long ago acquired an antibiotic injection; take muscle relaxants; take allergy or chilly medicines; take sleep medication; take aspirin-like merchandise or blood thinners.
Different uncomfortable side effects of BOTOX® embrace: dry mouth, discomfort or ache at injection web site, tiredness, headache, neck ache, eye issues: double imaginative and prescient, blurred imaginative and prescient, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids, swelling of eyelids, dry eyes; and drooping eyebrows.
For extra data check with the Treatment Information or discuss together with your physician.
You’re inspired to report damaging uncomfortable side effects of prescribed drugs to the FDA. Go to www.fda.gov/medwatch or name 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see BOTOX® full Product Info together with Boxed Warning and Treatment Information.
BOTOX® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc., an AbbVie firm.
All different emblems are the property of their respective homeowners.
© 2021 AbbVie. All rights reserved. BCM143701 01/21
Footnotes:
1. BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) Prescribing Info. Irvine, CA: Allergan USA, Inc. September 2020.
2. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the Worldwide Headache Society. The Worldwide Classification of Headache Problems: third version. Cephalalgia. 2013;33(9):629–808.
3. Knowledge on file, Allergan; Nov 2019. Out-of-pocket prices and insurance policy fluctuate. Reimbursement Protection. Knowledge are topic to alter. Knowledge will not be a assure of protection, or partial or full fee, by any payers listed.
