My personal suggestion is that they don't go crazy and do a lot of botox on the forehead. For me and another person on this board, it really didn't do so well.

The first time, my neurologist did a regular type the first time to see how it went (it went very well). But when the HMO moved my neurologist too far away and I went with their other neurologist, she said I was actually allowed more botox and she put more injections into the forehead and it gave me headaches.

botox works well for me. but when I get a sinus infection, NOTHING WORKS and I get a major super migraine but its right across the forehead. Normally my migraines are on the sides of my head. The sinus migraine will not go away with migraine treatment. It needs several days of antibiotic then stops and I keep on the antibiotic for 10 days.

wow I didn't know there was such a thing as a sinus migraine. I have had allergies since childhood and sometimes I can't tell what kind of headache I am having until it lasts 3 days. I also get sneezy sometimes when i am having a migraine so maybe it is a combination. The weird thing is since they started me on these anti-seizure drugs about 3 years ago my allergy symptoms have cleared up alot and i have not had to take a claritin or zyrtec since. I took allergy shots for five years and still had terrible symptoms. I just don't like these mind-bending drugs so I am really hoping this botox works.

A sinus infection with me that develops too long triggers a nasty migraine that is centered in the forehead and will NOT go away with ANY migraine treatment. It is the migraine FROM HELL. It's because the sinuses are swelling and blocking and filled with infected mucous and they are painful.

I only get about 2 sinus infections a year and it's when we have extreme windy weather and dust in the air and things are blowing off the desert.

i kn0w my response is late in the game but i have had botox treatments twice, they totally work for my migraines! the only down side is my neuro hit the "7the nerve" last time and caused some temporary paralysis but it was tolerable for the help it give my head aches.

I get migraines too often and run out of my migraine pills sometimes within the month as I only get 9 maxalt and they are low dose. If I have a bad migraine and have to take two for that migraine, it is easy to run out. I have considered Botox as I heard it works for migraines. I know of a place nearby that does the treatments but was not aware insurance covers? In this case as it is a beauty type store, they may not anyway, I wonder what a typical Botox treatment cost?

I am going for my 2nd round of Botox injections next week. They are a life saver! I had no side effects except the immovable forehead! They kicked in at about 2 weeks and lasted for about 3 months or so. I still got migraines, but abortives kicked in and worked faster, and the duration and frequency was incredibly less! I have to have them pre-approved everytime, and it took longer this time, so I am back to the everyday migraine. My Neurologist is a certified Botox provider, He is through Marshfield Clinic in WI.

Hi Joanie: You don't get them through a beauty provider, and instead you get them through a neurologist and they are done in different locations than botox for beauty.

they last about 3 months, and for me I have to get pre-approval and it lasts for about 9 months. My neurologist has to calendar and seek the pre-approval in a timely fashion so it doesn't interefere with my treatments. A delay in treatments throws off the effectiveness and it can take 2 to 3 weeks for me for them to take effect if I don't keep up the every 3 months EXACTLY AND RIGHT TO THE DATE.

Joanie, yes they are covered by many insurance plans. That's why you talk to your insurance plan first before you arrange to see your neurologist and get all the info. I understand that some plans do not cover them.

Thank you AsTimeGoesBy for that information. The woman I talked to is not a nuerologist..only has a salon. I was not aware that a nuero should be injecting but as it could possibly be risky that does make sense! I average about 5 to 7 migraines a month as I keep a chart to try to keep a handle on possible triggers. The problem I have is if my maxalt does not work with just one dose and I have to take two pills. I may run out of the 9 pills allotted per insurance monthly. That is why I have considered Botox.

Hi Joanie: The botox for migraines is considered a medical procedure and has to be done by an approved doctor otherwise it will never be covered by insurance.

If your insurance carrier does cover it, they cover it usually to be done by a neurologist that specializes in migraines.

The insurance carriers usually require that you have 15 migraines per month, every month, and that they be of 4 hour or longer duration each. That seems to be the insurance standard to get the botox for migraines. That demonstrates to them chronic migraines.

I forgot to mention, to approve for Botox, they usually want to see a history of what you have tried to help with your migraines. I have had migraines since 1990 and in addition to oral meds, I received chiropractic which did nothing, and also had occipital neural blocks (two needles in the back of the head). After a few years I became allergic to the lidocaine in the needles. Then the neurologist applied to the insurance carrier for botox for migraines and I was approved immediately.

AsTimeGoesBy, thank you for all the information. I have had different oral medications, but for some reason, when I moved and switched doctors, the meds were switched around and even though I went to see a nuero and she recommended Relpax, the insurance carrier would not approve it. They told the pharmacy I had to get something in between Maxalt and Relpax, which never happened. So I just tough it out with the Maxalt.
It sounds like I am actually pretty fortunate with only a maximum of 7 or so headaches a month compared to what others have to deal with on here. I once did the needles, not sure what they called it, but they stuck them in around various neck and head area, I did not like that at all as when they were done, I ended up with dizzy spells and nausua later that day. So I did not do it again.
I also go to the chiropractor, which sometimes helps with knots in my neck, which I get quite often.
I have had migraines since a child and I am now in my 40s. I would not wish them on my worst enemy. Luckily I have no other health issues to speak of though and am able to work thus far.
I am very sorry for anyone that is affected daily by these.

The injections were SO worthwhile for me (I had migraines before for 13 yrs, which got worse because of a brain tumor, and after the tumor was removed, they got worse because of the damage to muscles in my neck/occipital area - the circle of life!). I've gotten them mostly on the back of my head and neck for the past 2 years. It works for about 3 months, and then you should get another set of injections. My insurance does cover it, because of how long I've had migraines, and my particular post-surgical circumstance.

Only side effects I had were neck related - because of where my botox goes (near/in a lot of big muscles), my head feels a little heavy about a week after the injections, for a couple of days (it takes about a week for it to really do it's job, so don't be surprised if you don't get any instant effects). Good luck! :)

Misharo, I would first like to say, all drugs affect people very differently and I do not think that one person's experience should cause a person to be afraid to try something new that could help. That being said... I had Botox injections once and I probably would not have continued the medicine even if it had helped, but it didn't help me. I initially suffered from muscle spasms in the neck and I had headaches. I had such significant pain, that a migraine was easier to deal with. I also had to make more of an effort to swallow. I wouldn't say I had difficulty swallowing, but I had to think about it and make some effort as it was no longer a natural feeling. This lasted about a week and a half. After that, for another 2-3 weeks, I had limited range of motion with my neck. I was unable to do some of my yoga poses such as cat/cow. Botox generally wear off in 2-3 months. During the entire time I had decreased sensation in my forehead. It felt kind of numb like when you got to the dentist and he gives the Novocain shot. I have not heard many people complain of the things I have mentioned, so I tend to think I was more of the exception. Just pay attention to your body and how you feel and if something seems different call your doctor. Good Luck, I hope it helps you!

What I discovered with Botox for migraines is that it is best for the doctor to start with less injection sites and not so much in the forehead. For me and another person, we developed headaches from extra in the forehead.

Some doctors go gung ho and push full blast on the top limit of Botox the first time. That's actually not recommended.

That's why I suggest checking out before hand and talking to the doctor first and asking what his plan is.

I went through the Occipital neural Blocks (ONB) and for some people, one set for last for 6 months or even a year. For me I had to have them every other month as they couldn't hold my migraines any longer. After several years, I became allergic to the lidocaine in the ONBs so I then moved to the Botox for migraines.

I have to get the Botox every 90 days right to the day and it is scheduled accordingly by the neurologist. If I go longer, I lose the effect and it takes 2 to 3 weeks for the botox to take effect.

The other procedure I have read about is neurostimulation and that is being done and the site about it is below:

http://migrainecenters.com/omega-procedure