I had Botox for migraine a week ago, 30 injections. I'm surprised no-one on here has said how painful it was as I found it really hurt when the Botox was injected, like a hornet sting. Obviously it will be worth it if it works but I'm not looking forward to the next lot. Like everyone else I have tried all the usual drugs. I have suffered for approx 30 years, primarily hormonal migraine, with aura, but lately over the past five years things have got a whole lot worse and I believe it is to do with the menopause (I'm 51) but it appears there is little research into this as there is little research into the menopause in general, probably as it isn't lucrative for drug companies. The meds I'm on at the moment are Topirimate 100mg (I was originally given sodium valproate which made me put on weight, I wouldn't have cared but it didn't work), atenolol 50mg (a beta blocker, which I've tried before), and HRT( but I've not had any kind of hormone profiling which I believe they do in the States. The HRT is specifically to try to relieve the migraine for no other reason). I was also on vitamin B2 for ages but that made no difference either. I've also given up alcohol and caffeine. I don't smoke. I don't eat wheat. I gave up cheese and chocolate for 13 years but that didn't make much difference, although I've recently stopped eating chocolate again in desperation. I try to keep hydrated and sleep enough although I've had a frozen shoulder since October so am actually in pain the whole time and unable to sleep, which isn't great! I've also stopped taking painkillers as I find too many of those, especially Solpadol with 30mg codeine, trigger an attack. I take Maxalt melt or various triptans when desperate but as we all know, nothing really works and you just have to suffer. I'm just about to undergo stress counselling to see if that will help. I work on a newspaper so have quite a stressy job, using a computer all day. Since having the Botox I've had one migraine, but it wasn't as painful as usual, however, I was able to lie down in the dark immediately.
I can still move my eyebrows and frown, but the initial heaviness across my eyebrows has started to lift. I'd like to come off all the meds I'm of as I don't find they have made any difference. What frustrates me is that there doesn't seem to be any plan of action to treating this condition, it is almost a scattergun approach. My neurologist has thrown all sorts of drugs at me with a let's try this, let's try that attitude. It all seems so random. And then you get sent off for another six months of suffering. I only got Botox as I asked my GP to be referred to the pain clinic. I've also read about these big magnets on the migraine trust website and the pain clinic doctor hadn't heard about them but next time I saw him he'd found out about it so if Botox doesn't do the trick I'm hoping I might get to try that. I'd be interested to know how they deal with this in other countries.
Botox injections for Chronic migraine 
Botox
Migraine - menopause - HRT
Botox Treatment
Botox 
