I've received criticism from some regarding my desire to get medical botox and then having actually done it. People can't understand why I would put "poison" in my body. I have done my research and now I want to clear a few things up regarding "poisons" and most importantly, Botox.
There is a bacterium called Clostridium Botulinum that is most often found in spoiled food. By consuming infected food this bacteria it is able to enter your blood stream and systemic systems and can virtually attack any part of your body. Clostridium Botulinum, or Botulism, produces 7 different neurotoxins. These 7 toxins attach themselves to the axon terminals of neurons preventing the synthesis and exocytosis of the chemical messenger acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is used throughout the body, but is especially important in the innervation of muscle tissue. Without the release of acetylcholine a muscle contraction cannot occur, which means paralysis of that muscle. This is particularly troublesome if the neurons being attacked are those that innervate the muscles of respiration. If you can't breathe, you will inevitably die. This is also a serious problem if the neurons are those that innervate your heart.
Could the prevention of muscle contraction possibly be a good thing?
One cause of migraine headaches in some people is neuralgia or nerve pain. A cause of occipital and trigeminal neuralgia is that a few of those nerves (or their branches) upon leaving the skull have to pass through very narrow passageways in bone, tissue, and between muscles. If one or even many of the muscles surrounding that nerve contracts it can pinch or irritate that nerve causing nerve pain (neuralgia).
Again, I ask, could the prevention of a muscle contraction be a good thing? If those facial, cranial, and neck muscles can't contract, they can't pinch the nerve and will therefore prevent neuralgia (nerve pain).
As I said, the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum produces 7 different neurotoxins. Those neurotoxins affect many different proteins necessary in the synthesis and release of acetylcholine. Botulinum Toxin A is only ONE of those SEVEN toxins. And it only affects ONE protein. Botulinum Toxin A (Botox) is RELATED to the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum (known as botulism). But it is not botulism. It is a purified, sterilized, and diluted protein derived from Clostridium Botulinum.
Second point - I do not ingest botulism or even Botox. It is not put "IN" my body. It is put on my body. It does not enter the blood stream to then travel to other areas in my body. It does not affect other systems in the body. (Like any medicine that you might ingest.)
The amount of Botox used in medicine and cosmetics is 50 units. Because this is only one of 7 neurotoxins used by bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, and it has been diluted, purified, and sterilized, in order for Botox to be fatal a person would have to receive an injection of THOUSANDS of units DIRECTLY into the heart.
Curare is a toxin derived from a plant. It has been used for thousands of years to make the often fatal "poison darts". Curare is also used to relax muscles during anesthesia.
Purple foxglove is a poison that has been found to be a very effective heart medication.
Willow bark is toxic and causes fatal bleeding. But it is also used to prevent or minimize the effects of a heart attack as well as to prevent strokes. And has been found to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and reduce fever. In fact, millions of people consciously ingest this poison every single day (it is called aspirin).
The crocus flower is a very poisonous flower, but one of the most expensive spices in the world is derived from this flower. If you have ever intentionally eaten saffron, you could be said to have consciously ingested a poison.
Let's also not forget that whenever you get a vaccination you are getting a small or inactive amount of a particular virus injected into your body. You are getting "medicine" that has been derived from a very mean, nasty, and virulent virus. (Viruses are some of the most potent, fast-evolving, fascinating, and beautiful creatures on this planet. And they are amazing and efficient little killing machines.)
It would seem that the words "toxin or poison" and "medicine" can be synonymous. What may be "medicine" to one person may be toxic to another. And what may be toxic to one may be "medicine" to another. Or what may be toxic when used in one way is actually medicine when used another.
When I went on Cymbalta no one said to me, "Why would you put that poison in your body?" But from my personal experience ingesting Cymbalta was much more toxic to my entire body than Botox has been to the few tiny muscles it was applied to.
Also, interesting to note, studies have shown that Botox is safer than aspirin. But I bet that many of you have taken aspirin and thought nothing of it.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Migraine: Information
Some people seem to have misconceptions about migraines and some seem to have misconceptions about Botox. I want to clear a few things up. I'm sad to say that I know more about Botox than I do about migraines, but what I've also discovered is that no one really seems to know an awful lot about migraines as they are very complicated. They can be very different from one person to the next and their cause seems to also vary considerably from one person to the next.
One cause of migraines for some people is neuralgia (that's a fancy way to say nerve pain). Certain muscles in the forehead, temple, neck, and base of the skull tighten and pinch or aggravate the nerve. As I mentioned before, I have sometimes suspected that my migraines were more this type than those caused by vasoconstriction or vasodilation.
So there you go. Why is it so difficult to treat migraines? Because no one knows the true cause of them - at least not from one person to the next.
One cause of migraines for some people is neuralgia (that's a fancy way to say nerve pain). Certain muscles in the forehead, temple, neck, and base of the skull tighten and pinch or aggravate the nerve. As I mentioned before, I have sometimes suspected that my migraines were more this type than those caused by vasoconstriction or vasodilation.
So there you go. Why is it so difficult to treat migraines? Because no one knows the true cause of them - at least not from one person to the next.
So far....
I think the Cymbalta withdrawals are finally starting to subside a bit. I feel normal often. Not necessarily more often than not, but, baby steps. I'm very rarely nauseous anymore. The vertigo or dizziness thing isn't quite gone. I still experience it from time to time, but it seems to be happening much less often.
The Botox ..... I'm afraid that it may be too early to tell. Friday night I had a migraine. Saturday day and into the night I had a migraine. Sunday I had a headache that turned into a migraine overnight.
I know that in some people the Botox will make their migraines go away completely, but in others it just decreases severity or frequency. At this point it's just too early to tell really.
Oh, and my cute neurologist (who doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor) called me Monday to check on me. When I told him about my weekend he said that unfortunately it does take from 24 hours to 2 weeks to start working. But he asked about side-effects and I said that I hadn't experienced any. However, I there was one side-effect that I was really hoping for. He put one shot right in between my eyes and I still happen to have quite the little "crinkle" there from scowling so much. (I'm ornery as hell, I can't help it. Those years of endless scowls and dirty looks are taking a toll on my face.) Well, I was joking with him, but as I mentioned he doesn't have much of a sense of humor. He said when you come back for your second injection in a few months remind me about that little crinkle and we'll put extra there.
Really?
He said, yes, your insurance covers a certain number of treatments, and an over all amount, but that's all. I'll have more than enough to cover your regular injections and still ut a little extra in that spot. :) He's great.
The Botox ..... I'm afraid that it may be too early to tell. Friday night I had a migraine. Saturday day and into the night I had a migraine. Sunday I had a headache that turned into a migraine overnight.
I know that in some people the Botox will make their migraines go away completely, but in others it just decreases severity or frequency. At this point it's just too early to tell really.
Oh, and my cute neurologist (who doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor) called me Monday to check on me. When I told him about my weekend he said that unfortunately it does take from 24 hours to 2 weeks to start working. But he asked about side-effects and I said that I hadn't experienced any. However, I there was one side-effect that I was really hoping for. He put one shot right in between my eyes and I still happen to have quite the little "crinkle" there from scowling so much. (I'm ornery as hell, I can't help it. Those years of endless scowls and dirty looks are taking a toll on my face.) Well, I was joking with him, but as I mentioned he doesn't have much of a sense of humor. He said when you come back for your second injection in a few months remind me about that little crinkle and we'll put extra there.
Really?
He said, yes, your insurance covers a certain number of treatments, and an over all amount, but that's all. I'll have more than enough to cover your regular injections and still ut a little extra in that spot. :) He's great.
Injections
I got a very happy and welcome phone call on Wednesday, June 1. My insurance company had accepted my appeal (or rather my neurologists) to be a candidate for Botox injections to relieve my migraines.
When I went in for my appointment on Thursday I was given 31 injections of Botox. 7 in my forehead, 5 in each temple, 3 around each occipital nerve, and then 4 down each side of my trapezius muscles. The needle was tiny and I could barely feel it go into my skin, but once the injection happened it got to be a bit painful.
It's not supposed to start working for about 24 hours so I didn't expect any immediate effect. I do want to note that I was the first ever Botox patient of this neurologist and his entire neurological office. But regardless of that, I think he was great.
He told me about a few side-effects. Redness, swelling at injection site, and droopy eyebrows.
I can happily say that I experienced none of those side effects.
When I went in for my appointment on Thursday I was given 31 injections of Botox. 7 in my forehead, 5 in each temple, 3 around each occipital nerve, and then 4 down each side of my trapezius muscles. The needle was tiny and I could barely feel it go into my skin, but once the injection happened it got to be a bit painful.
It's not supposed to start working for about 24 hours so I didn't expect any immediate effect. I do want to note that I was the first ever Botox patient of this neurologist and his entire neurological office. But regardless of that, I think he was great.
He told me about a few side-effects. Redness, swelling at injection site, and droopy eyebrows.
I can happily say that I experienced none of those side effects.
Trazodone Side Effects
One of the side effects of Cymbalta is insomnia. So to counter that the doctor prescribed another medicine that is a known migraine preventative that has the side effect of sleepiness (amitryptalin). Unfortunately not only did the amitryptalin not make me the least bit tired, it seemed to have absolutely no effect on my insomnia. So then the doctor had me try trazodol instead of amitryptalin. Trazodone is also know to prevent migraines and has the side effect of making a person very sleepy, Well, it seemed, at least initially, to be making me sleepy. However, some of the other side effects of trazodone were not so pleasant. It gave me horrible dry mouth and congestion (only when lying down). And I'd only experience these side-effects the first 6-8 hours after taking the pill. I couldn't breathe. Yes, it would make me sleepy, but then because of my difficulty breathing I couldn't sleep. It seemed to stop even making me tired after a few weeks and it wasn't preventing any migraines either.
So I went off that one, too.
P.S. The pharamcist told me that it only makes you tired for a few weeks and then your body seems to adjust to it.
So I went off that one, too.
P.S. The pharamcist told me that it only makes you tired for a few weeks and then your body seems to adjust to it.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Cymbalta Withdrawals
As a result of the chest pain I have stopped taking Cymbalta. I know that one side effect is heartburn and I wanted to see if it was the Cymbalta causing it. (I consulted with my neurologist about this first, I did NOT simply go off it all by myself.) Friday, May 27 would technically be my second day off the stuff. All day I just felt an overall "yuckiness". Just "not well". Hard to explain, hard to put my finger exactly on what it was. If I exerted myself the feelings would get much worse and I'd also start to feel lightheaded. Also a slight headache. (I've never had the flu, but I imagine this is what it might feel like in its very early stages.)
Saturday, my third day off he stuff. Much worse! Nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, fatigue, and still that overall "yuckiness". Saturday night the nausea hit it's peak. I threw up 4 times in about 90 mins. And I still had chest pains.
In the middle of the night it occured to me, I know what histimine does to the body, it makes sense that an antihistimine would decrease my feelings of nausea (and also help me sleep!) I did a little research online via my iPhone and sure enough - benadryl would help with my nausea. So dug through Jody's medicine cabinet and was fortunate enough to find benadryl. Now, let me be lucky enough to keep it down.
It worked!
Sunday morning I still felt yucky but remembered that the pharmacist had told me that I could take dramamine whenever I get nauseated from my migraines. I looked at what dramamine helps with and it said - nausea and dizziness. YAY! So I took dramamine to help me get through that day. It never made anything go away, but made it bearable.
Monday, more of the same.
Tuesday, more of the same. But at this point I was so frustrated with feeling yucky in addition to the headaches and migraines (and who knows, maybe an additional withdrawal symptom of Cymbalta) depression.
I cried the entire drive to work. I took several breaks during my work day to go to the bathroom and cry. I cried my entire lunch hour. It took everything I had not to cry while sitting at my desk greeting clients and interacting with co-workers.
I finally called my neurologist. She named off the list of known withdrawal symptoms of Cymbalta - check, check, check. She said that I could go back on it and we could try to take me back off it even more slowly, but at this point I am nearly half way through the withdrawal period. I elected to tough it out.
My drive home Tuesday afternoon was very scary, I'll be honest with you. I was starting to experience the strange neurological withdrawals that I had read about.
Wednesday, in the shower I nearly passed out from the dizziness. So I stopped midshower and went right to bed (with a towel around my head and everything). Called in sick and slept nearly the whole day. Felt yucky, yucky, yucky.
Today is Thursday and I am back at work. Still feeling yucky. Still very lightheaded and on the verge of passing out. :( And still crying constantly (or at least fighting off the tears.) I've never really suffered from depression - a few days this past winter. And this is crap is ridiculous. I don't even know why I'm sad and crying half the time.
I've read that withdrawals can last 2 weeks. I'm almost to the halfway point.
Saturday, my third day off he stuff. Much worse! Nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, fatigue, and still that overall "yuckiness". Saturday night the nausea hit it's peak. I threw up 4 times in about 90 mins. And I still had chest pains.
In the middle of the night it occured to me, I know what histimine does to the body, it makes sense that an antihistimine would decrease my feelings of nausea (and also help me sleep!) I did a little research online via my iPhone and sure enough - benadryl would help with my nausea. So dug through Jody's medicine cabinet and was fortunate enough to find benadryl. Now, let me be lucky enough to keep it down.
It worked!
Sunday morning I still felt yucky but remembered that the pharmacist had told me that I could take dramamine whenever I get nauseated from my migraines. I looked at what dramamine helps with and it said - nausea and dizziness. YAY! So I took dramamine to help me get through that day. It never made anything go away, but made it bearable.
Monday, more of the same.
Tuesday, more of the same. But at this point I was so frustrated with feeling yucky in addition to the headaches and migraines (and who knows, maybe an additional withdrawal symptom of Cymbalta) depression.
I cried the entire drive to work. I took several breaks during my work day to go to the bathroom and cry. I cried my entire lunch hour. It took everything I had not to cry while sitting at my desk greeting clients and interacting with co-workers.
I finally called my neurologist. She named off the list of known withdrawal symptoms of Cymbalta - check, check, check. She said that I could go back on it and we could try to take me back off it even more slowly, but at this point I am nearly half way through the withdrawal period. I elected to tough it out.
My drive home Tuesday afternoon was very scary, I'll be honest with you. I was starting to experience the strange neurological withdrawals that I had read about.
Wednesday, in the shower I nearly passed out from the dizziness. So I stopped midshower and went right to bed (with a towel around my head and everything). Called in sick and slept nearly the whole day. Felt yucky, yucky, yucky.
Today is Thursday and I am back at work. Still feeling yucky. Still very lightheaded and on the verge of passing out. :( And still crying constantly (or at least fighting off the tears.) I've never really suffered from depression - a few days this past winter. And this is crap is ridiculous. I don't even know why I'm sad and crying half the time.
I've read that withdrawals can last 2 weeks. I'm almost to the halfway point.
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