Botox not working anymore.

1 min read

I've had migraines for about 6 1/2 years now and currently go to a neurologist headache specialist. She recommended Botox injections after all the prevention medications failed. At first, the injections worked...now my headaches are back. Every day. I'm looking at changes in my diet, etc. and trying to figure out the trigger. Anyone else have experience with Botox? It is really my only hope at this point. Thanks!

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Katie M. Golden Moderator
I've been using Botox for 4 years and have found over the years that I get less and less use out of it. It used to help for 10 weeks and now it's about 4-6 weeks where it makes a difference. Has your doctor ever tried nerve blocks? These usually only work for a week or so at a time, but it may be helpful to try it with Botox. Here's info from the American Headache Society about nerve blocks: <a href='https://www.americanheadachesociety.org/assets/1/7/Occipital_Nerve_Blocks_May_2010.pdf' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>http://www.americanheadachesociety.org/assets/1/7/Occipital_Nerve_Blocks_May_2010.pdf</a> I hope this helps! -Katie <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>Migraine.com</a>
lovesthequiet Member
I was using Botox for a time but to be honest, the cost was not worth the benefit. It worked sometimes, depending on the batch, and results lasted for a variable amount of time. I have chronic debilitating migraines and I also thought it was my only hope. I was on every preventative known to man and thought I had literally exhausted every resource. In my opinion and in my experience, you are only out of hope when you are with a doctor that is unwilling to try anything new. I had a neurologist that followed a formula and when you got to the end of that line, that was it. I went back to my primary care and asked for help. She worked with me for about a year trying different combinations of medications every month until it was right. I knew Topamax helped a little, so I stuck with that at the highest dose I could tolerate. She knew that I had bad migraines before my period so she did a hormone panel, put me on a progesterone/testosterone cream that brought my hormones to where they needed to be and put me on a progesterone mini-pill which kept my period away preventing the PMS headaches. She then put me on an opiate pain management program. This caused me a lot of rebound headaches so eventually we switched to the Butrans patch which is technically an opiate but has none of the opiate side effects (it doesn't make you loopy) and it has worked perfectly. I guess what I'm saying is... keep digging. You are never at the end unless you give up or stick with a doctor who refuses to think outside the box.
deborahvan-der-harst Member
Hi Angelnote, I'm sorry to hear that the Botox is becoming less effective for you. It is so disheartening when a treatment stops working. I have two abortives that do nothing for me - Valproic Acid and Orphenadrine Citrate. Botox is still working for me. I've been getting Botox injections for several months. By mid March I was starting to feel almost normal. For me, it is worth the price. I also take Maxalt and Migranal for abortives. I was able to stop taking Topamax and Gabapentin as preventatives because the Botox has been working so well. I had one occipital nerve block before I started getting Botox. It worked great. I've never had another one. The day after I received another round of Botox in March, I got a 5 week migraine caused by Flexeral, a muscle relaxer. My doctor prescribed it for me to use as an abortive for less severe migraines. I was hospitalized and given DHE thru an I.V. for 7 days. Some muscle relaxers cause migraines or make them worse for me. I asked if nerve blocks were an option. I was told they can't be used on patients who are on Botox. I wonder how long a patient has to be off Botox before getting a nerve block? Migranal is DHE in nasal spray form, and worked well on last night's migraine. I have to take my strongest anti-nausea med at least a half before using Migranal. It makes me very nauseated. I hope you get treatment that works, and that you feel better soon.