I love talking about migraines. I don't do it to be a downer; I do it because talking about dealing with my chronic migraines may lead to hearing tips from another fellow sufferer, and I've tried nearly everything at this point. I've dealt with migraines for almost two decades, and as anyone who deals with them knows, having a variety of remedies in your toolbox is crucial when the pain hits.
BOTOX may be an effective treatment for those who suffer from chronic migraines. Many patients have struggled to find a treatment that truly provides relief from this debilitating condition. While there are migraine medications and a host of natural remedies, for many people, none of these methods bring real relief. BOTOX may be the option that brings the relief from pain that patients have been seeking for so long.
Key secondary endpoints included Physician Global Assessment, finger flexors muscle tone, and thumb flexors tone at Week 6. The Physician Global Assessment evaluated the response to treatment in terms of how the patient was doing in his/her life using a scale from -4 = very marked worsening to +4 = very marked improvement. Study 1 results on the primary endpoint and the key secondary endpoints are shown in Table 26.
Prior to injection, reconstitute each vacuum-dried vial of BOTOX with only sterile, preservative-free 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP. Draw up the proper amount of diluent in the appropriate size syringe (see Table 1, or for specific instructions for detr usor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition see Section 2.3), and slowly inject the diluent into the vial. Discard the vial if a vacuum does not pull the diluent into the vial. Gently mix BOTOX with the saline by rotating the vial. Record the date and time of reconstitution on the space on the label. BOTOX should be administered within 24 hours after reconstitution. During this time period, reconstituted BOTOX should be stored in a refrigerator (2° to 8°C).
The drug has come a long way since its ability to smooth facial wrinkles was first discovered, by accident. In the 1970s, ophthalmologist Dr. Alan B. Scott started studying the toxin as a therapy for people with a medical condition that rendered them cross-eyed. "Some of these patients that would come would kind of joke and say, 'Oh, Doctor, I've come to get the lines out.' And I would laugh, but I really wasn't tuned in to the practical, and valuable, aspect of that," Scott told CBS in 2012. Scott named the drug Oculinum and formed a company of the same name in 1978. In 1989 he received FDA approval for the treatment of strabismus (the crossed-eye disorder) and abnormal eyelid spasms.
Bronchitis was reported more frequently as an adverse reaction in patients treated for upper limb spas ticity with BOTOX (3% at 251 Units-360 Units total dose), compared to placebo (1%). In patients with reduced lung function treated for upper limb spasticity, up per respiratory tract infections were also reported more frequently as adverse reactions in pati ents treated with BOTOX (11% at 360 Units total dose; 8% at 240 Units total dose) compared to placebo (6%). In adult patients treated for lower limb spasticity, upper respiratory tract infections were reported more frequently as an adverse event in patients treated with BOTOX (2% at 300 Units to 400 Units total dose) compared to placebo (1%).
Botulinum toxin injections are one approach to the treatment of muscle spasticity. These injections can be given with ease and have minimal side effects. They can also be used in very focal spasticity problems that involve a few muscle groups. This treatment may not be right for some patients, such as patients with severe, widespread muscle spasticity, and patients with permanent muscle contractures that have become rigid.
Most doctors who provide cosmetic services such as BOTOX® treatments accept payment by various methods, including cash, personal check, major credit cards, or through arrangements made with an established lending institution. Some practices even offer their own financing plans. Don’t be afraid to inquire about BOTOX® treatment financing during your initial consultation.
The studies using Botox for depression, like other research into Botox's off-label potential, were so encouraging that they caught the attention of Allergan. In Rosenthal and Finzi's research, 74 people with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to receive Botox injections or a placebo. Six weeks later, 52% of the people who received Botox experienced a drop in reported symptoms, compared with 15% of the people given a placebo. "Over 50% of people responding is a high number," says Finzi. "These are people who have already tried other treatments, and they are significantly depressed."
In the mid-1990s, people who received BOTOX for other conditions reported improvement in their chronic migraine pain. A two-phase study was conducted, treating patients who averaged 20 headache days a month. They received BOTOX injections every twelve weeks for 56 weeks. At the end of that period, 70% of the patients had fewer than half the number of headaches they had before treatment. The FDA officially approved BOTOX to treat chronic migraine in October of 2010. Since then, more than 100,000 patients have been treated.
I was lucky. My health insurance only required me to try and fail two other less expensive migraine medications, and it didn’t dictate how long I had to try them for before giving up. Other insurers have stricter rules: Aetna, for example, requires patients to try at least three medications for at least two months each. HealthPartners also requires patients to try and fail three medications, such as beta blockers and antidepressants, without specifying for how long. (Requirements may vary by state and policy.) Because these migraine drugs are designed to treat other conditions like high blood pressure and depression, they can have serious side effects like weight gain, fatigue, and difficulty in thinking and speaking clearly.
How long the results from a Botox treatment last depends on the dosage and application. If Botox is too diluted and you don't get the proper units of Botox injected, the results might not last very long at all. If you get Botox for the wrong kind of wrinkles (i.e. static wrinkles) or an improper dose for your anatomy, you might not see much improvement either. In general, if the right amount of Botox is injected by a skilled doctor in the right muscles, Botox results can last 3-4 months.
Allergan Plc engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. The firm offers products under the following brands: BOTOX, Juvederm, Linzess, Namenda, Restasis, Latisse, Teflaro, Lo Loestrin Fe, Bystolic, DORYX, Saphris, Fetzima, Namenda XR, Namzaric, Viberzi, Viibryd, Alphagan, LUMIGAN, ESTRACE Cream, Rapaflo, Asacol, DELZICOL, Zenpep, Avycaz, and Dalvance. Its brand portfolio delivers treatments that address unmet medical needs in therapeutic categories such as dermatology and aesthetics;Read More
García Leiva specified that this treatment "is not a first-choice treatment for migraine sufferers, but it can only be applied in patients with chronic migraine who have tried several treatments with poor results, and who show peripheral sensitization of muscles. Recently, the Foods and Drugs Administration (USA) has approved botulinum toxin as a therapeutical drug for the treatment of chronic migraine.
Unopened vials of BOTOX should be stored in a refrigerator (2° to 8°C) for up to 36 months. Do not use after the expiration d ate on the vial. Administer BOTOX within 24 hours of reconstitution; during this period reconstituted BOTOX should be stored in a refrigerator (2° to 8°C). Reconstituted BOTOX should be clear, colorless, and free of particulate matter.
