Botox for Migraines? Hold On A Minute

The first thing I spotted when I looked up from my reading was a vial being approached by a very large hypodermic needle. The label on the vial read BotulinumToxin Type A. My local TV station was reporting that the FDA had approved cosmetic grade Botox for the treatment of migraines.

I've got to be honest here. I still haven't gotten used to the idea that our ageist Baby Boomers are so stressed out about getting older that we are willing to have anything with the word 'toxin' in its title injected into our freakin' faces.

Now they're talking about injecting this organism, this potential cause of Botulism, a rare but serious illness, directly into our heads or necks, for Pete's sake. To this day, if I see a can of food on a grocery store shelf that is the least bit dented, a specter of my late grandmother appears over my left shoulder whispering "botulism, botulism, botulism." Do I really want this substance, no matter how small the amount, to be jetting around in my system looking for buddies to team up with?

True to form, I launched into a full out Google offensive. I wanted to know what the odds are for getting botulism from Botox. I wanted to see exactly how much responsibility Allergan, the company that manufactures the lucrative vanity elixir, has actually taken on. And I wanted to learn just how much of a risk migraine sufferers might be willing to take in terms of side-effects from the injections.

I wasn't about to use the hype I found on Allergan's web site for a credible reference, so I went to a site called Drugs.com and found the following:

Botox Cosmetic

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Botox Cosmetic: Anxiety; back pain; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; dry or irritated eyes; facial pain; flu-like symptoms; headache; inability to focus eyes; increased cough; indigestion; nausea; neck pain; pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness at the injection site; runny nose; sensitivity to light; stiff or weak muscles at or near the injection site; sweating.


Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Botox Cosmetic: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bleeding at the injection site; chest pain; difficulty swallowing or breathing; double or blurred vision, or other vision changes; drooping of the upper eyelid; eyelid swelling; fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; irregular heartbeat; loss of bladder control; loss of strength; paralysis; seizures; severe or persistent muscle weakness or dizziness; shortness of breath; speech changes or problems.

You might have missed the fact that I underlined the word 'headache.' Huh? So let me get this straight -- one of the more common side effects of an injection of Botox INTO MY HEAD to lessen the symptoms of a MIGRAINE HEADACHE is a HEADACHE? Oooookaaaay.

But, never mind that. It's such a long shot (except for me, who gets a headache from virtually every new drug introduced to my system), it might be worth risking, say, droopy eyelids, fainting and loss of bladder control to get some relief, right?

Well, according to a MoneyTimes.com article about this announcement, the best available study showed that a person who suffers more than 14 days a month of migraine pain only reduces his or her suffering by two days, at the most. The remedy isn't effective at all for people who suffer less than 14 days per month.

Now it's easy for me to say all of this; I don't have migraines. I have been around people who do have them, though, and I know from experience that some people would gladly blow their brains out during one of their sieges rather than suffer another minute. So maybe the slight possibility of two days more a month without pain IS worth risking wet pants or a permanent wink to them.

But a shot in the neck? A shot in the head? I'm just sayin'...

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