Could Botox Help My Vestibular Migraines?—Part 3: The Verdict

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

I have now been receiving Botox as a preventative treatment for my vestibular migraines for around 9 months. First, let’s talk about side effects. In the past, I have experienced some unpleasant side effects from taking migraine medication, including extreme drowsiness and cottonmouth, to name a few. The only side effects I have experienced from the Botox are feeling a little sore around the injection sites—particularly my neck and shoulders—and a slight headache, both of which lasted only a few days and did not usually require painkillers. 

Botox can take time and a few sessions to work for the best results. So far, I have had 4 Botox treatments, each 3 months apart, and have been monitoring my symptoms. 

Treatment #1

After about a week following the first treatment, I noticed a smooth patch on my forehead, which was only slightly noticeable when I raised my eyebrows. I took this as a sign that the Botox was starting to get to work. 

During the 3 months following the first treatment, I had a significant reduction in migraine days and my everyday symptoms improved. I only recorded 15 “bad” days, and these were during periods of stormy or changeable weather, which is one of my main triggers. Considering I was having migraine symptoms every day before I started treatment, this was a huge improvement. 

Treatment #2

After my second treatment, the number of migraine days increased to 23 during the 3 months, which although not as good as the previous month, was still a big improvement in my daily symptoms. During this period, I travelled quite a lot, including a 3.5-hour car journey, which caused a big flare-up in my symptoms. The weather was also hot and humid, and another small flare-up followed after a few nights of not sleeping well. Travel, hot weather, humidity, and lack of sleep are also some of my triggers. One surprising thing during this time was that for a whole week, the weather was stormy and changeable, and I didn’t have any symptoms. I cannot remember the last time I didn’t feel unwell during this type of weather pattern. 

Treatment #3

During my third treatment, I told the neurologist my total number of migraine days since the last dose. He suggested that we try a higher dose of Botox. If we were not satisfied with the result, we could try a different preventative treatment such as Aimovig or Ajovy, which would involve me injecting myself at home with an autoinjector—a medical device contains a dose of the medicine in a spring-loaded syringe.

One month after my third Botox treatment, I recorded 0 migraine days! However, in the 2 months that followed came a total of 21 migraine days, a small improvement on the results of treatment #2. 

During the days I had migraine, the weather was changeable, I had some difficulty sleeping, I travelled to the UK, and was under quite a bit of stress. These are all triggers for me, and it is clear that when more than one of my triggers occurs, I generally experience migraine symptoms. 

Treatment #4

As I write this, I have just returned from my 4th appointment with the neurologist, where I received a 4th treatment. We decided that, in addition to Botox, I would try another medication—either Aimovig or Ajovy, depending on availability. The plan is, that we will see how I feel while taking a combination of Botox and the new treatment, and then later decide whether to stop one of the treatments. The hospital will call me in a few weeks to arrange for me to come for another appointment where I will be shown how to inject myself with the new drug. 

I know I am lucky to have access to these treatment options. It has taken me years to find a compassionate neurologist who seems committed to helping me, and I am willing to explore any treatment or combination recommended by him.

Final Thoughts

Since starting Botox treatment, my number of migraine days has significantly reduced, yet migraine does still impact significantly on my everyday life. There’s always the feeling that something could help a little more, and perhaps the new treatment will do just that. 

I think it’s important to note that I am continuing to follow healthy habits. I eat healthily, exercise regularly, try to get outside for some morning light, keep a routine for sleep and mealtimes, etc. 

My partner told me the other day that he has noticed a big difference in me since starting the Botox treatment. We also realised that we have been able to plan activities such as meals out together, and I haven’t had to cancel on him as much as usual. I’ve noticed that I am thinking more clearly and can concentrate better on my work and generally be more creative. 

As with all migraine treatments, it is a case of trial and error to find the best medication that works. Everyone is different, and not everyone will respond in the same way as me to Botox treatment. For now, my search for the optimal treatment option for my needs continues.