What to Expect with Botox

After waiting for two years to get approved for Botox, I was very excited for my first treatment and had high hope.  I figured I would get a few shots in my head, it wouldn’t be too bad and I would see immediate results.

So you can imagine my shock when I arrived for my first appointment and the doctor told me I would be getting 33 shots in my face, scalp, neck and shoulders.  And it could take up to four weeks before I saw results and it could take a couple of treatments to before I knew what the full effect of the Botox would be.

The first time I got the shots it wasn’t pleasant.  Ok let’s be honest, it hurt.  But as the treatments went on the shots got easier to handle.  Fortunately my doctor is really good about distracting me.  He puts music on and talks to me throughout the procedure so I am not focusing on the discomfort. 

I always try to limit all rescue medications that cause my blood to thin at least three days prior to getting my shots otherwise I bleed like crazy.  It’s like filling a balloon full of blood and then sticking it 31 times with a needle.  I have squirters everywhere.  It’s not pretty. 

Face your Botox treatments with hope but be realistic.  For some people they see 80 – 90 percent improvement while for others its much less.  For me Botox has helped but I have a long way to go before I get to the point where my life doesn’t revolve around my migraines and I am in a better place.