Botox and Migraine: What Users Say

• Lan...
• October 6, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "The Botox not only was highly ineffective for me, but also left me with horrible neck and shoulder pain. My first Botox was over a year ago, a week after that I woke up with a frozen neck and shoulders pain. I was waiting for the 3 months mark for a relief, but it never came. It seems that the muscles that were injected became paralyzed and other ones started overcompensating, and thus became very tight and painful. Neck MRI came normal. 4 months ago I was talked again into the Botox and the neck pain got only worse. On top of that I am having this horrid nerve-like pain on the left side of my head. Besides, the Botox never helped with my migraines. So please be careful, cause you may end up worse than before..with a new kind of pain."

• Do...
• September 22, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Horrible migraine hours following treatment. Started out like someone hit me in the back of the head with a baseball bat. Then the horrible nonstop headache set in. Ended up at the ER the first day because nothing stopped the pain. Woke up the next day with an excruciating headache. Worse than any of my terrible daily migraines. The neurologist did not call back. Long story short. Went to the ER 2x in 5 days. Neurologist was completely unhelpful and never spoke with me. After the 6th day, I barely made it through work. There is severe cramping in the neck and in between the shoulders. Where the muscles were paralyzed, the other muscles in the area are overcompensating for the 'Botoxed' areas. I WILL NEVER again do Botox. It made a bad situation completely unbearable."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I had Botox injections for migraines almost a month ago and am still wearing a neck brace. For the first seven days, I had excruciating head pain, migraines, and neck pain. I felt like my neck was on fire. I called my doctor's office, Michigan Head Pain & Neurological Institute (MHNI), and was told that it is a common side effect and should fade after 5-10 days. The pain was unbearable. My physical therapist is the one who told me my neck muscles are not contracting, which is causing all the other smaller muscles to be strained from trying to support my head. It's absolutely terrible. After almost a month and still no relief. Never again! Still wearing a neck brace daily. MHNI says it's a rare but possible side effect. Have to wait for it to wear off."

• Pam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 7, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I've just had my third Botox injection. I didn't notice a huge improvement after the first lot of injections, although there still was an improvement from having 3 to 4 migraines per week to maybe one or 2 per week. The second lot of injections caused 2 weeks of 5 migraines per week, but then the breakthrough happened. 2 months completely migraine-free. I cannot remember the last time I have gone for that long without a migraine. It must be at least 30 years. I'm quietly optimistic that I have finally got a migraine solution that works."

• Gan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 11, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I am finished with Botox!!! The first round of 30 shots was hell afterwards! I had migraines/chronic neck pain/headaches for a month. Then I had three weeks of no migraines/headaches/neck pain. I thought I died and went to heaven. And then it all came back. Honestly, I was actually dreading the second round of Botox, but I knew I had to give it one more chance. The second round was worse!!! I wake up with what feels like a vice on my neck. Immediately, I had 23 days of migraines/severe headaches straight. There is no way to explain what it feels like to lay in bed with the lights off, no sound or very faint, and being in your head feeling so alone. Luckily, I have had no migraines for three weeks now, but horrible headaches and a very painful neck. Migraines are the most misunderstood, complicated illnesses, both for the person who has them and secondary to that is the understanding from friends and family members. It really wears me down when I have these every day."

• hor...
• April 17, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Went through 2 rounds of Botox injections. Terrible side effects: stiff neck with pain. Cold chill down my back. Difficulty swallowing that has worsened with time. It's been 2 1/2 years since I had the injections! I wish I had never tried Botox. Looking for a specialist to help with my swallowing problem. Still have migraines."

• So ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2022

For Migraine "This treatment was a nightmare. My neurologist did not warn me of any potential side effects. The Botox injections took 5 minutes and didn’t hurt much. I had a migraine the rest of the day. I developed a bad headache on day 2, and on day 4 I had the worst migraine ever. It didn’t let up for over a week. My neck was too weak to support my head. I was dizzy and nauseous from the cervical instability. I was told this was normal and was shocked my neurologist hadn’t warned me! I was in severe pain and super dizzy/nauseous for two full weeks. And the treatment didn’t help my headaches at all; in fact, it made them worse."

• Anonymous
• October 25, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I had a Botox treatment back in August 2019. The treatment only lasted two weeks, and then it made my migraines five times worse. I was in the hospital five times since, and I’m still not right, not even close. I will never, ever have Botox again. I almost lost my job over this. Don’t risk it, it’s not worth the money for little relief that you get!!!"

• Ell...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "The good: my migraines went from 12-15/month to 2/month. Completely changed my life. The bad. Took 3 rounds to get full effect. Had a migraine for 5 days after the first round, 3 days after the 2nd, none after the 3rd. Have the sensation of head fullness when bending over and neck muscles feel strained. Migraines kick back in after 10 weeks, so it’s a struggle until the next round at 12 weeks. The good outweighed the bad for me. So many more headache-free days."

• Nev...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "I have new daily persistent headaches and have tried every med imaginable. 15 months ago, I gave Botox a try. Severe migraines for a week following, with the most debilitating neck/shoulder pain/weakness of my life. I really struggled, it was tremendous. Headaches did not improve, and I continue to experience neck pain. Just leaning over to tie my kids' shoes... I can only tolerate bending over for a minute now. This has become a neck chronic problem. My neurologist doesn’t take this side effect seriously either."

• Ver...
• November 8, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Within six hours of receiving the injections, the side effects began to take control over my body. Every side effect mentioned, I had it, including the migraine headaches. The medications should wear off by the next three weeks. To date, I am still feeling the side effects. I would not recommend Botox for two reasons: 1. The medication does not freeze the nerve as stated. 2. It is extremely expensive. The pharmaceutical company should be sued!"

• moa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 7, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I had about five partial rounds of Botox. The first two helped me go from chronic to frequent episodic, then no benefit for three rounds all likely at 100. Took a break and HA worsened. Then I had a round from a well-known headache/pain clinic and found that I had not been getting standard protocol before. Got about half my normal headaches, so very happy. As that wore off, I went back to the clinic. A different doctor asked me where the headaches hurt and was trying to customize injections, and he also told me he was giving me extra--I assume that means 200 since before I had 150. Two days after that, I have had a migraine just about every day for the last ten days - I knew there were risks, but did not realize I could cause more migraines than I had before. Hope this is just the med waiting to kick in but very concerned."

• Top...
• November 2, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I'm on my second Botox. After the first one, I had blurred vision and have to read with my reading glasses. Still have a migraine, but with Advil or Fioricet with a cup of coffee, migraine lasts between 1-5 hours. I was very happy not to have them for seventeen hours and be in a dark room. However, my second Botox didn't give me relief I was expecting. So now for the whole month, I have droopy eyes, constant neck and shoulder pain, and every day migraine. I am planning to go for my third shot because it helps with migraine, I can take other pain but not migraine pain."

• Jen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 6, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "Did this for about 9 months. I thought it helped at first, but the migraines kept coming. Not totally convinced it failed, it could have been the doctor not having enough experience in injecting/placing the Botox."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 12, 2017

For Dystonia "I have adult onset generalized dystonia. I receive approx. 50 injections every 10 weeks. The injections start at the bottom of my feet and end at the top of my head. I have constant migraines and noises in my head. The Botox really helps the spasms and cramps. The migraines and noises are kept to a minimum with the Botox. It has been a godsend."

• nor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2023

For Migraine "After 12 hours, extreme and violent vomiting that lasted the better part of 24 hours. I had continued GI distress and gas lasting more than several hours, plus loss of appetite. I tolerated administration of the drug fairly well, despite the uncomfortable pokes with bleeding. Upon recovery, I found urination difficult, extreme migraine, dizziness, the feeling of spasticity in the upper body, and anxiousness/nervousness."

• Ray...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "Worse experience ever. My hair falling out hurts every time. Still have migraines, get a stiff neck, and after they're done, it goes down my arm."