It has been three and a half weeks since the botox injections.

I am working in an office. I don't wake up with daily migraines. I use less pain meds for my head.

I notice the pains in other aspects of my body... I smile and laugh easier. Friends have noticed a sparkle in my eyes.

There are some side effects, the tingling in my face, the left eye twitching. Honestly, it is worth it to not have to worry about how bad my head is going to be from day to day.

I can only hold faith and hope fo as long as I feel it helps me. I honestly hope I never lose either of those, as I may not stay as functional as I am.

I got a new job today. 20-25 hours a week, copy-editing. Flex schedule. I'll be finding out more about the med benefits on Monday. I have insurance, so I am not as worried, it would be nice to have a secondary insurance for when thigns like ER visits and such come up.

I am hoping this will be an easy transition to working in an office again. It's been over a year.

And now, I try not to freak out about tomorrow...

I had the consult with the neuro who does the botox treatment yesterday.

I was nervous going in, as what if they said no.

I like Dr. Gwynn. He is apparently well liked in the ATL area as well, at least according to the plaques in his office;-) UVA grad... had a good manner about him. (as I have also dealt with my fair or not so fair share of docs with horrible bed side manner)

He was easy to talk to, actually spent time talking with me, as well as making sure to have a complete history including medicines tried in the past. (and I have been on quite a few for my head)

The original idea was for me to come in on Tuesday next week at 12:30pm to have the injections done, pending insurance approval. I had already worked with my carrier to have the treatment approved. I got home, and was like, wow, I have a week to get with the idea that there will be injections to my head with a 30gauge needle in a week.

About 2pm yesterday, Amy at the office called me. They were surprised as my insurance had already given the okay to go ahead (that is what being prepared will do for you!). Score, you want me to come in when? 2:30 on Thursday, this week... um sure!

So there went my week to get myself set about the idea. I have less than 48 hours...

More research for this monkey...

What questions can I answer at this point?

Ask me anything about my experiences with migraines.

Yes, you read it right, nerves. I go for the neuro consult on Tuesday at 9am. Maybe that is why I have slam packed myself with things to do tomorrow, to try to keep myself from focusing on the appointment.

9 am with Dr. Matthews Guinn. Across the way from where my neuro is. I may call and see if I can get there without driving the entire way in and just take MARTA. Not like I don't have two Breeze cards I can choose from to ay for the trip there and back.

Part of me wants to go by myself. The larger part of me wants someone to go with me. I don't want to ask C to take time off of work to go with me, though.

nerves, nerves, nerves, nerves.

I am trying not to focus on the worries, and focus on the positive that this can bring.

Must focus on that.

Still need to get icons....

The daily migraine hasn't been horrible, persay. Can feel it more than usual. The Migranal does seemt o help, so a call will be going to my insurnace and my neuro next week.

But add a cold into the mix, and it feelsd like my head is going to explode. The cold started in my sinuses and has made all of the migraine stuff worse. I am tryign to medicate responsibly as well as eat well, and sleep enough.

So, I have made it through the holiday decently well, no mjor spikes, which is what I normally deal with. And I avoided black friday, by staying home and cleaning. So not a bad thing.

Did the 'DHE45 IV protocol' just stop working? What happened?

The protocol was done in November of 2003. A 5 day stay in the deluxe Neuro ward at Duke University Hospital. I spent 4 of those days with an IV in my arm. DHE was administered every 8 hours., Made me nauseous and sleepy as heck. They started me on Reglan and quickly switched me to Phenergen when the nausea wasn't controlled. They had to switch my IV site after 1.5 days as you could see the course up my arm that the drug took in my vein. Rather freaky. And painful.

Start of day 3... omg... the world was clear, not fuzzy... I had no pain in my head. I was released from the hospital and brought home, where I was on a dosage of 400mg of Topamax daily (and rather flighty due to that dosage). That weekend, my now hubby and I were getting ready to go to our weekly game, and I smelled something funny. I think I said to him "Why do I smell smoke?"

Looking out my apartment door, it was all white, it was a glass door. We grabbed the puppy, and headed outside, where I saw my neighbor calling 911. Emergency vehicles came, the news. All of it didn't bother my head. Even the lingering smell in my kitchen after we came back (the kitchen below mine had been gutted by the kitchen fire, they had left a pot with oil in it unattended on the back burner)

I spent six blissful weeks fully pain free. Weeks seven and eight saw break through migraines, and then I started getting the daily ones again after that. Apparently the DHE45 only worked for as long as it was in my system.

SO I have tried preventatives, and medications, triptans and OTC stuff. And that leads me up to where I am now. Still in pain. At times I wonder what I did to deserve this. Apparently some higher power deemed me strong enough to handle this burden. Lord and Lady help me do so.

The past week has seemed very surreal... was it over a week ago I went to the ER? It was. November 3, 2007. And I really didn't wake up until November 5th. *boggle* Only the second trip ever to the ER for a migraine, as I have been so staunch about not going in the past. And through friends, I have realized it is stupid to be stoic.

Worst. Experience. Evar. In the ER. If you live in Cobb County, GA, run, do not walk away from Kennestone Hospital. My husband got me there around midnight, maybe a little later. Took forever for me to be seen, and I don;t remember most of it, as my head hurt so damn much. I do recall my husband being thankful for me not getting the drug seeker speech from the ER doc on call. But he was rather callous and expected me to answer questions a lot faster than I could verbalize what needed to be said. The words hurt to say. Demerol, Reglan and Benedryl. No wonder I lost 36 hours. Plus I remained drowsy for the better part of last week.

There are days I wish I could push a button and make the pain go away. My neuro and I joke about head transplants being available. it is sad that I am almost serious about it. I wish I could remember what it is like to be pain free. Haven't been since January of 04. And even that stint was just that, a stint. The DHE45 IV protocol granted me a blessed 8 weeks of pain free life.

I am putting a lot of hope in the Botox injections. Now to just get them before the end of the year hits... as that will hurt otherwise, when it comes to the pocketbook.

Head level - 5