Thursday 28 February 2013

To B or not to B

Apparently that is the question.  And the answer, for me, was not to B.  You see, I went to the neurologist yesterday for my second Botox treatment.  It took me ages to get psychologically prepared for the event as last time it hurt and this time I was getting a higher dose so anticipated it hurting more.

So I turn up and complete the progress forms listing days of headaches.  The neurologist took one look at it, glanced up at me, sighs slightly to himself and says:
"Sorry but I don't think that a second dose of Botox will do anything for you."  If you read back through the last 3 or 4 blog posts you will see that the Botox didn't do anything much for me the first time.  It is the neurologists opinion, based on his experience, that if it didn't work the first time, then it won't work the next time.  Oh the ever so slight disappointment of not having to be injected over 30 times.

So what happens next?

I asked him about hypnosis and about allergy tests.  He said that whilst hypnosis can cure pain, migraines are a slightly different kind of pain.  And allergy tests won't really answer anything as I am best off going on a very simple diet for a few weeks to see if that helps.  Actually, that second one doesn't seem like a bad idea.  I might store it and try it out one day when I can get my head around what a simple diet would consist of.  Anyone???

So what did he suggest?  Well the first one was Sodium Valproate.  Try it for a few months and see how it goes.  I tried to tell him of my previous failed attempts and scares with medicated preventatives, but he still thought it worth a go.  Apparently they use Sodium Valproate a lot in countries like Germany as a first attempt at preventing migraines, but not in this country.  I wonder why?

Oh the duck is made out of sodium.  I hope that Theodore doesn't mind me using the picture but it is so cute, in a sort of scary way...? Apparently if you throw it into a pond it will explode.  Don't try this at home folks, or at least keep it away from any real ducks as they might get a little traumatised after seeing a sodium likeness explode in front of their little eyes (I almost called this blog post "the way of the exploding duck").

I digress.  He did have more suggestions.  The second medication he suggested is one which I am glad that I can't remember the name of.  I would need liver tests and lung tests and regular blood tests.  I think not!  Let's hope that I never get bad enough to consider it!

We are going to try his second proper suggestion after the sodium (oh aren't I full of confidence).  That is an occipital nerve block.  This involves a local anaesthetic and a steroid injected into the back of the head.  Yes I know that it is more injecting, but this time it will be only one... I think.  I actually signed up for a trial using this treatment in Leicester a few years ago but never heard anything back about it.  I won't go into too many details now as I will save that for when I use it.

What?
Oh ok then...
IF I ever use it.

3 comments:

  1. Didn't realise the appointment was imminent. Sorry it didn't work. Not sorry you didn't have all those injections. Here's hoping that the next one will be The One.

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  2. I have used sodum valporate in the past and I think also the other one that you can't remeber as I did have to have lung function tests and blood test every month while taking it. Sadly for me none of them worked. In the end I had to come off them as the side effects were just too much. I was did have allergy tests and they found I was alergic to syliclates and NSAIDs. The diet I was put on was rice and meat for two weeks, no spices or anything. Hope the docs can help you. if you want to look at my story it is on my blog :)

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  3. Thanks Rosalind. I am hoping as well.

    Hi A Paced Life. That is the thing about migraine preventatives, it is a 50/50 chance of success (sodium valproate is actually 47% chance of success based on research so let's hope I am in that 47%).

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