LOS ANGELES, CA – Hollywood executive Mike Medavoy and wife Irena Medavoy filed a lawsuit (Medavoy v. Klein, No. SC075614) against Allergan, maker of Botox, and Dr. Arnold W. Klein, a dermatologist whose patients include Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson, claiming Irena Medavoy suffered serious side effects from an “off-labeled” Botox treatment for migraine headaches.
Complaint filed by Medavoy’s attorneys Arthur Leads and Robert Petrokofsky alleges that Allergan improperly promoted this “off-labeled” use of Botox – meaning for uses that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The complaint also claims Dr. Klein did not fully inform his patient of the potential dangers of such treatment, nor did he disclose that he’s a paid consultant to the company.
“It is common practice to use medications off-label,” countered Klein’s lawyer, Howard Weitzman of the Los Angeles office of New York’s Proskauer Rose. “That’s what they do in clinical studies. That’s the way the drugs get tested.”
Allergan General Counsel Douglas Ingram said that Botox is currently in clinical trials for treatment of headaches.
(via The National Law Journal)
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My email address is yolande2@dodo.com.au
No Warning!
I have had severe affects after Botox injections for about 13 months.
Severe head, neck, & eye pain with swelling of right eye, & illnesses. Have had many test done too numerous to mention here!
It all reverts back to my Botox injections that I received for frown lines, just before all this started.
If I had known that this treatment could have caused me to be so ill and in so much pain & agony,…I would gladly have kept my frown lines.
If anyone has experienced these same symptons,….Please e-mail me! Thank You.
Please tell everyone you know to stay away from Botox. I have had migraines almost all my life (since I was 4 years old) and I have literally tried everything. About two years ago I was dumb enough to try a new shot called Botox; not only was I suffering from migraines, but also from severe neck pain. My neurologist assured me that this would help and could do no harm. Right after the injections in the base of my skull, the two sites swelled. I was really concerned and went back a week or two later and the doctor said it was completely normal. My neck hurt so bad I couldn’t move it for a few months. After the swelling went down, one of the sites atrophied. I had a hole about the size of a quarter in the the back of my head with all of the hair in that area gone. If my neurologist had told me that he was injecting a type of food poisoning into my head which wasn’t FDA approved and could cause such serious effects I would never have agreed. Two years later and my neck hurts so much worse than it did. Thanks to some extensive physiotherapy the hole is now gone and the hair has grown back. Having Botox was the worst mistake of my life, please don’t let it be yours too.
I have suffered from severe migraines ever since I was 6 years old. I have repeatedly seeked advice from several neurologist and have undergone treatments from acupuncture to nerve blocks. My latest neurologist suggested that we do botox treatment. I had several shots in the forehead, and the back of the neck. Since having the shots, I have had severe neck pain; like a constant stiff neck, but worse. I wish I had known more about the ‘down side’ of botox injections, I would not have agreed to them. It hurts to keep my head up straight. Why don’t doctors tell us the side-effects that might occur instead of saying, ‘none of my other patients have experienced any problems’. Well, I may not be any of your other patients!!!! I am unique!!!
By the way, the migraines are still occurring!
I’ve suffered from headaches for years. Several years ago I began a series of botox shots. I was cured aftered several months. Thank GOD for botox. I thought I was going to die before it came along. I’m cured. It’s a wonder drug; again thank GOD for botox.
I had my last botox for cosmetic reasons five days ago and will never use it again, after years of blithly getting injected whenever a wrinkle looked as if it might appear. I started off with injections between the eyebrows, under the eyebrows, and at the crow’s feet area about five years ago. Had injections every three or four months until the last two years, when I had injections one year apart and the last were 7 months apart. I mention these details because I believe there is either a cummulative effect or the body reaches a point where it is no longer able to handle what it once was. The usual post botox headache and tightening never resolved, my left shoulder and neck ache, I have mild tingling running down my left arm to my fingertips. I feel like an idiot for not listening to my mother who told me I was crazy to do this. I never even looked for a website like this until a few days ago when I realized I have a problem. I wish all who are suffering relief from their pain, and those who are enamored with pictures of people who are 50 and look 35 to tell you from personal experience, the benefits of looking younger do not outweigh the cost.
My plan was to phone my Dr and go in for my 1st Botox treatment this week. I don’t think so now after reading all of your writings. This treatment was mentioned to me for pain relief of daily headaches. I don’t think that I could do this now that I know about the side effects.
I have been suffering from chronic headaches since I had a spinal tap done. I have tried every medication that you can to treat headaches. I was advised that Botox is my cure after reading the many articles I will not use it. I have chronic headaches that feel very tight like my head is being squeezed I cannot sleep and feel alot of pain also. Has anyone tried something besides Botox that works?
I only wish I had found and read this site before I had my botox. I had shots about 20 of them for migraines 2 weeks okay. The dr told me that my headaches may get worse in the first 7 days. Well not only are they worse, I to have had such a sore and stiff neck, like nothing I have had before, and spent last weekend in bed with what I thought was the flu. I now belive that I am having a reaction to the Botox. My eye’s and eye-lids are so puffy I look like I have either been crying for a week (ladies you will not what I mean) or that I have not slept in weeks. I really thought it was a “miracle” cure as I had heard nothing but “great” things. Wow was I fooled. I keep hoping and waiting for this neck pain and headache to dissapate but it seems to be getting worse. Is there anything I can do for it? I would appreciate any suggestions – my regular meds don’t seem to help elivate any pain. I have suffered with migraines since I was 16, which became worse last Sept. 2003 and since then I have had permanent headaches. Been treated with every med out there plus spinal tap, then spinal plug, ct scan, mri. Is there any relief for us?
Thanks for listening – this site is excellent. I will recommend it to anyone I can who is thinking about getting botox. I used to kid that I can use it and get rid of the headaches and the wrinkles. Well I WANT MY WRINKLES BACK and my headaches gone.
Bev D. Canada
Less than a week ago I had cosmetic Botox. Within 3 days I had terrible throbbing headaches, today I woke up with major soreness on the back of my upper arms, throughout my arm pit and halfway through my chest. I also feel aches and pains in various other parts of my body. My boyfriend is an internist and doesn’t know what to think of my symptoms. From what I am reading, sounds like it might be Botox related. Has anyone found anything that helps these symptoms? Is there anything that can help rid the body of Botox?
Ann,
I was ill for 5 1/2 months in 2002 following Botox for Spasmodic Dysphonia. My symptoms were similar to what you describe. Pain first manifested in my armpit, arm, and neck. My entire body was affected in the next months. I experienced numbness and tingling in my arms and legs, severe muscle weakness and always, the burning pain. After 5 doctors, dozens of tests, and no diagnosis, I gradually began to feel better. I believe that Botox is sometimes NOT safe, through contamination, being injected too deeply, or not being diluted enough. The neurologist I saw said a virus can sometimes produce symptoms as I had. Botox contains human albumin so it’s possible it might contain a virus. It might also effect the nervous system. I had taken injections for 8 years at the time of my illness.
I have been following the on-going list of patients’ life-changing complications from Botox injections from 2002 to the present (Oct.2004). It appears that there indeed may have been a “bad” batch of Botox manufactured in 2001 as I was injected Dec. 2001 and became gravely ill in early 2002. My treatment was for cosmetic usage – frown lines (glabellar furrows) and crow’s feet. I didn’t make the Botox connection until I saw info. on brain injuries as my complaints included problems with my vision – depth of field compromised, light sensitivity and an overwhelming feeling that I was in a perpetual fog – as time progressed, I became more ill and was bedridden for 3 – 4 months. I felt that I was dying. I could no longer work and had to go on a medical disability and eventually could not return to my job as a medical sales representative. When I mentioned to my dermatologist if there was a possibility that Botox could have traveled to my brain (there are a great many vessels in the forehead that feed directly to the brain} he was quick to say no. Of course, all doctors rely upon their journals for clincial papers on complications from drugs and from the pharmaceutical compannies issuing warning letters advising physicians of potential risks associated with drug usage. At some point, I believe that we have the makings of a class action suit. I’m hoping that perhaps an attorney will take this on. There are far too many patients who have suffered and have no where to turn to except the Internet. I was misdiagnosed as depressed with anxiety as my Internist would have been unable to properly diagnose me because the potential harmful side effects of
Botox have not been disclosed to physicians, to date. I’m hoping that someone like Carol will contact me for further discussion. To those who are reading this, know that you are not alone – it’s hard to know why afer I received Botox for several years with no problewms except flu-like symptoms (fatigue, respiratory complaints) that this final injection in De. 2001 would forever change my life and my family’s.
Diane,
“Life changing complications” is very apt regarding some of our experiences with Botox. I took injections at 3 month intervals for over 8 years before I became ill. I was taking a very small dose, only one unit. The injection I received 2/14/02 is the one that triggered my illness. I have several theories regarding Botox. Some of us are hypersensitive to it immediately. There is no way to know, before a potentially devastating reaction, just who is in the vulnerable group. I believe the effects of Botox may be cumulative. I also believe that a BIG BAD BATCH may be produced now and then. My illness began after the 2/14/02 injection. I got immediately worse with my 5/9/02 injection. I continued taking my shot because none of the doctors I saw would admit Botox could be why I was sick. By Sept. of 2002 I had gradually started to feel better. I had 5 more injections at 3 month intervals. It was not until I read about Irena Medavoy’s case and her symptoms that I realized Botox could have caused my symptoms. I stopped taking injections to improve my spasmodic dysphonia then. The numbness in my limbs has never completely resolved. The horrific, burning, muscle pain has. My guess is the shot that made me ill was tainted in some way, or went into my bloodstream. I know it was the Botox that made me sick even though my health improved while I was still taking it.
I have aged 10-15 years in a 4 month period because of Botox. I have also been depressed and can’t sleep at night cusing myself for injecting poison into my face. It has now been 4 months since I had my first (and last) botox treatment for cosmetic reasons. I am 45 years old. I did not look any worse or any better than the avarage 45 year old who takes care of her face. I had 1/2 a vial of Botox injected all over my forehead, the corner of my eyes and in between my eyebrows. I wanted to share the vial with another friend, but the nurse said that I could not share a vial and 1/2 vial was not too much. After a few days, I noticed that I my eyelids had “dissapeared” and my eyes looked liked they were pushed into my sockets. After six days of no improvement I went back to my plastic surgeon who told me that he was going to use electrical shocks to reverse the botox effect. I was a little apprehensive, but he informed me that there was nothing to worry about. He used a small machine that gave me elctrical shocks to the area above my eyebrows (about 10 minutes each side) The nurse then informed me “afterwards” that he is the only doctor using this type of treatment for reversing botox in the city. For two months I had very few problems other than my eyes still looked like they were pushed into the sockets. The problems started 2 months to the day after my injections. First I started having quite severe headaches. After a week of headaches, I went back to my doctor, who informed me that it had nothing to do with Botox. I asked him about the electrical shock machine since I could not find anything in the internet and he informed me that he was testing this device and was writing a paper on it!! I was used as his guinea pig and he NEVER told me that I was a test!!I then began to have very dry eyes and was constanly needing to put eye drops . I also began to have “eye socket” headaches, but only in my left eye. To top matters off my fine wrinkes that I had before appeared in full blown state. I now have numerous wrinkles underneath my eyes when I smile. I had absolutely none before! The crow feet lines at the side of my eyes are now severe lines and I also have wrinkly eyelids, which I never had before! I am depressed! I have ruined my face in 4 months!I feel that the end is still not here since botox is suppose to last 6 months. I am an expat living in Singapore and I do not know what to do!
My neuologist is thinking of putting me
on Botox injections for Migraines as I have triggers 4-6 times per day if nuerotin does not help as a prevenative,I take 900 mg of nuerotin per day and he says thet wil take 4-6 wks to start working.I’m on my 2nd week
Has anyone had positive results with Botox as a preventive for Migraines?
I read this article for school reserch and it made my report seem to sound better THANKS!
I had botox injections twice inside of a month for frown lines between my eyes.The first didn’t really do much so they did it again, and it did help, but not enough to make me try again, but at the 4 month after point I started having severe headaches some with vomiting that my primary said were migraines.It has been a year since the first migraine and i continue to have the same severe headaches 2-5 times a week.The dr has me on topamax, and zomig but they only the zomig seems to help, and that only gets rid of it until the next one.Could this be part of the botox?I find it strange that they started right when the botox was wearing off, and have continued since.I dont know what to do, I am missing work because of this and would very much like to have my life back.I feel very stupid for trying something that might have caused this major problem in my life.Does this sound posible? I am going into a state of depression because of this and need help. Where do i turn next,considering my primary physition hasen’t been able to get a handle on this. Thank you if you can help. Nov 20 2004
I had put my nightmare of a story on this website back in 8/03. Here it is almost 12/04 and I am still suffering the side effects of botox. I wish I never would have went to a neurologist. He did admit however that it was the botox and told me I should contact Allergan and the FDA, which I did over a year ago and nothing. My neurologist put me on morphine and provigil for the daytime fatigue. I went a year without being able to get an appt with him, yet he continued to fill my morphine prescription for me. When he realized how long it had been since he had seen me, he realized I needed an appt. He saw me and realized that I was not any better so he sent me to Washington University in St. Louis. He wanted me to see a specialist there to see if he could find out what is going on. What a joke that was, and what a quack of a doctor. He saw me for about 15-20 minutes and then he said you have something, but it’s not torticollis. He then sent my neurologist a note that I was on too much medication and that he needed to do an MRI of my brain and a lumbar puncture to rule out MS. He said that there is no way botox caused migraines, because it has never been reported and that the burning pain in my shoulder was not caused by the botox either. I saw my neurologist and had the MRI done, which as far as I know it was negative. He also stated that he really didn’t know what to do at this point and that until we figure it out he is comfortable masking the pain, so he put me on more medication. I am off of work again because I fell asleep at work on a Monday and couldn’t function. I am a nurse and you need to have all of your faculties when you take care of patients. I came home that night and went to bed. Got up on Tuesday am called in to work and call the Mayo clinic in Minnisota. They said it would be about 2 weeks before I would hear anything from them. In the meantime I called my neurologist and told him about my trouble staying awake and he said that maybe the morpine was too strong and wanted to change it to a different medication. I said I have been on the same dose for a year and a half. I asked him if he could write me a letter to be off of work until we could figure what is going on. He said he wouldn’t do that and that there was nothing more he could do for me. I know why now. I recieved my office note from the doctor in St. Louis and he stated in there that I had a history of substance abuse and that I needed to be off of a lot of my medications, and that he thought I had conversion disorder, which really is a nice way of saying I am a hypochondriac, but we should rule out MS to be for sure. I slept pretty much for three days and then my prayers were answered. The Mayo Clinic called and they can see me on Dec 2. This is a very good facility and you see several doctors and you stay for 3-6 days and they run tests on you and hopefully they will be able to help me. This has gone on too long. I have attorneys who took my case, but now they want to wait a year because they said my case was a lot like Irena Medavoy and basically I was a neurological train wreck and they want to try some more simpler cases first. I dont get where they think that since I have never seen a neurologist until botox. By the way, I dont know if you heard, but Irena Medavoy lost her case with allergan and the attorneys for allergan said that they were glad justice was served and that they have never heard of anyone else having side effects from Botox. I would like to know what they are hiding? Something that is for sure. I was called by her attorney to testify, but my attorney advised against it. He said it would not have done any good anyway because the witnesses that he did have didn’t even get a chance to speak at the hearing. I am just so furious and want to somehow, some way get the word out that Allergan is hiding things and that there are a lot of people out there who suffer with almost the same exact symptoms. Coincidence. I dont think so.
I am sorry this is so long, but it has been a while since I have been here and II had to vent somewhere. I know you all will understand the frustration. I hope everyone is doing better and hopefully for a lot of you the Botox has worn off and you have your life back. God Bless.
i have suffered from Cluster Headaches for 10 years now and nothing worked. After several neurologists and doctors I finally found one who tried Botx shots. i still get headaches from time to time but I have my life back. Thwe botox helps because if I go to long between shots the headaches come back. i have gone from not being able to work having 5 to 10 headaches a day to maybe two or three a week.
Hi, I have a question on Botox treatment for headaches. My doctors’ have tried many medications such as Imitrex, Maxalt, Depakote, Topamax, Celebrex. Also, over the counter meds. Nothing help or if it did it would work a few times an then nothing. I had headaches for 6 yrs. now. And he just told me about the botox but reading the posts now I’m not so sure. I had side effects from some of the medicine he prescribe me. Can someone give me more information on this. Thanks alot.
When will people start taking responsibility for their own decisions? I am a migraineur of 38 years and when I take a prescription from the doctor or a treatment such as Botox I realize it is my decision and my responsibility. I research drugs before I take them; I don’t blindly trust doctors. I get second opinions, I search the internet, I ask other patients. Doctors aren’t gods and neither are pharmecutical companies. Your treatments are your decisions, your risk. Grow up.
I’ve been having botox for 5 years for cosmetic purpose, and I had pain in the trapezius area since, but I always thought the cause was stress from my job. Since I’ve read this discussion group and seen all the side effects, I stopped having botox. It’s been 6 months now, and my shoulders are getting better, the pain is gradually going away. thanks for opening my eyes!
I have had botox injections every three months for the past 1.5 years. I had my last injection three weeks ago and have begun to experience severe headaches. I called my doctor and was told that it would get better, so I am praying that it will dissipate. Should I survive this, I am finished with any kind of plastic surgery.
I began using Botox for migraines 5 years ago, and Botox gave me my life back. My migraines had become so severe that I was vomitting every 3 days, could not tolerate any noise or light including the air conditioning, etc. After years of living with occasional migraines (b/c none of the medications worked), I decided to try Botox injections. I have only had one migraine since, and that was because I went 11 months between treatments. I have several friends (ranging in age from late 20’s to 60’s) who use Botox cosmetically and/or for migraines–none of them has ever had ANY negative side effects. We all go to VERY reputable doctors, not fly-by-night clinics. Botox is a miracle drug to me, and I strongly encourage anyone who has not had success with other migraine medications to try Botox. One great side effect for me is that I have no forehead lines until about month 8 after treatment.
I started having botox shots less than a year ago, today my face is saging on the left side. I have lost part of my sight in my left eye.My eyes no longer close all the way. I can’t drive at nigth anymore because I can’t see, or stay out in the sun or heat from the pain in my eyes.I live with headackes that are so bad I cry. No doctor seems to know what to do!I beleive that I had to many botox injections in to short of a time or I was injected wrong. I am still looking for answers.I didn’t have a problem untill the last shot. In less than 24 after my last shot I had the head the size of a cow.The doctor first said I a reaction to botox then he said I had a reaction to the a cream I used. Then in the same office visit he said I don’t know what happened. I saw him one week after that and he said I had bell-palsy.This is 5 months later and there is very little change.The only good change is that I can feel most of my face again.I did have my shots done by a very reputable doctor. Before I had anything done I had very long talks about the risks involved. He told me how safe botox is. He stressed to me and lead me to beleive that it was one of the safest drugs on the market.Sad to say as of today I looked better before I had the botox shots. The shots I had were for cosmetic purposes.
URGENT REQUEST FOR ANSWERS*************
I had Botox injections 1.5 weeks ago,
on a Thursday, by Friday I had flu like symptoms which I was advised of that. I then started having severe dizziness, blood pressures dropping with sitting/standing, I became very dehydrated, I was hopitalized yet they weren’t sure what the cause was. I was released after 3 days, I continue to have the dizziness severly any range of motion I nearly pass out. Could someone please help me out, just wondering could this Botox have caused these symptoms, aling with unable to eat properly (get sick afterwards).
I look forward hearing from someone (any/all) replys greatly appreciated so that I can know which direction I should go to get help. I can;t stand this feeling I also hurt between the skull and neck lines, my Botox was injected @ neck-line of skull and neck line down the shoulders.
Please reply asap!
Pam Perdue
Hi, I had seen my doctor today regarding my chronic pain,TMJ, Fibromelgia pain all over my body from head to toe…The pain is getting worse…I have tried everything my doctor has given me as well have had cat scans to learn od disk degenerate disease from neck to lower lumbar…Well after reading all these stories on taking Botox and all the side effects…I am very confused because it has helped many people with no side affects and others caused more illness and damage….Need advise on should I go for my first injection just got the prescription today July 27/05….So my million dollar question is do I continue to suffer, take the risk and pray I will be one of the lucky one’s that Botox works on or should I just try alternatives?
Sincerely yours, Susan
My wife had botox injections on May 27, 2005 for Chronic Daily Headache. Immediately after, she had a burning pain in the back of her neck. The botox Dr. said it was because the botox hasn’t had a chance to sink in yet, so he put her on Valium for a couple weeks. The pain never went away. Over the next month, the pain started spreading to her back. She describes the pain as burning pain, or like flesh being ripped from her bones. The pain also has gone into her legs (hips and knees). She also has tingling in her hands and feet, and sometimes they get numb. It just isn’t letting up. She is “down for the count” right now, and no one seems to know if the botox could cause this problem. The botox Dr. say’s it wouldn’t, but the other Dr.’s say they don’t know enough about it. We have seen our family Dr., a Neurologist, Internal Medicine Dr., a Rheumatologist, and the pain Dr., no one has any info, and say’s on paper, she is perfectly healthy. It has been almost 4 months since her injections and no improvement. Her headaches haven’t been as bad, but now the pain in her body is probably worse than the headaches. Does this go away in time? If anyone has any information for me, I’d appreciate it.
Thanks.
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