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)
{ 78 comments }
I have given Botox injections for my migraines. I am beginning to experience the following: nausea, headaches, flu symptons, muscle weakness, and severe migraines.
Has the Botox injections helped your headaches at all, putting aside the side effects? How often are you supposed to have to get the next injections?
Thanks for your input.
I have had terrible after effects from what I suspect was botox treatment administer during plastic surgery. One of the questions asked by my plastic surgeon was whether I had considered Botox treatment. I informed him, I had difficulty with medications and I would not ellect to try any type of ellective medical treatment. I have had other procedures done and never experienced side effects.
I experienced difficulty breathing, severe fatigues, dissorentation, difficulty consr rating,I had no persperation from my for head for almost a year. I asked my plastic surgeon if he had adminsitered Botox injection, he said he did not. I was desperatly ill. I also called Allegan phamaceutical company and was told these reactions were not known to botox injections. I tried to find some type of treatment for the Botox injections that I suspected were given
to me from my primeray physician and neorologist in my medical facility and was informed by my neoroligist that even if Botox was administered there were no know sever side effects.
My hear goes out to Ms Medavoy because I was felt to be a hysterical person when all I realy wanted was to find a remedy to the sever toxic reaction was feel I experienced.
Sever reaction to Botox treatment I believe was adminstered without my consent during surgical plastic procudure. I have submited some infomation regarding toxic side effects of Botox treatment.
I had botox injections almost two years ago and have had many side effects, including most of the side effects that Mrs. Irena Medavoy has encountered. I have permanent muscle loss in my right shoulder and chronic pain in my neck and shoulder. I would like to communicate with Mrs. Medavoy in some way to compare the disabling effects that I have since the injections. The Doctor that gave me the Botox injections has left his practice and no longer has license to practice in this area. If there is someone out there that knows how to communicate with Mrs. Medavoy, please contact me. Thank you very much in advance for any help.
Vickie Lee on June 18, 2003
My mother recieved botox for “multiple migraines” and since has had many problems similar to Medavoy’s. In which we are now trying to find out more about it. I have also become a licensed massage therapist since her botox, and would like to point out from my point of view that while temporarily deadning a muscle in your neck would cause your other muscles to overcomensate and cause alignment and muscle problems.
I had Botox injections in the back of my head, neck and shoulders for chronic head and neck pain after neck surgery (anterior discectomy and fusion at C5-C6 and C6-C7). The flu like symptoms are normal for about a week. My headache went away after about only 7 days (maximum absorption is at 10 days) but was back in full force after 18 days. My neck spasms were never relieved. The day after I was injected my tongue became really inflammed, sensitive and swollen. Fortunately I sleep semi prone mostly but I had a problem with recurring airway obstruction in my sleep for about 6 weeks. It felt as though there was some slackening of structures in the back of my throat. My entire face also slackened, and I had to work to form words as my buccal (cheek) muscles were affected. I had to keep wiping bits of saliva from the corners of my mouth for several weeks. The peak affect seemed to be about 8 weeks for me (effect is supposed to last 3-5 months). At three months my tongue is still numb and sensitive. It is not supposed to have any affect on sensation, but its hard to explain away the effects on my tongue when it coincided with the injection of the Botox, and all the effects I had were related to the facial nerve being exposed to Botox. The facial nerve innervates the anterior 2/3 of the tongue as well as the face. The doctor denied the affect on my tongue was related to the Botox, but couldn’t explain the coincidence or what it might be. I’m hoping the affect will wear off in 5 months. If it does, it most certainly was the Botox. If it doesn’t I still think it’s related to the Botox. I wonder if the drug company tested possible potentiation with other drugs. I asked the doctor to skip the sub occipital injections this time and just inject 3 of my tapezius trigger points to try again to subdue the neck spasms. He refused in light of my reaction, admitting there was a remote possibility that the Botox is the problem. All drugs have side effects. It’s ridiculous to believe you can get something for nothing. It probably is helpful to some people for pain management, but it seems to me there is too much unknown (or not acknowleged) side effects. The effect on the muscles of the tongue is very frightening and extemely dangerous when it leads to airway obstruction. It’s not a drug to mess around with. Those of us with chronic pain are desperate, those who use it for cosmetic purposes are just plain stupid!
In my comment below I mentioned most of my problems involve the facial nerve. The muscles of the tongue are controlled by the glossopharyngeal nerve. Obviously I also had some involvement of this nerve, which explains my problem with intermittant airway obstruction when I sleep. The problem with botox is that the doctor can’t control where the drug will spread to. The injection point for the facial nerve is in the right side of the face. No where near where I was injected.
I apologize for the way my previous final comment came out. I think that using Botox for cosmetic purposes is stupid, not the people who have cosmetic surgery. Doctors have a responsibility to understand and explain the drugs they use on people. Sadly demands for the cosmetic uses make it a very lucrative business for doctors and drug companies. Ethics go out the window.
I misspoke again.(it was so late at night). Injection points for the facial nerve are on both sides of the face. I fixate on the right because that is where my injury is. I’ll quit now while I’m ahead! Good Luck to you folks with side effects. I hope they fade away.
I have suffered side effects from botox given for cosmetic reasons above the brow,under the eyes and in the platysma muscle in the front of the neck for neck cords one of the most well know dermatologists in NYC.I had been receiving the treatments for 3 years when the last injection that I had June 2002produced strange side effects. @ 2 weeks after the injections the back of my tongue became higher on one side and burned. I also got flu-like symptoms for the 1st time. My neck was very stiff and felt numb with pain.@ another 2 weeks I started getting burning and tingling down my arms,hands,buttocks,legs.The symptoms lasted for over a year now.I went to various doctors and they had no clue to what was wrong. A top neurologist who specilizes in this area sent me for countless bloodtests to rule out neurological diseases. They all came back negative. I had an extensive EMG of my upper& lower body which came out normal. I told him about the symptoms and the botox and he said that the timing of the botox could have set off these neurological symptoms in me.He feels that I stand a good chance of recovering from this. This has been a horror story. I have been in perfect health and athletic until this happened. I am taking Neurontin for the nerve pain.I helps some. I can’t believe that I trusted my doctor who is well known in NYC and didn’t do the research.She injects herself as well as her young daughter with botox for her headache. Vicki Lee you mentioned that you would like to contact Mrs. Medavoy. She can be contacted through through http://www.medavoybotox.org, the Medavoy website where they are gathering information on others who have suffered side effects from botox.Mrs. Medavoy is suing Arnold Klein(her dermatologist and Allergan the maker of botox for her awful time. In the news there was a woman who died in the plastic surgeon’s chair while being give botox for headaches. She went into shock after several minutes, 911 was called. She was never revived. There was another woman in Florida who received botox injections for migraines.She got flu-like symptoms, felt extremely weak, had excruciating head and muscle pain,fatique. Could not get off the sofa.Was bed ridden for 6 weeks. She thought she was going to die. One woman in California received botox in the face felt very weak and sick, she then had half her face go paralized.It is important for all of you who have been hurt by botox to call the FDA and file a written report. Also call Allergan the maker of botox and file a report with them as well.
website that is gathering information about botox sufferers.I admire Mrs. Medavoy for taking on this strong challenge against Allergan who made $500M last year and the lawyer representing the botox lawyer who markets himself as once representing O.J.Simson.I am on a mission just like Irena Medavoy is to get word out to the public about how dangerous botox can be and that information is held from the patient. Consent forms say very little.You are made to feel that you are getting a cosmetic instead of a drug.Merrick, You see that I also have tongue complications from being shot in the neck. When I saw an ENT surgeon he gave me an MRI in the front of my neck because tha base of my tonge was risen. It was negative. He has no answers and said the botox couldn’t have cause my tongue problems, but probably my neck.
I wrote about in the comments about my complications after botox.There is a very dark side to botox that you do not read about in most doctors’ consent forms,especially cosmetic doctors.Irena Medavoy’s lawsuit against Arnold Klein her dermatologist and Allergan the maker of botox is going to be a very important case.The trial is set for February.A few examples of people that I have read about in the news that have suffered severe side effects.1.A woman in Florida who was receiving botox for migraines went into caridiac arrest,shock and died in the plastic surgeon’s office.The autopsy stated that botox was the primary cause. Another woman in Florida, received botox for headaches that had her bedridden for 6 weeks.She thought she was going to die and was ready to sign her will.She was so weak.Allergan rep told her “it couldn’t be the botox”and pointed to every neurological disease imaginable.Another womman in California had botox for cosmetic reasons and one side of her face is paralized for a couple of years.There is a 4 year old child who received botox for cerebral palsy.Before the treatment the child could walk but with difficulty. Now the child cannot walk or feed himself.The cosmetic doctors have patients sign consent forms as if botox is like a cosmetic and has rare mild temporary side effects. I am sure that many people have had side effects from botox that are told that it “can’t be the botox”.My dermatologist told me that my symptoms did not come from botox and implied indirectly that perhaps I was depressed and should be treated for depression. If you have had a complication from botox please report it to the FDA (you can do this on- line), to Allergan( do this for your own protection) and you can report your story to http://www.medavoybotox.org.If I knew the information that I have gathered over the last year, I would have never consented to have cosmetic botox.Today there was an article about the young docotor in his first in practice making housecalls in Manhattan. The photo showed him giving injections to a yoga instructor in the middle of the gym. He said that he has a bartender,etc at $400 a pop.10 minutes for one injection 20 for various and $300.00 for additional sites.( This is disgusting).
Please write to the Irena Medavoy website.Allergan ( botox) and the doctors whos administer it make it seem benign. It is not. You can get very hurt by treatment with botox. The public needs to made aware of this. The FDA already has made Allergan remove their last three ad campaigns because they were not informing people of the risks and referring to it as a cosmetic instead of a drug. Botox usage has increased dramatically.Doctors view it as a big benign cash cow.It is proving not to be so benign and hopefully information to the public will be widespread.
I have spasmodic dysphonia and have received botox injections for years. I receive a small dose, one unit, every 3 months. Several times I have had flu-like symptoms after an injection that lasted a few days. In early March of 2002 around 3 weeks after botox, I developed pain in my right armpit. In a few days the pain included my right shoulder and neck. My doctor thought I might have pulled a muscle exercising and had me use ice therapy. A few days later, to my surprise, the pain began moving down my right arm, on the inside, to my hand and fingers. My arm was tingling and slightly numb. I was so scared. I have been healthy all my life, except for my voice disorder, and could not imagine what was happening to me. I went back to my doctor who sent me for x-rays of my neck and shoulder, which showed nothing. A few days later I had numbness and tingling from the waist down. I was at work when this started. My husband drove me to the emergency room at Deaconess Hospital. The doctor there ran blood tests, urine tests, and took medical history. I asked him if he thought botox could be causing my symptoms. He said he didn’t think so. None of my tests showed anything. He advised me to have an MRI of my neck to rule out MS. Next I went to a neurologist. He took my history of symptoms, saying very little, while I described the awful pain I was experiencing. He did a spinal tap and an MRI. Neither showed anything abnorma. The burning pain had migrated to nearly every part of my body by my next visit. I thought I was dying. I was so healthy and vibrant before this illness and was dumbfounded by it. I was describing what the pain felt like. The doctor said to me, “If I didn’t know you I’d think you were loony!” This was the second time I had seen him. He didn’t “know” me at all. I was desperate to know what was wrong with my body. This neurologist put me on Neurontin. It barely phased the pain. Next I went to a rheumatologist. At the time I had tender points and pain consistent with fibromyalgia, though was never diagnosed with it. I had a complete skeletal bone scan, a bone density scan, and more x-rays. I was prescribed Flexeril which did not help either. During this time I could not sleep. The sheets hurt, the bed hurt, anything that touched me hurt. I could scarcely lift my arms to use my curling iron in the morning. The mental anguish I felt during this time was enormous. I was ill from early March 2002 until July 2002 when my symptoms began to subside. I was just as amazed at them leaving as I was at their onset. I have been grateful every day since that the pain went away. I have continued my botox injections with no more adverse effects. I did not know about Ms. Medavoy’s law suit against Allergan and her doctor until recently. I was not aware of anyone becoming ill from botox. Is is possible a bad batch of the toxin is produced now and then? I want to stop taking it now that I know people have been harmed. I asked every doctor I saw if there might be a connection between my illness and botox. None of them thought so. I wish healing to anyone still suffering.
I recieved my first botox injections on May 30th, 2003 for cerical dystonia (torticollis). I was given 100 units the first time. My neurologist told me to call him in 10 days to let him know how I am doing and that I may need a booster since he used such a small dose. He said that my conditin was mild. I called him 10 days later and told him that it didn’t seem to help and thought that the condition had worsened. I was having some burning pain mainly in my neck. I went back in on June 13th for a booster and recieved 100 more units of botox on the left and right side of my neck and back. Two days later at work, I started feeling a burning pain in my neck, shoulder and constant ache in my left arm. I work in a very busy physicians office so I tried to continue to work, but came home at night in tears from the pain. Finally I called my neurologist back and explained my symptoms and he wrote a letter to my employer and thought that maybe I needed a little rest and would be okay. The symptoms persisted and I went back to work only to be in tears constantly from the pain. The pain was so intense that when I took a shower it hurt to put a towel on my head or to bend down and brush my teeth. I have a hard time doing my housework.
I saw my neurologist again on July 1 and he just pretty much scratched his head and couldn’t figure out why I was having so much trouble. He wanted me to see one of his partners for a second opinion, he then said that he thought I had the worse case of torticollis he has seen, but I couldn’t see him for another month, so he gave me morphine and neurontin and of course antidepressants because he thought I was suffering from depression. I was. The pain is so intense. My doctor kept me off of work until seeing his partner. I just saw him today (August 18) and he does not believe there is any link between botox and the symptoms that I am having. So now he is setting me up with nerve conduction studies and if they are negative then a possible myelogram to see if something else is going on. He thinks its just a coincidence that the symptoms appeared around the same time that I was treated with botox. I have been off work now for six weeks and still nothing has changed as far as my pain goes. The morpine helps some, but not enough. Sometimes the pain has been so unbearable that I called my husband at work and told him I didn’t care if I lived or died. He is of course very concerned. I spoke to a local law firm and they were not willing to take the case, but said if I wanted to pursue it make sure to do it before the statute of limitations expired. I don’t know how long that is, but that may be what I end up doing. Time will tell. I am waiting till the end of September and maybe if the botox wears off, I will have some relief. I was so glad to find this website because everywhere I have looked there is nothing negative concerning botox and I think that more people should be aware of the serious side effects it can cause. I just want my life back the way it was. I had pain then, but at least I had some good days and some bad, but I could control with medication and go to work.
To Alice A:I hope you get better with time.It is been a year for me.I am taking neurontin,3200 mg a day.Before I had a reaction to botox I was healthy person who worked out 5 days a week and could ski all day on a week’s vacation.There are millions of people receiving botox and the number grows daily.Doctors and the drug company are making a ton of money on injecting people with a neurotoxin that no one knows the long term effects.It really sounds like you had a bad reaction.I had doctors tell me also that it could not be the botox.Then I went to a neurologist who specialized in neuropathy who is well known in NYC.He told me with the timing of the injections that it certainly could have set off the symptoms that I have.I had every test done to exclude a neurological disease including a brain MRI and EMG.I would like to sue the drug company for promoting botox like it is a cosmetic and my doctor who made me sign a consent form that didn’t show the possible side effects.She told me that it could not be the botox.People like you and I who have been hurt by botox seem to be isolated.There are many more.I wish we could file a class action suit.Irena Medavoy the woman in the above article is suing her doctor and the drug company.Her trial is set for February.She was interviewed on Dateline.(The transcript is on Dateline’s website).Irena Medavoy is going to be interviewed on Larry King Live soon. I will post the date when I get it.I am on a mission to get the word out to the public that botox can really hurt people.
I had botox injections for fibromyalgia which involved constant headache, neck and shoulder muscle spasms. Previously I was treated with trigger point injections in the shoulders and accupuncture along with flexeril and NASID meds. I had botox injections in the areas of my temples for headache and had no significant side effects. After my recent injections in the neck, shoulders, and temples I have not been able to keep my head erect. The doctor who administered the injections said the dose was too high for my height and weight and that I now have “bowling ball head syndrome”. Literally my head feels like a bowling ball and my neck muscles are unable to hold me head up without my feeling like I’m going to pass out. This all comes with severe pain in the shoulders too. It is 3 weeks since the injecttions and my physician has started me on 15 minutes of neck strengthening exercises. However. I am really upset and pray that these symptoms will eventually go away completely. Had I known that this could happen, I would never had this done. Who is to blame? The doctor admitted he used too much botox and probably should have used different sites for the injections. So now all I can do is wait. Please write back.
Thank you all.
Response to Jan A.-If things go ok, the botox should wear off in 3 months, the longest 5.Your neck muscles became very weak after these injections.If the symptoms don’t subside in this time frame then I would consider a suit.Your doctor admitted to giving you too much botox.I am shocked that he was truthful.My experience was the doctor told me that my symptoms couldn’t be from the botox.My advice is to not have botox again.Botox is experimental, the long term effects are unknown and people are getting hurt by this product. I would report your symptoms via the FDA website so they can tract it.The FDA was so disturbed with Allergan-botox that they made them pull 3 of their ads and their tv ads because they market botox like it is a cosmetic and fail to disclose the dangers.As you know from the above article Mrs. Medavoy is suing botox-Allergan and her doctor Arnold Klein for the effects that she has suffered. You can write an E-mail to her website at http//medavoybotox.org
Carol(Same Carol from this site)
After reading over your submissions, including the latest by Jan and Alicia, I am convinced that a reaction to botox caused my illness in 2002. The symptoms we describe are too similar to be a coincidence, mainly the burning, relentless pain, headache, and muscle weakness. Carol’s description of the tingling and numbness sounded exactly like what I experienced. That is when the ER doctor said I should be tested for MS. My legs were numb and I was tingling from the waist down. Like Alicia I felt like I was dying. There were days I could barely walk I hurt so bad. My muscles also itched at times! I felt intimidated by the doctors I saw. They acted so puzzled, almost like they did not believe what I was telling them. Like Carol, I have been healthy and active, doing yoga for 20 years. I kept trying to understand how I could be so healthy one moment and then desperately ill. I’ve gone back over the notes I kept during the time I was making the rounds of doctors. I found that the pain in my right armpit and shoulder started 2 to 3 weeks after my Feb. 14, 2002 injection. Since no doctor I saw would connect the botox with my symptoms I had my shot again on May 9th. What I discovered looking over my notes was that the numbness and tingling started a few days after that injection. The pain spread from my right arm and shoulder to my neck and the back of my head, then to the other side of my body. By June I had pain that seemed to migrate from one muscle group to another. Some days I hurt absolutely everywhere! My illness lasted until August when the pain gradually began to subside. This is according to my journal. I had originally said I was better by July. I had taken botox for 8 years with only flu-like symptoms 2 or 3 times. I notice that some of you have taken it for several years with no reaction, also. I wonder if it takes a certain set of circumstances to have an adverse reaction? Maybe our immune systems were compromised at the time.
Regarding my spasmodic dysphonia, my doctor cut my dose to one unit, given in the thyroarytenoid muscles on either side of my neck, because I was so sensitive to a larger dose. My voice would go completely away. Our size may be a factor, as Jan mentioned. I am 5′2″ and 106 lbs. One unit is the smallest dose my doctor gives. It is extremely small considering the amounts some of you received. I had 5 more injections since the ones I believe made me ill. (the last in May). I decided to stop after reading about Ms. Medavoy’s case, and what I’ve read on this website. Ours must be isolated cases, given the millions that are receiving botox. There are surely more with side effects that have not spoken up. Carol, Alicia, Jan, and the rest of you in pain, my prayers are with you.
I, too, have suffered the debilitating burning pain after having Botox for migraines. My symptoms have lasted a year and show no signs of letting up. My doctor has had several patients with similar reactions, but none as severe or lasting as mine. When he realized that my symptoms would not disappear, he tried to disappear. He does not want to see me or treat me–I guess he’s afraid it will mar the study he is doing for Allergan and ruin the many trips and lectures he plans. Now the person who comes up with a cure for all of us is the one who should make the billions!
Betty,how unfortunate to be treated by your doctor this way.You need to see a different neurologist that specializes in headaches and knowledge of botox. You should also document your symptoms to the FDA.You can do this on the internet.Irena Medavoy is suing botox and her doctor Arnie Klein for the complications she has received from botox.You can reach her via:Http//medavoybotox.org. There is a woman in Florida who died from having botox injections in her doctor’s chair. She went into schock.Don’t touch botox again. It is not the benign product that the company promotes like face cream.It actually has the remote possibility to transfer viruses.Read the back of the product information sheet. It is very infomative.
Please contact me immediately about the serious side effects about botox injections. rob. 541-621-0183. thanks
I had botox injections today done by my neurologist for migraines. I have headaches at least twice a week and have been on heavy narcotics. I had a headache when I went in, and it is excruciating right now. I got on the web to see what to expect. I am a little concerned now. I quit counting injection sites at 20, I have no idea how many I had. Any suggestions as to what I can expect or do to lessen side effects?
Kaye Loftis-All you can do is wait it out.Botox can last 3 to 6 months.Document now how frequently you are now getting them and the severity.Also any other side effects.I hope you will be fine. Botox is an off-label use for migraines.There is a lawsuit filed by Irena Medavoy against her doctor and botox for severe complications she received after having botox for headaches and cosmetical the third time.She still has effects a year later. You can pull up her interview on NBC-Dateline-Battle over Botox.Irena Medavoy also has a website where you can write about your symptoms.www.medavoybotox.org
I had given up all hope of finding someone that has had severe side effects from botox. I had had neck surgery for herninated disc’s my fourth surgery. This time I ended up with muscle spasms and considerable headaches, so my neurologists refered me to a pain clinic and that’s when the real night mare began for me. This was going to be the miricale for me BOTOX!!! I have been experiencing my own personal hell that I thought besides Irena Medavoy was in. Any one in the medical field I asked questions to absoultely denies that BOTOX would cause so many symptons. I am still so very ill from the BOTOX this has been 16 long months and I still cannot get help from doctors. I live in Ridgefield Washington. Please if anyone would like to correspond please write to me at wilhelmc48@aol.com
THanks for any advice or help.
Connie M. Wilhelm
Connie,please also post your botox complication on the botox forum.You can reach it via search.It’s a top pick.Go to the message board.There are quite a few that have posted severe complications to botox.Please report your case to the FDA in detail.Call Allergan to report your case,but don’t expect support from Allergan,if anything they will tell you that your problems are not from botox.Also,register on Irena Medavoy’s website where you can list your symptoms and contact information.They are information gathering about botox complications.If you can’t find the forum post here again to Carol
I am looking for a malpractice attorney specializing in Botox related suits. Can anyone make a referral?
Response to Carita Banks.I have posted my complications on this site.I am considering legal counsel myself.Please feel free to E-mail me.I am doing research also to get the right counsel.
Major botox complication article:
Permanent Fecal Incontinence following botox injection for anal fissure-medical report from doctors at an US Air Force base in texas warning patients that irreersible paralysis might result from botox injection for anal fissure: http://www.acponline.org/chapters/usaf/gastroenterology.2pdf- This is very important because if botox can paralyze this muscle than it has potential for doing the same to other muscles that are treated.
Botox Destroyed my Life- Website by Bobbie Jenke who claims that her neurologist,Dr. Sheldon injected botox into too many muscles in her right neck and shoulder.She lives so disabled tha thst she has no hope for recovery. please read her wevsite and rsopond to her E-mail.
I know how Allergan is wrapping off-label BOTOX treatment dirty data to prove that BOTOX is safe!!! If any one is interested in the details, please write to my e-mail address.
Augustus: What is your email. I do want more…
Augustus Borchert says:
I know how Allergan is wrapping off-label BOTOX treatment dirty data to prove that BOTOX is safe!!! If any one is interested in the details, please write to my e-mail address.
Posted by: Augustus Borchert on November 13, 2003
Augustus Borchert- Your comment:” I know about Allergan wrapping off-label Botox treatment dirty data to prove that Botox is safe.” I would like your E-mail address also to learn more. I have suffered from complications and am researching for data on Botox always!
To:Augustus Borchert- I thought that you would forward your E-mail to me in reference to the details of the activity of Allergan hiding data.I have been contacted by insider who has Allergan data as well.If you share yours also,it would be helpful to us who are pursuing legal help.Thank you.
To all those reading this that suffer from Botox complications please go to the Botox Forum and write about your experience there. Many have posted complications here and are supportive of one another.You are not alone!
My niece has a Doctor who wants to give her 7 year old son Botox. He had a stroke at age 2 and has underdeveloped muscles on his right side. The Doctor says he needs Botox shot into muscles in his arm and leg. He says by numbing the muscles that are developed, his body will be forced to use the ones that are atrophed underneath. I haven’t come across anything about children and Botox. If anyone knows anything please let me know-by posting here or sending me an email. Thanks to all.
I just got home from the hospital after being diagnosed by the ER DR. it could be TIA. I went through MRI,CT,EEG,etc. I was told by the nuerologist that it was a “spell”……?????? I told her that was “unacceptable” for a diagnosis. She then came in the next day with “lets do botox”. My neck at the axis was actually bulging and all the other muscles in neck and shoulders. I have a high matabolism and felt immediate relief. I asked to be released, walked down and got into my daughters car and I have been great since. I have suffered from many concussions throughout my life. I have fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and migraines, etc. I need some more injections in the rest of the areas that are in spasms. This is how I look at this Botox “thing”–THANK GOD, THANK GOD, THANK GOD!!!!!!!!! I still can’t be out in the cold, but I am getting a life back that I thought was gone forever. I am so sorry for those of you who haven’t gotten the results I have and I mean that. As far as I am concerned it meant that I would have to be on drugs my whole life (which alters everything perspective)or in severe pain. (I would have opted for the drugs)! Thanks for allowing me to voice my approval for this miracle. (I do know I could later have ungood side affects, but even if its only a month I feel great then I will take it!!!!!!
I have been offered botox injections for chronic pain in my right shoulder/neck and arm. I have just read the postings here and now feel that even though I am desperate for some pain relief ( morphine no longer works, neurontin nver did) I maybe would be mad to try it. Did anyone have any good responses to Botox?
Elaine,I know that you are in desperation to find pain relief and that morphine isn’t working anymore and that you have been offered botox. Please do a Google search “Botox Ruined my Life- http://www.kaiserpapers.org/bobbie html. Her account of botox injections and for neck and shoulder problems and the outcome are devastating.I know you must be in great discomfort but do your homework. Have you been offered any other kind of therapy? The thing about Botox is that it is a neurotoxin whose long term effects on the nervous system are misunderstood.I would get some serious other medical opinions about botox.
I have just read the messages posted here and I am very concerned. I am scheduled to have my first round of Botox on Wednesday 2/18. I have had severe headaches for several years and have tried cervical epidural shots, nerve blocker shots, and all types of medications with little relief. I was hoping these shots would be the answer to my prayers. Has anyone gotten any relief from the Botox for the headaches?
I thought that Botox might finally be the answer for my daily headaches. After reading all of your notes and the severe side effects of your injections, I wonder about the testing and worthiness of this drug in the treatment of intractible headache. Any suggestions for the Kansas City area? Thanks.
Kate, It must be horrible to encounter daily migraines.Please know that Botox is not FDA approved for migraines,it is an experimental drug. Also remember it is a neurotoxin whose long-term effects on the central nervous system are unknown.There is a significant law suit from a famous woman as well as others that I know are filed against Botox for creating such horrible side-effects that people were bedridden for months and thought they were going to die. Please check out the article on the web “The Darker Side of Botox” This aired on CBS.I know of people that have received botox for migraines that now have horrible pain in their neck, shoulders,shaking hands.It is a risk! Some have had good results. But remember it has to be repeated over and over. In my case ( cosmetic) it was a number of years and then bang, I had a horrible reaction.I would research all alternatives before you submit to Botox
I am considering botox injections for my almost daily tension headaches. I also suffer from migraines 3 or 4 times a month. I am doing as much research as I can regarding the botox injections. I must say, I find it odd to know that many people have experienced much pain relief from these injections, but the overwhelming majority of people posting their results on this website are negative. Surely SOMEONE out there has had positive results!!
I am scheduled to see my neurologist next week. He had mentioned botox as a possible treatment for my debilitating migraines. After reading this site, I doubt that I could consider it. I hope everyone gets better. Also, has anyone found anything that relieves 3,4 days migraines with vomiting? I get them every two weeks and must miss work which is becoming a problem
I had botox injections for my migraine headaches 10 days ago. I have to say,
I have not experienced anything bad yet.
My headaches were the same (everyday) for the first week, but the last 3 have been better. I only needed to take my preventive medication once in the morning and then again in the evening for the last 3 days. After reading all of the emails, now I am frightened that something bad will happen. I will let you know my progress in the weeks to come. But, so far, no bad symptoms.
I just checked the new postings on this site after a long while. I will be praying Irena Medavoy wins her case against Allergan in the coming month. Surely enough data and adverse experiences have been gathered by now to prove her allegations are not frivolous or invented. I will never take another medication or drug without researching it throughly. We that have had debilitating side effects from Botox may be in the minority, but the facts are not all in yet. I believe the toxic effects are cumulative and that more symptoms will appear in people as time goes on.
Nancy, I pray too, that Irena Medavoy wins her case.Her trial is scheduled for April 28th. There are a lot of other cases in the works.Let’s see what happens in her case. With all the reports of side effects,I am shocked that the FDA hasn’t taken action. Also, I know personally of a Botox research person who stated to me that Botox is not conducting their clinical trials in certain areas correctly. They are filling in missing values in the trials and buying perhaps “dirty data” ( trials from doctors who fail to report all the adverse effects to try to make the studies more attractive for FDA approval)
Carol,
Allergan deserves to take a dive, like some of the other Corporate giants have, if they prevent all the facts from being known. Skewing trial results is completely unprincipled, & immoral. It proves once again the sad state of human affairs when the mighty dollar takes precedence over common decency.
From the adverse, bizarre, symptoms some patients are reporting to their doctors, why have none of them realized Botox is the common denominator? Every doctor I saw said Botox could not have caused my symptoms. Why not???? I have so many questions that have not been answered. I didn’t realize how really angry I was about all this until I read a few more postings. Some sound so much like what I experienced it cannot be a coincidence! Several of the illnesses occurred around the same time in 2002, which makes me wonder if a whole batch of the toxin was tainted, not diluted enough, who knows what? We may never know. Some people may never have an adverse reaction to Botox, and then again the cumulative effects could be devastating. I took injections for 8 years before my system crashed. I still have slight numbness in my left leg, ankle, and foot. I still have periodic slight muscle weakness. I vowed to not dwell on it. I want to recover completely from this. I am determined to. I feel compelled, as you do, to state my truth about this, because I can’t bear to think of anyone having to endure suffering, illness, and complete loss of well being because they were uninformed about the risks.
My mother passed away on the 12th after receiving a Botox treatment in her neck for spasms. It was the first time they had ever used the treatment on her. We have still not recieved the autopsy report yet. Is there any possability that the botox could have contributed to her death since she was administered the botox 4 hours before her death
Grey,Botox in rare cases can cause death.It is listed on the botox information insert.Check the article on this website where a Florida woman died from shock from Botox minutes after injections.It is a possibility.
Your note caught my attention. My wife is taking Botox for a similiar condition. Would you please consider sharing the results and details with me?
My email address is soxfanpjw@lycos.com
I have severe migraines- nausea, muscle tension headaches, flu symptoms, muscle weakness- My C5-C6 are fused (injury caused by accident)- My symptoms are not from BOTOX. I hope there’s help out there for us.
Botox has been approved for some disorders. I know it has helped many people with dystonia, a rare and painful motion disorder. Any medication can have side effects. Do you know anyone who turned purple from the “purple pill”?
PLEASE HELP ME. Feel free to email me. I have been in constant pain for 6-7 years… i just woke up with severe headaches and they have never gone away. I have been through hundred of medication including methadone and morphine…have tried alternate methods… have been scanned, mri’d, cut open, injected and more… nothing helps. My neurologist suggested botox… I haven’t started yet. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this constant pain that has been on botox. It’s great to get first hand information. Thankyou.
Yolande.
Comments on this entry are closed.