Hey everyone,
After much hesitation, I decided to try Botox for my forehead lines and some tension headaches. I went to Vancouver Laser & Skin Care Centre, as I’d heard great things about their expertise. The team was super professional, and the injections themselves weren’t too bad—just a little pinch here and there.
For the first couple of days, everything seemed fine. My skin looked smoother, and I thought I’d finally found a solution for those stubborn wrinkles and tension. But then, on day three, I started to feel this weird, tight sensation in my neck. By the next day, it turned into full-on muscle pain, making it hard to look down or even hold my head up properly.
I called the clinic, and they assured me this was likely a temporary side effect that should ease up soon. Still, I’m nervous—has anyone else had something similar happen? How long did it take to go away?
I feel naive for not asking more questions beforehand, like how experienced the injector was and what side effects I should look out for. I really trusted the clinic, and I still do—they’ve been kind and responsive—but now I’m wondering if this is just my body reacting badly or if something was done wrong.
I’d love to hear if anyone else has had neck or muscle issues after Botox. Did it resolve, or did you need additional treatment? I don’t want to give up on Botox altogether, but I’m feeling really anxious about trying it again.
Any advice or shared experiences would mean the world to me. Thank you! 🙏

Hello Greece Lover, so sorry for the very late reply. I appreciate your kind input.  I had my second opinion recently and was told my tumor is sitting on the cochlear nerve. I am on watch and wait at this time. She wants to wait a year to make sure we don't miss any growth. Of course she said if I have more hearing loss or other symptoms to call immediately. She said they use steroids because sometimes the hearing loss can be recovered since it could be due to inflammation from the tumor. I have horrible pulsatile tinnitus.  I get headaches all the time and they turn into migraines w/aura. I also experience ear pain that comes and goes which doesn't seem to correlate with a tumor this small but I don't know what else to attribute it to. The two docs I have seen so far are like night and day. I prefer #2. Extremely thorough at my appointment and I can message her with questions and not get told to make an appointment (she's a two hour drive). I had other tests that she reviewed and wanted a complete picture of my brain unlike the other doc. At this point I'm not sure what else to do but wait it out.  I do have a 3rd opinion scheduled in January at the Cleveland Clinic.  I am undecided what to do. I am 64 and dislike this waiting game.

I am concerned about effect of MRI on tinnitus!!

Have you heard this somewhere?
AFAIK, MRIs have no effect on tinnitus.

I asked if the closeness of the auditory and facial nerves could be relevant and he said they were too far apart.

That's a weird thing to say...Cranial Nerve VIII & CN VII are literally right next to each other. Thats why hemi-facial spasm (CN VII dysfunction) is a well-known side effect of SRS.

...he thinks the negative MRI w/out contrast was definitive.

Did you have an MRI already?  How long ago? Sometimes very small tumors can be missed without contrast. And while tumor size and symptoms are most often correlated, there are cases of people with small tumors and severe symptoms, as well as people with large tumors who are completely asymptomatic.

All this to say that if you had a negative MRI w/o contrast some time ago, but now have worsening symptoms, I don't think an MRI w/ contrast is a ridiculous step by any measure.

Obviously, if your PCP/neurologist wants you to get all the studies, then follow his/her advice. But the MRI brain w/ contrast will at the very least let you know if AN is a part of the big picture.

I hope you get answers soon.

I had no hearing loss at diagnosis but did have hyperacusis (a sign of acoustic nerve damage) My last audiology report (due for next in Feb) showed close to 90% still in AN ear 5 years post CK. My only symptom for two years up to diagnosis was earache on that side and sometimes pulsitile tinnitus. I still get this stabbing ear pain. All that being said I do think this next report at 6 years will show a trend to hearing loss in some frequencies (have noticed that my husband's snoring has become less of an issue!).