Botox - Recommendations

[ilsemor]

Hello,
I had a two year follow up with an MRI last Friday which came back clean, no sign of tumor very very !  Very thankful to God too!

My doctor recommended botox, my major issues are not being able to move the food to chew and swallow on the side of my AN and excessive saliva, the gland is overworking especially when I sleep on the AN side.

Since this is my first time and you are the only people who really understand the frustrations we have to deal with our face I want to know if anyone has gone to House for this and to get it done with Dr. Slattery.

Thanks!

[Denise S]

I don't know about with that specific place or doctor, but if you search botox you will come up with things as to others who have used it for pains, muscle issues, etc.

I know because I was referred for botox due to pain & migraines and searched info on here too.     I haven't started treatments yet.   Be sure to get it approved with your insurance, some don't cover it.

Denise

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

Here is an article for you to read to understand how Botox helps with muscle control. This issue is about Jackie Diels and her work at the University of Wisconsin
http://www.ophth.wisc.edu/publications/fs_summer_04.pdf


Here is a National List of Centers where you can get treatment & Botox
http://www.bellspalsy.ws/centers.htm

You only want to work with experts and you do not want someone willy-nilly injecting Botox into your face.

I suggest you call her office and see whom she might recommend in your locale.

DHM

[ilsemor]

Thank you Denise and DHM,

Great information, thank you.  I'm in California so Wis is a little far for me.
I have gone a couple of times to see Teresa England who is one of the therepist in the West coast but she doesn't do botox.

I'll keep you posted on my first experience.  Hopefully I will come out with a better .

[lori67]

I had Botox done by a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders at Virginia Commonwealth University and had excellent results.

I had it by my chin where I had some dimpling from the muscle going a little overboard, and the corner of my lower lip so it wouldn't be pulled down so much. My plan was to turn off those overactive muscles for a short time while I strengthened the weak muscles that should have been working, like the one that pulls up the corner of my mouth into a smile (or close to a smile anyway).  The treatment I had has pretty much run its course and I more than likely will not do another one because I'm happy with the results.  I'm sure the doctor has other ideas, as she is more of a perfectionist than I am, but I don't want to overdo it and make things worse.  She did do quite a conservative amount of injections, because she didn't want that to happen either.

Chances are, your doctor knows of someone in the area that is reputable - that's how I found the one I went to.

Good luck!
Lori

[elderbirds]

Hi All,
I just got back from a second opinion with an occuplastic surgeon, she recommended Botox injections to start off.  She explained that they would be injected on the "good side" to even out my look (ie I  have more wrinkles and lines on the good side).  She said I had good muscle tone on the AN side but doesn't contract as much as the nonAN side.  I have been doing neuromuscular retraining for close to a year now with some good results.  She said she would also inject my whole chin to relax the dimpling on the AN side, and again "even out" the look.  Does this sound like what any of you have been through.  I am a little nervous to mess with my "good side" but she is a very reputable surgeon and actually performs injections on the owner of the practice's daughter who is an AN patient.

[Brewers7]

As my facial retraining therapist explained to me, "The good and bad thing about Botox is that it is temporary."

[newuser678]

Hello...I too go to House Ear Clinic and my surgeon was Dr. Slattery as well.  I am having botox treatments through him. He has a scheduled day, once a month, at House, they refer to this as his botox day.  The price is cheaper if you schedule that day.  The botox lasts a little over 3 months, but it really really helps in putting to sleep the areas that are responding on your face while you exercise it, it helps in training your muscles.  I also see Teresa and she will help in the locations that should be put to sleep.  Since this is for treatment and not for cosmetic reasons, insurance pays for the botox treatment, just have House check with your insurance to see if it needs to be pre-approved before the botox day.  I hope this helps.

[newuser678]

Hi again...just read your most recent post and they only botox the AN side and only the areas that are reacting in a negative way, such as the dipple in the chin, Dr. S only puts one injection there and not the whole face.  I'd talk with Dr. S.

[dougs]

I am curious to what you have found out.  I am 9 weeks removed from surgery.  Just in the last two weeks have I started swallowing my saliva.  I am still on a g-tube and have recently started italian ice during therapy and excercises.  My voice has been affected as well as the swallowing.  I have heard mention of the botox but as of now my doctors just want to wait and see.  Can you tell me what the past two years has been like for you?

[Tod]

At 20 months out, I also have trouble with food accumulating on my AN side, as well as hemifacial spasms.  I've considered these fairly minor, save for how it has collapsed my nostril on that side. I've looked into Botox, and I bet Lori and I see the same facial movement specialist at VCU. She has been loathe to consider Botox for me. It is still on the possibles list, but first we are trying a series of muscle relaxants. She doesn't think there is a lot of hope that any of the three will work, but it is worth a try.

-Tod

[lori67]

Tod,

You're probably right - can't be too many of those specialist around, I'll bet.  I see Dr. Hriskova. 

Apparently at the time of my last post the botox hadn't worn off completely because I'm back to where I started from with the tightness and dimpling in my chin again.  Ugh!!  Trying to find someone to discuss my options with a little closer to home.  I liked the effects I had while the botox was doing it's thing but I do not intend to make this a lifelong process of getting shots in the face every few months.   

Lori

[Tod]

Yep, Dr. Hristova. The frequency of the shots is another thing. Even though it is s short walk from my office to the hospital complex, it would be yet another thing to consume my time..for little value since my days of being pretty attempted over. 

[kathyp]

  I've been doing Botox for the last 8 years on my affected side.   I find it very helpful to relieve any headaches coming from tight neck muscles (3 shots in back neck)  Also, effective in front neck muscle bands to relieve pulling downward of face.  Chin shot results I thought were not so good as the movements were asymmetrical with other side.  Also, not so good results with eye brow as it drooped.  Shots at the corner of eye did help to open eye but still trying to get the dose just right so as to keep proper blink and not too open!  It is all temporary but worth it (although I sometimes feel like "Mrs Potatohead") overall it's an improvement and it's the facial difference that's been the most difficult for me (even though it took me the good side of 6 yrs to recover from the imbalance disorder and the 5-noise,gaze-evoked tinnitus remains)  Can you relate-----I'm a woman, and , yes a vain one. Can't help it in this looks-based society!