Botox...A cautionary tale.

[IslaValargeone]

Thought I'd bite the bullet and confess my botox experience. I know many of you have had it and swear by it, but I thought I'd share my story.
Had it 3 weeks ago for my '11' lines and went back 2 weeks later for my horizontal forehead lines which are to be honest quite fine really, so only needed a sprinkle, had a bit of a top up in my 11's as they are deep and make me look like Mr.Angry.
Anyhoo, 3 days afterwards I started getting flu like symptoms, Sunday I had diarhoea, nausea and the most god awful heaviness in my brow, coupled with a terrible feeling of anxiousness. My eyelid had dropped and the pressure on my head was terrible. Today I am feeling considerably better, although my eyelid is still droopy and my brow has dropped slightly.
Apparantly a small % of people, don't react well to botox, and I appear to be one of them, to add insult to injury, I don't even have a smooth forehead and my 11's are already making a return. I think my body has gone into overdrive fighting the botox toxin. I look like shit, but at least I'm feeling better. I will be coming to terms with a future of learning to embrace my lines, but if you do have any wonder creams, please let me know.

[MissBeehiving]

Oh Isla. How horrid for you. Hope you feel better soon.

[Helium]

Crikey-poor you - good to hear the other side of the coin though.

[meaniemo]

oh dear. Thanks for posting this! Am trying to persuade my friend that she shouldn't have botox and will link her to this thread.

Hope you feel better soon

[Schtum]

Gosh! I've never heard of Botox causing diarrhoea or nausea before. Would you call your Botox doctor and ask if there is any link? Is it possible that the timing of these symptoms is co-incidental?

I've had Botox three times a year for four years with no adverse effects at all.

[tulpe]

Thank you for sharing your experience here. Glad you are beginning to feel a little better. I agree with Schtum that you should go back to the doctor and ask for some more info.

Have you been to see your regular GP? I only ask because am just wondering about the possibility of Bells Palsy rather than a reaction to the Botox? It wouldn't explain the d&v but would explain the drooping and anxiety feelings.

[TattyDevine]

Geez! Thanks for sharing. I too am a botox fan who hasn't had any adverse effects but I'm a big believer in "informed consent" and therefore feel anyone considering it should get to hear the possible downsides from real people as opposed to souped up scaremongering in the Daily Mail.

There are always going to be treatments that are "not for you" and I guess for you that is Botox. For other's it is hair dye or low carbing! (Thank feck I can do all three)

So, we need to concentrate on getting you a nice fringe then do we? I was looking at my friend the other day and she has a lovely fairly blunt but not stupid looking fringe and it really suits her. It occured to me that I can't actually see her forehead or number-11's movement beneath it, such is its weight and length - it would be great if this suited everybody, as nobody would need Botox then! I wish my hair would do it - I have a pesky cowlick so would end up with a pair of "sil-length curtains"

Hmmm.

All the best, hope your symptoms improve soon...

[ilovepesto]

Can I recommend IPL with collagen boosters. It's a laser treatment, slightly painful, a bit red afterwards but no side effects other than that for me. It removes sun damage which leaves the complexion clearer, brighter and reduces fine lines. I have even notices my jaw line much more defined (I've had 4 treatments). I even had a friend say to me a few weeks ago 'how do you stay so young looking'. It's quite expensive, and it's recommended that you have it every 6 weeks. I also had a fringe cut, I have terrible 11's as you call them. Sod the expense of botox, a fringe and IPL with collagen boosters is the way to go. Oh, and glyco cleanser - Dermatologica (I think that's the brand)

[TattyDevine]

Interesting Pesto. Sounds great!

That said, if you are paying £145 a session (saw it on other thread) and should have it every 6 weeks, AND are using Dermologica, you are spending WAY more on anti-ageing than me.

Sure, avoid the Tox if you don't fancy it, fair dues, but I wouldn't say the price is your main worry by the sound of it...

Fringes are the way forward I think. Damn this cow-lick. Need to do fringe without looking like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=media18.onsugar.com/files/2010/01/03/5/192/1922153/Rinko-Kikuchi/i/Cow-Lick-Bob.jpg&imgrefurl=www.bellasugar.com/Best-Bob-Haircuts-7136574%3Fpage%3D0%252C0%252C7&usg=__vtEefXhKSGYTF0Ysypi9lNO5zjc=&h=458&w=550&sz=63&hl=en&start=74&zoom=1&tbnid=CSChaPDZwNCZQM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=141&ei=gUfxTZX0I8nAtAbsgZWIBw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcow%2Blick%2Bbangs%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1192%26bih%3D536%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&page=4&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:74&tx=65&ty=91&biw=1192&bih=536" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">this

[mrmagoo]

Eh? What don't you like about her fringe?

[KateMiddletonsMum]

don't do this!haha! I just had a fringe cut in too, and I'm getting the dreaded cowlick, reminds me why I grew it out! not a good luck. Can hair be trained??

[TattyDevine]

That's a bad example Mr Magoo but I was looking for a fringe pic that parts in the middle when its clearly supposed to sit neatly across.

KateMiddletonsMum if only! If you blow dry it down when wet you probably could get it right most the time but I'm a big believer in not "fighting" your hair too much and just going with it or you spend your life preening in mirrors and having "bad hair days" when it doesn't go right.

Now if I can adopt the same attitude to wrinkles, I'd be set. But I'm not ready! They came knocking before I was expecting them! How rude.

[TracyK]

Pesto - do you have to have the IPL every 6 weeks forever?
I had botox a couple of weeks ago - and as much as I love the results - the doc did say I'd be doing it a couple of times a year to keep it going.
He mentioned IPL though as a 3 lots of treatment and then that should do me for 5 years plus.

[fanjolina]

I had flu like symptoms the first time I had botox. Was worth it though for the effects. it is a known side effect and will have been documented in the medical sheets you will have seen/signed.

I have since changed practitioner and her uses a different form of the drug. Had no unwanted side effects since.

[IslaValargeone]

Well for me it certainly isn't worth it. I have both eyes droopy today, and have a Herman Munster look with the dropped brow. As Tatty said, treatments aren't for everyone, and I am obviously in the percentage of people for whom this is not a good treatment option. My 11 lines are already returning from the first treatment 3 weeks ago.
ilovepesto I shall look into the IPL thing, thanks for the tip.

[ilovepesto]

Hi all, I should have at least 9 lots of IPL apparently, but it's so expensive. I just can't afford it at the moment. I love it because it's non invasive (albeit a wee bit painful, a bit like have an elastic band snapped against your face - it's not as bad as having your bikini waxed though). Botox isn't for everyone but again, I liked it despite having a headache for 2 weeks. I love having a clear complexion. It's so pretty and increases my confidence no end. I had really bad sun damage and didn't realise how much it ages the skin.

[TracyK]

How much was it Pesto? my doc said £250 - I don't know if he meant 3 for £250 or 3 x £250!
He also suggested resurfacing around the eyes.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Did you have all your forehead lines or just frown lines?

I only have frown lines done because there is an increased risk of droop with having all forehead lines done which should be explained to you.

Sorry for your reaction but wonder how good a person you saw as sounds like it was botox you didn't really need.

[maddy68]

I love my botox results - best money I have ever spent

[ilovepesto]

I think mine was about £375 for x 3 and £250 or thereabout for botox. I had 3 areas done. I love botox results too but decided a fringe was cheaper and cuter.

[IslaValargeone]

No I didn't have all my forehead lines done. I saw a very experienced plastic surgeon. I'm happy it has worked for people, I just wanted to tell my story.
I do think botox practioners underplay the risks and side effects though, and would just advise anyone considering it to read as much as possible. There are a couple of cosmetic forums Real Self is one, where there are many stories which mirror mine, some considerably worse.
I know the reported figures suggest only a 3% failure rate or something similar, but if you are in that group, it's bloody awful, I look like crap, I'm just glad I'm feeling physically better.

[superv1xen]

oh god sorry to hear that :(

hope you feel 100% soon.

[LovelyDaffs]

I had botox for the first time a couple of months ago on my 11's and love it, went back a few weeks ago to have the crows feet done too. No side effects other than looking better so I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a bad time.

Am interested in IPL as I have bad Gordon Ramsey type craters around my chin added to open pores and redness - not a good look. Off to google it.

[TracyK]

Another thing that I saw at the clinic was dermaroller - which I'm about to google. The before and after photos looked v impressive for lines and baginess around the mouth and jaw.

[BoyMeetsWorld]

hiya TracyK...dermaroller is really good, & I know the actress Michelle Holmes has recently recommended it for fine lines & wrinkles although from personal experience I can only vouch for it for acne scarring & stretch marks (amazing!). You do need a course of between 3-6 treatments though, & it's not completely discomfort-free. For goodness sake though, with dermaroller make 100% certain you get the "Genuine" product (it's actually called Genuine Dermaroller) as there are tons of imposter products on the market & they're really dangerous...it's a needling product so potentially really dangerous if used wrong or the wrong length / angle needles...

[IslaValargeone]

Bumping.