Has anyone else here had botox injections to help loosen/release muscle tension? We've tried them in my scalenes and in my shoulderblade/traps, and knock on wood, had pretty good success. By no means did it make everything better, but they help me, and for 2-3 months usually. HOWEVER, I (for the next 2wks) have Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and I think they are going to reject the claims for the 4 rounds of botox i've had in the last 9-10 months. If you've had botox injections, did your insurance deny?

my blue cross covered them when "cervical dystonia" was one of the dx'es. since my shoulders are crooked, i have that along with TOS on my permenant dx list. Not sure how different the various insurances are, BC/BS encompasses a LOT of different policies adn they are all very employer specific.



good luck

Johanna

Insurance paid. BUT, they limited them saying that after a while the botox stops working. I think that's baloney - keep asking until you get them, send a certified that it definitly lowers your pain, etc., and that unless and until yours stop working you demand them. I will too. It's a nice drug-free way to lower pain, isn't it?

my mother gets botox injections every 6 months for dystonia. Her head shakes uncontrollably. They inject into the same muscles that they do for us. She has found that while they do continue to work, it takes longer every time for it to "kick in", and as it wears off it is far more painful. However, she continues to get them, as she feels that the benefits far outweigh the consequences. She lives in Alberta, and her medical covers the shots. I am in B.C. and I don't know if they are covered here.
I am going in to get a sympathetic block, when I see the pain Dr. I am going to ask him about those things.

I need to go dig out the Dx from the neuro I saw about dystonia.... You're right Tam- It is a nice drug-free way to get some relief.

I still have my appeals to go through before I give in.

I have parkinsons and my doc thinks I am getting dystonia in my shoulder/neck area. My doctor wanted to give me botox shots in shoulder but my insurance co denied the treatment. I'm not sure what doc said in his appeal letter, but with the appeal letter I was able to get coverage. It was nice that my doctor wrote the appeal for me. I hope with an appeal letter you can get coverage from insurance.
I just got my injections today. He said they would start taking effect in 2 days and would peak in 2 weeks. After about 2.5 months they won't be as effective. I will have to repeat injections every 3 months.
I sure hope they work, am so sick of the shoulder pain and tight muscles.
I wish you well.

If they they work and they are besically, non- invasive whts the propblem thman... yes my great spelleinging is is back.... I had one round and to be honest a second dose was just not worth the cost..... for me I found the trigger points given by By Dr Togut, using Marcaine in the exact areas... hurt at first than in a bit tthan it gave the area enough timeto relax and ease up on it's own for a while.......just my comparison to BOTOX

Thank you Libra! I hope that the injections help you! I found that having a massage (either regular or lymphatic-type massage) helped alot with the soreness.

Mark - glad to see you back!! I'm glad the TP injectiosn worked.... I had to have both last tiem I was at the doc.