Face Lift Surgery?

I have been on before, but not since the forum has changed, gonna take some time to get used to it.

Anyway,
I just wanted to write cuz I have had such an awful time lately, I have had a migraine every day for the last 3 weeks! OH, forgot, I did have one good day.....
I've had migraines for 16 years, (since I started into menapause) but the last 5 years have been just awful!

I take Treximet (8 per month) Imitrex injections (8 per month) , and Imitrex pills (8 per month). ( I have found the generic are not nearly as good) I have just recently started giving my own shots of toridal at home. This seems to keep me out of E.R. I also have found that tramidal helps to, but my neuro doesn't like me to use it more than a couple a month, he says it causes rebound. So I only resort to them when all else fails to bring relief. Had to use on on New Years eve, after trying all the above.

I wonder if anyone has had the facelift surgery? I heard on Dr. Oz about a dr. in Cleveland who is haveng alot of success with it. I have a call in at his office, they were on vacation after Christmas. I am anxious to hear from them. Has anyone ever heard of this.

By the way, I am located between Pittsburgh PA, and Erie. ( I saw a post about geographical locations., I have also wondered if moving might help. I can see it doesnt' matter where you live)

Well, I wish you all the best in 2010! I hope and pray it is better than 2009 was for all of us.
What a great place to be able to access information. I thank you all for writing!

Please keep us updated on your surgery info. I am going to ask my specialist what she knows when I see her later this month.

they make 2 small incisions around the temple area, and then cut muscles.....

It was discovered because of a women just getting a face lift, but many weeks later discovered her migraines had not returned! So this dr. said if you get 3 or more migraines a month, he can get your insurance company to pay.

As I said in my post, I have left a voice mail so we'll see, I am hoping to hear tomorrow from them. If I don't hear by the end of the week I will call again.

I definatly will keep you all informed whatever I find out.

I'm still trying to find anyone to do it here in Canada. I'd rather not go out of country, but I will if I have to. They say a positive response to botox is the main indicator for success with the surgery.

oh yeah...Please do!!! A free facelift AND possibly fewer-no more migraines = HEAVEN

You know the old saying....If it seems too good to be true- it probably is. But.....I am eagerly awaiting to hear what ya learn =)

Jessica

Will they do this for me? I would totally get it done, but I don't need a face lift at all.
I'm only 22 but I hate my daily migraines and I hate taking drugs every day
even more. My skin is pretty tight though, but hey, I'm not looking for the asthetic
benefits..I just want pain relief.

It's not the actual facelift part that makes the changes in the migraines, it's the nerves that are affected by the surgery. I'm sure it's only time and we will see some specialists doing a "headache surgery". You can already find some calling it that.

I certainly don't need a forehead lift...lol...over a year of botox has made sure of that...lol

Stillhurtin, you are in Canada as well?

lovegia wrote:Will they do this for me? I would totally get it done, but I don't need a face lift at all.
I'm only 22 but I hate my daily migraines and I hate taking drugs every day
even more. My skin is pretty tight though, but hey, I'm not looking for the asthetic
benefits..I just want pain relief.

Ha! I've had deep lines in my forehead since I was a little kid. I always have looked a lot older than I am. I guess that's why I got away with renting an apartment and buying my own booze when I was 16. I could have done very well with a forehead lift when I was 22. Be grateful for your beautiful, line free, smooth face, something I never had.

Chris

You may find this YouTube video on "migraine surgery" interesting (there are actually five parts to it):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elXfyp_6brs

I watched this some months ago. It is a plastic surgeon who is giving a presentation to other docs. I believe he gives a listing in one of the videos of insurance companies who have covered this type of surgery.

It's all very interesting! I know from patient stories this type of surgery has helped some migraineurs, but I wish it could be helpful for everyone!

Last year Anna saw a pain doc in Minneapolis who offered to do an intrathecal pain pump procedure on her. I know he also does nerve stimulators in the front of the head for migraine. I believe that normally he would require a migraine patient to try the nerve stimulator before trying the intrathecal pain pump. In Anna's case, he would skip the stimulator (more than likely because of her very complex head pain pattern). I heard from one of his patients that he has done up to twenty pain pump procedures on migraineurs, and it has been successful for everyone, to some extent.

The intrathecal pain pump is still "on the table" for Anna, but we pretty much consider it an absolute last resort.

If she didn't have such a complex pain pattern, I might consider trying one of these nerve/muscle migraine surgeries and pressuring BC/BS to pay for it.

But I really don't think it is a really logical option for Anna right now. If we somehow could eliminate a few of her five different HA's, then maybe.

Today is the tenth anniversary of Anna being sick. Ten years ago today she took a prescription drug called Entex which contained a drug called PPA. She had a life threatening reaction to the PPA, and her brain suffered an injury which we still battle to this day.

Cheryl

Wow Cheryl, what a heartbreaking and major anniversary. Our forever support, postive thoughts, fervent prayers and friendship stays with you and yours.

With ALL my/our hearts.

i wonder if this is connected to the recent idea of removing one of the muscles above the eye, i forget the name of it, but it has shown some success for people whos migraines are linked to the muscles in the forehead??

Yes, they said they snip two muscles in the forehead!

Many of my friends in the Cleveland area want me to see this doctor. I will be very interested in what you find out Sherry. Please keep us posted. It has been on their evening news many times.

I also want to say that my prayers are with Anna and hope she gets the relief she deserves.

All my best...

kimsmom