NICE approve Botox in the UK

It has been so hard to keep quiet... I got the news last night that NICE have OK Botox on the NHS - A fantastic day for UK Migraine sufferers.... there are a set of criteria you have to fit but anyone who has had chronic migraines for years and where all else has failed should fit the bill easy..........It will be all over the press today - here are a few of the articles I have been sent so far.....
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Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/11/botox-go-ahead-migraine-sufferers?newsfeed=true

Botox, best-known for smoothing wrinkles, is to become available on the NHS to thousands of people whose lives are blighted by chronic migraines after a rethink by the drugs rationing body.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) is to recommend the injections as a treatment to stop headaches from developing in adults who are badly affected by migraines.

In final draft guidance issued on Friday, Nice reversed its previous opposition to Botox being used for such patients. In February it said there was too little evidence to justify approving it.

But it is now backing the use of botulinum toxin type A in adults with chronic migraine whose condition has not been alleviated by taking at least three previous preventative medications and who are not overusing medication.

Botox could make a huge difference to some migraine sufferers, headache specialists predicted. "The headache experts with first-hand experience in treating chronic migraine know how debilitating the condition can be for some patients and Botox can be a life-changing treatment," said Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, chair of the British Association for the Study of Headache (Bash).

"The medical evidence shows that Botox can provide significant benefit to patients with chronic migraine, helping to reduce the number of days disrupted by migraine or headache and improving their quality of life," Ahmed added.
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BBC.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18021017

The anti-wrinkle drug Botox could soon be offered to patients with chronic migraines by the NHS in England and Wales, according to the medicines watchdog.

It is thought 700,000 people in the UK have chronic migraine.

Final draft guidelines by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommend Botox when other drugs have failed.

The Migraine Trust said it welcomed the decision.

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Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9259222/Watchdog-supports-Botox-headache-jabs.html

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) published final draft guidance recommending the anti–wrinkle jab for migraine, headaches that can cause nausea and disturb vision.

Nice has been advising the NHS whether the benefits of using Botox, or botulinum toxin, to treat chronic migraine represented value for money. The treatment would cost the NHS around £350 for a 12–week course.

Chronic migraines involve having headaches for at least 15 days a month over three months, eight of which are migraines. It is not known why Botox can help prevent migraine but it is thought that the drug may block pain signals in addition to being a muscle relaxant.

Under the guidance, adults could be offered Botox if they do not respond to three prior medications for chronic migraine. Nice is hoping to publish the final guidance next month. Once it has been published, the NHS must allocate funding for the use of Botox as defined by Nice's guidance within three months.

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Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/free-botox-on-the-nhs-but-only-for-those-828010

Free Botox on the NHS could be coming to a hospital near you.

Wrinkle-conscious women need not apply however – it is only set to be given to migraine sufferers.

The skin-smoothing jab has been recommended for use within the health service by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

It there are no objections, it could be available within four months.

Injecting Botox round the head has been shown to block pain signals.

Professor Carole Longson, of Nice, said: “Chronic migraines are extremely debilitating and can significantly affect a person's quality of life.

"We are pleased that the committee has been able to recommend Botox as a preventative therapy for those adults whose headaches have not improved despite trying at least three other medications and whose headaches are not caused by medication overuse.

"We have published our final draft guidance so that registered stakeholders can highlight any factual errors or appeal against our provisional recommendations. We have not yet issued guidance to the NHS on the
use of this drug."

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ITV - http://www.itv.com/news/2012-05-11/nice-recommends-botox-available-on-the-nhs-for-treatment-of-migraines/

Normally confined to the clinics of plastic surgeons, Botox is entering into the realms of medical treatment.

Today the Health watchdog, NICE, has published its final draft guidance which recommends the anti-wrinkle jab for the treatment of migraines.

Sounds astonishing doesn't it? But it's estimated that around 700,000 adults in the UK suffer from chronic migraines, that's 2% of the population.

For many it is a debilitating condition; hindering work and relationships.

The decision has been met with support from the Migraine Trust and the British Association for the Study of Headache (BASH).

The headache experts with first hand experience in treating chronic migraine know how debilitating the condition can be for some patients and Botox can be a life changing treatment.

– DR FAYYAZ AHMED, CHAIR OF BASH

Does anyone know if botox actually reduces the occurrence of migraines or does it just reduce the headaches associated with migraines? If it only reduces pain then it would be of little use to me.

The thought of injecting a toxin, no matter how benign, is quite scary and it's not something I'm ready to try just yet. Besides, the cost in NZ is prohibitive.

In my case it has reduced everything - the pain the aura and I think to so extend my triggers levels - I am on my 4th round - the first almost a year ago took 6 weeks to kick in and I got worse before I got better - round 2 took about 4 weeks and again I had a rough start, round 3 took about 2 weeks and I had a little wobble and I am now 2 weeks in on round 4 and while I still feel odd in the forehead and have a couple of bad days, its a lot better than the other rounds............ It is a toxin but so is everything we take - the nice thing about this is the side effects are limited as it dose not enter the blood stream ........... if your chronic and have tried everything else - then I would give this a shot .... BUT I still say not just ONE thing can control these - it has to be part of a migraine management plan

A migraine management plan is one thing I don't have. In fact I'm not sure how to go about getting one. Perhaps this would be something for different thread. I'll have a hunt around and see if there is already one for this....