Blepharospasm Bulletin Board

I read your other post and all the replies. They have given you some great advice.

I have been here about three yrs. When I was first diagnosed it took three appointment before I finally got the injections. Because I chickened out for the same reasons you mention. The pain. Yes, you will have some pain, each of us is different in the severity of this disease and our threshold of pain. I have a high tolerance to pain but still have emlu cream put on my face to numb it. Sometimes it works great and sometimes I feel the prick of the needles.

I too have gone to see Dr Anderson in Salt Lake. I live close and go to a different doctor IN SLC for my injections. I have apraxia, meige and Bleph. So I get 140 units in 42 injections.

My two cents worth.... Go to a good doctor and find out what the myectomy and frontalis slings are about. It helped me when I went. Then, came insurance, they would probably give the go ahead for a myectomy but I have to try myobloc first which is botox B. (possibly you are getting myobloc which does burn more than botox A when injected.) Find out for sure. Then know that most insurance companies will fight you because the coding on these procedures are mostly the same as cosmetic surgeries and this fight could take months. The cost of a myectomy could be approx $20,000. So depending on what the insurance company pays, you will pay the rest.

But for your peace of mind and for your own knowledge DO go see the surgeon. Then make a decision. It is best to play with all the marbles from the beginning then to wonder what you should do with only two left in the circle. Get all the information you can, write down your questions for the doctor because you will forget one or two, see if someone will go with you to listen to all the info.

After that come back and ask more questions of this board. We are here to help but we are not doctors and haven't seen you or the choices you have to make for yourself.