Botox for Migraine: How to Get Approved

When Elizabeth Roberts-Zibbel was 39, the headaches she’d had disconnected and connected since puerility became chronic. Her accustomed medications couldn’t interaction this regular pain. Desperate for relief, she and her household doc began to sermon a caller treatment: botulinum toxin.

You whitethorn cognize this cause by the sanction Botox, Dysport, Mybloc, oregon Xeomin. It’s the aforesaid injectable medicine that keeps celebrities wrinkle-free.

But Roberts-Zibbel soon learned that her security institution wouldn’t screen the outgo of the injections.

“I called my insurance, and they gave maine the runaround,” she says.

Her acquisition is not uncommon. Many radical with migraine face hurdles successful getting security support for Botox oregon akin medications.

But arsenic Roberts-Zibbel soon recovered out, determination are a fewer ways to boost your chances of getting the greenish airy you need.

Try Other Treatments First

Most security companies accidental you request to effort different symptom alleviation options earlier they’ll o.k. Botox oregon similar medications, says Kiran Rajneesh MD, manager of the neurological symptom part astatine The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

These options include:

• Lifestyle changes specified arsenic quitting smoking, reducing caffeine, and eliminating occupation foods.
• Medicines that halt migraine pain, including aspirin, ibuprofen, oregon triptans specified arsenic rizatriptan and sumatriptan.
• Medicines you instrumentality regular to forestall migraines, including beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, oregon antiseizure medications.

It usually takes trying astatine slightest 2 antithetic types of migraine medications earlier security volition OK Botox, Rajneesh says.

See the Right Doc

Make definite you’ve locked successful a neurologist oregon different headache specializer if you privation to effort Botox oregon akin meds for your migraine. Rajneesh says insurers whitethorn beryllium much apt to screen the attraction if you’re getting it from a neurologist.

Roberts-Zibbel clued successful to this maneuver done calls to her security company. She made an assignment with a neurologist, and yet her security approved 3 rounds of Botox.

One imaginable snag is the hold time.

“Nationally there’s a shortage of neurologists, and the hold clip to spot a neurologist is beauteous long,” Rajneesh explains.

His advice: Start with your superior attraction doctor and treatments similar manner changes and triptans portion waiting for a neurology appointment.

Keep a Headache Diary

Come prepared with each the deets for your doctor's visit. This mightiness assistance if you would payment from Botox and akin medicines.

Rajneesh recommends printing retired a blank calendar leafage wherever you grounds regular accusation astir your migraines, specified as:

• How galore days a period bash you get them?
• How agelong bash they last?
• Do you spot an aura?
• Are determination immoderate factors that trigger your migraines, similar deficiency of sleep?

Bring Your Records

Your doc needs to cognize which treatments you’ve already tried truthful they tin spot the full representation of your attraction history.

“A batch of times patients volition archer me, ‘I’ve tried medications,’ but they can’t sanction the medications,” Rajneesh says.

“If I cognize what you’ve tried, and I spot you’ve tried them for astatine slightest 2 months, that mightiness springiness america a shortcut to determination to the therapies that mightiness assistance you get escaped of your headaches.”

If you’ve had a CT scan oregon MRI of your brain, bring those along, too. Rajneesh besides recommends letting your doc cognize astir immoderate alternate therapies you’ve tried, specified arsenic carnal therapy, massage, oregon acupuncture.

Ask an Expert to Weigh In

If you’re proceeding “no” from your security institution astir this benignant of med, inquire your neurologist if they’d beryllium consenting to telephone your insurer connected your behalf.

Some insurers let doctors to petition a lawsuit reappraisal by a adjacent doctor. Usually this process happens implicit the phone.

Your doc mightiness besides constitute an entreaty missive explaining your wellness history.

Stay Positive

If you’re feeling daunted by the authorization process for Botox and akin medications, instrumentality a breath, instrumentality it a measurement astatine a time, and crook to the experts.

“Don’t consciousness overwhelmed,” Rajneesh says. “Medical professionals are present to assistance you. That’s the archetypal step: seeing 1 of america truthful we tin get the process started and assistance you done it.”