‘I have a crippling health issue that's only fixed by Botox'
When Suzi Brown from Manchester started experiencing excruciating pain around puberty she knew something wasn't right, but never expected to suffer for decades later
Headaches can be debilitating, whether they are linked to allergies, hormones, caffeine or hypertension. Perhaps the hardest to cope with are migraines, which cause mild to severe pain, typically affecting one side of the head. They can also impact your vision and make you feel incredibly sick.
Doctor Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics (cosmedics.co.uk), says, 'Migraines area unique kind of headache, often characterised by pain on one side of the head, nausea, and visual disturbances such as flashing lights or temporary tunnel vision. You may also experience an aura,a sensation indicating that a migraine is about to occur.
'The exact cause of migraines is unknown, but they're thought to be triggered by spasms of blood vessels in the brain or neck area. Factors like stress, alcohol and dehydration can exacerbate them, but sometimes they can happen for no apparent reason.'
Doctor Perry explains that preventive treatments are the main approach to managing migraines, with medications available to help prevent their onset. Migraines may start when young girls get their first period, but they can begin at any time. They can persist throughout the reproductive years and into menopause.
Doctor Ross adds, 'Sadly, there's not much you can do as it's often down to genetics. However, certain measures can help manage the onset and severity, such as staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids.'
Drinking water and engaging in regular exercise can also help alleviate migraines triggered by hormones. It's recommended to manage stress levels through breathing exercises or yoga.'
As June marks Migraine & Headache Awareness Month, we spoke to web developer Suzi Brown, 46, from Manchester, who suffered for years before finding the perfect and unexpected cure.
'I started suffering from migraines around puberty. I remember telling my mum my head felt really heavy when I was about nine years old. For me, they feel like a vice is crushing my head, and I feel sick and dizzy at the same time. I get brain fog and memory loss, both during and after.
'The worst thing is not being able to plan – they happen without warning. I missed a festival last year because I had to leave early. Alcohol makes them worse, too. I've even had to miss family holidays abroad.
'I missed tons of work before I was self-employed, and people made comments that I was lying because it's not a disability that can be seen – although you can see when I have one, as my face and eyes are really puffy.
'It's much easier now I'm self-employed. In fact, it's one of the reasons I work for myself. If I do have to take time off, I can make up the hours, and I'm in control of my workload.
'If I catch migraines early, they can last a few hours. I take meds during the night if I feel one coming, and they're usually gone by morning. If I don't, they can last a few days or even a week.
'To manage them, I now get Botox which takes away about 80% of the migraines. I don't know how it works, but I'm thankful it does. I get some Botox on the NHS, so although it's meant to be every three to six months, it's nearer to every year due to waiting lists. So I top this up privately when I can.
"The doctor has added the sides of the head and, last time, the forehead. The latter hasn't worked,but it did wonders for my wrinkles!'
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Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
‘I have a crippling health issue that's only fixed by Botox'
When Suzi Brown from Manchester started experiencing excruciating pain around puberty she knew something wasn't right, but never expected to suffer for decades later Headaches can be debilitating, whether they are linked to allergies, hormones, caffeine or hypertension. Perhaps the hardest to cope with are migraines, which cause mild to severe pain, typically affecting one side of the head. They can also impact your vision and make you feel incredibly sick. Doctor Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics ( says, 'Migraines area unique kind of headache, often characterised by pain on one side of the head, nausea, and visual disturbances such as flashing lights or temporary tunnel vision. You may also experience an aura,a sensation indicating that a migraine is about to occur. 'The exact cause of migraines is unknown, but they're thought to be triggered by spasms of blood vessels in the brain or neck area. Factors like stress, alcohol and dehydration can exacerbate them, but sometimes they can happen for no apparent reason.' Doctor Perry explains that preventive treatments are the main approach to managing migraines, with medications available to help prevent their onset. Migraines may start when young girls get their first period, but they can begin at any time. They can persist throughout the reproductive years and into menopause. Doctor Ross adds, 'Sadly, there's not much you can do as it's often down to genetics. However, certain measures can help manage the onset and severity, such as staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids.' Drinking water and engaging in regular exercise can also help alleviate migraines triggered by hormones. It's recommended to manage stress levels through breathing exercises or yoga.' As June marks Migraine & Headache Awareness Month, we spoke to web developer Suzi Brown, 46, from Manchester, who suffered for years before finding the perfect and unexpected cure. 'I started suffering from migraines around puberty. I remember telling my mum my head felt really heavy when I was about nine years old. For me, they feel like a vice is crushing my head, and I feel sick and dizzy at the same time. I get brain fog and memory loss, both during and after. 'The worst thing is not being able to plan – they happen without warning. I missed a festival last year because I had to leave early. Alcohol makes them worse, too. I've even had to miss family holidays abroad. 'I missed tons of work before I was self-employed, and people made comments that I was lying because it's not a disability that can be seen – although you can see when I have one, as my face and eyes are really puffy. 'It's much easier now I'm self-employed. In fact, it's one of the reasons I work for myself. If I do have to take time off, I can make up the hours, and I'm in control of my workload. 'If I catch migraines early, they can last a few hours. I take meds during the night if I feel one coming, and they're usually gone by morning. If I don't, they can last a few days or even a week. 'To manage them, I now get Botox which takes away about 80% of the migraines. I don't know how it works, but I'm thankful it does. I get some Botox on the NHS, so although it's meant to be every three to six months, it's nearer to every year due to waiting lists. So I top this up privately when I can. "The doctor has added the sides of the head and, last time, the forehead. The latter hasn't worked,but it did wonders for my wrinkles!'
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
McMigraine: Does the TikTok "cure" really work?
It's a condition that affects more than 10 million people in the UK. It can change futures, end careers, and shrink worlds. So when a hack comes along that says it can "cure", or at the very least fend off a migraine, people will try there are medical treatments, there is no cure. Prescription medication can be very effective - but it doesn't always work. For many people there is no simple discover their own ways of managing the debilitating pain: sitting in a hot bath while wearing an ice pack and drinking a smoothie, blasting the side of their face with a hairdryer. But now a new hack has suddenly gone viral - the McMigraine Meal. A simple offering of a full-fat coke and a portion of salty fries seems to be doing the trick for hundreds who've been extolling its virtues on there is any science behind these hacks - what do they do to the body? Nick Cook from Oxfordshire carries "a wallet full of drugs" around in case of a migraine attack. He will "try anything" to make the pain go away, he says."When you live with the condition, and you're working a five-day week and you need to carry on, you'll give anything a go."At its worst the pain around Nick's eye socket can feel like his eyeball is getting crushed. He says it's the caffeine and sugar in coke that helps him."If I catch it soon it enough it can sometimes work, when my vision goes fuzzy and I can feel one coming on."He stresses that drinking coke doesn't replace his amitriptyline tablets - the daily pain medication he takes to try to prevent migraines - but it does sometimes help him "last until the end of the day". For Kayleigh Webster, a 27-year-old who has had chronic migraines all her life, it's the salt on the chips that might slow down a migraine attack."It can help," she says cautiously, "but it's certainly not a cure."Migraine is a complex neurological condition - and it can't be cured by a bit of caffeine, salt and sugar in a fast food meal."Kayleigh's tried cocktails of different medications, putting her feet in hot water, a flannel at the back of the head, acupuncture, cupping - but they've had little of the few treatments that has given her relief is medical Botox - having dozens of injections in her head, face and neck. It's still not clear how Botox works for migraine, but it's believed to block powerful pain signals being released from the nerves.A migraine - which can last days - is very different to a headache, which tend to be short-lived and can be treated more easily with painkillers like paracetamol. Migraines can cause head pain, neck pain, numbness, blurred vision, and even affect speech and movement. Skulls dating back to 3,000 BC show ancient Egyptians even had trouble with migraines - but despite that long history, their exact cause is still thought pain receptors in the blood vessels and nerve tissue around the brain misfire - sending incorrect signals that something is wrong. But we don't know why some people have an oversensitive nervous system - and why it reacts to some things and not say there's not enough research into why only some people - around one in seven - are affected, or what can actually Kay Kennis, a GP who specialises in migraines, says while there are elements of the McMigraine meal that can help stave off an attack, these aren't innate to "a McDonald's"."The caffeine in the coke can act as a nerve disruptor, it is a substance that effects nerve activity. For some, that disturbance works in a positive way," Dr Kennis says."There are some painkillers that people take for migraines that have caffeine - and some do respond well to that - but we don't fully know why." But she warns against using caffeinated fizzy drinks like coke as a way of regularly managing migraines."Too much caffeine can be a trigger too - and you can end up in a worse situation in the long run," Dr Kennis ingredients in a fast food meal, like the salt on the chips, can affect nerve activity, she explains, but adds the effects of sodium on migraines have not been also warns that not only is fast food often ultra-processed and not conducive to a healthy diet, it also often contains high levels of Tyramine, a natural compound commonly found in many foods, which can cause severe like many migraine hacks - they can have the opposite effect depending on each person. For Eloise Underwood none of the quick fixes on social media chronic migraine sufferer has been looking for a "magic cocktail" for seven years - she's seen people recommend putting feet in scorching water (not recommended by experts and potentially dangerous); drinking hot coffee (caffeine can be a trigger); or various vibrating devices which have had little effect."There are so many videos online that take advantage of the desperation we all feel," Eloise left several jobs - often due to lighting and noise in an office environment triggering migraines. She recently stopped working as an interior designer and has now launched a business pressing and framing wedding flowers from her wears loop ear buds to reduce the sharpness of the sounds around her, and limits her social life."People think a migraine is just a headache - that's just one symptom of it," Eloise says. "For me, a migraine is a whole body experience…"Migraines have completely made my life smaller." Prof Peter Goadsby, a neurologist at the NIHR-King's Clinical Research Facility, says research is beginning to produce positive results after years of latest study shows the medications known as gepants, could block a group of pain receptors in the lead-up to a migraine attack, cutting off the pain before it starts."Any new treatment is a glimmer of hope," Eloise says. "They do say that nothing will work for everyone - but something will work for someone."Lifestyle changes can also make a difference, Prof Goadsby explains. It might be boring, he says, but basically - "be careful of your brain"."You want to have regularity, avoid the highs and lows. If you can feel the warning signs - yawning, sleepiness, mood change, passing more urine and even craving salt and sugar - listen to your body."Listen to your body - don't listen to TikTok, that's my advice." Nick has been doing exactly that. He might reach for the odd coke and salty fries, but he's moulded his whole life in order to manage his migraines."I don't drink, I wear sunglasses even if it's cloudy," he says. "I don't go wild. When me and my partner go away, half the stuff we take is to help us manage our migraines."Nick noticed a real difference between his life and his friends' lives a couple of weeks ago when he went on a stag-do a recent stag-do weekend, Nick noticed the difference between his and his friends' lives."They were up all night drinking to the early hours," Nick says. "I turned up with my own pillow, apples, bananas, Weetabix, and any snacks I would need to keep me going, because hunger can be a major trigger."I'm in bed by midnight - but my mates know me, and that's OK, because this is how I have to live my life."
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
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An end to migraines, cravings and brain fog: New pill hope for the cruel condition as scientists hail breakthrough that cuts symptoms
Often the first signs of a migraine are visual disturbances such as blind spots, tingling in the hands and face, weakness and changes in speech – known as the 'aura' stage. But there is also a lesser-known period, the premonitory, or prodromal phase, with its own set of debilitating symptoms – including brain fog and fatigue, mood changes (irritability and anxiety), neck pain, dizziness, passing more urine and yawning.
