Okay Ladies and Gentlemen this is the official review of my Botox Injections procedure.
My appointment was actually supposed to be on Tuesday (05/0
but it got pushed back to Thursday (05/10) because my doctor was moving offices. The actual injections took less than 15 minutes. The appointment started with a physical examination. The doctor asked me to walk back and fourth in the exam room while video taping me. I then sat on the exam table and was asked to extend my legs up and down repeatedly one at a time. Both of my legs started shaking (clonus) in the upward position. I was not able to fully extend my legs in the upward position due to the tightness in my hamstrings. The doctor said the Botox injections would not help with the clonus. I was then asked to tap my toes repeatedly up and down. The doctor asked my to do this in a rythem but I was unable too. The doctor said after a few times my foot would no longer go up.
Now we get to the injections. I laid flat on my back on the exam table. I was wearing shorts so I didn't have to take off any cloths. I just rolled up my shorts. The doctor explained that she was going to inject both right and left hamstrings with a total of 6 shots (3 each). I also have a problem with my left foot turning inward when I walk so she was also going to inject the plantar muscle group in my left calf.
Now this is one thing that I was wondering about. Is the doctor just going to inject randomly into the muscle group or is it going to be more precise. The answer is that the injections are extremely precise. Let me explain. On the syringe and at the base of the needle there is a place to connect a wire that goes to an electrical impulse box kind of like the emg machine. There were seven syringes on the table. Each time she grabbed a syringe she would connect the wire to it. The box sent out an electrical impulse each time it was injected into the muscle. She then moved the needle around until my toes started to twitch. That's how she knew where to inject. The needles are very thin so there is a little discomfort but no pain.
She began with my left calf. She used an alcohol swab to clean the area. She grabbed a syringe and connected the wire. She inserted the needle into the inside part of my calf. I felt a tiny electrical current then my toe/foot started twitching. She then repeated this several times to the same area administering the medication. I forgot to mention but she placed another wire on my knee to act as the ground for the electrical current.
She then moved to my hamstrings. She had me raise my legs to where my knees were bent and where she was able to access the back of my legs. She repeated the same procedure as above. Again, a little discomfort but no pain.
All in all it was a pleasent experience. The doctor told me to continue taking the Baclofen until the Botox kicked in and come back in three months to repeat the procedure. During that time I would report my progress or lack there of and she would adjust the dosage and injection sites.
I asked the doctor about being able to excersie my legs after the procedure. The doctor encouraged me to start excersising right away because it would help activate the Botox.
As I was leaving the doctors office I noticed my legs were a little wobbly. It's been a couple of hours since I left the doctors office so theres nothing major to report at this time. I will follow up in a couple of days.
Re: Botox injections to treat spasticity. 
