A woman has claimed she nearly died after Botox injections left her partially paralyzed and choking on her own saliva.
Alicia Hallock, 36, from Texas, said on social media that she had been getting shots of the famous anti-wrinkle drug for nearly five years to treat her migraines.
In an incredibly rare complication, the muscle-freezing drug spread to her neck muscles, leaving her reliant on a brace to keep her head straight – and unable to move the area.
The drug caused her throat muscles to malfunction, limiting her ability to swallow. This led to a dangerous build-up of mucus in her lungs and throat, causing her to suffocate and stop breathing.
If not for immediate treatment, doctors said he would have died.
Ms Hallock suffered an extreme reaction to Botox injections for migraines after the Botox spread to her neck muscles
Mrs Hallock in November 2023 after receiving an infusion for her chronic conditions
“I ended up having a rare complication,” she said in an Instagram post written from her hospital bed in late February.
It spread to my neck muscles and has now caused a lot of problems.
“My eyelids are droopy, causing a lot of pressure, blurred vision and dizziness. The muscles in my neck are practically paralyzed so I can’t lift my head.”
The mum-of-three’s complications also left her unable to swallow sips of water or her own saliva.
Mrs. Hallockone writer, said the injections, which she received from the same neurology clinic, had helped with her migraines.
While known for its cosmetic uses, Botox can also be effective in preventing migraines.
When a migraine occurs, the body releases substances called neurotransmitters and molecules associated with pain.
Botox interferes with the pain signals caused by these substances when injected into the muscles around the head and neck.
This is thought to be because the drug is absorbed by the nerves in the area involved in transmitting these signals to and from the brain.
Ms Hallock’s worrying symptoms appeared after she first injected Botox into a specific muscle in her neck.
However, doctors aren’t sure why Botox spread or why it suddenly reacted so badly.
Ms Hallock began experiencing symptoms such as a stiff neck within three days of the injections, which gradually worsened over the following week.
He said he waited “stupidly” until day nine to go to hospital and was immediately admitted to ICU.
“They put six tubes in my throat to get all the mucus stuck in my lungs and throat,” she told her Instagram followers.
On February 18, she said: “They tried to suction me again last night because I had so much mucus stuck to me that I temporarily stopped breathing.
“They had to put me in bags to raise my oxygen levels and keep me from tanning.”
Doctors were worried Ms Hallock might develop botulism – a very rare condition that attacks the body’s nerves and can be fatal.
Botulism is a type of food poisoning caused by toxins that grow in improperly sterilized canned and preserved foods.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the drug in Botox injections is made from the same toxin that causes botulism.
In this case, however, the toxin is purified and meets the standards set by the FDA.
Ms Hallock said: “One doctor had treated foodborne botulism but no one involved in my care had ever seen it from Botox injections.”
The CDC sent Ms. Hallock a special botulism antitoxin to try to lessen the effects.
She was also placed on a feeding tube so she could be given medication and soft foods.
After 18 days in hospital, Ms Hallock was discharged to continue her recovery at home.
“I’ll be doing some basic exercises at home, but I won’t be able to safely resume physical therapy and outpatient therapy until four to six weeks from now, when the Botox starts to wear off more and I can use and rebuild strength in my neck muscles. ‘ he said.
Ms Hallock has previously said she has a lung disease called bronchiectasis, as well as lupus and Ehlers Danlos. Last year I also had the upper lobe of my right lung removed.
It is unclear whether any of her chronic conditions may have affected how her body responded to the Botox injections.
Because Ms. Hallock’s reaction is so rare, the hospital is doing a case study on her case.
There are reports that frequent application of cosmetic Botox in a short period of time can lead to botulism.
A study reviewed 86 patients with botulism caused by cosmetic Botox injection admitted to a hospital in China between April 2009 and June 2013.
Botox injections are usually safe when given by a licensed and qualified health care provider, the Mayo Clinic said.
It can lead to unwanted effects and side effects, such as drooping eyelids or infection at the injection site, or cause harm if given incorrectly.
