Bouncer, 23, ‘lost everything’ to migraine hell – and needs Botox to treat it

A female bouncer has revealed she has "lost everything" because of chronic migraines – and needs Botox to treat it..

Lizzie Johnson, 23, from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, says the condition leaves her bedridden for days, hospitalised due to dehydration, faints regularly and is often unable to eat drink during episodes.

She added that the migraines are so unpredictable all she can do now is wait for the next attack to begin, the GloucestershireLive reports.

Miss Johnson said: “I used to work about 70 hours a week in security. I started the job as friends of mine said there was a need for female door staff so I got my badge.

“I had a house, car, boyfriend, and a good job. Now because of my health I have lost it all and are back home living with my mum and dad.

“I am still friends with my ex-boyfriend, but it is really hard for people around you to see you ill and not be able to do anything to help.

“Over the past year I have literally been bedridden for days and would continuously vomit which led to me being dehydrated and passing out.

“I was given preventative medicines, but my body got used to the medicine and when I would take morphine, I would get stomach ulcers.”

The severity of the migraines has led to Miss Johnson having convulsions. She would wake dazed and confused for some time.

The problems with the bad head attacks began five years ago, and her neurologist did not know what more they could do to help.

The National Institute of Heath and Clinical Excellence defines chronic migraines as “the occurrence of headaches on 15 days or more per month for at least three months where the attacks fulfil criteria for pain and associated symptoms”.

Losing everything and seeing how life was slipping past her, Miss Johnson decided he needed to take action, despite what her neurologist had said.

Despite feeling incredibly poorly she managed a meeting with a private migraine specialist.

The clinician knew what the issue was after an eight-week trial of Botox on her nerves which worked.

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Miss Johnson said: “He told me basically nerves are surrounded by muscles and these muscles are too tight around my nerves which is causing all of this pain.

“When I am about to do something or getting ready to go out the pain starts.

“The Botox trial showed that when the muscle was not squeezing the nerves I would not get a headache.

“This now leads to me needing to have surgery so he can permanently move the muscles away from the nerves.

“The doctor comes to his practice in Oxford for a couple of days a month to do his migraine clinics, but he lives and works in Germany. and that is where the operation will need to be done.

“I have to raise £8,560 to have the operation. I just want to be back to normal.

“Just four months ago I lost all hope, I did not want to carry on anymore. Despite lockdown I felt so isolated as physically I can not do anything except wait for an attack.

“I went from working two jobs, having all I could ever have dreamed of, to not leaving the house waiting for another chronic migraine attack.”

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