Botulinum toxin is familiar territory for many speech-language pathologists- it's a medical treatment we learn about in controlled clinical contexts. What we are far less trained to recognize are patients who later develop unexplained changes in cognition, swallowing, or speech that don’t fit neatly into established diagnoses. I became one of those patients in 2024 after receiving just 12 units of Xeomin cosmetically. Within weeks, I developed debilitating cognitive symptoms

Many people will notice hormone-related symptoms after botulinum toxin poisoning, even if their lab tests look “normal.” For some of us, it looks like an increase in symptoms around our period, or disrupted menstrual cycles, or even full-blown early onset menopause. This post will help explain what's going on with our hormones when we are poisoned. The big picture Botulism affects the nervous system first. Hormones are controlled by the nervous system. W hen nerve signaling

Hi all. The past few months, I have been using AI as a tool to learn more about botulism and all of the ways it can disrupt the autonomic nervous system. As many of you know, this disruption can lead to the dreaded fight/flight episodes, heart palpitations, and/or "air hunger" sensations, even though our oxygen saturations are normal, and hospital testing tells us we're "fine". I had AI put together a short post (and I read through and edited as needed) about things that can

My new PDF "Recovering from Botulism" can be downloaded, printed and SHARED with friends, family, and medical professionals. The goal of this PDF is to serve as a well-organized, easy-to-read guide for learning more about botulism recovery - including possible symptoms, how the body heals from botulism, and strategies that may help manage symptoms. Most importantly, I want to emphasize that recovery from botulism depends on healing the whole body, not just treating isolated s

Click on a symptom below to see what practices/supplements/drugs helped relieve that symptom for fellow sufferers. This list was created via the input of members in our Facebook support group . Please note that none of this is medical advice . ALWAYS work closely with a trusted healthcare provider before beginning or discontinuing ANY supplements or medications. **What works for one person, can cause a worsening of symptoms for others, so please use your common sense, do your

Joelle developed MCAS after Botox in 2024 When I developed botulism from cosmetic Botox, it sent my entire body into a meltdown I didn’t know was possible. My mast cells became hyperreactive, my breathing felt suffocated, my nervous system was stuck in fight or flight, and the simplest things—walking, eating, smelling perfume—suddenly became threats. The Study That Haunted Me and the Turning Point That Saved Me Somewhere in those early months when my body felt like it was unr

Below is a printable PDF that providers can use to screen patients receiving BoNT injections. Ideally, this would be given to patients at every single visit, to identify patients who are potentially experiencing symptoms of toxin spread. Feel free to download and edit as needed.

I wanted to share some key takeaways from a Zoom call I had with Dr. Brenda Wilson, a microbiologist and professor at the University of...

Here is a growing list of hospitals and/or physicians that are familiar with the signs/symptoms of iatrogenic botulism and have treated IB patients: (Please email metoxpretty@gmail.com to add a hospital/clinician to this list) USA California Monterey - CHOMP (Dr. Hage) Monterey/Salinas - Dr. Steven Regwan (DO, cardiologist) Sacramento - UC Davis Sacramento - Sutter Downtown Temecula - Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine Oregon Gresham - Legacy Mt. Hood Hospital Texas Da