Botulism: Things to Avoid

The following is a list of drugs/procedures you may want to consider avoiding, particularly in the first 6-12 months, if you suspect you have botulism following Botox injections. These are based on Botox's package insert, Dr. Hristova's research on Iatrogenic Botulism patients, as well as my own experience and that of friends I have who have healed from botulism. See below for special considerations for those experiencing MCAS.

***NONE OF THIS IS MEDICAL ADVICE. WORK WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR TO DETERMINE THE BEST DRUGS/PROCEDURES FOR YOUR UNIQUE BODY AND HEALTH***

FOODS/LIFESTYLE FACTORS TO CONSIDER AVOIDING

--Added Sugar

--Caffeine

--Alcohol

--Vigorous exercise: some group members have reported a worsening of symptoms after exercising in the early months after poisoning (3-6 months)

--Note on saunas: some people swear by saunas, others have had worsening of symptoms, especially if their autonomic nervous system is under attack. Heating up the body can be dangerous if cardiac issues are occurring. Please proceed with caution and common sense.

--Less is more. If you don't absolutely need to do it, don't. When your body is under extreme duress, it needs to be well-nourished and taken care of. Try to take extreme care of your body and please do not stress it out when in the early months of botulism.

I believe a whole, organic well-rounded diet that focuses on high quality protein is optimal for healing from any illness. I personally follow the Weston A Price diet, and do believe that eating an organic and protein-heavy diet played a role in my relatively quick recovery from botulism.

PROCEDURES/THERAPIES TO CONSIDER AVOIDING

--Massage - never massage the area where you were injected, with a toothbrush or your hands

--Chiropractor/ Osteopathy - anything that "adjusts" the body and can potentially affect nerves/the nervous system; I have heard from sufferers who had a worsening of symptoms after chiropractic adjustments

--Acupuncture - I have heard from sufferers who had a worsening of symptoms after acupuncture visits

--Anything that has the ability to vibrate/disturb the head and/or areas where toxin was injected (Dr. Hristova found that vibrating chairs and massage tools [like Gua Sha and microneedling] could cause a worsening of symptoms in her patients).

--"Detox" supplements, including liver cleanses, chlorella supplements, etc. have been reported to cause a worsening of symptoms for some, and were not recommended in Dr. Hristova's research.

VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS TO CONSIDER AVOIDING

--Magnesium (this is technically a type of muscle relaxer, and muscle relaxants are advised against on Botox's package insert) for the acute period of the illness (first 3-6 months, or if there is muscle weakness/paralysis)

--Melatonin (glutamate inhibitor)

--DHEA (glutamate inhibitor)

PHARMACEUTICALS TO CONSIDER AVOIDING IF POSSIBLE - PLEASE WORK WITH A TRUSTED HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WHEN CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING...

--Anticholinergic drugs (Benadryl, Hydroxizine, Tylenol PM, Thorazine, Unisom etc. Full list here) -Botox product insert warns against using these

--Aminoglicoside antibiotics: gentamicin, streptomycin, amikacin, tobramycin, and neomycin

--Tetracycline antibiotics (I have heard from multiple people who reacted poorly to this class of antibiotics, while other people have done OK with these antibiotics. The antibiotics that most people have done well with are the penicillin and macrolide classes)

--SSRIs / serotonergic supplements, as well as antipsychotics, including Seroquel (Dr. Hristova found SSRIs/antipsychotics to cause a worsening of symptoms in her patients; if you were already on an SSRI/antipsychotic prior to poisoning, PLEASE never stop a medication you're on without working with your mental health practitioner to determine the best medication for your unique situation.)

--All prescription muscle relaxants (per Botox insert)

--All Benzodiazepines (Dr Hristova found that these were well-tolerated in small amounts to help with initial panic attacks and insomnia, always work with a trusted mental health practitioner when considering use of these drugs)

--Epinephrine, Novacain/Lidocaine - often used in dental procedures, these drugs can sometimes cause a reaction for those experiencing MCAS (see list below of drugs to avoid if you have MCAS)

--Tamiflu has caused a worsening of symptoms in some

--Vaccines (Dr. Hristova noted a worsening of symptoms after vaccines in patients, such as Tdap and flu shots, and recommended against vaccine for the first year post-poisoning)

--Steroids (prednisone, etc.) either worsened the condition of or did nothing for Dr. Hristova's patients

Here is a full list of pharmaceutical drugs that may interact with Botox:

https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/onabotulinumtoxina,botox-index.html

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING MCAS:

Dr. Hristova (the only neurologist in the US who has studied iatrogenic botulism patients long term) noted that about 62% of the IB patients she followed suffered from histamine/food intolerances (also known as MCAS) after botulism poisoning.

For those experiencing MCAS after toxin spread, it's important to know that you may begin having reactions to many different products, including pharmaceuticals, synthetic vitamins, personal care products (shampoo, soap, etc.), and cleaning products. Please visit our page on MCAS for more on this condition.

--IF you are experiencing MCAS, here is a thorough list of medications you may want to avoid: https://www.histamined.com/post/medications-to-avoid-with-mcas

References:

https://austinpublishinggroup.com/bacteriology/fulltext/bacteriology-v3-id1035.php

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/103000s5302lbl.pdf