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A Georgia mom of 3 was left paralyzed after getting injections to treat her wrinkles, according to a news outlet
Amanda Wolaver says after receiving her regular Botox treatment and first-ever shot of Dysport, she developed a migraine and she struggled to drive, walk and move
She says tests determined she had contracted botulism from her injections
A Georgia mom was left paralyzed, thinking she was “slowly dying” after Botox and Dysport injections gave her botulism, per a report in Daily Mail.
Amanda Wolaver, 33, had gone for her regular Botox injection in 2023 to smooth out her forehead, crow’s feet, and lines between her eyebrows. At this appointment, she also got Dysport, which is similar to Botox, for the first time. Both injectables are formulated from the toxin that causes botulism to paralyze the muscles.
Immediately after her appointment, Wolaver claims she developed a migraine. The next day, she went to the hospital when she “couldn’t function or string sentences together,” Wolaver, who hails from Good Hope, said, according to Daily Mail.
Amanda Wolaver / SWNS
Amanda Wolaver says her health struggle began after getting injections to combat wrinkles.
PEOPLE has reached out to Abbievie, the manufacturer of Botox, and Galderma, the manufacturer of Dysport, for comment.
A CT scan showed “nothing to do with the injection,” but her condition worsened, she said. Strong smells bothered her; She got dizzy quickly and relied heavily on her husband, Josh, 39, to care for their three children: Landen, 16, Braxton, 11, and Havyn, 5.
“I couldn’t be the mother I wanted for my three children,” said Wolaver, who struggled to walk, drive, and even move — leading her to think she was “slowly dying.” Doctors suspected multiple sclerosis or an autoimmune disorder. She had spinal taps and even a heart monitor implanted to diagnose the cause of her illness. It was only after she spent some time in an online forum that she learned what a possible source of her illness. After spending approximately $30,000 on tests, Wolaver learned she’d been having mini-strokes caused by iatrogenic botulism.
Iatrogenic means an illness that comes from a medical procedure. Botulism is a rare but serious illness that’s generally caused by food tainted by the toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Botox is formulated from this same toxin, but as the Mayo Clinic says, is purified and meets medical control standards.
Botulism can occur after Botox “when the toxin circulates in the blood and produces effects remotely from the injection site,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control explained after a 2024 outbreak of botulism from Botox.
Amanda Wolaver / SWNS
Amanda Wolaver says she thought she was “slowly dying” until she paid out-of-pocket for tests that said she had botulism.
Symptoms of botulism may start within a few hours, and include trouble swallowing or speaking, nausea, trouble breathing, and blurred vision, per the CDC. “Recovery may take months and typically involves extended rehabilitation therapy,” the Mayo Clinic says. While antitoxins may help, they “can’t reverse damage that’s already been done.”
Finding out she’d had botulism, she said, “knocked me back. To be told I had suffered from multiple small strokes in my brain made me think that this would eventually kill me.”
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In an effort to speed her recovery along, she’s changed her diet and even had her implants removed, hoping it’ll detoxify her body. As Wolaver says, “I learned the cost of beauty the hard way.”
Across the pond, the UK is currently experiencing an outbreak of botulism, with 38 cases linked to Botox, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
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