Coping With Stroke

I had a stroke in May, 2006, at the age of 59, a right side CVA that affected my left leg, left arm and hand, and my speech. I have good insurance that has allowed me to get the therapy I needed. The O.T. and I agreed that I should stop therapy in May, 2007 because my progress had stopped. Since then my doctor has put me on Baclofen, a muscle relaxer, progressively increasing the dosage as my stamina allows. I have been at 120 mg/d for several weeks now.

At my last appointment this month he recommended that Botox treatment for my left wrist and fingers would be an appropriate next step. I had been discouraged about my lack of progress to date, because I plan to go fly fishing in July this year. I was excited about the doctor’s recommendation. He said I should restart O.T. for 12 weeks following the injections. I will get the injections March 19.

My questions are these:
1. What experiences have other stroke survivors had with Botox injections?

2. What side effects should I expect from Botox besides the shocking cost? Other than the stroke, I was a moderately healthy 60 year old with good cholestol, no heart disease and somewhat overweight. My neurologist said that was good news AND the bad news!

I appreciate any input I can get on the topic. Thanks in advance for your responses.