My Bell's Palsy started 3 weeks today (Thurs). It started with tingling of my lips which spread to the right side of my face. I thought I was allergic to my new lipstick so didn't worry too much. The next morning my face felt numb and my mouth was a bit droopy and felt like when you go to the dentist and the injection is wearing off. Within half an hour my face had dropped so my daughter took me to a Walk in Clinic who diagnosed Bell's Palsy. I wasn't given advise on how to treat it, just told it would go in time. I brought some eye drops the next day as my eye was hurting but still didn't realise what was going to happen.
By Tues I felt really worried as my face had dropped much more, my speech was slurred, I couldn't pronounce words starting with B, P or F. I kept biting my cheek, couldn't eat or drink properly and had such nerve pain around my ear and in my cheek area that I wanted to cry. I went to the doctors who gave me steriods for 5 days and told me it would be gone in a week and to put eye drops in. Oh and if I got pain in my eye to go to hospital. That was all the advise I got from them. What sort of pain did they mean? My eye hurt so much sometimes and is the most worrying aspect of this whole experience. The wind and sun hurts my eye so I wear sunglasses every time I go out. I went to a supermarket and the air conditioning was so cold and strong that I had to leave as it dryed my eye out and caused much discomfort.
I went to Boots chemist who were very helpful. They advised intensive tear protective eye drops for the day (every hour), Lacri-Lube eye ointment for night time and tape to keep my eye closed. Plus pain killers for the nerve pain. It was a real challenge at night to keep my eye closed as the tape wouldn't stick properly because of the ointment. I even tried swimming goggles which did help but felt uncomfortable round my head.
In the third week the swelling has gone down and my face is nearly back to normal. It only notices when I smile as my mouth is still droopy and my eye still doesn't shut properly. I still get nerve pain around my ear specially at night time. I find I can't sleep on my right side either as this makes me feel a bit dizzy and aches quite a bit.
I'm taking each day at a time and trying to keep positive and hope that it doesn't take too long to go completely. I am very grateful that I haven't got it too bad and that I am healing. I can't wait to be able to sleep properly without waking up to put drops in and put the tape back on.
It will be 2 years on 24th September (my birthday) since I had Bells Palsy in the right side of my face.
I thought I would give an update on how BP has affected my life.
Even though my face, thank god, went back to normal quickly the nerve pain I experienced in my cheek, ear, eye, jaw made me cry. This went on till the New Year and my eye didn't close properly until about then too. It was such a relief to be normal again. I was paranoid about the cold air starting it off again so brought a warm, thick hat and scarf for winter and even though I felt daft in it I was scared BP would come back so put it on everytime I went out.
Now 2 years later the sight in my right eye is not as good as the left eye. I find that when I eat meals my right eye and right nostril stream, some days worse than others, and I always have to have a tissue ready. I don't know if this is due to the nerves not mending properly. Also my mouth curves up a bit more on the right and when I sleep I now snore/breath heavy which I never did before.
How has others been affected by BP. Are they back to normal or have slight quirks like I do. It would be interesting to find out if this is normal.
3 weeks... im really hoping for 10 days (finger crossed)
Sharon , I had high BP before bells , now because of it my BP is much much lower, only good to come out of this horror miserable nightmare,
Hey tresremi. I'm on day 8 and as my feeling is coming in, the paim is excruciating. I was put on steroids, antivirals, and antibiotics. It seems to be healing quickly. I can feel my lips now. How long did it take for your full healing?
That's exalty the 3 meds I was put on and he the pain wasn't hi God ever felt before, in the back of my ear every 20-25 seconds a shooting volt pain went to the back of my head, thankfully after few days that went away, it has been 3 months shy of 2 years, my face is better but swells every month, some ow people say I'm lucky but I don't feel that way some times, it has changed my appearance especially when I see myself in pictures, my smile an laugh is not the same, I have to have facial,assuages every month an take ibrouphben everyday, it's beenanihhtmare as I e stated I all my conversations, and it's not going away ever ,it seems
I totally understand your pain. I has those same shooting pains. I'm praying for a full recovery. My doctor said she has patients who get it once and make a full recovery and it never returns. Do the facial massages work?
Yes they worK - i purchased a little massager and did it a couple times a day. Nothing long or anything - also smiling really hard or singing to try to wake up those die nerves.
After a while u wont feel the pain anymore because of the meds but keep doing the exercises.
It will do away - dont get depress thats going to be ur biggest challenge. I made sure i had a go to person i could juat whine to and no matter what they'll listen. My other outlet was excerising - i didnt have to talk or smile; only workout.
Stay strong
Thanks for the tips. Let's keep each other posted on our progress.
my massager comes once a month 90minsget full body massage as a bonus, but she massages my entire head ears eyes face neck head, all of it, it's wonderful if ur fave swells as one side of mine does, I've had all the misery of this sickness with slow recover, pics are horrible compared to how I have always looked, makes me sad, good luck an keep up smiling, I'm glad I can donna
I've been placing a warm towel on my face at night and it feels amazing. Also my doc said chewing gum and practice blowing up a balloon for exercise.
you are very lucky that ur bells palsy recoverd. but i am bad luck in this matter. i am suffering in this disease from last 22 years. many time i send email here but no one replies me except 1 member he just told me about the site where i can get any guidness i send many emails msgs on their FB or gmail id but no one replies me.
i want to cry loudly and wana tells the people about my pain but no one is ready to listen me. all are cruel no one tries to help any helpless person.
i am crying while typing this msg. cant write more
hy dear plz listen to me . i am suffering in this bad diseas from last 22 years i am a female and in pakistan. i send many email or msgs to many sites for help but no one replies me. i am in great pain cant sleep whole the nite becoz water flows from my eye i cant shut my eye. i want to get rid from this bad diseas but quite helpless in this matter. i need urs help plz guide me about any medicnes. i am a poor girl and cant afford costly treatment. plz help me
Whats meds r u taking? List the facial exercises u r doing?
sorry dear i am not taking any medicne right now. i used homeopathic and alopathic medicnes , also go to theropist but he was not satisfied as he told me that its long duration so i am not quite sure that u will recover or not. physiotheropy is very costly treatment in PAK. i cant stay in hospital for theropy. i am hopeless now. wants to see my face beautiful but failed.
plz help me in this regard. i will be thankful to you for urs kind reply
Im sorry to hear that - i believe thats the number one reason why its taking u forever to recover. Maybe try another doctor - therapy can performed by yourself basically just making hard facial expression and massaging the facial muscles.
Just keep doing the muscle exercises - morning noon and night