Bells Palsy

[Trevatanus]

Woke up Sunday morning and found that I could not close my eye properly, the right hand side of my face had dropped and I was having trouble speaking properly. Was convinced I was having a stroke. Was terrified.
Admitted myself to the local A&E where, after rushing me through triage assuming a stroke, eventually confirmed Bells Palsy.
Huge emotional relief at being told the good news, now just need to wait for it to heal.
Have an appointment with the GP later in the week, so lets see what he says.
Not a fun day though.

[motco]

I got it in 1998 and I still have vestiges of it today. It will take months to reduce and could leave muscle weakness in your face such that you cannot smile symmetrically. I gather that Sylvester Stallone had it but his was a birth defect. Swift administration of steroids can arrest the symptoms, I'm told, but it's probably already too late, sorry.

[Trevatanus]

motco said:

I got it in 1998 and I still have vestiges of it today. It will take months to reduce and could leave muscle weakness in your face such that you cannot smile symmetrically. I gather that Sylvester Stallone had it but his was a birth defect. Swift administration of steroids can arrest the symptoms, I'm told, but it's probably already too late, sorry.

I started taking Steroids on Sunday, so fingers crossed.
Just thankful it wasn't a stroke to be honest.

[motco]

Trevatanus said:

motco said:

I got it in 1998 and I still have vestiges of it today. It will take months to reduce and could leave muscle weakness in your face such that you cannot smile symmetrically. I gather that Sylvester Stallone had it but his was a birth defect. Swift administration of steroids can arrest the symptoms, I'm told, but it's probably already too late, sorry.

I started taking Steroids on Sunday, so fingers crossed.
Just thankful it wasn't a stroke to be honest.

Ah, you may be lucky then. I didn't see a Doc until too late. Good Luck!

[347Andy]

Make sure you look after the eye if the eyelid isn't closing properly as if you let it dry out you can loose it !

[Trevatanus]

347Andy said:

Make sure you look after the eye if the eyelid isn't closing properly as if you let it dry out you can loose it !

Thanks Andy, I have Clinitas Carbomer 0.2% gel on hand!

[motco]

Trevatanus said:

347Andy said:

Make sure you look after the eye if the eyelid isn't closing properly as if you let it dry out you can loose it !

Thanks Andy, I have Clinitas Carbomer 0.2% gel on hand!

Andy's right! I used artificial tears to moisten mine, and a strip of tape to hold it closed at night.

[dbroughton]

had an attack a few years ago cleared up 100%. Most do

vit b12 is suppose to helo protect or heal the nerves

high dose sublingual

[HoggyR32]

I had this a few months ago. Same sort of thing, woke up feeling like I'd been at the dentist and had a funny feeling mouth. Fortunately I was at work that day so the lads and my boss pretty much forced me to go to the doctor (after having a right good laugh at my expense of course). The doc confirmed it was Bell's palsy, I was stting myself! As a fit and healthy 32 year old I wasn't expecting something like this. It didn't help that the doctor couldn't say how long it would last, all she said was that it would get worse before it got better!
Got on to the steroids straight away and 2 weeks later I was absolutely fine. It was a fairly miserable couple of weeks right enough, drinking through a straw on one side of the mouth, no taste, not able to close one eye so whenever I was out in the wind it watered for fun and struggling to sleep due to the dodgy eye.
Dig in mate, take the drugs, let your mates take the piss and before you know it you'll be fine.

[Trevatanus]

HoggyR32 said:

I had this a few months ago. Same sort of thing, woke up feeling like I'd been at the dentist and had a funny feeling mouth. Fortunately I was at work that day so the lads and my boss pretty much forced me to go to the doctor (after having a right good laugh at my expense of course). The doc confirmed it was Bell's palsy, I was stting myself! As a fit and healthy 32 year old I wasn't expecting something like this. It didn't help that the doctor couldn't say how long it would last, all she said was that it would get worse before it got better!
Got on to the steroids straight away and 2 weeks later I was absolutely fine. It was a fairly miserable couple of weeks right enough, drinking through a straw on one side of the mouth, no taste, not able to close one eye so whenever I was out in the wind it watered for fun and struggling to sleep due to the dodgy eye.
Dig in mate, take the drugs, let your mates take the piss and before you know it you'll be fine.

Cheers Hoggy.
Was on the steroids from day 1, so hoping for a good outcome.
Biggest drawback is not being able to drive top down as it hurts the eyes!

[john2443]

I had it, oohh, years ago, 1990? Steroids, cleared up OK, no long lasting effects.

[CubanPete]

I had bilateral brachial plexus neuritis about 2 1/2 years ago. Like bells palsy, but shoulders next chest arms and hands. Took about 18 months to get most of it back.

My friends took great humour in me being able to pick things up, but not let them go.

[Willy Nilly]

I had it when I was a little lad and go shouted at by my mum for smiling funny. Then as a lazy student I crashed my car, got viral meningitis and bells palsy again in the space of a few weeks. No ill effects. I did spill quite a but of tea though.

[Trevatanus]

just a little update to share.
Final dose of Steroids tomorrow, and I am definitely on the mend.
In only a week, my face is improving massively.
It knocked my confidence more than anything, but things are returning to normal

)

[motco]

Good to hear! Mine, without steroids, took weeks to noticeably improve.

[Trevatanus]

I'm about 95% recovered now.
I struggle with a few words, but almost there !

[Ynox]

I had it back in 2004.

It wasn't fun but fortunately cleared up on its own in a couple of weeks.

[CarbonXKR]

I had it two years ago, same as you they thought a stroke at first until a specialist was called. Worrying all the same. I was 8 weeks off work due to inability to focus on the screens at work and my eye sore, constant drops and gel at night. Worst words to say began with F - like fridge etc. Came out like phridge Red wine through a straw isn't good either, nor is food falling out the side of your mouth. Driving with aircon and flying was sore on the eye too. All better now although my "dodgy" eye tends to close when I eat.

[Derek Smith]

A colleague had this. The hospital identified it and he was given all sorts of pills. He was expected to be off work street work for ages so went on a course for a sedentary role which he passed without problems and then came back onto shift with very few symptoms remaining. After some months, can't remember how many, he was back to normal. A full rocovery.

He said he'd never been so relived to have a diagnosis of what is a serious condition.

I had a heart attack. I'd had a busy night, having to hold onto a struggling prisoner. Got up in the morning with chest pains, shortness of breath and pains in my left arm. The doctor's surgery was just around the corner and I was taken in as soon as I arrived. I stripped off and he pointed to two lumps sticking up near my sternum. I'd dislocated two ribs and my chest muscles had gone into spasm. I felt so much better.

Best of luck.

[NiceCupOfTea]

The symptoms of Bells Palsy are very similar to Ramsay Hunt Syndrome which is quite nasty. You need to be on antivirals and steroids within 3 days for best chance of a full recovery. If it is accompanied by a rash or spots/sores it's worth checking out.

My wife was diagnosed with Bell's and it was only with some googling we realised it was RHS (rash), so we went straight to the hospital and got the right treatment. The GP nurse who incorrectly diagosed Bell's Palsy sent her home with a fking leaflet. (Not still angry about it or anything!)