Page 2 | Bell's Palsy

ComeOnThenFanny · 2023-04-21T13:07:40+00:00

As the title suggests, I have it. It's very random and strange, and it's affecting my mental health far more than it should. Is this normal? I don't want to be wallowing in self-pity, but it's really getting me down, and it's only been a few days. Does anyone have any tips to share on getting myself out of this slump and getting on with it? Thank you.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 10:24

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 09:43

Thank you all, I thought I was improving yesterday, and went out for a really long walk, but it's absolutely killed me off today. I just want to feel and look better.

Going for a long walk was a really stupid idea. Sorry for being blunt but it really was. Rest promotes healing. The people with BP that haven't recovered in my support group are the ones who didn't rest and carried on working etc...... its only anecdata but they all day they regret not resting as they feel they may have healed.

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 10:24

*say

Original poster

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 10:28

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 10:24

Going for a long walk was a really stupid idea. Sorry for being blunt but it really was. Rest promotes healing. The people with BP that haven't recovered in my support group are the ones who didn't rest and carried on working etc...... its only anecdata but they all day they regret not resting as they feel they may have healed.

Show quote history

I had to take the dogs out, I should have realised it would knock me back. I know I need to rest but it's not that easy!

Thank you all for your advice x

OP posts:

Original poster

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 10:30

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 23/04/2023 10:21

I had BP last year. I was 99% healed within 8 weeks, but those 8 weeks feel like a lifetime.

My top tips are

get signed off work and rest, rest and rest some more. Rest is honestly the best thing for it.
have some acupuncture after about 4 weeks.
use a decent tape and eye patch for your eye at night. Nexcare Sensitive Tape is the best one as it doesn't damage the eye skin when you remove it.
use your eye drops and eye ointment religiously. The eye hospital told me to use drops every hour during the day and ointment 4 times a day and put loads in at night before you tape and patch your eye.
nerves when they are regenerating bloody hurt. Get some painkillers from your GP for when this starts happening. I had cocodamol and tramadol and that really did help.
carry on resting. Honestly literally do nothing. Sleep and lay down as much as you can.

The only thing I am left with is my nose runs when I eat (I think that's permanent now) and when I am very tired or stressed I can notice my eye is slightly different but no one else can notice it they say.

Wishing you healing thoughts. AND REST!

I am very on top of the eye stuff, and fortunately I haven't had too much nerve pain. I really hope I avoid it.

I can't get over how many people have had this when I had barely heard of it before!

OP posts:

Original poster

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 10:31

christmaspudding43 · 23/04/2023 10:16

I had it too, quite a few years ago, I'd had shingles a few years prior and there is believed to be a link. I found it much more distressing that I'd expected, I think partly because the medical people involved were a bit shirty - diagnosed in a&e as out of hours refused to see me because the symptoms obviously mirror stroke, which is fine, and we have no walk in. Got given the wrong prescription and had to try and sort that, was told to follow up with my GP who rang and said I've no idea why you need following up, what's the issue. Also referred to optometrist at hospital but was improving by the time the referral came through and she was pretty shitty about me being there too.

Anyway, it was upsetting but I recovered well and you'd have to be looking very closely to spot anything, I'd say it's only noticeable if I'm very tired and even then you'd need to know me well. Take it easy and rest, give your body time to heal.

I had a coldsore, a similar virus, and I think that's what may have prompted it. It's all so strange.

OP posts:

Original poster

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 10:31

Badbudgeter · 23/04/2023 10:01

I think the steroids give you a false sense of get up and go. Honestly rest I found was the best medicine. Well that and a lot of pills. I think I was a bit unusual but two days after I finished the course of steroids I was hospitalised as nerve inflammation came roaring back. In hindsight I do wonder if that could of been avoided if I’d rested more.

I am absolutely listening to this, thank you.

OP posts:

katystar · 23/04/2023 10:51

I had BP and can only echo to rest it’s what you need. When mine was healing it felt like pins and needles in my face but more painful. I didn’t want to go out anywhere or see anyone. I’d say I’m 95% heeled the right side of my mouth is more droopy I can really notice it but most people don’t. I also looked like the joker when smiling for a long time. I had steroids and the antivirals good luck it will get better

Badbudgeter · 23/04/2023 10:55

ComeOnThenFanny · 23/04/2023 10:30

I am very on top of the eye stuff, and fortunately I haven't had too much nerve pain. I really hope I avoid it.

I can't get over how many people have had this when I had barely heard of it before!

Show quote history

I had never heard of it before it happened to me or at least it hadn’t registered. Nerve pain typically comes after you’ve finished a course of steroids as they will mask the symptoms. It’s a bit trial and error. I found a combination of anti inflammatories and a low dose of a tryptine the best in combination. It wasn’t a long term thing; less than a year.

NorthernChinchilla · 23/04/2023 11:00

Sympathies OP, I got it in my first term of Uni, doing a course that requires public speaking! I had a day of total misery, as my Gran had had it at a similar age and not recovered (but given that was a long time ago I'm guessing the treatment wasn't as effective).

In all liklihood you'll recover completely, and be fine. You're absolutely entitled to feel down about it, it's unpleasant and so obviously visible!

Definitely rest and keep on top of the eye care, and enjoy the puppies... they certainly won't mind if your face looks a bit different for a while

Rowthe · 25/04/2023 13:04

How are you now?💐

Original poster

ComeOnThenFanny · 25/04/2023 16:08

Hello, thank you for asking! I'm a bit better, but it's slow progress. Well, it feels like it... At least I can taste food a bit better now, that was horrible! I took someone's advice upthread, and have tried to take it easier too, got signed off for the rest of the week.

So all in all, I think ever so slightly, it's getting better 🤞🤞

OP posts:

Rowthe · 25/04/2023 16:40

👍🏼
Hope it continues to improve.

Piscesmumma1978 · 25/04/2023 20:09

I had it because of Lyme disease. Could you have been bitten by a tick?

Steroids helped and mine was better with two weeks. I couldn't close one eye for those two weeks.

It is very scary but the majority of people effected get better. It's the very best feeling when your manage to smile against x

Whowahway123 · 19/05/2023 01:44

I’m day 2 of BP - oh my word!

yesterday was the visual impact but tonight I’m really struggling with the ear, face and head pain and weirdly I think I have some visual disturbances / colour saturations in my affected eye.

Can anyone a help re meds. I was prescribed Prednisone for 10 days. 8 tablets per day. I thought 8 spaced throughout 24hrs but a few people in RL have commented it’s better to take the 8 all at once in the morning? Med box says 8 x am for 10 days.

better to take all at once or space out?

just trying to connect dots, no cold sores (thankfully don’t suffer from them) but super super stressed with some twatty exh stuff, and just haven’t felt ‘myself’ from the weekend. Really tired, nauseous, anxiety & palpitations through the roof and then the headache started Tues & droopiness Wed afternoon. Steroids straight away in A&E by 8pm on Wednesday which I hope has maybe nipped it in the bud…

sorry for hijacking your thread OP, I really hope you are seeing so improvements from your last post.

Badbudgeter · 19/05/2023 04:58

Whowahway123 · 19/05/2023 01:44

I’m day 2 of BP - oh my word!

yesterday was the visual impact but tonight I’m really struggling with the ear, face and head pain and weirdly I think I have some visual disturbances / colour saturations in my affected eye.

Can anyone a help re meds. I was prescribed Prednisone for 10 days. 8 tablets per day. I thought 8 spaced throughout 24hrs but a few people in RL have commented it’s better to take the 8 all at once in the morning? Med box says 8 x am for 10 days.

better to take all at once or space out?

just trying to connect dots, no cold sores (thankfully don’t suffer from them) but super super stressed with some twatty exh stuff, and just haven’t felt ‘myself’ from the weekend. Really tired, nauseous, anxiety & palpitations through the roof and then the headache started Tues & droopiness Wed afternoon. Steroids straight away in A&E by 8pm on Wednesday which I hope has maybe nipped it in the bud…

sorry for hijacking your thread OP, I really hope you are seeing so improvements from your last post.

Take all the tablets in one go in the morning as suggested. Please try and rest as well though. The steroids give you a false sense of get up and go and you’d body needs rest to heal.

Pseudonamed · 19/05/2023 07:06

You poor thing. Yes take all the tablets in the one go. I hope you get through this soon x

bcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyza · 19/05/2023 07:11

I had it when I was 13 so I was at school which was hard. Probably worse getting it as a child but it hasn't returned since.

I have been left with a very watery eye, and I have to wear glasses now to support the eye as it gets tired and starts to close, also my smile isn't normal anymore.

katystar · 19/05/2023 10:35

All the tablets in one go and take it easy. I only really improved when I stopped and let myself be ill easier said than done but rest is key. I hope you feel better soon. I had steroids and antiviral tablets so push for them as well in case it has been caused by lymes disease

Rowthe · 19/05/2023 16:23

Whowahway123 · 19/05/2023 01:44

I’m day 2 of BP - oh my word!

yesterday was the visual impact but tonight I’m really struggling with the ear, face and head pain and weirdly I think I have some visual disturbances / colour saturations in my affected eye.

Can anyone a help re meds. I was prescribed Prednisone for 10 days. 8 tablets per day. I thought 8 spaced throughout 24hrs but a few people in RL have commented it’s better to take the 8 all at once in the morning? Med box says 8 x am for 10 days.

better to take all at once or space out?

just trying to connect dots, no cold sores (thankfully don’t suffer from them) but super super stressed with some twatty exh stuff, and just haven’t felt ‘myself’ from the weekend. Really tired, nauseous, anxiety & palpitations through the roof and then the headache started Tues & droopiness Wed afternoon. Steroids straight away in A&E by 8pm on Wednesday which I hope has maybe nipped it in the bud…

sorry for hijacking your thread OP, I really hope you are seeing so improvements from your last post.

Take all the tablets at once.

Take a couple of weeks rest.

Make sure you are taking a multivitamin.
Inc high dose vit c, zinc and vit d.

Bell's Palsy

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