Bell’s palsy.

[SunSeaSangria]

DD has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. 3 weeks in now with no improvement. Will try to get back in with the GP again today but i feel like we are being fobbed off a little.

They said to go back if things got worse, we did. Sent to A and E by the on call GP. Waited 7 hours, told not really they can do, come back if stroke symptoms show.

Shes had steroids, painkillers, we are eye dropping and taping. Als been prescribed amitriptyline to see if the helps. Shes had antibiotics to treat a dental abscess on the other side which may have been there about a week or so before the Bell’s palsy started.

She is in constant pain in her head and ear, hearing is muffled and she’s feeling dizzy. How much longer should this take?

Oh your poor daughter. It took about 6 months for my husband to recover and he still had some issues a year later. Unfortunately there isn’t much that can be done in my experience. He is waiting on physio as his swallowing was slightly affected. I would push for another appointment just to check nothing else is going on and being put down to the Bell’s palsy

I am on the waiting list for today, shes had ringing in her ears for a couple of days too. I have never felt so helpless.

I had a similar story infection then bells a wee of so later. Drops/gel sunglasses etc there’s not really much they do for it tbh I was also pregnant and I didn’t know. I was very self conscious but it did take some time to go and I do have mild weakness on the side I had it, you can only really tell in photos. Def get seen again and I hope she’s on the mend soon it’s a horrible thing to get

I haven’t posted on mn for a while but I just wanted to pop in and say I had this after pneumonia in my late 30s. It was horrible but did go around 6 months, with a gradual improvement after a few weeks.

Your poor daughter, it’s an awful thing to go through but she will make progress too.

I had to tap my eye shut to sleep! Also I still have ringing in my ears but I don’t notice it so much now.

I can tell in photos but I don’t think others can. Sending a big hug💐

Thank you so much. It’s the unknown of why and how long that is worrying. Also in regards to exams etc, I feel helpless and worried that this will affect them so much.

As your DD's hearing is affected, and she now has tinnitus, it could be that the Bell's Palsy is due to Ramsey Hunt Syndrome, with BP as a symptom of RHS.

Info from AI -

Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) causes peripheral facial nerve paralysis, which is often clinically indistinguishable from Bell's palsy in its presentation. While both cause facial weakness, RHS is a distinct, more severe condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (shingles), often accompanied by ear pain and blisters.

I've had RHS with BP. It took me over 6 months to recover.

The blisters in my ear canal were not visible to the naked eye - too far down the ear canal.

Was about to say the same thing. Will need antivirals if so.

It is a miserable thing, OP, I had it myself nearly a decade ago. Was given Prednisolone for it. Should also have had anti-virals but A&E were out of them so didn't get any. I would say the worst was over after around 2.5 months (i.e. I could go without the eye covering which I wore during the day - without it the irritation was just awful). I got through masses of eye drops! It varies so much between people, I avoided forums about it and social media because it can be very depressing to hear people haven't recovered at all, similarly those that are OK after 2 weeks is also depressing when you still have no movement!

Overall it took me around a year to get 95% of movement back. It's just slow progress. Hope she gets better soon!

My husband's took about 6 months to (mainly) recover from. He was left with tinnitus in one ear and I'm afraid that hasn't gone 10 years later. When he is very tired his eye on the affected side closes without him being fully aware, so he will be talking to me with one eye closed.

Full sympathy to your daughter who is obviously much younger than my husband was when it happened. He was never given a cause either, just told it is generally an idiopathic disease.

I had it about 20 years ago in my early 20's and was only prescribed steroids. It did get about 90% better within about a month. Then after about a year, I was left with very slight weakness that only I can notice, so about 98% improvement overall.

Mine improved quite soon after I saw a chiropractor who thought he could help - my boyfriend at the time saw him regularly and told him about me.

I'd had a slip on the stairs (landing on my bum) a day or two before the BP started and apparently jarred my coccyx and I think my neck had some issues too at the base of my skull.

I had had some unusual tiredness too, so suspect a viral cause, especially as I experienced a lot of pain in my jaw.

I do wish her well and hope she really improves soon.

At the time I was told at the hospital that it could return, especially in pregnancy or in 10 years, but I've had no repeat despite over 20 years and 3 babies.