bell's palsy

[ilovepicnmix]

I've was diagnosed on Monday and my symptoms weren't too bad. They've worsened since then and im scared it's not going to get better. Im on steroids and zovirax and know that rationally the prognosis is good as it was diagnosed and treatment started early.

Does anyone have any experience? Reassuring ideally! How long till I notice an improvement? The doctor said 2-3 weeks but I wonder if that is a bit optimistic and he said that when my symptoms weren't too bad. Thanks.

Yes, a family member got Bell's Palsy about a month ago. She is just beginning to feel less tired and her face is improving slowly. She still can't completely close one eye, but is definitely on the mend.

Good luck OP, hope you recover quickly.

Thsnk

Thanks for the response!

I had this in 2009. I was also treated quickly with steroids and yes it did get worse for a few days in terms of my speech. But I was fully recovered within 2-3 weeks.
X

I had it aged 1. Was one of the first to be treated with steroids for it! Amidst completely resolved, I have a sight weakness if you really look for it.

Look after your eye if it isn't shutting properly. Tape it at night and use eye drops. Hope you better soon.

Don't know wtf amidst is all about. Weirdo phone.

*slight weakness

My daughter (then 3.5) had it last summer starting at end July. Unusual as she had her right side droop then three weeks later - just as right side started to improve - left side went. All sorted and fully recovered by end November, but really by end sept it was only me and DH who noticed it wasn't 'normal'

My mum had this over 10 years ago. She had some facial exercises from a physio that she did religiously. She made a complete and quick recovery.

My brother and his son have both had it. Another friend of mine has too. The two who were treated promptly are 100% fine. My brother wasn't diagnosed straight away - he went to the doc on Fri, got sent away then went back on the Mon so didn't get steroids for 3 days. He still has a slight weakness around his eye but it only notices when he's tired.

My mum was diagnosed with Bells Palsy and was given prompt treatment after the symptoms had started. She was also told like yourself that she should see improvements in around 2-3 weeks and that was indeed the case after closer to 3 weeks.

Ds had it as a 3yo. He was put on steroids immediately and he was back to normal within a month.

He still has a weakness in his left eye that may require surgery when he is older but it doesn't affect him too much atm.

Thanks for all the responses. I feel reassured!

I have had this too when I was pregnant, took about 2-3 weeks for me bit I think I was on a lower dose of steroids than they would have liked. I couldn't shut my eye and ended up with a nasty eye infection too, so the poster above is right about looking after your eye. it was still visible (to me at least) when I was very tired or run down for a few months but is fine now.
Good luck, it's miserable, but you will get better

I had it a year and a half ago. Lyme disease caused mine. Have you been bitten by anything recently and developed a large round rash?

I was put on steroids for 2 weeks and also bought some vitamin B tablets which is supposed to help. After 10 days I could whistle again!! My 2 daughters used to ask me every morning if I could whistle yet, the relief when I could was amazing!

I had a CT scan just to make sure it wasnt something else causing it (this was before they tested me for lyme) I also saw an eye specialist because I could close my eye. They gave me drops and a patch for sleeping.

The main thing is to try not to stress about it. I think you feel a lot worse then you look IYSWIM.

My dad also had it a few years ago for no apparent reason. His went after about 4 weeks.

Good luck x

Thanks somersetsoul. I've not beem bitten that I'm aware of! The doc thought it may be something to do with being exposed to chicken pox recently.

I'm venturing out today so will be sure to get some vitamin b tablets.

I didnt know that being exposed to chicken pox could bring it on. My eldest currently has chicken pox!!

Any improvements yet?

I had it in my mid 20s. Diagnosed immediately and given a week of steroids and antibiotics.

Cried everyday for a fortnight about being deformed for the rest of my life, then started slowly venturing out into the world and realised that actually it wasn't a big deal, I was still the same person and even if it DIDN'T go away I would be ok.

I started getting tingles at about the 3.5wk mark, then movement at about a month. Was almost all gone 7 weeks later - had a bit of a weakness in my eye and edge of my lip for a couple of months after that, and I still feel that when I'm very tired, almost a decade later.

You will be fine! Ask around your friends - I guarantee they will know a couple of people who've had it, and it can be reassuring to speak to some IRL people. (I've done the same for others - pay it forward type thing.) it's way more common than you think.

Ps they don't actually KNOW what causes Bell's palsy. It's a residual diagnosis - if you don't have Lyme disease, have had a stroke or something else that I forget, they will diagnose BP if you have facial paralysis.

I also had it when pregnant however I couldn't be treated because I'm diabetic (steroids send your blood sugars sky high which is very bad for baby). Despite no treatment it started to get better within a week and was 100% better within a month.