Bell's palsy

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I have been diagnosed with Bell's palsy today. I've felt rough all December following a virus, but the last week I've been really tired. I had a twitchy eye and felt like my eye was 'bubbling', thought it was just stress/tiredness. Yesterday I started with a weird numbness in my mouth and lip, and the left side of my face has dropped and I can't close my eye. Thinking about it, I've had a headache all week when I don't normally get them, and over the top of my left eye, so maybe that's all related. My jaw, ear and face all ache on that side, but are also numb. I feel like I've had dental anaesthetic and botched Botox!

I'd never heard of BP before. I'm on bumper dosage of steroids, and have to take my eye shut at night as I can't blink. Please tell me this is a short lived thing!

Mine was 3 weeks before it started to rectify but was pregnancy related. Still smile wonky now and get a lazy eye when I am tired. I hate it despite it not being very noticeable to others I can see it

@Helpfullright oh no! Hopefully it does continue to improve for you, how long ago was this?

I slept with my eye taped closed which was really uncomfortable, for a brief moment when I woke up I thought it had gone but as soon as I'm up it's as bad as yesterday if not worse. I also have headache, earache and jaw ache on the numb side which is odd. I forgot to tell the dr yesterday at a&e that I'm on HRT so I need to go to pharmacy today to ask a pharmacist. And also whether I can take nurofen for my headache?

I had it when I was post natal about 15 years ago. I was practically back to normal within 2-3 weeks.

When I went for a follow up app the consultant said there was still a slight weakness at smile line but it was nothing I or anyone else could notice.

It’s awful to go through at the time but it sounds like you’ve got to it quickly with the steroids. Rest and take care.

@Le1890 thank you. I felt worse today by the afternoon when I was feeling tired, and my mouth definitely gets more slurry when I've been talking a lot. I'm trying to rest but it's so hard at this time of year when the kids are off school and overexcited! I took the dog for a short walk this evening and really struggled with the wind in my eye! I'm going to try to get a patch tomorrow.

I don't know for sure if I had BP or a mini clot after my AZ vaccine. I was told BP but I wasn't convinced as I was in hospital for a week with a suspected stroke. Discharged none the wiser.

I was completely back to normal in 4 days. So weird. I also have bad migraines and they also suggested a migraine? Anyway the quick high dose steroids I think is the key.

You should be resting ideally. Luckily my enforced bedpost in lockdown ment it was all I could do. Please rest up.

I remember the wind in my eye being bad. When I had it I was going to New York a week later! I was able to go but the weirdest thing is I have very little recollection of the trip.

I don’t know if it was to do with the post steroids or if it is related to the Bell’s palsy. We went to see a show and I can’t even remember what it was or watching it still to this day!

It will pass. It just takes time. You will get through it. Here anytime if can help.

It took 8 weeks for me when I had it 2 years ago. The most important thing to do is rest and more rest (easier said than done over christmas).

With your eye use eye gel 8-10 times a day, tape it shut and then an eye patch over the top. If it gets sore from taping, buy Nexcare sensitive tape, it's amazing stuff and will stop the sore eye happening. Keep your eye patch 24/7 until you can actually blink properly again. The specialist eye consultant told me this. Or else you can get abrasions and corneal damage if you don't.

Again, rest, rest and more rest. Also ask for some strong pain killers from your GP if the nerve pain is bad. I got cocodamol and tramadol on prescription.

@LuckysDadsHat that's interesting, they gave me gel but said 4 x a day, I'm finding it a long time between doses. The eye is the only pain really. I haven't had any nerve pain although I'm guessing that comes later when it starts to get sensation back? I'm currently completely numb. I found some food against my gum that must have been there for hours and I hadn't realised.

Start using the eye gel more often. It won't do any harm (as long as it's a preservative free eye gel) and you can't overdose on it. Especially with BP.

It may be worth you asking for an eye referral to the hospital. In the meantime keep it taped all the time and use the eye gel.

I’ve had BP 3 times. It’s always gotten better thankfully.
Rest as much as possible. Wear sunglasses whenever you go out to protect your eye.
Look online for facial exercises and do these 3/4 times daily. You won’t notice much change to start with but you should gradually see improvements.
The tired eye and roid rage are what I remember most.

Day 7 today. Just a little update. No improvement at all really, in fact I think it's gotten progressively worse each day. Maybe partly because I'm tired. The twisting feeling in my face is awful, like my face is being wrung out. I still have no movement at all in my left side of my face, my forehead is completely smooth, there's a clear line halfway where the nerves obviously end! Still cannot blink, or flare my nose or mouth.

The steroids are also not making me feel particularly great, with palpitations and generally feeling woozy at times. I've done a bit of reading about the progression of the condition and it seems like it could take 72 hours to come on, then 72 hours to peak so I hope this means that it's peaked now. My eye is much better since I have had drops not gel, they seem to lubricate it better. I am going to get signed off work tomorrow for a further week, I was due to be back in on 30th. They have said I can self certify for my Xmas holiday which means at least I can get my days back and have some proper time off once I feel better.

I have all my family coming today for Boxing Day, not ideal but probably easier than going to them so I will just get through today and then I'm on full rest mode for the next few days. I cannot believe how unwell it's made me feel, the nhs website doesn't really give much of an insight into how it actually feels. It's been really really awful.

You need to rest. You will not start healing until you completely rest. I spent 3 weeks almost permanently in bed.

I had it post natal and wasn’t prescribed steroids as I was breastfeeding. It took about 8 weeks to mostly recover but my smile is still slightly lopsided

@LuckysDadsHat I know, it's just so hard this time of year. I am definitely on rest mode from tomorrow though, all social things cancelled or postponed now.

@TheOliveFinch I think it's the prednisolone that prevents the permanent damage. From what I have read it doesn't speed up the recovery time but you're less likely to have lasting effects if the steroid is started within 72 hours.

I made a full recovery from this a few years back- physiotherapy, and using a TENS machine on my face were incredibly important in getting back to normal.

I also blitzed fish oil and Vit K supplements.

A friend had it the same year, she did the steroids and anti-virals, but not the rest, and there's still a noticeable droop on her face.

I'm on day 10 today and not really any improvement. It's my last day of prednisone and o think it has been masking some symptoms, the last few days I have felt much more swollen and uncomfortable. The bones of my face on the affected side feel really bruised and painful. I'm resting as much as I can and I have zero energy for anything. I'm struggling with my vision a bit, I keep getting blurring and also some tinnitus. I can't ever recall being this unwell for so long, with no respite. Even with the very worst flu, you take tablets and get some relief. This is absolutely relentless. After 10 full days of it I must admit to be feeling very down now, I am really struggling.