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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Bell's palsy- anyone else suffered with this?

20 replies

maryann970 · 30/04/2013 16:09

I have just gotten back from a and e. went in with a partially paralysed face this morning. They have put me on a big dose of steroids to reduce inflammation of the facial nerve which is causing it. Just freaking out that my face will be wonky forever! Plus I'm 39+3 and am upset that when I have my first baby all the photos will have my droopy smile in it.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Themselves or friends/family? Some honest stories would be good to see the sort of prognosis.

OP posts:

zeldapinwheel · 30/04/2013 18:53

Hi.

My mum had her 1st episode of bells palsy when she was pregnant with me, her eye was stuck open and her face pulled to one side. She had steroids and it took about a month to go back to normal.

She always said that was the worst incident but she had it at other times too certain things would set it off, flashing lights and having the car window open with a breeze blowing on her face. generally it only lasted a half hour or so.

Hope yours gets back to normal soon.

Rockchick1984 · 30/04/2013 19:31

I've had it once, it's horrible isn't it! I've never had a recurrence of it, and the only lingering side effect is when I'm very tired the eye on that side is droopy (but fine all the rest of the time).

Re photos, try to be looking down at your newborn on any pics (you will probably be doing this anyway!) and you won't really be able to tell. If you are really concerned, tilt your head so it captures your 'good side' :)

Think it took about 3 weeks for me to not feel like Quasimodo, about 6 weeks for it to look back to normal.

Original poster

maryann970 · 01/05/2013 04:09

Thanks guys this is quite reassuring. Aerial shots only I think :) xxx

OP posts:

MummytobeDC2 · 01/05/2013 07:47

I had it for 2 months when I was 13

One side of my face was paralysed, I couldn't close my eye so my eye was constantly weeping, I used to tape it shut at night. When I smiled only half of my mouth would smile, looked very odd. I didn't get given any medication and stayed off of school due to bullies! It was apparently like a mini stroke don't know how real that statement is mind you.

How long have you had it? Have you been given medication?

Original poster

maryann970 · 01/05/2013 13:48

It just developed yesterday morning so I went to A&e. they have given me steroids which will hopefully stop it fully paralysing my face! I have a small amount if movement but my eye won't shut properly and I have a wonky smile! It's the slurring words that are the hardest!

I'm trying to get over it as obviously it's not life threatening and temporary. It's just a bit miserable :( x

OP posts:

atrcts · 01/05/2013 17:43

My niece had it as a young child and it was very pronounced - eye half shut, drooping side of mouth etc, and e was completely back to full normality after 2-3 months. I hope your recovery is very quick

LovesTheChoas3 · 02/05/2013 21:22

I woke up one morning with bells palsy when my youngest DS was 2months old. It lasted 3 weeks and dissapeared as quick as it came on. My eye wouldn't shut, i dribbled but it was managable lol! It really hit me hard as I felt like a freak but I saw the funny side after a few days. Hope yours goes as quick as mine did & good luck with baby :-)

MummytobeDC2 · 02/05/2013 22:16

Also when I had it my dad said I looked like Popeye and used to make me say "I am what I am"

chickydoo · 02/05/2013 22:19

My Dad had it, came on after an accident.
Was a very pronounced 'droop' He was back to normal within 3 weeks

whoneedstosleep · 02/05/2013 22:22

I also had this, it isn't nice is it?
I would say it took a month to get any movement back then another 2-3 to be back to normal.
I got a fair bit of neurological pain at the start with it too which was grim.

I got referred by my GP to the ENT docs, I was put on high dose steroids, acyclovir tablets and given facial physio.
I also had a few sessions of acupuncture.

Like others I still notice a weakness at the affected side occasionally when I'm tired.
I really hope it goes quickly for you.
I have had two pregnancies since mine with no recurrence.

thornrose · 02/05/2013 22:22

My mum had it and she was given a series of facial exercises to help. I think she improved greatly after a couple of weeks.

cece · 02/05/2013 22:25

I had it whilst pg too.
There are two trains of thought on treatment. One thinks steroids should be given. The other thinks not to give steroids as they have no effect.

I saw a doc who didn't agree with use of steroids so luckily avoided that. The worst of it was gone with 3 or 4 weeks but I think there were little drooping for about 2 months or so. 4

I do sympathise though. I was amazed at how quickly I lost all confidence when talking to others. I wore a pirate patch for my eye that did not close.

EleanorFarjeon · 02/05/2013 22:28

My friend got it after labour. She had it for about 3 weeks.

letsgetreadytoramble · 02/05/2013 22:31

My boyfriend had it a year ago, still no idea why he got it. It was frightening at the time but cleared up with no treatment within a month. Enjoy your lovely bundle of squishy baby, as long as you can kiss him/her all over, that's all that matters

TheDeadlyDonkey · 02/05/2013 22:34

DH has it at the moment. It started nearly two weeks ago.
He had a stroke in January, so we assumed it was something to do with that, and were relieved it wasn't a brain bleed or another stroke.
On a practical level, he was recommended lacrilube for bedtime. It seems to help stick his eye shut over night, so it doesn't dry out, and he uses hpromellose drops regularly during the day.
When he gets washed, he puts goggles on so he doesn't get soap in his eye.

Photos-wise, if dh isn't smiling too enthusiastically, it's not as noticeable.

AtiaoftheJulii · 02/05/2013 22:40

My dad, husband, and son have all had it. Ds had it last year - took about 3 days for paralysis to be complete, then was totally frozen for two weeks and then gradually returned to normality over the next 3 months. He had steroids and antivirals. None of them have had a recurrence (in 40 and 25 years).

Hope yours clears up quicker rather than slower. Just make sure you get your normal side in baby photos - congratulations :)

FringeEvent · 02/05/2013 22:59

I've had it twice! Once when I was 16, and the second time was actually only a couple of months ago (I'm now 30).

Both times it cleared up completely within a few weeks, after treatment. This time around I was prescribed 10 days of prednisolone and 7 days of aciclovir, and was told to see my GP if the symptoms had not completely gone by the end of the 10-day course; I saw the doctor for a check-up only because there was still a small trace of lop-sidedness when I pulled extreme faces (grinning, raising eyebrows, etc) and he was satisfied that it was nearly gone but referred me for a blood test anyway to rule out any other possible causes, and that came back all clear.

I found eating to be the hardest part of having Bell's, as the numbness in my top lip made it so difficult to take food off my fork or lick my lips effectively, or even to open my mouth wide enough for a normal-sized mouthful. There were also a few other annoying things such as a tic in my lower eyelid that came and went, my left eye watering for about 4 days straight, and my vision seeming a bit out of focus (due to the left eye not being able to keep up with the right).

It's no fun, but I think in most cases it will go away quite quickly once you've got treatment for it - hope you have a speedy recovery x

Kayshields · 18/05/2013 15:46

I suffered belsy palsby when I was 40+3 with my first pregnancy, (this is purely my experience and I don't wish to worry you however I need to tell it :/) my pregnancy was textbook all the way through untill that point.. I went into natural labour at 41weeks, sadly my baby had passed away even though I had been to see the midwife two days earlier and she was fine.. they broke my waters, wich were brownish red, and no-one would explain why they were that colour.. all in all I gave birth 18 hours later to a perfectly healthy looking baby, and they never found the reason she died.. :/ I can't he

Kayshields · 18/05/2013 15:46

Sorry I can't help but think there's a link

Oblomov · 18/05/2013 15:56

Dh had it. He recovered quite quickly, which was re-assuring
was told it was induced by stress. Hope yours recovers quickly.

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