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Bells Palsy

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Tim, Mar 27, 2008.

  1. Tim

    Tim
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    Has anyone had this? For those who don't know what it is, it is the partial paralysis of the face, brought on by your nerves being shocked into paralysis due to disease, cold wind, etc, or if the nerves die from the same thing. In basic terms, you can't move half of your face. There are also other reasons doctors haven't figured out. Normally, people overcome it within a few days/weeks, as the nerves are just paralyzed, but there is a 15% chance that the nerves have died. I was informed a month after being diagnosed that I was in that 15%.

    It's become a massive self esteem issue for me, as I won't smile anymore, as my smile is crooked, as half my mouth doesn't move, and when I eat/drink, I blink. This was caused as a side effect, but it also shows it is slowly fixing itself. It is a permanent side effect, as my nerves for blinking grew back to the wrong place -.- However, I am still able to blink somewhat. Apparently there was medicine found to help speed recovery, but it only works within the first month, so they discovered it too late for me >_<

    I get worried everyday I will never feel good enough with myself to smile again. I smile with my friends, because I'm fine with them. But others, I can't smile around. I can't even eat spicy food in public, and I LOVE spicy food. I cannot control my eye on the right side, so of course, when my eyes would normally water and easy to control, I cannot, so my eye pours out similar to crying, and I can't control that -.-

    I've done research, and there are people who have had this for 20 years and going. This worries me everyday, but still, I try to think positive, cause everyone says I need to, but when I start to, I just get depressed. As I said, it normally lasts a few days/weeks, but mines been here 2 years tomorrow... The odd thing is, a week after I got it, our landlord also experienced it, and still has it as well. I'm forced to carry a washcloth around with me, as my eye waters naturally to hydrate the eye, but my eyelids don't do their job, so it tends to come out -.- Most people require eyedrops/eyepatch for this, but I had a weird case and my eye is staying hydrated.

    I still remember telling my teachers, most of them didn't even know what it was, whereas others had students in the past who had it, and they really ignored it after that, so that was good... Though I had multiple teachers ask about it initially asking if I had a stroke :confused:

    Anyone else have this or know someone who had it? How did you/they handle it? How long did it take to heal? Any ideas on how to handle it? (And please no suck it up, get over it, it is MUCH more complicated then that, when you can't move half your face, then you can tell me that o.o)
     
  2. Vampyrecat

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    You poor guy.

    Personally, I've never had it, but my mum works with kids who have various kinds of palsy, and she was telling me that one of the most important things you can do is to exercise the area so you can hopefully maintain a certain amount of mobility.

    Maybe if you rubbed your face in circles (with your hands obviously) that might help a bit? Maybe try to wink with your eye? I'm no health professional, and I'm sure Kara will have some more helpful advice, but I still hope this helps.
     
  3. beckyg

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    I know someone that had this and recovered completely. I'm not sure how long it took. However what Vampyrecat suggested sounds good to me. Even if it doesn't help, it can't hurt. It might help to talk to a counselor regarding the self-esteem issues. I'm sure it must be very tough. I would rather look at half a smiling face than a frown.
     
  4. JSG

    JSG Guest

    I've never had that condition or known anyone with it, but a relatively famous French actress called Sylvie Loeillet has half her face paralyzed
    [​IMG]
    I never really noticed until they were joking about it on the show (Caméra Café).
     
  5. Tim

    Tim
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    Actually, from research I've done, as well as the neurologist, exercising your face with Bells Palsy that lasts more then a few weeks can actually cause BAD side effects, causing your nerves to grow back in the wrong places, which I was told my laughing might be one of the reasons my eye did that.

    And I swore off counselors. My high school counselors were horrible, kept me in classes I was allergic to (woodshop + wooddust), they also did multiple things that caused me to breakdown, and my mom quite literally almost ran into the office and punched her after one day, I came out and I was in tears, which she had never seen at school. On top of that, the non school counselors here suck. After my dad died, me and my younger older sister went to one, and I couldn't talk to her, I don't know what it was, they had told me they only had room for 1 appointment a week, so me and my sister would have to go together, and of course, that may have contributed to it. Anyways, later on, my mom came home, my sister was in tears, and my mom told me what happened. After 2 visits, the counselor told my sister she was a lost cause and belonged in a mental hospital. My mom said she probably would've sued, if she thought she could.

    Anyways, needless to say, I've lost all confidence in any type of counselor, I attempted to go to college, but the counselors who tried to help did one thing wrong (it was over a book voucher, they completely screwed up with how much they were gonna cover with me, and they fixed it after my mom talked to them, as they weren't listening to me, but by then it was too late.) I unenrolled from the campus 2 days before I started, and decided not to go back. So yea :/

    I'm weird. I frown all the time, I don't really have a basic expression, it's either frown or smile, and smiling I can't bring myself to do when there's people I don't know around ~.~ People keep telling me "Suck it Up" "Get Over It" etc, but that makes it worse, and they just don't understand it. I've had friends who have majorly helped me, but others who completely made me get even more depressed.
     
    #5 Tim, Mar 27, 2008
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2008
  6. Vampyrecat

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    Well telling you to "suck it up" or "get over it" is incredibly cruel and unfair to you. the Palsy is obviously affecting your self esteem, and the last thing you need is a lack of support.
    Are there any friends you are close to or any relatives you're comfortable talking to ?

    Maybe you should see a Physical Therapist. If you describe the exact nature of your condition, they might be able to do something?
     
  7. KaraBulut

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    I'm glad to see that you have gone to a neurologist.

    You probably have read that most cases of Bell's Palsy resolve on their own with in a few weeks to months of the first symptoms. If this has been going on for 2 years, it might be time to ask your neurologist to refer you to a specialist at a teaching hospital for a second opinion.
     
  8. Tim

    Tim
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    Yea, I stopped attempting to visit the neurologist, he said there was nothing he could do.

    My mom's doctor said that when I get my paperwork and stuff transferred from my pediatrician to their office and get me assigned to their new doctor (Normally doesn't accept new patients, but family members of yearlong members are exceptions), then they can do a physical (which I REALLY don't want to do :3) and can refer me to a specialist involving my Bells Palsy.
     
  9. tehnathan

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    For all of my fellow Canadians, if you remember former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien (it really wasn't that long ago!), he has Bells Palsy.
     
  10. Jace

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    omg this happened to a friend's cousin like 4 yrs ago, she got her cartilage pierced with a gun and it like moved and hit a nerve or something
     
  11. Tim

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    Anyways, since they bumped it, it's now been well over 2 years since I got it. I get twitches in my face all the time (I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign), and I have to do a yawning expression, as my muscles feel so unused, and subconciously, my brain is telling me to stretch :confused:

    I'm unaware if it's still there, or if I just got a huge side effect in which my mouth and eyes still won't have movement. I've given up trying to figure it out :S

    On another sidenote: Our landlord developed it 2 months after I did, and he still has it as well :3