Bell's Palsy Support Group

Bandit - relax and read my posts here. Do not expect any change until after three weeks. I am 100% recovered from this horrible thing after the third week. Just chill and hang in. I'm 46 and got over it quickly. Most people do recover fast ohers have learned to live with it. Just don't expect it to get better in less then two weeks - Tom

Bandit - relax and read my posts here. Do not expect any change until after three weeks. I am 100% recovered from this horrible thing after the third week. Just chill and hang in. I'm 46 and got over it quickly. Most people do recover fast ohers have learned to live with it. Just don't expect it to get better in less then two weeks - Tom

igoknowsall, Thanks for your reply. Actually, its your posts that have given me hope that I too will overcome this. Tomorrow will be 14 days since Bell's has hit me, and I have no signs of life yet in my face. I did notice that I can close my eye a bit, but not all the way. Per your advise, I will relax and rest and try not to freak out. I took my last Prednisone today and I think that stuff was making me anxious. Glad to be off it. I have also stopped viewing Bell's Palsy web sites looking for that miracle. Just doing that has helped me accept this thing. Your comment about the bike ride has inspired me too. Hubby brought home a new Road King and I havn't been on it yet due to my eye issues. I think this coming weekend, I'll pull out some goggles and have him take me for a ride!

i am 64 and have had bp for three months now with no sign of immprovement.i too had never heard of it but from people i've spoke to since and from what i've read on the internet it's not uncommon.four weeks in i started to get a beating noise in my left ear went to the doc and was told it was part of bp and all he could do was give me sleeping tablets because it was louder at night.i was told asso by the doc that i had a bad bp and it would take longer to heal so i just take it a day at a time now and live in hope that today will be the day and if not maybe tomorrow.god bless-jess

Hi Bandit,
I can totally relate to what you are saying. I too had no clue about Bell's until the morning I woke up with it. I came down with it the 3rd so tomarrow will be my one month mark. At about 2 weeks I was able to close my eye pretty much but still had to tape it at night. Now sitting at the one month mark I can sleep without the tape but still require eye drops during the day and right when waking up in the morning. Everything is starting to move a little bit but no where near normal. I can drink out of a cup though once again so thats a plus. You just have to hang in there and have faith that things will be okay. I too am married and with daughters, I am soon turning 42 so about your age. My doc told me to expect no improvment for atleast 3 weeks so I'm grateful I'm as far as I am at a month. I too avoided going out in the public but have forced myself to when I had to fly out of state to help another family member. It really wasnt nearly as bad as I invisioned in my head. I wish you all the best for a speedy recovery, if I can offer you nothing else I would like you to know that your not alone in your feelings. Take care, Susie

hi bandit, just to try and help i have had bp for six months now and at last am seeing good improvements. eye is almost back to normal and mouth is just a little bit droopy.it,s great!THERE WERE TIMES I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE IT FOREVER.i was 64 when diagnosed so hang in there it will go.god bless , jess

Hello All, I was reading through the posts this morning and came across this one I posted back in April when I first came down with BP. Man, that was a scary time for me.
Maclean, thanks for the update and I am soo glad to hear you are recovering well.
It has been a little over three months and I still have BP although I am in active recovery. I would say my recovery was a bit delayed as it took several weeks to notice changes. If anyone tells you it takes three to six weeks to heal, I would ask them how long it took them to recover. Chances are, they will say they never had BP. It seems the folks who have the most to say never had this shit, and the folks I have talked to (via e-mail or computer because I know no one in person) say it takes three to six months or longer. My point is, don't believe time tables and don't put too much into what other people say. Unless they themselves have been stricken with BP, they will never know.
My recovery - After the first month, I was able to keep my right eye shut. I am now able to get a good nights sleep. I felt pretty much nothing for about 6 weeks them I started to get twitching in my face. Mostly around my mouth and lips. My forehead was and still is, tender to the touch. So is the area beside my nose and upper corner of my lip. My face is always sore somewhere. It comes and goes. My eye had improved greatly. My brows are even across now and to look at me, my eye looks almost normal. It tears on its own now and after weeks of being dry, its a huge relief. I don't use drops nearly as much now but still put a little Lacrilube in at night for good measure. I still have not recovered my complete blink back, but I know that is next. I can feel it coming. The one thing I am still waiting on and the hardest part so far is my smile. I still cannot smile yet and that has been the most difficult and emotional issue I am dealing with. It makes me very insecure and I avoid eye contact whenever possible because I cannot smile back. I am feeling sensations in my cheeks, under my eyes and around my ears and am soooo hopeful that this is the beginning of a happy face. I welcome any comments on that. I can now drink out of any glass or bottle without making a mess, I can rinse in my mouth without dribbling, and I can eat better. My speech still gets a bit slurry if I get tired, but that too is improving.
So to those just diagnosed and reading this, prepare yourself and don't expect too much too fast. Some do heal quickly and some of us take more time. I do know from talking to other BP folks and from my reading, that the odds are on my side for a good recovery. Be as positive as you can, rest and don't let yourself get too tired. I cannot stress the eyecare enough. Also, watch for the depression. I never delt with depression before BP, I had my bad days and weeks before, but nothing like this. I finally talked to my doctor about it and got some medication to help me if I feel anxious. I was offered an anti-depressant to take every day but decided to wait. I also started working out again and that helps. No heavy weights though.
I still have a long way to go, but compared to three months ago, I have come a long way. I pray for all you newly diagnosed, and pray for all you in recovery. I wish I could say you will be healed in three weeks or there will be no pain, but I can't. It will take time and will be painful, so be prepared. Being prepared and knowing what to expect will make things go easier for you. Love and peace to all, Bandit

I was diagnose about a 1 month and a week. I too was in the hospital twice. The first time I was sent home the second time I was admitted. Oh my gosh the headaches were so bad they were giving me morphine for it. All limbs went weak. Wow weird this happen to your right side. I have been getting twitches all over my face specially my right eye. I have no droppyness or and I can smile and close my eyes, but I get still very tired and my Bell's comes and goes still. I am moving on. This has effect my life and my family's life. I have no family out here. I depend on my husband and children. It was hard on my husband, but the kids have been great. Everyone is different. Some recover faster the others. I just went to the doctor's. There's really nothing no one can do. Just have to wait it out I guess.. Hang in there. I notice if I over due it. Then that's when it seem to happen again. This is getting to old for me.

Hello all, its been about two weeks since my last update and I do have some good new to report for those interested. I mentioned on my post on 7/23/08 that I was feeling sensations around my cheeks, mouth and lips. I was also experiencing a lot of pain in those areas too. Well anyway, I thought I was feeling movement but didn't want to get my hopes up. So last week I was exzamining my face in the mirror and noticed that the corner of my mouth pulls up into a smile now and my cheek is moving. Its been a week now and the movement gets stronger everyday. I have my dimple back. I can also crack a good smile. I feel soooo much better now although I still have a way to go. Finally, at 3.5 months I can say I am in active recovery. I am also seeing more and more of my front teeth when I smile. My recovery has been strange but quite normal from what I have been reading. I was getting lots of twitching and pulling at the beginning but now its mostly a tingling feeling. Like when your foot falls asleep and wakes up. It goes on for hours sometimes, and alot in my cheek. Is still have pain in various parts of my face.

I wish to thank all those who replyed to my posts at a time when I really needed it. I wish the best for all those just diagnosed and starting this BP journey. My prayers are with you all. Love and Peace, Bandit

I will hit the 5 week mark tomorrow.
Only one change thus far. At 4 weeks, my left eye would close completely, so I no longer had to tape at night. Hooray!! Nothing else has changed
At the onset, I decided I would just stay at home until I looked normal again. How boring!
After 4 weeks of this awful existance, I realized this was going to take longer than I had hoped & decided to get out and about. Plus my energy level had risen. I feel so much better being back into my exercise classes, church, luncheons with friends, etc. and everyone has been most kind.