Bells Palsy (gradyupmybutt)

my husband's co worker whom I know from placing a hound with her, woke up with it. He said she described it the same way...it was VERY terrifying. I cannot even imagine! She conitinued to work and such but he said she was so distraught about it.

I guess it affected her balance too..which resulted in a fall and she hurt her ankle...which would not heal...docs atrtibuted that to the conditon too..crossed wires etc. Once the condition went away her ankle healed up normally and she's completely fine now and she said, completely over it. I'd never heard of it til then.

I was 19 years old, and had just finished my first year of college (I am 26 now). I was home for the summer and waitressing in a restaurant. I started to feel a tingling sensation in my fingers and toes, but didn't think much of it. It progressed into weakness in my hands, I was dropping cups at work left and right, and my arms were starting to shake taking a cup from my tray and setting it down on the table. Little by little, over about a week, my arms and legs started to have severe pain in them. Then, one morning I woke up for work and the right side of my face was completely paralyzed. I was brushing my teeth and water was shooting out of the right side of my mouth when I was swishing because I couldn't keep it shut, to put on makeup I had to hold my eye closed... I went to work, and then left and went to the hospital.

There, they ran tests for Lymes disease and put me on IV antibiotics while they waited for the test results. My symptoms so far were facial paralysis, muscle weakness, tingling in fingers and toes, and depression (I could not stop crying. It was a scary time). Meanwhile, I went home and made a doctors appt. They put me on steroids for my face, all the while the paralysis was moving to the left side of my face and the rest of my body. I couldn't walk myself, stand up, lift my arms to feed myself or wash my own hair. It was a frightening time because we didn't know what was wrong. The Lyme tests came back negative. I went for an MRI of my brain to check for tumors, nothing. Finally, we had an appt. with a neurologist.

He diagnosed me with Guillan Barre syndrome and rushed me to the hospital via ambulance (because the disease can progress very quickly, and usually paralyzes the breathing muscles). I went through a series of tests (spinal tap, electrical impulses, etc. etc. and was on IV medication for the entire time). There I stayed for 11 days and was in rehabilitation for months. My body was paralyzed as well as my face. I needed a lot of help, but I got it.

In rehab, I went through PT, OT, Speech Therapy and Electrical stimulation on my face. I was 19 years old and used a wheel chair and walker, and then a cane, for many many months.

To answer your question, I feel as if I still have some residual weakness in the right side of my face that will never go away. Everyone says they don't notice it, but I see it particularly in photographs, as it captures a single moment forever. I hate photos of myself now. Also, a lazy right eye is particularly apparent when I yawn, and when I am tired, or just waking up.

In terms of the body weakness, that is all gone now. I am perfectly healthy and living a normal life.

For me, my experience with "bells palsy" will be one that stays with me forever. It was a life threatening/changing experience, and I will carry it with me always.

My good friend went had bp when we were in college. One morning, he woke up and one side of his face had dropped. He stayed with symptoms for a couple of months before his face finally got back to normal.

My Co-workers mother had this years ago.  All I remember is it took about a 6 months for her face mucsles to come back.  At the time they blamed it on the airconditioning.  Hope you overcome this soon.

My  38 year step daughter had it in her mid 20s. It has completely resolved and there is no sign she ever had to deal with it. If I am correct it was gone before she hit her late 20s. She was pregnant when it hit her and it seemed like one thing after another was going on.

Bonita of Bwana

My ex-husband had it in his 30's and still has some muscle drooping.  Other than that no other problems.  My daughter had it in her early 30's also and does not have any residual effects.  It is very scary to wake up and have these symptoms or have a family member wake up with these symptoms. 

My youngest DS had a scarey incident when he was five.  He was recovering from a cold and one afternoon very suddenly couldn't walk at all.  He had no sense of balance and no control over his legs at all.  After several tests, including a CT scan, the neurologist and pediatrician concluded that he had a reaction to the cold virus that caused a temporary swelling in part of his brain.  We were told it was the same thing that can cause Bell's Palsy in older people.  Thankfully he recovered completely within a few days.  We were told it could take up to six months.

I don't know anything about it, but I really wantedto tell you that I hope you are feeling better now.

Whoa!  Alison!  How terrifying.  I can't even begin to imagine what you went through with the Guillaume Barrs (SP?).  I've heard of it & even thought that a friend of mine had it but that's another story.  I'm just so glad that you survived it & are with us now.

For those that don't know what Bells Palsy is generally when one side of your face is paralyzed.  From what I had researched the common theory is that it's caused by a virus that causes inflammation around a facial nerve.

Mine started with a really strange cold.  The cold went away or so I thought.  A few days later I woke up & half my face was paralyzed.  I went to the Dr that day, got put on Pred & B1.  Later I was put on PT.  I guess I was really lucky.  The symptoms lasted for only 6 weeks almost to the day.

Anyway, the reason I started this thread is because I have been symptom free for years & years.  I do, however, have some weirdnesses on the side of my face that was affected years ago.  The most common is a temperature difference between sides of my face.  That happens mostly when I'm over tired. 

I was just wondering if anyone else who had had BP has any remaining weaknesses or strange feelings.

I've got "remaining weakness" but Im not sure if its remaining weakness or permanent nerve damage..... or maybe they're the same thing.