# Bells Palsy, any advice



## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Was admitted to hospital on Wednesday with suspected stroke. Fortunately it wasn't a stroke, but it is Bells Palsy. This has caused paralysis of the right side of my face.
Has anyone here had Bells Palsy? and can you give me some advice.
Gerry


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## Coulstock (Sep 2, 2008)

Gerry

My wife had this condition in 1998 ( right hand side of her face had dropped 1/4" ). The physio in our local hospital gave her facial excercises to do at home - she couldn't say 'p' - so she continuously recited 'Peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper ' over and over again. She also , without her physio's advice, used a Pifco massager , originally bought for back massages, to massage her right cheek/facial muscles - maybe once or twice a day.

Our GP and in turn our hospital responded very quickly to the condition and in about 3 months ( GP said it could take 2 years) her facial profile had returned to normal.

So exercise and massage of the affected muscles does improve the condition - it did in the case of my wife

Good Luck

Harry & Pat


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

aw Gerry so sorry to hear that. Andrew had it a few years ago it took a couple of months and yes agree facial exercises helped alot. They always say it can take that long as its quite often nerve damage which depends on which person has it etc.

It made Andrew drool (so attractive) but seeing as though I married in him sickness and in health had to put up with him being in the sickness dept. Kids were more cruel though and called him quasi for the duration which made him laugh in turn gave him the facial exercise so every cloud etc.

So laugh long and hard and leave off the botox it will go eventually.

So shall we call you GerryQuasi? or would you prefer QuasiGerry? and before you all start saying am being flippant I have met Gerry a few times and he gets my sense of humour - well hope he does!

Regards

Greenie

PS got the Sony, with surround sound me ears are bleeding!


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Harry, 

Thanks for the advice about the massager, unfortunately in the clearout a few weeks ago we threw out a Pifco massager that hadn't seen the light of day for many years. I have the facial excersises and am trying to do the ooooooo's and kisses.

Greenie,
Yes I am drooling, but have learn't the benefit of the straw. Val says she is going to get me a Tommy Tippee cup tomorrow. Not doing the Quasi bit as I feel more like a Phantom of the Opera. In fact with the eye patch I could be a Pirate of the Opera.

Thanks for your good wishes, always knew this forum had many values.

Gerry


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Gerry,

Get yourself round to a Chinese Acupuncturist (a registered one) as soon as you can.

I had this some years ago, conventional medical advice said it would put itself right in a few weeks - it didn't. They wanted to sew my left eyelids together as the eye was not getting any lubrication. Went for sticking plaster instead. After 6 weeks I got fed up and went to see the Chinese Acupuncturist in Nottingham. The results were amazing. As soon as he had inserted 2 needles the eyelids started to work, asked him to leave them in but he explained that he could not do that!

To cut a long story short he cured me completely although it took a few weeks. He said if I had seen him quickly he could have cured it within a couple of weeks. Thought that was a bit of a sales pitch but other people who have contacted me since have been to him quickly and, true to his word, they were cured very quickly.

Just relax if you go for this treatment and honestly you will hardly feel a thing.

Feel free to PM me if you want any further info, encouragement, etc.

Mike


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## Deno (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi 
I had it myself about 5 years ago so know what your'e going through. It can get you down but it does go eventually. 

Theres a good website bellspalsey.org.uk which is quite helpful, you'd be amazed at who's suffered with it in the past and there's lots of useful info.

My doc, who was of the old school, just told me to get back to work and it would sort it self out in due course! it did but took about 3 months. I wore an eye patch to protect the exposed eye during the day and sellotaped it up at night. Got nicknamed "silver" at work - as in Long John.

Chin up -oops sorry!
Regards
Deno


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## Polo (Jul 5, 2007)

Now come on Gerry you can't go slinking off behind that expression can you. Whoops I deserved that backhander!

Ray and I wish you well, and if you do as everyone says it will get better. Keep up the 'oos and ahs' and you will be back to your most handsome self.

:wink: :roll:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi Gerry a couple of years ago I suffered the same.
I agree with javea. accupuncture to me was a mystery, but after three months of treatent i have had no further trouble.

may cost you a few pounds but to me was worth every penny


dave p


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww Gerry feel for ya sweetie!! Hope you get well soon.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Sorry, can't help myself, but this is said with the best of intentions.

You will just have to grin and bear it. OOps - you can't!

A friend had B'sP but it disappeared gradually within a couple of months or so.

Bell's Palsy is rather better than contracting Rictus Sardonicus, but that is no consolation for you.

Apropos of absolutely nothing, an actor friend Guy Rolfe played the part of Sardonicus whose face was fixed in a sardonic grin.


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

Many years ago a friend called in unexpectedly. He sat on the opposite sofa and my wife and I chatted to him for some time. I thought that he was looking at me oddly now and again.

I went to the toilet and while in there I looked in the mirror. The right side of my face wasn't working properly and my eyelid wouldn't close.

I went back in the lounge and said " I can't blink my right eye, there's something wrong with it!

My friend said, " Oh! I thought it a bit odd; I thought you kept on winking at me!"

Yes it was Bell's Palsey. It only lasted a week or so but turned out eventually to have been due to an 'underlying cause' but that is rather unusual it seems.

Harvey


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

carolgavin said:


> Awwwwwwwwwwwwww Gerry feel for ya sweetie!! Hope you get well soon.


Actually Greenie you have been a big help. We were looking for a theme for fancy dress on New Years Eve, now we can go as Quasimodo and Esmerelda.
Thanks
Gerry


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Quite easy that one bit of sack cloth, rope and a bell. 

Val can be gorgeous dressed up bird in new frock, shoes and hairdo.


Ding Dong!

Service with a smile  

Greenie :lol:


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

greenasthegrass said:


> Quite easy that one bit of sack cloth, rope and a bell.
> 
> Val can be gorgeous dressed up bird in new frock, shoes and hairdo.
> 
> ...


Saved some money there, Val doesn't need a new frock or anything else to look gorgeous.

Gerry


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Deno said:


> Hi
> I had it myself about 5 years ago so know what your'e going through. It can get you down but it does go eventually.
> 
> Theres a good website bellspalsey.org.uk which is quite helpful, you'd be amazed at who's suffered with it in the past and there's lots of useful info.
> ...


Deno,
Thanks for the link to the Bells Palsy website, what a mine of information. I have found out through that website that the eye drops that were prescribed by the hospital are not recommended by the association as they have preservative. Evidently, without preservative you can use a more regular dose.
Will have to get different eye drops.
Gerry


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## dikyenfo (Feb 16, 2008)

When my son got an attack they recommended steroids as soon as poss. This stops the worst effects if done .


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