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Bell's Palsy

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C

Caroline

Senior Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Justa quick one, and it is just like me to be different.

I have been and got me a dose of Bell's Palsy. Started Wedensday. To be honest I didn't take too much notice of the ear ache at first but reminded myself I need a hat to keep my ears war. Usual cause of ear ache in winter is getting my head and ears cold.

Anyway by Friday evening Ihad a nice droopy face and lots of dribble when eating and drinking, and a worried hubby. I looked it up in the medical book and confirmed what I thought.

Saturday morning (and following the advice I often give to people) I spent in the drop in health centre where I was seen by a very helpfull doctor who prescribed anti virals, stroids and stuff for my eye.

I have to see my own GP for further treatment if needed and a certificate for some time off work. I'll pop in from time to time with an up date.

If any one wants any more information on the condition the web site is www.bellspalsy.org.uk

Sorry this turned out to be a bit longer than a quick one.
 
I'm sorry to hear this Caroline :( I hope that the treatment works and you are back to full health very soon 🙂
 
Caroline thanks for the update, sorry to hear your a little off key, hope you recover soon and get back to full health take care x
 
Gawd - when I got it from sailing (when wind is actually quite helpful LOL) all I got was sympathy. I had a helluva job getting a sicknote - I felt fine - but you can hardly do a 'front of client who is paying megabucks' job with confidence, when you are dribbling, can you? I actually found it quite distressing TBH, having no control over half me face. I felt like I only needed the hunchback and the ruddy bells to complete the overall scenario ....... 😱

Worst wore off after about a fortnight though - phew!
 
Thanks everyone. I am off to see my own idiot doctor later to see what he says. If he says there is nothing wrong I will (with hubby and little legs) change doctors.

I have found some exercises on the Bell's Palsy web site I can do, but will also ask doctor idiot twit if there are any I can do as well.

On the upside, it is just the excuse/reason I needed to get my desk moved at work to be away from under the air conditioning.

I am getting used to drinking warm tea with a straw. I have yet to try soup that way. Great excuse to treat myself to custard and rice pudding that don't need too much chewing, but I mustn't have too much because we all know hat the steroids will do to sugar levels!

The doctor at the drop in centre was very nice and gave me some usefull information and helpful advice to be going on with, so if she is looking in and reading this, thank you for your help.🙂
 
Sorry to hear bout this Caroline. I have heard its quite distressing when the symptoms appear as the first thing many people think is that it is a stroke.

Hope you get some advice from your Dr.
 
margie said:
Sorry to hear bout this Caroline. I have heard its quite distressing when the symptoms appear as the first thing many people think is that it is a stroke.

Hope you get some advice from your Dr.
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Had a friend who had it many years ago, so I knew the symptoms. It feels quite strange drinking tea witha straw.

I had already been to the drop in centre that is open over the weekend and they gave me medication with advice to see my own doctor.

I walked down earlier to make an appointment only to be asked if it was an emergency. I said well I think it is and I am going back at 10am. I am rather gobsmacked to see a doctor down there so quickly. Silly receptionist asked me if I minded that it wasn't the doctor I am registered with. I said I need to see a doctor, and as long as I can see I doctor I don't mind who it is...
 
It's one of those things that either gets better gradually on its own or is helped by medication or stays the same.

If an eye is affected (ie won't close completely), some people recommend covering affected eyelid with an eyepad and tape at night. I had an episode many years ago, just before going on holiday to Sardinia with partner, then home for a week, then off for 3.5 months expedition to Chile, Falklands & South Georgia - GP reckoned I would be too remote to make steroids a sensible option, but it got better without medication.

One of my colleagues at a past workplace had Bells palsy, but you wouldn't know from looking at her - the main thing she had difficulty with was mouth to mouth resuscitation, and as we were working in a medical research setting, it was important that people knew this, although we had face masks and bags, so mouth to mouth would only be used for a few moments until kit could be brought to the casualty.
 
Hi Caroline

I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to you. I hope that your doctor was very helpful
 
Thanks everyone. My own GP is not very helpful and not very compassionate. I got told the rest of you is working perfectly well so get on with it don't be such a woouse and work in a cold office.

I am going to see how I feel next Monday and see if I can get help from occupational health and employee assistance as my office is very cold and the side that is affected is under the air conditioning.

To say that I feel down atthe minute would be an understatement, and I am fed up with being seen as the one who is capeable and has a handal on things and can cope. I don't feel too much in control or very coping right now.
 
Caroline I can't believe what your GP said. How on earth can you go to work with that problem??! I hope that occupational health are able to help you. Massive hugs to you
 
What an atrocious attitude from your doctor :( Hoping you feel stronger soon Caroline, sending you {{{hugs}}} Look after yourself and let others do the running around and coping for a while.
 
Well of course you can work. But the fact you want to put your head in a bag in case anyone sees you, is another matter. Or the fact you can't meet anyone's eyes. Or the fact you spent half the morning in the Ladies, crying.

But you can work fine .....
 
Caroline said:
Thanks everyone. My own GP is not very helpful and not very compassionate. I got told the rest of you is working perfectly well so get on with it don't be such a woouse and work in a cold office.

I am going to see how I feel next Monday and see if I can get help from occupational health and employee assistance as my office is very cold and the side that is affected is under the air conditioning.

To say that I feel down atthe minute would be an understatement, and I am fed up with being seen as the one who is capeable and has a handal on things and can cope. I don't feel too much in control or very coping right now.
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Caroline I'm so sorry this has happened to you. Your Dr needs to go and find his bedside manners( so to speak)😱. It's understandable that you are feeling so low at the moment. I dearly hope things improve for you soon and your office becomes a warm and cosy one. Get well soon, with best wishes Sheena x
 
Thanks for the support everyone, it is nice to know you are all here. Kind words amd hugs do help loads

My action plan so far is to
ask to visit occupational health (not sure whatthey can do except may be ease the work thing a bit)
speak to the people who provide employee assistance
get my desk moved to a warmer location
change doctors
and phone NHS direct because I can't shut one eye independently of the other and now unless I sit to sleep I can't breath through one nostril

I want to be seen to be helping my self too, although some times I think being so procative andbeing seen as capeable dose me no favours.

I am managing some sleep and slept in the arm chir for part of the night and dozed off when I came in from school with little feller. Also got an eye patch (I fancy being a pirate) and got out my ancient and very large glasses.
 
Caroline said:
I want to be seen to be helping my self too, although some times I think being so procative andbeing seen as capeable dose me no favours.
Click to expand...

I have fallen foul of that in the past - people see you still doing things despite everything that is going on, and so don't believe you when you are struggling. I have seen one GP in the past who thought I was coping when I wasn't and thought I was not coping when I was coping better than the previous time. The only difference being that on the second occaision I was in tears.

I hope you can get some help, the problems with your eye and nose, sound horrible. I hope that you can get some good advice to help you.
 
Thanks for support.

I am going to ring NHS Direct in the morning for advice as I still have earache and my balance is a bit off (I know it could be anything). Then will come the doctors appointment and I will take hubby or big boy and see what happens.

Yesterday when cooking dinner I managed to slice my thumb because my depth perception is off. I was cutting up some cold meat to put in a sauce to serve with rice and misjudged the room I had on the plate.
 
I hope things start to improve soon Caroline, it must be really frustrating not being able to judge depth. Good luck with you call to NHS Direct.
 
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