Author Topic: Is it unrealistic to expect my blink to come back after 14 months post op?  (Read 3682 times)

CROOKEDSMILE

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Still not blinking..........Trying to decide what to do about a weight. Keep wearing this external one or get another implant. Just need to see if anyone out there got there blink back after this long.
Angie

Kaybo

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Angie~
Does it not blink AT ALL or just not all the way??

K
Translab 12/95@Houston Methodist(Baylor College of Medicine)for "HUGE" tumor-no size specified
25 yrs then-14 hour surgery-stroke
12/7 Graft 1/97
Gold Weight x 5
SSD
Facial Paralysis-R(no movement or feelings in face,mouth,eye)
T3-3/08
Great life!

CROOKEDSMILE

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Hey Kay!
It blinks some in the morning then fatigues and then I have to wear the weight. I can close it all the way and at times like I said blink it but not for very long then it gets lazy. Sometimes I can even wink with that eye it is just very weak. I don't know if it gets stronger with time or if I need to take action now and get something done.
Hope you are well Kay.
Just a funny side note.......I was doing my facial exercises in my backyard today since it was so pretty in the high 70's...I was sitting in the lounger with a mirror and there were guys working on my neighbor's roof and I would bet they could see into my backyard and see me winking, smiling and puckering in the mirror. I'm sure that gave them something to talk about all day long!!!! They probably thought....Geez~what a vain chick! Kissing herself, winking, etc.
Angie

28Lisa

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get the weight implant, what are you waiting for?
A.N. 4+cm, 9/11/07 @ NY Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Phillip Stieg
post opt - partial facial paralysis on left side, total hear loss on left side, speech altered, loss of taste, smell,balance, loss of sensation on right side from shoulder down, low motor skills, eye weight 11/07

CROOKEDSMILE

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Hi Lisa,
I had a platinum eyelid weight in that a plastic surgeon put in but it was too heavy and had to be removed 3 months later. Upon removal of this weight I got a terrible post op. infection from removal of the weight and it turned into cellulitis which in its most serious form is like the flesh eating bacteria. It did eat away at the eyelid some but we caught it pretty early on and was put on massive doses of antibiotics and required daily visits to the eye surgeon to make sure I was responding to the meds. I've also had a lateral canthoplasty where they cut the muscle and tendon from the eye bone and pull it up to tighten the lower lid. So I have been proactive and now all of the doctors are telling me to wait it out before doing anything else. I see a facial retrainer and she said wait at least 2 more years. My eye/neuro guy said to wait it out. My needle emg showed regeneration to the orbicularis oculi (eye muscles) and that is why they want me to be patient. It is just hard to wait and was wondering if anyone had their blink come back after 14 months or longer.
Angie

4cm in Pacific Northwest

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Angie,

I too am @ almost 14 months here- and have not had to wear the eye weight all week.  :) (The previous week was different – as was the stress   :-\  However when I first work up from surgery I had full eye lid function- the eye issues came as a result of post operative brain swelling. My neurotologist and follow up ophthalmologist were confident that this eye-lid function would all come back as I did have eye lid function – post surgery. This is why I went with the stick-on vs. the implanted weight model.

How much eye lid action did you actually have when you first woke up from surgery- 14 months ago?

Your answer to this may have some bearing as to how realistic the expectation is- that you will regain full eye-lid function.

DHM
4cm Left, 08/22/07 R/S 11+ hr surgery Stanford U, Dr. Robert Jackler, Dr. Griffith Harsh, Canadian fellow Assist. Dr. Sumit Agrawal. SSD, 3/6 on HB facial scale, stick-on-eyeweight worked, 95% eye function@ 6 months. In neuromuscular facial retraining. Balance regained! Recent MRI -tumor receded!

28Lisa

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CS

Im so sorry to hear that I didnt know all that

((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))

I hope everything works out for you
A.N. 4+cm, 9/11/07 @ NY Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Phillip Stieg
post opt - partial facial paralysis on left side, total hear loss on left side, speech altered, loss of taste, smell,balance, loss of sensation on right side from shoulder down, low motor skills, eye weight 11/07

CROOKEDSMILE

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I had complete facial paralysis with no eyelid function although my needle emg did show that the nerve is now innervating the eye as of April 08. This is new as my original emg showed nothing to the eye.
ANgie