T3???

[StephanieLeigh]

I have complete facial paraylsis on my left side and I was wondering what this T3 surgery thing is? How does it help with the facial paralysis?

[Kaybo]

I would be happy to share my experiences on the T3(which I loved), but didn't I see on your signature line that you just had your surgery this past May or June?  Personally, I would wait a while and see how it/if it comes back on its own.  There are people on this site that are getting back movement (without surgery) a year to YEARS later!  I know it stinks, but this surgery really brings out the PATIENCE in a person!

K 

[nancyann]

Hi Stephanie:  I agree with K that you should wait, especially since you ARE seeing improvement.  The T3 can be done at any time - K & I both had the T3 surgery.
I can tell you it changed my life !   After 1 1/2 years with total paralysis, no improvement at all, I had the procedure done by Dr. Patrick Byrne at Johns Hopkins.
It lifts the paralyzed side & when you bite down you get a small lift, so it looks like a Mona Lisa smile.  I have a before/after picture under this Facial Issues, subject Post Temporalis Tendon Transfer - I can't remember which page the photo is on b/c I had to post it a 2nd time.
Definitely wait though.  This surgery was tougher for me than the AN surgery !
Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Kathleen_Mc]

Stephanie: I am not sure if you had your surgery 05/10/10 or 10/05/10 meaning may 10th or Oct5th of this year but re guardless you need to give yourself time to heal before considering repairative surgery. Let me ask first: was the facial nerve cut during the surgery?
If it was first give yourself some time to heal from this surgery before you have anything else done, the body doesn't recover well if it is "assaulted" by surgeries too close together.
If the facial nerve was spared you need to give it time to heal, swelling may be causing it not to function properly and given time it may be just fine.
Use the time to research plastic surgeons and the like, or go for a initial consult and recommendations with an open mind to listen .
I don't know about plastic surgeons everywhere by mine certainly told me when to "go ahead" with the next stage of my repairs and when to "wait and see first". I did not have my first plastic repair until a couple of years later, I only had the 7-12 anatomises done at about 3 months to ensure nerve activity in the are until I had time to really recover and thinks about plastic repairs.
Take care
Kathleen