MOUTH ISSUES

[lauralynn]

HELLO MY AN FAMILY.  WELL MY BOOST OF ENERGY HAS SUBSIDED A BIT, BUT THE BOOST THAT I DID GET LASTED A WEEK AND IT WAS AWESOME!  I KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.  NOW I HAVE A QUESTION.....FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, MY LEFT SIDE OF MY MOUTH (THE AN SIDE) WILL NOT CLOSE.  I KNOW IT'S DUE TO GETTING MOVEMENT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE BUT HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS?  I HATE THAT I CAN'T CLOSE MY MOUTH.  I ALSO HATE THAT I STILL CAN'T FEEL THE INSIDE OF MY MOUTH ON THE LEFT SIDE.  EATING IS SUCH A CHORE NOW...CAN ONLY CHEW ON THE RIGHT SIDE.  IF ANYONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS AND HAS ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ME OR ANY INFO, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

YOUR AN FRIEND,

LAURA LYNN

[Pooter]

Laura Lynn,

I can't say that I've experienced the inability to close my mouth, however I can remember that for some time after surgery I couldn't chew on the AN side.  Before surgery, I predominently chewed on (what's now) the AN side, so it was quite a challenge to retrain myself to eat on the non-AN side..  After awhile, my body was well adjusted enough to chew on either side..  Now, I still have a preference for the non-AN side (which is different than before surgery), but I can chew on either..

Stick with it..  Your body is still healing.  Give it time and slowly but surely I'm sure this will go away or subside tremendously.

Regards,
Brian

[amymeri]

My lips don't close on my AN side due to some partial facial paralysis.  It does make eating and drinking a chore. I only chew on my "good" side and I use straws.  I have learned to adapt but it is a drag.

[Kaybo]

I have always had total paralysis on the right side but my mouth does shut...at least it appears to, but when I try to blow up a balloon, I have to hold that side shut TIGHT so that the air doesn't escape!!     The swimming pool toys in the summer are TORTURE for me!!  LOL!

K   

[Doc]

Laura Lynn - Six months out and I'm still experiencing similar issues on the left side too. I only have limited feeling on the left side; forehead, cheek, lips and tongue. Likewise, I'm only able to chew on the right side; anything that makes it way to the left side is basically lost and I usually end up choking on it; swallowing is also an issue for me yet. I can fully close my mouth, but can only open the right side. Of course I make a terrible mess when I eat too and won't even dare try to eat soup in public; that would be way to embarrassing, even for me. I saved the best for last. I drool something awful when I sleep--I think its funny!

All that said, I have noticed mild improvement in all areas believe it or not. I'm seeing a Dr. Gaye Cronin at the Atlanta Ear Clinic. She specializes in treating facial issues like ours. She gave me a small vibrator to use on my face; if anything it feels good and does seem to be working...stimulating the nerves as it were. Thankfully we have time on our side. Best guess Laura Lynn, we'll get better soon! Keep a stiff upper lip (that should be easy for us, huh!) and hang tough!

Take Care!
  
Doc

[Keri]

I'm a year post op. My mouth closes but doesn't work too well on the left. It kind of turns up a bit so the lack of movement isn't always noticeable. My eye blinks a lot better, but i just feel a line of numbness from my eye down the left side of my face. Eating goes slowly too, and I always bite the inside of my mouth! It's a bit challenging overall, but more annoying than really painful, or anything like that.

Keri