ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Eye Issues => Topic started by: deheisel11 on November 13, 2011, 06:17:59 pm
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I am currently about 1 1/2 years post-labrynthine. I had facial nerve involvement but have regained most of the facial symmetry. My right eye lid and forehead have not come back. I just went to an oculoplastic surgeon who gave me two options: a laproscopic brow lift or taking a wedge of skin out above the eyelid to raise the eyelid. The wedge seems to give the most definite results but the suture line looks like hell for the first several months. The scar lines of the laproscopic approach are definitely less obvious but it sounds as though the final result might not be as definite. Could those of you that have had similar surgeries let me know which surgery you did and if you are pleased with the results? I would certainly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!
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I had a direct brow lift in August (left). I have gotten lots of compliments. The scar is visible upon inspection but I have bangs, so it is not really noticeable. The whole procedure took about 20 minutes. Local anesthesia only. A breeze.
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Brewers7,
Thanks so much for your response. I was leaning toward the direct brow lift since it has a better chance of good results. After walking around with a droopy eye for 1 1/2 years, a scar should not be much to deal with. With the laproscopic approach, they have to separate tissues even around the good eye. I am glad your results were excellent. Thanks again.
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The scar is really not bad at all. It sort of matches a wrinkle on the other side. Hehe
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I hadn't thought about that. I could use a matching wrinkle on that side since I don't have any on that side anymore. Thanks, again.
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I had endoscopic brow lift last week. Getting the sutures out today. So far I am so happy with it. It's so good to finally have my brows back where they belong and to have eyelide again!! It was a breeze also.
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Epodjn,
Thanks for the input. I am still waiting to hear from the insurance, which does not cover the endoscopic approach. If I do decide to do the laproscopic, I was quoted $5300. That makes the laproscopic less appealing. I hope you are healing well and glad the final result turned out well for you.
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My insurance baulked a little, but my plastic surgeon's office took care of it. They took pictures of my paralysis and sent them to the insurance company. If you want to do it, make sure that your insurance company understands that it is not purely cosmetic.
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Thanks again, Brewers 7. My surgeon believes the insurance company will cover the direct brow lift but not the laproscopic approach. They have had a couple of occasions where the insurance company initially ok'd the laproscopic surgery then turned around and denied it. We are willing to pay the money out of pocket if we decide on the laproscopic surgery. We still haven't completely decided. Thanks again.
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For those of you who had this done, was it because your eyelid was drooping on the AN side? I had my surgery 18 months ago, but it's only been in the last 9 months, that my eyelid droops and really impedes my vision especially when I'm tired. After surgery, I couldn't close that eyelid; now I can't open it as wide as the other eye :( Do I need to see a plastic surgeon about this?
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Mine was not for a drooping lid. It was a "static" procedure to camouflage the facial paralysis. Susan