Author Topic: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself  (Read 16641 times)

Jessica000

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #15 on: December 21, 2010, 09:11:52 pm »
Thanks Debbi. I'll try..how long will it take for my face to not look so "cramped" upwards? I tried the exercise you suggest. Just hope it will get better.

Sara, for my case, it looks like a wisdom tooth extraction swell. And the corner of my lips are cramped upwards a little and hold there. But enough to feel irritated.

Just asking, will synkinesis affect other nerve growth? Like the one to the lower lips? I am so angry...it's like nerve only grows 1mm/day and now it grows to the wrong place. Means that it will take longer (if it even grow) to go to right place I think. Argh I feel like just cutting out the stupid synkinesis nerve and stop it from leeching nutrients for other important nerves.

Anyway anyone did acupuncture? I am seeing a chinese doctor and he said that he will do acupuncture for me maybe in a few months time. I heard that it helps relief synkinesis. Wonder if I should ask him to start now..

moe

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #16 on: December 22, 2010, 09:23:44 am »
I tried acupuncture for my facial paralysis. Gave me a little muscle tone, but that was it. Needed that surgery.

 It DID help me feel better in general though! It can help with stress, and the increased circulation of oxygen to the affected area, with exercises may help you. Debbi, did you try acupuncture??

I'd say go for it now. They don't put the needles into the affected side, anyway.

I looked forward to the needles, actually and drifting off into lala land.........
Moe :)
06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

pinklion

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #17 on: December 23, 2010, 12:53:42 pm »
Hi, I came across this thread last weekend when I was worrying about going in for gold eyelid weight surgery (I had the surgery on Tuesday).  Just wanted to say a thank you because the comments helped me gather the courage to go through with it.  I've had facial palsy since birth, you can read my story here if you are interested..

http://www.facial-palsy.com

The procedure wasn't painful and it has not been too painful in the past 48 hours since I had it done, but I do wish I had had a general now rather than local anaesthetic, mainly because the whole thing made me feel really queazy and I fainted halfway through so they had to stop the op and come back to me later when I had come round properly.

When I was on the operating table I was thinking about people who have facial palsy because of brain tumours and thinking how brave they were, and there was me scared over a little op on my eyelid.


Kaybo

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #18 on: December 23, 2010, 05:50:13 pm »
Pinklion-
WELCOME to our happy, little world here!! We are happy to have you join our ranks. I have had several weights & loved them. I hope that you have good luck with yours! I'm like you, but in reverse...I think you have endured much more having been paralyzed all your life!!  I guess I'm about your age, but have only been paralyzed for 15 years. I love what your blog says - it what's on the inside that matters!

;D
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!

Jessica000

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #19 on: December 24, 2010, 06:49:24 am »
They didn't put the needle in the affected area? Where did they put? I'll be asking my chinese doctor regarding this. He told me to wait at least 6 months before acupuncture as the nerve need to grow first. I think it makes sense. Anyway it's very commonly used here. It can help stroke patients too.

Debbi, I've been feeling better after the massage. Though there's still some unevenness... but the muscles don't feel cramped into a ball. Thanks a lot! :)

I don't know is it just me or my lower eyelid skin looks more saggy. Is it that I've gained tone for the cheek and it makes the not recovered part looks worse? Ha ha...

Anyway speaking of gold weight, how much did the procedure cost?


moe

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #20 on: December 24, 2010, 11:30:56 am »
They generally put the needles into a different area which corresponds to the face. There are thousands of spots, (thousands of years of practice) so the correct chinese acupuncturist will not put the needles into the face (actually after a while they did try the face).
Maureen
06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

arkansasfarmgirl

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #21 on: December 24, 2010, 12:49:27 pm »
I've been doing accupuncture for 18 months now--we started 6 months after surgery.  My dr is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and he has used needles in the paralyzed side of my face from the very beginning.  As well as feet, ankles, knees, head, hands, wrists, other side of face, a few times in my chest, neck, ears.  Some sessions I feel like a pincushion.  LOL  It's always sooo relaxing though...

moe

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #22 on: December 25, 2010, 10:36:51 am »
Sounds like you have a good acupuncturist! I too got needles in the face later on in treatment. Did the acupuncture help your face?
Moe
06/06-Translab 3x2.5 vascular L AN- MAMC,Tacoma WA
Facial nerve cut,reanastomosed.Tarsorrhaphy
11/06. Gold weight,tarsorrhaphy reversed
01/08- nerve transposition-(12/7) UW Hospital, Seattle
5/13/10 Gracilis flap surgery UW for smile restoration :)
11/10/10 BAHA 2/23/11 brow lift/canthoplasty

Jessica000

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Re: Facial paralysis recovery and introduction of myself
« Reply #23 on: December 27, 2010, 12:18:21 am »
Hey guys,

Hope you all have a great Christmas.

Yea I am wondering the same thing too. How's the effects of acupuncture?

I am feeling very worried these days. I've been feeling the part of my mouth that twitch upwards when I blink my eyes ( the synkinesis) and I wonder is it that the nerve that's suppose to be for the lower eyelid growing to the wrong place. The action feels like it's suppose to belong to the lower eyelid...and it makes me sad...will my lower eyelid ever move again? When synkinesis is cured, will a new nerve grow to the right place? I feel so distracted as I've been thinking about this for days. Sigh...

On the other hand, I saw twitching of my lower eyelid the other day. It's a very obvious twitch. So I am wondering where is the nerve right now. I am so confused with my whole nerve anatomy.

Anyway I tried facial retraining on my own too. Try to isolate the eye movement with the mouth and it's so hard. Should I not do anything about it first? If I just keep my face straight, will the synkinesis go away? It's so helpless to have no therapists at all!