survery....Facial paralysis.

[salamander]

For me, it was C, as I am currently at 8 months.  My smile started returning at 7 months and is continuing to very slowly improve.

I was grade IV after surgery.  My facial nerve was intact but quit at the end of surgery.

Samantha

[rsteph]

I had 3.7 AN  surgery Aug 08'.  Complete removal.  Rt side facial paralysis after surgery no stimulation.   I noticed first movement at the beginning of June 09' which is little over 10 months post op.   My cheek is pulling up almost down to my lip and my face is looking more symmetrical now. Of course, I cannot smile yet. It is almost moving my lip.    I don't know what else I will get back but it seems to be improving. When I showed my plastic surgeon last week, he about jumped out of his chair and couldn't believe it.  He told me I will not need a 12/7 or T-3 or a Massetter to facial nerve transfer which is the surgery I was considering.

My eye  still gets watery when I eat or wind blows on it and that causes the bottom eyelid to droop.  My eye doctor wants to do a punctuplasty (widen the tear duct) so it will drain better.  He also wants to do Ectropion Repair but my plastic surgeon thinks I should wait longer.  I may eventually get the gold weight out of my eye because I can blink very well now.  So I was about 10 months out before I noticed movement.  Had I listened to my ENT surgeon. They would have already cut my facial nerve at 6 months post op with a 12/7 because he said it was not likely at all I would get any movement back.  I didn't listen and consulted with others who told me to wait at least a year.  Goes to show you that we are all unique.  I will say one thing though...take it for what it is worth...I pretty much stayed inside socially isolated for the ten months but when I started getting out in the sun the last couple of months that is when my movement started.  I am a firm believer that sun exposer can heal many things and keep you healthy... just not too much sun.

[Jeanlea]

I had a 3.5 cm tumor removed on 9-6-05, so it's been almost 4 years now.  I got the most movement returning around 18 months, but I continue to get more movenent.  It's just at a really slow place.  I can make a decent open mouthed smile now.  It's most noticeable when I try to talk and smile at the same time. 

Jean

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

Wow Samanatha,

That is an amazing story.

Thanks for sharing

DHM

[kimmel1313]

Hi -- i am only 4 months out and i have no movement in my eyelid.  My question is -- has anyone who did see improvement 6-12 months out experience involuntary movement in their cheeks and forehead?  If i pinch my face, splash hot water, or vigorously rub lotion on my face it will scrunch over, etc but i cannot control it.  I was hoping this was a good sign.

[salamander]

At probably about the same time as you, I would have my lower lip pull down after I rubbed it as you described.  It would then slowly relax back up into it's immobile place.  I think that is similar to what you are describing.  I didn't have it anywhere that you describe.

I mixed up my letters in my prior response.  I was a grade 6 (VI) right after surgery.

I have to think that what you are experiencing is a good sign.  Even if the movement is not controlled, there must be something happening with your nerves.

Samantha

[kimmel1313]

Did anyone recommend that you do that daily to make your face move?  will that speed healing?

[Lyssa]

This is an encouraging topic!!

I will be 5 months post-op tomorrow and have right-sided facial paralysis. I think it is grade V, but not positive.
When my face is resting, it looks virtually symmetrical, except one eye looks a wee bit more open.

About a month after surgery I was able to press my lips together, which I couldn't do immediately post-op (I'm a lip balm fiend, so this is important!) Other than that I haven't seen any changes; of course my family often tells me "Oh you're looking much better", but thankfully my husband doesn't patronize me in this way LOL

My surgeon recommended the gold weight to me 2 weeks post-op, but being determined to "get better on my own", I opted not to get it (makes no sense, I know). I've now opted to get it b/c not being able to fully blink or produce tears is really taking it's toll on me. I have to wait until Oct. for the gold-weight, but am hoping to get in sooner.

I can't wait until I can smile again, before surgery I always said "I don't care about facial paralysis." And ultimately, it's not even that bad... but looking like myself again would be pretty sweet

So, happy to read that people are still seeing results years after surgery, I'm very encouraged!

[Kaybo]

Hi Lyssa and welcome!
I am a HUGE fan of the gold weight and the procedure is VERY simple - to implant or remove and so if you do get better it is easily reversed.  HOWEVER, lots of people that are getting movement back opt for a TEMPORARY weight that you just stick on your eyelid - you might want to check into this BEFORE you have more surgery!  PM me if you have any questions!

K

[Micky]

6 - 12 months for me

[rsteph]

3.7 cm removed Aug 08.    11 months of sociial isolation for me.  Movement started at  11 months for me.  I can slightly  move my tendon that pulls in the middle of my paralyzed side and see it pull and slightly move my lip.  I feel a lot of movement underneath.I don't know what to do because I was told different outcomes and direction by different doctors. My facial nerve was not cut.  Had I listened to my ent they would have already done a 12/7 at 6 months.  Glad I did not listen but don't know what to do..My eyebrow moves a little bit also.  I hope I get more.  Now my plastic surgeon says that I don't know what I am getting back but I will not need surgery.   Waiting ....

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

23 months ... almost the 2-year anniversary post op ... and in the upper lip I have finally gained some movement ... and controlled movement yet. I also can wink the previously paralyzed eye with less cheek involvement now (ie the weird synkenisis is less obvious)

Healing happens at a snail's pace... nevertheless it is still happening...

So RSteph- know that more healing can still happen for you.

DHM

[LADavid]

It's hard to tell with synkinesis.  The actual paralysis went away at 4 months.  But the weird movements started at five months.  With three round of Botox, the only real diffence I found came at about 18 months when my mouth stopped turning up into a sneer in the bright sunlight and when I could drink through a straw normally.  It still doesn't feel right when I try to smile.  It's like I got punched in my AN side of my face.  And when I try to do something about it, my neck muscles contort into spasms.  Still waiting for that magic day when I feel normal.

[arkansasfarmgirl]

I'm not quite 8 months out now.  Can smile pretty darn good, and when I smile my cheek lifts really well and my lower eyelid is starting to lift and crinkle a little bit.  I told my hubby I never thought I'd be so happy to see laugh lines.  LOL  I still can't raise my eyebrow, but it feels like it wants to move and the accupuncture point in the eyebrow is SORE as heck.  (and we're on hiatus from accupuncture treatment for the whole month of July, so it's not from being poked)  My eye is still weird looking and has a dark circle under it, but not as bad as it was.  I can make tears, but they're not consistent.  I'm having more trouble drinking out of certain glasses than I was before I could smile so good.  But drinking out of bottles and cans is easier.  Not sure what that's about.

Vonda

[epodjn]

I am just starting to get some movement back in my mouth and I've notice drinking problems too. I was doing so well with a glass before my mouth started moving. Now I'm back to dribbling. I am also having a hard time with swishing mouthwash. I used to be able to keep it in my mouth, mostly, now I'm back to being a mess again. Why is that??