Gold weight in the eyelid to enable closure.

[dclf1947]

In December I posted that I had an attack of Bell’s Palsy and was so pleased with the response of the forum members. My mouth is straight now instead of drooping but the eye still remains open and I still have to wear patches most of the time. The tears a lot and when this happens also gets painful. I was recommended to visit a ophthalmologist who has a superb reputation to see if he could recommend eye drops or similar to give me some relief. He stated that if the eye does not close after 6 months it is improbable that it ever will and immediately recommended fitting a gold weight to my eyelid (as per the attached photograph). I was very nervous but having researched it on the internet after searching for “gold weights for Bell’s Palsy” it seems a very valid fix for the problem. I am a British expat living in the Philippines and it appears that the total medical cost here is between 550 – 750 pounds which seems reasonable.

Has anybody had any experience of this method for assisting closure of the eye.

Would like the

[Wounded101]

Hi, I also had a gold weight put into my eyelid - it has in fact proven to be effective to an extent where my eye is not drying out as quickly. However it is still irritable and going out in the sunlight and also during bad weather conditions doesn't really help. (Although for myself it may be due to the facial palsy). I would definitely recommend but would also advise you to continue using artificial tears as it may not fully close.

[dclf1947 in reply to Wounded101]

Wounded 101 thanks so much for your reply really is appreciated. it is nearly 6 months so if in a couple of weeks nothing more happens I will probably have the weight fitted. I am 70 now but still active, ride the bike a couple of every day etc. but the BP has really made me very much of a loner. One of the problems is although my mouth is about straight now my speech is slurred and often in shops the assistants do not understand, this is when I feel a little sad. Fortunately my wife understands and does everything to support and protect me. I feel lucky and also blessed in a way as when I woke up with it last December I was it was not a stoke just so glad it wasn't.

My cutting and pasting on my last email was not good and most of the last paragraph is missing, I write in draft form in case I post by mistake as if my eyes tear up my vision goes - still got it wring though -sigh. What I wanted to say is that this site has helped me tremendously, just reading other peoples accounts of their problems often make mine insignificant. Thanks so much.

[sallygirl in reply to dclf1947]

dclf,

I too have the Big BP.... it is now a year for me, with all the therapy

I did and all the crazy doctors I visited, no one really knows what causes

this medical condition or even how to treat it....

I can't wait till this is completly gone..... I have not been myself since I came down with it in May 2, 2016. I'm always tired, slugish, and sure don't want to meet anyone looking like this.... I looked like a monster.... the whole left side of my face was twisted as well my nose, I couldn't talk, eat, drink, I couldn't close my eye and it always tears.... this is for the birds.... I want my old self back already.... Hope you recover real soon cause I know what and how you are feeling.... Good luck !

Sally

[Hidden]

I've had a gold weight fitted and have no problems closing my eyelid I would definitely recommend it and you can only see a slight lump in the eyelid if you look very closely As I wear glasses it can't be seen at all so no one knows it's there

[sallygirl in reply to Hidden]

Who did you go to for that gold weight for the eye

Sally

[dclf1947 in reply to sallygirl]

Sally I am an Expat in the Philippines and after the comments here have taken the plunge and have had the weight required assessed and ordered for fitting in about 3 weeks. Will keep the forum informed of the outcome.

[Seeujimmy]

Hi My experience is to never give up. I had a successful twelve hour brain tumour operation that resulted in Palsy. Afterwards I never looked in the mirror without feeling uncomfortable. Now I do and even being critical my face is almost back to its original structure and my eye which did not close and stared back at me, looks back to the way it was. Only when I smile is there an obvious change.

Living in the Phillipines, so close to China I wonder if you have considered Traditional Chinese Medicine? My neighbour across the road was trained in China and he treated me with Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Coming from Scotland both treatments seemed very alien and the moxibustion decidedly odd.

Yet for me it worked! after four or five treatments instead of a sense of no feeling a sense of numbness started to come back. I am not sure if I blink but I can open and shut my eye with a minor effort and control my eye dryness with various combinations of lubricants night and day [I tape the eye shut with Micropore at night]. Interestingly the consultant here rejected eye patches but advocated the use of lubricants - I notice in warm or cold weather [I am in Scotland] I have to step up the lubrication during the day so in a different climate it may not work.

I considered the gold weight but I progressed far enough to avoid the need. Amusingly my own "therapy" is to practice blinking in the morning while I lie in bed [ perhaps gravity effects are limited] and I slapped my face in traffic jams [plenty in Edinburgh] Neither are a medical treatment but I think it helped - if for no other reason it felt I was doing something psychologically rather than sitting and waiting.

My experience was that recovery did not plateau out, it was just that the improvements became less conspicuous and you have to look harder and harder. Like climbing a hill you think you reach a summit and there is another one higher up. Keep smiling Norman

[Nickey123]

Rubbish idea as it fell out!!!

[Bramleyboy]

I recommend you have a platinum chain instead of a good weight. Google Dr malhotra in the UK. It's called a malhotra chain.

[dclf1947]

Thanks Bramleyboy, but I had a gold weight fitted about a month ago here in the Philippines. Very pleased with the outcome, no need for a daytime or nighttime patch and no tearing.

[Jools5678]

Hi there. I had a gold weight fitted many years ago after the removal of a brain tumour. My eye was totally open 24/7. This worked and after the nerve operating the eyelid had recovered it was removed. As I get older my eyelid is not moving as well as it should and am thinking of having another one inserted. The pain from dry eye is overwhelming sometimes so the gold weight is a good solution.