Hi all!

[Becky3004]

Hi, I'm really new to this. They diagnosed me with Bells Palsy Saturday and I'm struggling to get my head round it. The left side of my face isn't working. I can't smile. Which is really annoying as I'm generally a really happy smiley person. My eye is running alot and is really sore. I've also had a headache for 3 days but this morning it got a lot worse as it was from my right eye going all way to the back of my head. Are headaches common with this?

Thanks x

[Mrs_B_at_home]

Hi Becky3004

Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis and your symptoms.

These are very similar to my symptoms to mine. ( I am now 2 months post diagnosis)

I imagine you also on high dose steroids which plays with your head.

An eye patch and eye drops 1-2 hourly, , regular 4-6 hourly paracetamol and putting myself to bed to rest was my coping strategy for the head ache. I slept 10-12 hours per night and had a 2 hour nap in the afternoon...(All with eyepatch in place)....absolutely unheard of for me!

It felt like I just gave into it...and it worked mostly for the headache symptoms. This site helped me too, as I found the whole process very stressful, and I am pretty sure the headache was contributed by my emotional stress of the diagnosis. But I felt less alone during my recovery.

I still have a residual tinnitus and tiredness. Suggest you don’t try pushing yourself to soon...

[Mrs_B_at_home in reply to Mrs_B_at_home]

But if the pain is unmanageable or worrying you.. I suggest a trip back to your GP for reassurance

[Becky3004 in reply to Mrs_B_at_home]

Thankyou this has made me feel so much better. I'm back at the hospital today so see about my eye and the headaches. But at the minute sleep isn't helping me. I haven't slept fully since Friday. Not sure if it's because of the stress of it all but in struggling sleep wise which makes every little thing seem a lot worse when your so tired. Just taking the time off to rest up now and get my head around it

Thanks x

[Mrs_B_at_home in reply to Becky3004]

I took 6 weeks off and am now on a phased return to work...I am still tired, with ringing in my ears...the steriods are probably keeping you going! I wish you all the best...I struggled with the fact my body has never let me down...I was in a state of shock ...truth be told ....I think I still am...one day at a time...

So, rest well ... and remember to ask for help...

[smiler401]

Becky, hang in there, things will get better believe me! I had a lot of your symptoms and it was my eye and head that gave me such disturbed sleep at night time (I had to tape eye shut in the end and use lots of eye drops in the day). There is lots of advice online but don't try doing too much too soon though as the steroids make you feel rough, be kind to yourself. The headaches will hopefully ease for you, for me I restricted my TV and white light and spent most of the time in sunglasses (this felt very weird mid winter in the rain and sleet I can assure you.) I also purchased some clear glass glasses to protect my eye from the wind. This also made my face feel less noticeable too. Rest when you need too. Please to say most of my symptoms (almost a year on) have gone, apart from the odd nerve spasm in cold/windy weather and slight tinnitus but I look back to normal, as I hope you will soon too. Good luck with your recovery.

[Becky3004 in reply to smiler401]

Thankyou. I think I'm just a bit in shock with it all at the moment but hopefully lots of rest will help and I'm definitely thinking about the clear glasses because the wind is a killer for my eye at the moment!!

Thankyou for talking to me though it's really helped! X

[25clai]

Hi , I’m 7 months post onset, recovery is slow but continuing. I would say the headaches / face pain is the worst thing about it. I’m under physio now, but in the early days I used a lot of hot flannels , ice lollies and pain relief to help. One of the most important things is to rest, it really helps. Mine is a busy household and I literally had to shut myself away to stop talking / constantly use facial muscles.

The main thing to hold onto at your stage is that it will improve, and try to relax. Everybody recovers at different rates. I felt very anxious when I didn’t improve early on, but I have got used to it and am a lot better that a few months back.