Do you know anyone who has suffered from Bell's Palsy?

My stepdad had this in the 80s, it took about 2 years to fully recover, but he was in his mid 50s when it happened. Other than the facial muscle issues, he really didn’t exhibit any other symptoms, other than a mild limp for the first couple of months.

I think there were some physical therapies he did when he regained use of the muscles, but honestly it’s been years since this happened.

I worked with a guy who had that. This was about 11 years ago. Have no idea how it all turned out for him.

My brother had it and it lasted about 6 weeks. My mom had it and it lasted about 3½ months.

I know two people that had it, so wierd you could actually see the perfect line down the middle of their faces, one side perfectly smooth and immobile. They both recovered fully within 6 months.

My first father-in-law had it. It disapppeared eventually, but I can no longer remember the time frame.

The time frame is extremely variable. No doctor can give any patient an accurate timeline to recovery from Bell’s Palsy.

I know a girl who had it a few years ago and, although I don’t know how long it took her to recover, you wouldn’t know, to look at her now, that there was ever anything wrong.

Update: My sister wrote me this morning with the following.
Joy does not have Bells Palsy after all. She went to a specialist yesterday with huge amounts of pain in her face. This E.N.T. fellow brought in an opthomologist to look in the affected eye. What it really ends up being is a virus – and get this, she could have even got it at Disneyland! The virus starts out like Bells Palsy and in Joys case the nerves that were numb became infected. The runny nose and throat were infection not a cold. The nerve was so infected that because it had nowhere to swell, starts to go into the bone of the face. So now she’s on Prednisone (again) and antiviral and a pain killer. Good news is it all ready feels better this morning.

@filmfann Oh…wow! I’m ‘glad’ she’s diagnosed properly!!! Please wish Joy a speedy recovery!!

…now I know why Michael Jackson wore those surgical masks and ‘the glove’ whenever he went to Disneyland!!! ;)

Hi there,
I have a very recent case of BELL’S PALSY. It started last Wednesday 01.27.2010. I did not recognized the symtoms at all the first day, I did not pay any attention since they were mild and I thought they were going to go away. The next morning I woke up with the symtoms at a higher rate, it was then that I got scared, and confused. Scared because I thought I was experiencing something different.. the right side of my face was parcially paralysed, I can only remember one person going through something like this, and that was my mother, after she suffered a stroke, and I was confused because I did not have all the symtoms she then had. I decided to go to the doctor’s office and get an opinion. I was RX a medication to help with the inflamation of the nerves and muscles on my face. I was told to follow up with my doctor, rest, relax, protect my eye and send home. It has been 2 days since the first symtoms and I am just following the doctor’s instructions. I will let you know when I notice some improvement, what I can tell you know is that I am a very agressive person to help myself to recover from anything that may keep me down from been myself. GOD BLESS.