Facial Muscle Weakness
 

In 2005 - 2 months after I was dx with MS - I had a bout of what I thought was Bells Palsy in the right side of my face. The whole side of my face was paralyzed. I couldn't blink my right eye or otherwise move that side of my face. Made drinking anything very challenging. This was while I was in the middle of my most debilitating flare (double vision, L'Hermitt's, balance/gait issues, numbness...all at the same time).

It cleared up in about two months but left residual weakness. When I get too tired or if I'm sick the right side of my face is noticeably affected.

My Neuro told me on my last appointment that he didn't think what I had in 2005 was Bells Palsy. He thinks it was totally MS related and due to nerve damage. He also thinks that the numbness I'm experiencing in my right hand/arm is nerve related and will not get any better than it is right now.

I'm noticing that the right side of my face is looking different from the left side - and it's freakin' me out!!! I do not want to go through an episode like I did in 2005 again! I don't think it's paralyzed...but it is definitely looking different. Almost swollen in certain places. My right eye even looks different. Looks like it's smaller than the other one. Ughhh.....:(

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm used to the right side of my body being the side that is most affected but this is just worrying me. I don't want to call the Neuro again...especially if there really isn't anything he can do.

Guess I just needed to vent....thanks for listening. :o :(

Aww Kelly,
I don't even know what to say. I have never had that problem. I have had eye and lip twitches but nothing else with my head. Well.. blurred vision which is probably not an MS symptom (in my case). Call the Neuro, don't feel like you're a nuisance. It's there job! :) and you shouldn't have to go around in pain or just feeling anxious about something. Everytime I get a bill *lol* it reminds me why I call my Neuro anytime I darn well feel like it! :) I hope this clears up for you quickly and doesn't leave any residual problems.

Hi Kelly - How long has this been going on? If you feel it is a new symptom and possibly may be entering another exacerbation, definitely call the dr. The sooner the better.

I haven't experienced what you described so I have nothing to share. I have had the twitching, jerking, vision loss - part of it permanent, blurry vision, etc. I have had muscle spasms that I was able to see happening in the mirror. But I have never had my face swell.

Sending you lots of cyber:hug:'s and hope you feel better soon. Let us know how you are doing.

Oh Kelly...
 

...Bless your heart...:heartthrob: It just goes from one thing to another, doesn't it?! :(

I'm glad you vented. You are so good at giving hugs...it's your turn to accepted some back.:hug::grouphug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug:

I have never had the bells palsy appearance. The left side of my face was pretty numb for several months and I have had shooting pains on the right side of my face, feels like someone is poking with a needle from the inside out. I just hate this for you. I know it's bad enough that we have to FEEL like we have MS...but then when we have to LOOK like it too, it just is a real downer.

I'm having trouble this week controlling my muscles in arms and legs when I walk....and I just hate the way I imagine I must look. It just brings it all too close to the surface.

I hope and pray that this will pass for you. I know with everything that comes up, we just wonder is this is the time we won't get over it. I am praying for you BIG TIME that you will recover from this.:smileypray:

Love and prayers,
Friend

"Bell's palsy is an idiopathic (of unknown cause) facial paralysis that occurs on one side of the face. It results from damage to some part of the 7th Cranial Nerve (the facial nerve) that arises in the Pons area of the Brainstem. In Multiple Sclerosis, Bell's palsy-like symptoms are usually caused by a lesion in this area."

"No effective treatments have been found although steroids are often prescribed although there use for this condition is controversial. Facial massage is probably the best treatment. Recovery usually takes place without treatment within 3 months and almost certainly with a year."

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/Bellspalsy.html

Cherie

Dear Kelly, I had a case of Bells Palzy a few years ago. It was brought on by...what else...anxiety and stress..my biggest trigger. Facial numbness was my very first symptom of the lousy disease, years before my actual DX.

I hate to bring this up, but, please have the tests for a small Stroke/TIA. It is always a possibility and shouldn't be dismissed.

Call your Neuro, ASAP, and tell him/her your concerns.....er.....my concerns..:winky:

Thinking of You..:hug:

Hi Kell~ I too, think a call to your Neuro is in order. Why second guess, right?

Please keep us updated CUZ, you are special.

That stinks Kelly. I do hope you are feeling better soon.
:hug::hug::hug:

I vote you call the neuro. There is a young person at work who had Bells Palsy just before her wedding. The wedding went on, her face is a little better, and she had a couple of children.

I hope this is just an MSy thing and something that will clear up. I understand your concern.

Aaacccckkkkk! I'm so sorry to hear about your face. :( And it's such a cute one, too, judging by your avatar. :wink:

Cherie posted about facial massage -- maybe that is something you could try. I hope it doesn't hurt, tho.

Sending hugs and prayers for a speedy recovery, Kelly. :hug:

Hi Kelly,

Sorry about the facial weakness! :( :hug: :hug: I just wanted to let you know that I've had it before and sometimes it was really bad, so that I was biting my tongue a lot, slurring my words, etc... but it has completely recovered! There is hope, my dear! This might just be a passing thing. :hug:

Gosh Kell, you poor thing! I've been there too, some years ago.

It was never decided whether my bell's Palsy was MS related or due to the recent shingles I'd had on my face, but needless to say the effects were just the same.

So far it's not recurred for me, but I do remember the droopy face, the slurring of my words and the uncontrolled dribbling out of one side of my face. Not a good look, I can assure you.

Sending you lots of healing blessings Kelly, and I hope this soon passes. :hug:

oh Kelly ... will send you some healing vibes .. and warm hugs PRONTO!! :hug:

Kel,

Been there. Hated it. Rinse and spit was impossible when toothbrushing!:p

I'd call the neuro. Even if it has happened before, it could still be something different. The first thing that comes to my mind is TIA/stroke, but if there's no other symptoms to go along with it, I'd call the neuro rather than my regular doc, because when your other symptoms are taken into consideration, it may be a flare...48 hours or more, call.

:hug:

Don't know what to add, beautiful.
But I hope you get the answers you need soon.

Thanks everyone....it seems to be better this morning. Sorry that I worried anyone...:o.

I noticed it first when I woke up from a nap. Wondering if it had anything to do with me sleeping on my right side? Smooching my face into the pillow. Well, I made a conscious effort to sleep on my left side last night but when I woke up I was on my right side...:rolleyes: I don't like to sleep with my back to the bedroom door.....monsters creeping in, ya know...:p

I really don't think it was a TIA/stroke. That's what I thought the first time this happened - but this is not nearly as bad and I can still smile :D so I know that it's not paralyzed like it was before. And RW...I can still brush my teeth without making a complete mess!! :wink: So I think it's just residual nerve damage that acts up when I get tired or stressed.

I promise I will call the Neuro if it gets any worse. I should take my own advice, huh? :rolleyes:

Ya'll are wonderful friends....thanks for all the encouraging words. :grouphug:

Kelly I am glad that it is better today. I am having a little numbness on my right cheek myself. It is affecting my tongue and speech. When I was first having sx in 04 they thought stroke but ruled it out. Just make sure if it does get worse that you call the doc right away. We don't want anything to happen to you.

I think when I get stressed it goes to my cheek too. That is when I know I have to take a deep breath and start to relax. Hard to do sometimes though.

:hug::hug::hug:

OMG, Kelly! I just saw this thread :(. I had some problems with my right eye swelling and drooping last fall. I thought it was a reaction to Avonex. Maybe not because I went into a flare right afterward. I'm really worried about ya! Hugs are headed your way. :) Call me! Please. :D

I am glad you are doing somewhat better today. If it is still bothersome tomorrow or even later on today give the neuro a call. :hug:

great news, you are feeling better this morning!!!:)

I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO DO SO:hug::hug:

Joelle, my mom can always tell when I am going to start a flare because my left eye swells and droops! That is crazy!

I have had something similar once, Kelly, that my doc thought that it 'might' have been a TIA. He was leaning more towards it being MS though, and the tests showed nothing.

My left side of my face wasn't "numb", at least not what I usually mean when I say I am numb. It was more like limp or unresponsive, which is similar to what you are describing. I couldn't talk, or even think clearly.

Talk about denial. I decided it was best to go to sleep and see if it went away. It was gone by the morning though. :D

I was originally thinking you meant something that went on for days, so the "MS Bell's Palsy-type-symptom" seemed to fit. Maybe it still does, but if it is very short-lived, it might just be what I had last December :confused: . . . whatever that was. :confused:

Cherie

OH Dear I know its hard not to know what IS going on. And you have something to compare this to.
So how long did it last? Are there still residual symptoms?

Cherie, I think mentioned it could be from the nerve stemming from the PONS. Odd. A few weeks ago, I was laying on the left side of my face and woke up with pain in my jaw that went up and behind my eye. THen it felt as if my whole side of my face was numb. It wasn't but felt numb-like.

My newest lesion is on the PONS but MS doc doesnt' seem concerned and is certain now that I do not have MS. Something IS going on, eh?

Take care and know that WE care, k? :grouphug:

Jan

OK Kelly..tapping foot, giving you that "Mom" look..Have you called your neuro? Is the symptom better, worse, the same?
My face tends to do the opposite, with clenching jaws and tightening muscles. It hurts, but I tell myself it's keeping me young (hey, cheaper than Botox)..
Just wanna let you know your in my thoughts today!

I called the Neuro's office today and spoke with his nurse. She's such a sweet lady....

Told her what was going on and she said he would call me back after office hours.

Guess what?? He called me a bit ago and we talked for almost 10 minutes!!

He said that he does not think this is a new exacerbation. He said that the right side of my body has suffered nerve damage that may or may not be permanent. When I get too tired, too stressed, sick or otherwise have some sort of ailment it's going to affect the right side of my body more noticeably.

My allergies have been acting up and he thinks that what I'm experiencing is just residual effects of the damage that's been done from prior exacerbations.

So.....I can look forward to a droopy right side. Parts of me are droopy anyway....can I blame that on MS or is it just gravity?! :p

Kelly, I am glad you called. I am sure you must feel relieved to know that it is probably not another exacerbation.

I have found that what he said about any illness, allergies, etc. can spark my symptoms a bit - usually on the milder side. Hormones do that as well. I am so not looking forward to menopause. I can't imagine . . . Oh, I better stop now I'm scaring myself. LOL