ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Facial Issues => Topic started by: Darren on November 25, 2009, 01:22:47 pm
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Hey Everyone,
So I'm one week shy of my 6 month anniversary of my removal of a 3.3 AN via translab approach. I just had my first movement on my face and im estatic! When I try to smile real slow the corner of my mouth on my AN side actually starts turning up! Just a little tiny bit- hardly noticable. Everyone at work etc. keeps saying im looking better, but this is the first actual movement- besides the constant twitching on my nose, and eyebrows. I now am having a pulling/twitching sensation around my incision, on the side of my head-I'm thinking its the nerve tightening.. anyone have this?
Darren
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I'm happy for you, Darren. I started out with a little bit of movement by my nose (snarl) at 3 months, and like you, movement at the corner of my mouth at six months.
Truly something to be thankful for.
Sara
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Woohoo! That's great news! ;D ;D
I'm really happy for you and it gives me hope for my own recovery!
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Darren,
It is fantastic to hear about your facial movement. I am so happy for you. My husband is almost 4 months out from surgery and he is hoping for some facial movement on the affected side. Ken hasn't mentioned any pulling or twitching, but is sounds like nerves working!
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Yes its a start- There is a really good youtube video by a guy named "Daran" ironically that had a 3.9 AN removed-He had a ton of complications and one was not being able to smile etc. He just posted a follow up video 11 months post op and he can fully smile again. He gave me hope and a week later I started to be able to see movement- I mean I can actually control the corner of the mouth I feel it! Its inspiring for us all.
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Yea, Darren!!
Certainly something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving ;D
Congrats!
Jan
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Hi, Darren ~
Congratulations on your progress in regaining facial mobility. Definitely a Thanksgiving to remember. May the movement continue!
Jim
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Hi,
I know Daran. I started following his youtube video's because our surgery dates were so close. I was blessed not to have all the complications he had. It was uplifting to see how well he dealt with everything. We emailed a few times but I haven't heard from him for a while. I checked youtube but can't find anything new from him. Let me know where you found it.
I started having movement at 7 months and now at 11 months I've gone from a HB6 to a HB4 and it's still getting better!!
Julie
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Hi Darren,
Fantastic news! Those first movements are so uplifting. Before my mouth startted moving again I couldl "feel" it inside my mouth before I could see it. I would get a tightening feeling in my face and then shortly after that there would be more movement. Always in very small increments of course. Even yet today, four years after my surgery, I continue to get the tightening times and tingles. I was so eager to have my smile back. I can smile now. Even though it's not my old smile I'm very thankful for it. Hopefully this will be the beginnig of many new movements for you.
Jean
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Congrats...great news...those 1st movements feel so good. Do lots of exercises...chew gum constantly. My experience has been similar. Its been about 2 months since I noticed the 1st improvements and it gets better every day.
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Hey, if you look at my pictures on my blog, is that how most of your 'paralysis' looked too?? Just curious still
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Good for you ;D
Anne Marie
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SO exciting, and I'm sure *just* the motivation you needed!
Adrienne
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That is fantastic news!!!! Congratulations, and I hope it is just the start of more good movement to come.
Lyn
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My daughter is now 21, had AN surgery at 16 and her AN was considered large.
She had facial paralysis but hers rebounded a bit faster than normal...(her youth probably) but I do recall her mentioning sensation around her incision for a long time after the surgery... she described it as mildly painful however...but here's the good news. Her face, ....all back to normal.
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I had 3.7 cm with right sided totall facial paralysis. At 10 months post op I noticed a very tiny movement that my doc could not see until I pointed it out. Though I was not impressed with it and thought that was all the movement I would get... he about jumped out of his chair when he saw it. It has now been seven months since I noticed the movement and it continued to get better and better. Now I can almost smile and my face looks normal in resting position. Your recovery sounds like you are on a normal track and that is great news. I was told at six months that I would not have any recovery esp after they tested the nerve and said it was too badly damaged. I told them I felt a lot of tingling and I chose to wait and at 10 months the movement started. The doctors are all shocked and amazed at my recovery. I will post before and after pics soon because people need to understand and have hope that facial nerves are not on a standard time line and can recover after long periods of time.
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That is so awesome!! To help the nerve some more try eating pepperchines and jalapenos!!! I eat them at least once a day- I was told spicy and hot foods help stimulate the nerve! It makes sense since the nerve is also responsible for taste right? try it out!
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Funny you mention hot sauce because I to noticed the same thing during this slow recovery. I drank hot sauce and purchased some of the hottest stuff on earth during the past year (not recommended :)). When I noticed the stimulation the way you desribe it while I ate hot spicy stuff, I continued to eat more. My co-workers and I go to some really dive taquerias that have some very hot sauce for most people. They always commented and asked me how in the heck I ate all that hot sauce. I guessed it helped having partial paralysis on my taste buds to. The more you stimulate the nerves the better regardless of how you do it.
I believe getting some natural sun on your face helps to. I also purchased a back massager (one of those hand held ones at Target when my movement started to return. My therapist recommended some kind of massage stimulation. It has the red led lights on the end and heats up. I use that on my face, forehead, and the corner by my nose daily for a few minutes. I also take Centrium Vitamins, Omega 3-6-9, and Vitamin B-12 liquid.
I also pushed my tongue against the roof of my mouth a lot prior to my returning movement. It somehow stimulated my jaw muscles. I don't eat so much hot stuff any more but I swear it helped.