Facial Nerve

[darnett]

i had an AN removed in January 2011....surgery lasted 10 hrs. I have recovered well, got my balance back, no headaches, etc. But my face is droopy, I cannot speak very well, my eye wont blink. My eye at the present is sewn shut(the third time) so i am basically one eyed...I have yet to return to work, I do alot of driving and physical work, have lost my insurance(now on COBRA) and lost most my ability to play piano(im a part time musician)....all of this is manageable except when I look in the mirror I see someone completely different. The last thing I want is facial reconstruction or a Baha for the hearing loss, I want to stay as far away from a hospital as possible! I realize everyone is different and recovery varies, my surgeon says it will come back it just takes time...my therapists are great but not miracle workers. I realize also I could be much worse off,but it feels good to vent! I hope to read stories of success on here. Any feedback is much appreciated...

[Jeanlea]

Darnett,
You are in the very early days of recovery from an AN. Do you know if your facial nerve was intact at the end of surgery? I had my AN removed in Sept of 2005 through the translab procedure which took about 13 hours. Right after surgery my face drooped quite a bit. Now after 5 1/2 years it is not really noticeable by most people. My biggest changes came around 18 months to two years. My speaking improved quicker than that. The more I spoke the sooner it improved was my experience. My eye still does not blink normally, but it does close on its own. My current routine is to put in Refresh PM once every morning now. That way I don't need to worry about it all day.
I know it's hard to hear that it will take so much time. It wasn't something that I wanted to hear either. In order to notice any changes I took pictures of myself every month. It's nice to look back at them now and to be able to see the improvements in my face.  I also found that avoiding mirrors as much as possible was nice. :-) People around you won't notice your face nearly as much as you will. Just something to keep in mind.
Glad to hear that your recovery has  been better in other areas. Sometimes there are just days when you need to feel sad for what you have lost. Then it's time to keep on going with life.

Jean

[deheisel11]

Darnett,
My facial nerve was cut then approximated with wax during my translab in May 2010.  I awoke with a total droop on the right side of my face.  After several months, my face had returned to normal symmetry but my eye still droops.  As Jean mentioned, she took pictures of various stages.  Her pictures are dramatic.  They are posted somewhere in the facial section.  I took a couple of pictures also when I saw hers and in one month taking the pictures, I had my biggest gains.  Also, I just received my BAHA and am still getting used to it.  Most of the people that have gotten the BAHA said it made a big difference, while very  few have said that they didn't like it.  Those are readily found in the hearing section.  Best wishes for things improving for you.  As Jean said, you had your surgery fairly recently.   

[darnett]

Both of you....thank you so much for your responses. Its been a life changing experience, one I didn't count on...but it's so good to know that there are other people with similar problems as me. Thanks again, and good luck to you both!

[nancyann]

Hi Darnett:  you're only 3 months out - keep a peaceful heart my friend. It can take more than 3 years to begin seeing movement.   My facial nerve was cut, I never got any movement back.  I also thought I'd never do facial reconstruction, I didn't want any surgeon to touch me again.  However, after a year of total paralysis I opted for the T3 surgery & am forever grateful to Dr. Byrne at Johns Hopkins.
I am hoping you have movement again.
Keep at the piano.  That dizzy feeling when moving your head will get better !
Always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Doc]

NancyAnn said it best....time is "our" best friend...buy another clock so you don't run out but above all, be patient! I'm two years out from Surgery and am only now starting to regain some voluntary movement on the effected side...step by step!

Take Care!
 
Doc