Sanity Check Please on Facial Nerve Issues

[robertweeks]

Hi.  I had retrosigmoid surgery on July 7th last year.  According to the surgeon, the facial nerve was not damaged in that process, but they did have to physically nudge it aside in order to work on the auditory/balance nerve.  I have had some facial numbness ever since.  The surgeons indicated that it would be temporary and I could expect full recovery of facial nerve mobility.  I am not there yet, although he pegged recovery for that at 1 to 5 months.  Although my face does not look abnormal anymore (I can fake it), I still do not have full range of motion. 

Further, in the past several weeks, I have experienced a change in facial muscle behavior.  My right eye, which was too dry for months, is now weeping often and it is puffy and trying to close when my other eye is open.  The right side of my mouth drools constantly, though not severely.  I consulted the surgeon about this and he said this is normal.  It happens sometimes, they don't know why, and will be temporary.  To me, although the right eye is no longer too dry, it "feels" like a regression. 

I am hoping for a sanity check on this.  Can I trust the physician's promise that this is temporary and will go away on its own? 

Thanks for your time. 

Robert

[jaqiday]

I had retrosig surgery last March and ended up with facial paralysis. I had obvious drooping, dry eye nose and mouth, and I couldn't move the right side of my mouth at all. I was told to wait 6 months to see if it would recover. 6 months came and went and I was feeling very discouraged. Then around 7.5 months I started to regain some tightness in my face. It has gradually improved since. I am going into the 11th month and look almost normal. I still lack complete movement in my cheek and mouth but I can almost close my eye. I am still working on getting the right scleral lens for my eye, but can almost get by with just drops.

Somedays are better than others. I have experienced twitching, feeling like worms are in my nose and sometimes when I close my eye the corner of my mouth turns up. But overall it is improving and I know all these little things mean the nerves are coming back.

Hang in there.  There is no set timeframe on recovery, just estimates.