How far past surgery can one experience facial weakness?

[anissa]

I noticed this morning, and I really hadn't looked that close before so I'm sure it didn't happen last night, that my AN side eye is open a little wider than my other and the corner of my mouth is different than the "good" side.  It also (AN side corner of my mouth) feels weird like I'm leaving the dentist after a filling.  I have all the feeling in my face it just feels different.  I just have to wonder if something is going to happen now after 3 weeks?  I don't think a person would notice unless I told them so its slight.

[Jim Scott]

Anissa ~

I can't answer your question to a medical certainty but I doubt there is a set timframe for experiencing facial weakness, albeit slight.  I'm almost 3 years out of surgery and can feel a slight difference from my AN side to my 'good' side.  Nothing noticeable.  I believe we tend to be somewhat hyper-aware of these things, post-op - but I could be wrong. 

Jim

[Lilan]

Maybe as you're going off meds you're having a little rebound swelling? You are still near enough to surgery that I would think it could be a post-surgical reason along those lines.

[Keri]

Hi Anissa,
Hope you're recovery is going well... I don't know if you're still posting updates regularly, and I sometimes don't know where to look for people.
I think if facial weakness was going to become a big issue for you and you were going to digress, it would have happened by now; probably a day or so post op.
It seems that those who have problems (myself included) get it really fast post op.
Are you having a follow up soon?
Keri

[Dan]

anissa,
I can't tell you how long after surgery you can start haveing facial weakness, but I can tell you that I had no facial weakness the first 7 days after surgery and then within 48 hrs I had no movement.  Whats good though is the nerve wasn't damaged during or before surgery and it has alot better chance for full recovery.  I had about 80% recovery within 2 months and over the last 2 years I would say I have over 90% recovery.
I agree with Lilan, if I were you I would ask the Dr and maybe he will give you meds for post surgery swelling.  My Dr gave me something, but I don't remember what it was as soon as I noticed the first signs of weakness.   

Dan in Germany

[joebloggs]

Hi Anissa,

Don't know how long after surgery it can take for things to crop up but I can tell you my AN eye suddenly stopped closing 12 days after surgery.  Docs put it down to post-op swelling around the nerve.  Following 6 days of steroids it's all back to regular.

Hope that helps?

JB x

[Keri]

wow, glad others chimed in - i didn't know things cropped up that many days post op.
anyway, anissa, i wish you the best on all of this.
keri

[NancyMc]

I all but begged for more steroids at my suture removal, not because of the buzz (I know what you're thinking, Steve.) but rather because my biggest fear is extended or recurrent swelling in that ol' cranium o' mine.  I've already got Brackmann III facial weakness, and when they saw me 12 days post-op, they said I was worse than I had been in the hospital.  They drew a graphing curve in the air of common decline rates in facial nerve function post-op.  So, I am hyper-aware.
Good luck, Anissa.  Do you go back six weeks post-op?

[Kim Zingale]

The same thing happened to me. After my course of steroids ended on Feb. 21, I experienced increased facial weakness that popped up about a week later (I know for sure it was there on March 3). Then it just went back to normal maybe a week after it started? I didn't really notice it until I realized, hey my face feels fine again. Anissa - it was very similar to what you're describing - my smile became a tad asymmetrical and that whole side just felt a little less animated than usual. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it gets a lot worse.

Kim

[anissa]

Thank you all so much for your replies!  I think I am hyper-aware.  I have a follow-up appointment on May 7th (5 weeks) so we'll see how things look then.  I tell you, I take nothing for granted now, especially regarding health. 

[Cheryl R]

I would think if anything  big was going to happen, then it would have by now.     I don't think it is unusal for small things to be off for a time.       I feel like I have had some odd goings on at times.                Even my left side which has been the latest surgery a year ago and no facial paralysis  can have some odd twitches and have had some odd feelings   that made me wonder why on that side.   Nothing big and I know my MRI is ok.                                       Just another thing to keep watch on.
                                                                   Cheryl R