My Bells Palsy story began on a Monday morning. I noticed I couldn’t rub my lips together the way I typically do after I apply chapstick. I didn’t think much of it. After lunch, I looked in the mirror and noticed my smile wasn’t quite right and the blink on the right side of my face was a bit slow.

I called my dad (a doctor) who said it sounded like Bells Palsy The word “palsy” made me start crying uncontrollably. To complicate matters, I was almost 20 weeks pregnant. A quick trip to the doctor confirmed I had Bells Palsy At the appointment, I mentioned I also had a pain in my right ear. The doctor didn’t see anything concerning. I was given a script for 10 days of steroids, which I was assured were safe during pregnancy.

The first few days, I took my illness in stride. Sure, my face didn’t quite work, but I had been assured by many doctors that the syndrome resolves itself and most people recover quickly. Then, the lack of sleep started to get to me. Between the steroids and the pregnancy, I found I could barely sleep. Then, the descent into craziness began.

I started googling “Bells Palsy” like crazy. Soon, it started to seem as though nobody “really” recovered. There were all these sites where it seemed as though every member had some residual effects. Then, I found a study that said pregnant patients are less likely to fully recover. That night I noticed a scab in my ear. Being the googler that I was, I knew that it could be that I had Ramsay Hunt. Ramsay Hunt seemed to be even scarier than Bells Palsy. The recovery rate was less, and patients had a host of other problems.

The next day I went back to the doctor. I was diagnosed with Shingles and Bells Palsy. No mention of Ramsay Hunt was made. From my research, it seemed as though Ramsay Hunt must be what I had. I was prescribed an antiviral which was “presumed” safe for pregnancy. That day was one of the worst in my life. I was inconsolable.

The next few days weren’t much better. I studied my face every day in the mirror. I seemed as though it would never get better. I couldn’t believe I couldn’t make 1/2 my face move, no matter how hard I tried. I became more obsessed with my face than I was with my unborn baby. I felt like a horrible mother. I wasn’t sleeping and was crying regularly. I couldn’t stop googling, and became convinced it wasn’t going to get any better.

It did get better though. About two weeks after I was diagnosed, I noticed slight movement in my cheek (very slight), the next day I noticed slight movement on my forehead. After I started noticing improvements, there was no stopping my recovery. It didn’t happen all at once. It took about 8 weeks for me to recover after I noticed the first sign of improvement. I kept hoping that I would see improvement every day. But, many days I didn’t. However, each week I could see noticeable improvements from the week before. It’s been 8 weeks since my diagnosis, and you would never be able to tell I ever had the palsy (as I like to call it). I’m sure there is some healing still happening. Nerves are finicky things - it takes them a long time to regenerate and reconnect. Healing often continues for 18 months.

Once I started noticing signs of recovery, I promised myself that I would share my story. Too many sites have stories and comments that make it seem as though this diagnosis is permanent. It isn’t. Most people get better, it’s just that their not the ones who continue to frequent Bells Palsy sites. Please remember this.

Before I had any signs of healing, it felt like the right side of my face had been hit with a baseball bat. My face felt tender when I put on my make-up. I also noticed spark-like feelings in my face. This feeling happened a few times each day. About 5 days after I started having these feelings, my recovery started. The facial tenderness continued for about 1-2 weeks, though the healing took 8 weeks.

To help speed my recovery, I took B 12 vitamins, got acupuncture, and slept only on my non-palsy side. My dad assured me that B 12 vitamins likely did nothing, as the vitamin is not easily absorbed unless given in a shot. He seemed indifferent to the acupuncture though my research seemed to support it. It gave me a sense of control that I didn’t otherwise have, though. My acupuncturist focused mainly on relaxation the first visit. He said that once the brain relaxes, the healing can begin. It sounded cheesy, yet believable. I got it once a week for three weeks. After that, it became too uncomfortable for me to lay flat for an hour. As for the sleeping, once the healing began, my dad told me not to put pressure on that side of my face because it could hinder the healing process. I also ate nothing but healthy foods. I figured I would give my body the best fuel possible.

I don’t know if I truly had Ramsay Hunt or Bells Palsy. Patients with Ramsay Hunt seemed to have dizziness and hearing loss, which I didn’t experience. I guess it doesn’t matter what the exact medical term is.

Baby Girl has been unaffected by the entire experience. Steroids are often given to pregnant women for all sorts of purposes. The antivirals are also common. Because I had already had chicken pox, baby was protected from the Shingles I am now 28 weeks and ultrasounds and testing have shown an active, healthy baby. I am now back to frequenting baby sites as opposed to medical sites.

If you are suffering from Bells Palsy/Shingles/Ramsay Hunt please trust your body. The chances that you will recover are in your favor. Get as much rest as possible; your body needs rest to recover. Try to stay positive and stay away from the internet. Trust that you will get better. And, when you do, share your story! The internet should be a place where people can find hope, too!