My symptoms started on a Wednesday with a strange sound in my ear, which sounded like mice squeaking. I thought I was run down as I was heavily pregnant and had also had a sinus infection a week prior, which was treated so I was unsure if it was related.
It got to the weekend and I was at a family occasion. One side of my face felt numb when I was having a drink. I have had numb sensations on the side of my face before and have had a previous MRI which came back clear, so I didn’t think much of it. It got to the evening, and I looked in the mirror and the left side of my face seemed different and I couldn’t move my eye normally. This was on the Saturday and my partner was sure it was nothing, but I had a gut feeling as I had heard of Bell’s palsy before.
The next morning, I looked in the mirror again and I just knew. I was worried, especially being 39 weeks pregnant, so I called 111. I had an out of hours appointment and the doctor didn’t really know what to say apart from that my blood pressure was high. I had a trip to the maternity assessment unit and they couldn’t help with my face. After sitting in A&E for what felt like a lifetime, I was finally diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. I was given steroids and had my ears checked due to mentioning the sounds in my ear.
I had a stressful pregnancy with other medical issues, so I was sure it was the stress that had caused it but the doctor explained that sometimes Bell’s palsy can come on for no reason. I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me. I could not look into a mirror for weeks without crying, and I really struggled accepting how I looked. My body had already gone through so much change, so this just felt traumatic to me.
When I went into labour, I’ll never forget worrying about how I was going to smile at my baby boy for the first time. Every picture which was taken of us out of the hospital I avoided my face being in.
After a couple of months, I learnt to embrace my new look. I went from avoiding social events and feeling embarrassed to even order a coffee, to openly sharing my progress on social media – I’d decided not to hide anymore.
After sharing it, I couldn’t believe how many people I knew had gone through the same thing as me before! I also walked half a marathon through London with Ultra Challenges and raised nearly £500 for the Facial Palsy charity.
After 2 MRI scans and other tests, I am now nearly fully recovered. I will never forget waking my partner up at 5am in the morning when I felt and saw the slightest movement on the left side of my mouth – this was the start of my recovery.
When I was diagnosed, I spent hours reading other people’s stories and this really helped me to not feel alone, so I wanted to share mine here in hopes that this helps somebody going through something similar.
Disclaimer: Please note that views expressed are person’s own and should not be considered a recommendation of particular medical treatments, therapies or surgeries. We would always advise you seek advice from a health professional with experience in facial palsy who can assess your individual needs.