Just had my 2nd episode of Bell's Palsy in two years yesterday.

Last one was March 2022 and affected the left side of my face.

It paralysed my ability to swallow, left eye lids, Facial muscles
with everything drooping down & my face never fully recovered
from that episode.

Yesterday the same thing started again only on my right side of
my face with the same symptoms once again occurring.

Went to the emergency room just to rule out a possible stroke
but a cat scan, EKG, x-rays, and multiple blood draws/tests ruled that out.

ER doctor prescribed prednisone, and an antibiotic and sent me home
with instructions to get over the counter salve to keep the eye protected.

My most challenging issue is keeping my eye from drying out
because the eye lids will not close and I can't blink due to the paralysis.

I can sleep only with a Bi-pap machine, and normal air leakage turns my
eye into a dried out raisin by the time I wake up in the AM.

Has anyone that had bell's palsy have any tips for keeping the eye
closed and hydrated besides the normal eye drops and salve ?

Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions; they are appreciated.

Signed "ONE EYED WALLEYED"

Beware of prednizone, nasty, nasty med. Messy me up badly. I had your affliction years ago, they wanted to cut the nerve and I would not let them. Wish I had some answers for you.

Walleyed
Lyme disease, guaranteed pm me if u want my opinion elaborated on.

Could you put an eyepatch over it? I don't know never had that issue but I'd think one like you'd use after Lasix one that dosen't touch the eye itself just a curved cover.

Maybe you could tape your eyelid closed or something.

Good luck Bob, now Boco is gonna call ya one eyed Bob, sounds like a gunfighter name.

I can't believe nobody has suggested super glue yet!

Walleyed, I wish I had answers. I had it years ago. First got it when I was 14 or 15 years old. Last time was about 25 years ago. I have been told that once you have it, it's there forever. I never researched it.
My episodes (not sure that's the right term) usually lasted about a week or a little longer. Pretty sure I still have the drooping face but I have had a full beard for years. It doesn't seem to effect my eyelids much. Mouth still drops, though.
Good luck.

Tried that but it is impossible to accomplish one handed & one eyed
without sticking tape onto your cornea.

Don't ask me how I know this.

w

A friend had Bell's Palsy and use a tenz(sp) unit on her face muscles to stop the droop. It worked for her.

3 times for me
The last time I got dry eye and still have some permanent damage. mostly driving at night.
Ointment and a patch is the biggest thing that I know to keep from damaging your eye.
I personally had no problem with the prednisone, I believe it helped me from getting prolonged nerve damage.

Laser therapy has worked wonders…but it should be done at the immediate onset

I had it several years ago. My wife pulled my eye lid down and put a small piece of tape on it. Keep it on for about a week then took it off.
I too took prednisone with no side effects. Took about 3 weeks to get over it with no lasting effects

I had it many years ago. I had to have surgery to allow the nerve to work again. Prednizone and shock therapy did not work. I still have a little affect from it. Hope it goes away for you. The surgery was the only thing that helped me. They waited about 8 weeks to do it. Should have had surgery earlier.

On a different more refreshing note ? How you gonna see to get to the rat wagon to sell your fur?

Try Drug Mart, Walgreens, or other pharmacy. You may be able to buy oval eye bandages. They are about 1/8 of an inch thick and somewhat padded. Use the ointment, put the eye bandage over your eye and tape that down.

I shall squint through my one 20-13 eye on Saturday to
make the arduous journey to the rat wagon to barter my
pitiful stack of coon, rat, & mink hides to "Fontenelle".

Groeny Rocks !!!

w