Last Friday my ear started hurting. Thought I had an ear infection and decided to wait til Monday to go to the urgent care.
Sunday morning my face was sore and tingly.
Sunday evening I was driving home and decided to go to the ER. My face was numb like it was novicained, my eye wouldn't shut, couldn't move the left side.
ER I saw a nurse practitioner. She said Bells Palsy, gave me Prednisone. Asked if I had been bitten by a tick. Well, sure, 8 years ago I was first diagnosed when I had bullseyes head to toe and meningitis.
She said since I always "test positive" for antibodies they did a titer test.
Tuesday I saw my regular doc, who seemed to think I had a reaction to chicken pox or herpes and gave me antiviral drug and said the cortisone was appropriate. When I asked how long my face would be useless on the left side, he said "oh well you should get most of your function back, and if you don't then only you will notice".
ER doc called Wednesday. Titers Came back as 2.7. Not sure what this figures out to be, I have no clue. Called in a prescription for amoxicillin for 3 weeks.
My face hurts, but its numb, my eye won't shut and I have to keep it taped shut. My mouth doesn't work, I sound like I am drunk. I can't move my forehead or my nose.
Its my eye that bothers me the most. I am very sensitive to tape adhesive even paper tape. My skin is peeling off when I have to change the tape. I just am so frustrated. I feel so grotesque and ashamed to go out of the house, but I can't avoid it because I have to work.
Does anyone have any insight or ideas that I can to relieve this poor sore eye? I just don't know what to do.
Posted by gatorade girl (Member # 24896) on :
When they called back what did they say about the prednisone?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Pretty sure that was the ELISA test and if so, you are positive .. hence the amoxy.
Call them and ask if you can get off the prednisone (may have to taper). With lyme disease, steroids will make it harder to get well .. and can make the Lyme worse.
Posted by gatorade girl (Member # 24896) on :
I agree with Lyme too. Call them and ask if you should taper the steroids.
Posted by hopeful4 (Member # 8486) on :
Although I have no experience with Bell's Palsy I have an idea for your eye. If you were to wear a fitted patch, would that keep it closed? Maybe you could buy one at a medical supply store, or ask your doctor or an opthamologist where to find one.
Others here are correct in saying that you should talk to your doctor about tapering off the steroids. Steroids are known to drive the Lyme bacteria further into the tissues, making it more difficult to eradicate.
Antivirals will help only if the Bell's Palsy is caused by the viruses you mentioned.
I've read that 60% of people with Bell's Palsy have Lyme disease. I've also read that the Bell's Palsy may just resolve itself over time, although that doesn't help you right now.
It may be caused by inflammation, so perhaps reducing the inflammation in your body through diet and supplements would be helpful. Not sure, just seems logical.
In the long term, it would be best for you to get in for an appointment with an LLMD. If you don't know one, you can post your request in the Seeking Doctor section of Lymenet.
Best wishes.
Posted by JAC (Member # 34240) on :
I had bells palsy for a couple months. You need to keep your eye moistened with drops through out the day. Something like moisture replenish would work.
I worked at a bank as a teller when I had mine. Yes I was embarrassed. Residual side effects were only noticable to myself. My one eye drops a little and I notice it more so in pictures taken of me.
The thing that scared the bejabbers out of me is when the numbness spread through out the left side of my body. Parathesia, they were poking me with needles while my eyes were closed.
Never felt a thing. I opened my eyes up to my left side being covered in blood spots. They never tested me for lyme at the hospital er. You were fortunate!
If you ever watched law and order criminal intent, the one captain wore a patch over his eye because in real life he had belsy palsy.
You could put a gauze pad over your eye first and the tape over top of it. If your embarrassed try making a sticker of an eye and putting it on the guaze. People will laugh and get you smiling over it too. Tell them your keeping your eye on them
I know it sucks big time and I can empathize with you. Hang in there.
Posted by JAC (Member # 34240) on :
It might not be a bad idea if you work with the public to see someone in HR about a medical leave. Perhaps getting a dr note. Its worth a shot if it stresses you out to be around people and if your appearance comes accross as though your intoxicated.
My tongue didn't work well either. Needless to say I kept my mouth shut as much as possible. My left side of my mouth drooped as well. Not a pretty sight I thought. Best wishes.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Vitamin B12 may help.
Bell's Palsy IS Lyme until proven otherwise. Get off the steroids.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Someone with Sjogren's uses SARAN WRAP over their eyes at night .. more comfortable than goggles!! You could wear a patch of it during the day. Use the new clingy stuff.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
UP FOR KEYLYME
Posted by KeyLymePye (Member # 34466) on :
I have been Lyme positive for 8 years- many many years of antibiotics. Said nothing about the prednisone. I will taper it off. They only gave me 6 days worth at 60 mg a day.
This evening I can with great effort very slightly move my upper eyelid, but my eye still doesn't stay shut without taping. I react to tape so my face looks like hamburger.
Posted by KeyLymePye (Member # 34466) on :
And today I was shaking so hard, vomiting, and muscle pain. Praying this is these little jerks dying.
Posted by KeyLymePye (Member # 34466) on :
This is aweful. My other eye is getting blurry and I keep seeing purple streaks like the Northern Lights. My mom is taking me to the ER in a bit.
Posted by JAC (Member # 34240) on :
Keylyme I hope all goes well for you at ER.
Posted by KeyLymePye (Member # 34466) on :
They sent me home after giving me a liter of fluids. Said follow up with my doctor tomorrow. I keep vomiting, most likely from the antibiotics.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Glad you are home! Be sure to take the abx with FOOD and plenty of water!!
Posted by KeyLymePye (Member # 34466) on :
I can't barely swallow, my throat just isn't working. I can choke down things like yogurt, water makes me choke and vomit.
The only way I can drink without choking is to lean over the kitchen sink and drink out of my hand under the faucet. It goes down then.
My face looks like hamburger, my skin is peeling off from the adhesive tape (and it is hypoallergenic!!) and eye patches.
Posted by talliris (Member # 34182) on :
I had Bell's Palsy & severe heasache as presenting symptons. I had no idea I had Lyme and was given pregnisone and anti-viral for 10 days and the Bell's Palsy did remit quickly. But the headache was still present and 6 wks later after neuro signs started to appear I tested positive on estern Blot with all 10 bands! I was put on Doxy, 300 mg a day for 40 days until my Medical Practices Infectious Disease Dr. finally gave me IV for 28 days, Rosephsan. I was bit mid June, has Palsy early July, Aug. symptons went through the roof, CNS, Neuro., joints and depressed. Oct.19, started IV treatment. Now I am trying to get my diet correct, homopathic supplements and PRAYER! I am reduced to working then resting, weekends I lay in bed all day. I have no motivation to do any of the "normal" things that I like to do, or need to do. I had a LP and MRI both of which showed Lyme, possible, issues. I did have elvated WBC in CSF. I have learned that 30% of all Bell's Palsy are due to Lyme. If only the neurologist, who interputed my LP & MRI would have been more diligent I would not have gone so long letting this horrible pariscite reek destruction on my body. Ironic, this happened in Boston at one of the great teaching hospitals! I spoke to the head of pathology wondering why Lyme was not dx only to get, "I'll check into this and call you back." That was more than a week ago with no response. Hopefully healing soon!
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