Alans Bells Palsy

Swollen Feet

Alan — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:11:16 +0000

Weird my feet have swollen up and can barely see my ankles.

Today 9-27

Alan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:23:42 +0000

Let me start with last night since today actually started with last night. The Prednisone just doesnt let me sleep. It kept me awake until about 8:30 this morning then I slept until about noon. I had one pill left to take of the steroid last night but didnt take it. Wanted to go to sleep with out shooting my blood sugars through the roof again and having to take extra insulin.

Woke up and blood sugars were at 233, took the Prednisone and the last steroid (so glad it was the last pill) and after 45 minutes to an hour I was up to 285. Took 25 units of insulin and will check again in a little while.
I feel my blood sugar levels hae alot to do with how well I am doing with the Bells Palsy. I will be doing well and feeling improvement then sugars go up after taking my meds and my bells palsy symptoms become worse.
I hope now I am done with the steroids my sugars wont be so out of control and my assumption is correct and my symptoms will lessen.

Until next time…

First days and today

Alan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:09:54 +0000

Ok let me see if I can get this done before either my eye gets tired or something else distracts me away.

I wanted to make a list of all the things that were affecting me over the first days and where I am at today.

The first days

Left eye was wide open and I could not close it.

Right side of mouth looked swollen and felt numb like I had some major dental work done when I was asleep.

Left side of mouth would not move and everything that I tried to drink just ran out of the side of my mouth.

Have to drink from a straw, no drinking from a glass or bottle or it just flows right back out

Eating is very difficult, things get caught between my lips and gums, hard to chew etc.

Strange taste in left side of mouth. Kinda tasted like blood but was no sign of blood or and injury.

Light really bothers my left eye. Makes me cringe and cover it when light hits it.

Really difficult to speak, half my mouth not moving and lips feel numb. Sounds like I am drunk or something.

Obvious difference in the two sides of my face.

Eye dry then tears heavily

Blood sugars fairly normal for me

Today 10 days later

I have am able to move my eye lid a little, mostly after first waking up then it tires and gets harder.

Am able to go a couple of hours with out patch over eye as long as I have my sunglasses on.

Light still bothers my eye

Mouth seems to be moving a little better and doesnt look as deformed when I wake up but as day goes on it goes back. Seems to correspond to my blood sugar levels. As glucose levels go up my symptoms worsen.

I either have gotten very used to drinking from a straw or am able to drink easier.

Same with eating, while still not natural or the easiest thing to do, it is easier than it was. Either I have learned how or am making progress.

Still have to tape my eye shut at night and about 50% of the time during the day.

Blood sugar levels are way way out of control. I was told the steroid would cause problems with my blood sugars but should be able to control them with the insulin.

Blood sugars are running from 233 to 495 and am taking 20 – 25 units of insulin 3 to 4 times a day.

Friday 9-25

Alan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:41:52 +0000

I woke today feeling well and blood sugar was at 109. Had a good feeling about today. My lip even felt a little less paralysed.
Took my Meds and blood sugar jumped to 236.

Lets see how the day goes.

Thursday Night 9-24 – Friday Morning 9-25

Alan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:58:36 +0000

The next post I made, I was planning on listing the different things that have affected me so I have a baseline to compare against over time so I can see as things get better. That will have to be later after I wake up.

Having a terrible time tonight with blood sugar levels. Feels like I am taking more insulin than food these last few days. I went up to 263 after my first bells palsy meds when I woke up, after second dose I was a little better I was at 233. When I got home tonight I tested again and was feeling real bad and was up to 456. After I think my fourth insulin injection and an hour and half or so I was down to 366. Taking another injection and going to bed. I hope to feel better tomorrow so I can do what I had planned to do with the blog.

I also hope to get some Platinum Rock Star pictures and videos up on my main blog alanogden.com
Talk to you tomorrow

7 days with Bell’s Palsy

Alan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:09:03 +0000

Well it has been 7 days now with Bell’s Palsy…

There are a few things I left out of previous posts. The first thing is I have had this strange taste in the affected side (left) of my mouth that tastes almost like blood but dont see any actual blood and is probably just a strange taste sensation they said I may have.

I mentioned my blood sugar levels and it continues to be an struggle to keep them under control. Along with this trouble sleeping, I have not been able to get to sleep yet and it is now around 8am. I lay down and cant sleep at all tonight. Other times I get to sleep but am up at 4 or 5 am and cant sleep till 4 or 5am the following morning.

As for the actual symptoms of the Bell’s Palsy. My eye is still probably the thing that bothers me the most. I usually keep it taped or covered with an eye patch since wind or air blowing in it irritates it along with light hitting it causing me to cringe and have to cover it up. About 2 hours with out being covered or taped is about all I can handle at this time. And that has been with my sunglasses on to keep the light out.

As for my mouth speaking is difficult and eating is a pain in the butt and drinking with out a straw is next to impossible. What I can eat ends up getting caught between my gums and my teeth. When at home this isnt a big deal but out in public its a mess. We made a mistake of going out to dinner at a restaurant one night and the looks I got and the problems I had because I ordered with out thinking about what I can eat.

I havent shaved in the last 7 days and it kinda hides the affects of the mouth movements.

I feel kinda petty when I get down about this since I see so many stroke survivors that have so many more problems and seem to be so happy.

Most of the time I am able to joke about my mouth and the way I speak and I think it helps ease the tension of the people I am around. But when I get myself laughing I loose all control over my mouth.

I know I will think of other things I forgot and will add them later. Maybe some pictures so I, and you, can see the improvement over time.

Until next time..

Friday 9-18-09

Alan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:49:11 +0000

Visited Dr office and Bells Palsy was further explained to me by Dr., he explained that they are not sure what causes Bells Palsy but there were two thoughts. One was that it was a virus and the second that something causes the nerve to become inflamed causing it not to be able to function properly. He answered my questions and prescribed two medications and put me off work for 7 days. The medications were an anti viral and a steroid to bring down the inflammation. Prednisone and Acyclovir which have their own issues. I am a diabetic and one of the meds, I believe it is the Acyclovir plays havoc with my diabetes and the Prednisone keeps me awake all night.

I guess the good thing is that I am on insulin so can raise my insulin to counter the jump in sugar levels.
My blood sugar levels have been all over the place. From low 200’s to 500 and am taking insulin 2-3 times a day now to try and keep the sugar levels down.

More later…..

Thursday 9-17-09

Alan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:37:39 +0000

I woke up and knew something was not quite right. Mouth was out of shape and eye was really irritated and couldnt close it. I got ready for work and figured I would call the doctor from work and get checked out. When I arrived at work I was told why did I come in I should go and see my doctor. It was 6:30 am and the call center does not open until 7:00am so I said I will wait until the call center opens then call and get in to be seen. At 7:00am I was on the phone with the triage nurse when my director showed up with the director of the ER department (I work in a hospital) and she said they needed to check me for signs of a stroke and made me hang up with the triage nurse and took me into the ER. Of course my health plan is Kaiser and the hospital I work at is not a Kaiser facility so it out of plan.
The Dr came in to see me and took one look and said it appears I have Bell’s Palsy. He said he wanted to run a few tests just to make sure there was no sign of a stroke but was pretty sure it was “just” Bell’s Palsy.

After some blood work and a CT scan (more scared to see the bill than I was of my diagnosis). I was told everything checks out and I was going to be released to follow up with the ENT department at kaiser. I wwas given an anti viral and a prescription. I was also told I would hear from my Dr’s office by 3:00 pm and if not call them. It was around 9-10am when I was released and by the time I stopped by my office and informed them of what was going on and got out to my car, I received a call from my Dr’s office. The nurse said Dr Cutler asked her to call and set up an appointment for the first thing the follow morning and if he didnt have an opening to get me into see another Dr. (Thank you Dr Cutler)
We made an appointment for the following morning.

I went home and went to Rite Aid and got some liquid tear eye drops suggested by the pharmacist.

Wednesday 9-16-09

Alan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:21:39 +0000

Yesterday and today I kept getting this numbing feeling in my tongue, usually after brushing my teeth. I thought something had gotten on my toothbrush some how and was causing my tongue to go numb. Later in the night I noticed my eye was very red and irritated and put some eye drops in my eye. As I was going to bed it seemed my right side of my mouth was feeling swollen and my mouth felt numb like I had just had some major dental work done. I went to bed and figured all would be ok in the morning