Bell's Palsy Support Group

I developed bells when I was 38 weeks pregnant with our first baby, it was hard because I was told after I have the baby it would all go away, my hopes of taking pictures with my daughter was lost because I couldn't smile, I was so unhappy with my look I would pass any mirror in my path, after 6 months my eye was getting better and the swelling in my face got better too, now 2.5 years later I still can't smile. I look much better than before but I am not confidence like I once was.
We decided to have another baby and as I was scared it would happy again my daughter brought so much joy to me I couldn't let fear get in the way of true happiness. I am happy to say it didn't come back, my heart is happy with 2 beautiful chilren.
I just wish my face showed it more.
I never thought this would really make a huge effect on my life but it does. Its hard for me to get out there because I can still feel it when I talk and smile....
good luck with your film.

I developed bells palsy 8 days ago, i was out for dinner with my husband, we were eating at a new indian resturaunt that i have wanted to try for a while, when i was eating i found the food tasted like metal, i said to my husband "the food tastes weird" and he said he thought it was ok and he tried mine and said it seemed ok. I put it down to maybe having burnt my tongue and not remembering, then the next day my left side of my face felt numb, i told my husband and he just said it seemed rather weird and maybe i should just go to the doctors and see what they say. By the late afternoon i couldnt move my left side of my face so i got scared and went to the ER and was then diagnosed with bells palsy, they told me it could take weeks or months to see any improvement and i went home and looked in the mirror and realised my whole left side of my face was completley dead, i couldnt smile, only a half smile came out, and when my baby 19month old Tayler saw me the first time she cryed and ran away, and my eldest daughter tried to cheer me up and when i started laughing she told me to stop laughing as i was starting to freak her out, and then my 10 yr old copies my smile and thinks its funny, i know they are only being kids but it really hurts and when i started back at work i had an old lady yell at me because she said she couldnt understand a word i was saying, and told me to talk properly, this has been the worst 8 days of my life and everytime i look in the mirror and im smiling i start crying because i look like a freak, but from this moment on im going to start working on getting better, and improve this smile of mine which i took for granted, i will never ever take it for granted again, when i get it back i will be keeping it :) good luck i hope this helps your film, i think what your doing is amazing as not many people know about this disease and they really should because it could happen to them and even you, it happend to george cloony did you know that? well good luck and thanks :)

Just diagnosed with BP... I am an alternative medicine practitioner, including acupuncturist. If you still need info or people, I would be happy to help out... I live in Calabasas, and work in Beverly Hills...
Best wishes, I hope your film brings comfort to many who suffer with this condition!! Best wishes, S