Personal HFS History - Kathy Adams
My name is Kathy Adams, I’m 31 years old and I live in South Carolina (USA). My face started twitching in 1998 with a mild flutter around the right eye. It was not prominent, and seemed to go away for a while, and then return. Over a few years, it got worse. In 1998 I saw an eye doctor about it and he said it was stress. As the twitching got worse, and people started to notice, I made an appointment with a local neurologist who suggested Botox®. He mentioned a MRI, but did not think it was necessary. He also mentioned brain surgery, but did not say "MVD" and sounded almost like he was joking, and that it was not an option I should consider.
My first Botox® injections were in 2003. My eye was very dry and hard to close for about two weeks, but it did seem to stop the spasms for about 4 months. My second Botox® treatment was in August 2003 and that time my eye was completely shut for almost a month. I was devastated and terrified that my eye would not open again. The spasms did lessen, but were still noticeable.
I work in a dental office and one of the dentists took a special interest in my facial condition, and made an appointment for me at the Medical College of Georgia where I saw Dr. Sethi, and he was wonderful! Dr. Sethi convinced me he was "the master" at giving Botox® injections so I did one more time. I also had some injections in the cheek area for the first time. The injections caused the right side of my face to droop which took away my smile. This was the most difficult. The spasms were still there but milder. This was in June of 2004. At a post Botox® appointment, we discussed surgery as a serious option.He told me to wait until the Botox® wore off, and to return to see Dr. Joseph Smith, who would do the surgery.
I waited on the Botox® to wear off and then my parents, boyfriend, and I returned to Augusta, GA (USA) to see Dr. Smith. We were all fully expecting to schedule the surgery at that time. Dr. Smith was warm, friendly and helpful, as was his assistant. Dr. Smith studied my MRI, and told us that there was either a benign tumor or a mass of blood vessels hitting on the seventh nerve. He said this would be complicated surgery and he would prefer that I go to see Dr. Jannetta in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Jannetta's nurse called me a few days later (after Dr. J had seen my MRI). She said that the surgery would have to be March 3, 2005, in order for nine months to have passed since my last Botox® injection.
At this point, all arrangements are made. I am scheduled for the MVD with Dr. Jannetta on March 3, 2005. I am very hopeful, positive and ready to be a member of the "SPASM FREE CLUB"!
Permission granted the HFSA to post Personal HFS History on website.
Kathy Adams, February 06, 2005
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