Personal HFS History - Lucy Quek

JANUARY 2002:

I had a bout of flu and my right eye was puffy and my eye appears to be closing. I was a little busy during that period and did not consult a doctor. Subsequently I noticed a constant pulsation on my lower eyelid - it is beating constantly like a heart beat. For a few months it did not go away, I went to my company doctor who referred me to Neurologist at the hospital.

AUGUST 2002:

After waiting for more than 1 hour the Neurologist saw me for about 5-10 minutes, he asked some questions and did some simple test on my face and did not tell me what the problem was. Based on his findings, I think he did not think I had any tumor, he asked if I wanted a MRI. At that time I did not think it was necessary. He suggested I return to him for Botox®.

OCTOBER 2002:

I was given my first Botox®. I decided it was only a stop- gap measure as it only paralyzed my facial nerve and it is not a long-term solution. I began searching for alternative treatments.

EARLY 2003:

I went to a Chinese physician who prescribed Chinese herbs ground into powder. I started acupuncture treatment. In total I had 18 sessions. It was quite painful as he uses 3 needles in one location and twirls the needles around. Occasionally he had to wipe my tears for me. I decided that it was not working.

AUGUST 2003:

I went to a 2nd Neurologist in private practice who diagnosed Hemifacial Spasm. He suggested that Botox® prescription is the right prescription, as they do not normally suggest operation. The operation involves opening up the back of the skull, try and rearrange the blood vessels and it sometime works. In my mind I dismissed operation straight away.

I also started taking Qigong (Zhi-neng Qigong) and going for massages. I also tried to understand my condition further by looking for articles on the Internet on Hemifacial spasm. I did not find HFSA during that this time.

2004:

Someone suggested I see a holistic doctor. Basically I have to change my diet, cut out white flour, white sugar etc. For each visit I will be prescribed with a few varieties of pills and he will do some cranial massages. After 6 visit and 6 months later, (and cost me a lot of money) I decided that it did not work.

EARLY 2005:

I went for a health check up. I explained to the doctor about my hemifacial spasm. She suggested that I should go back to Botox®. At that time the spasm was getting stronger, I was getting desperate. She recommended a plastic surgeon.

MARCH 2005:

I went for my 2nd Botox® – it helps reduce the eye spasm, which makes driving easier.

JUNE 2005:

I went for my 3rd Botox®

AUGUST 2005:

I went for my 4th Botox® - you can see it is only 2 months from my 3rd Botox®. I had to travel on business in Sept, so I wanted to control my spasm.

Subsequently I saw some of the pictures taken of me and I freaked out. It was horrible. My face looked distorted and as if I had suffered a stroke. BOTOX® is OUT.

My masseuse suggested I try acupuncture again. She recommended an acupuncture center set up by a Professor in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). The professor even gives talk on treating hemifacial spasm with acupuncture. This really gave me hope again.

JANUARY – JUNE 2006:

I started going to the acupuncture center. I had a total of about 60 sessions. The first 10-15 treatments, were by the Professor himself, but each time the waiting hour is close to 2 hours. I opted to be treated by another of his capable acupuncturist at his center. The sessions helped to improve my facial weakness that I have been experiencing after the 3 Botox® sessions I had in 2005, it also helped to reduce facial muscle fatigue. During the course of my treatment, my acupuncturist went to China to take a test on TCM. On her return she said something like, “In China, HFS patients go for operation not for acupuncture”.

I was also beginning to feel that perhaps I should find out about the final option, operation, since HFS is a mechanical problem and acupuncture would not be able to solve the problem.

JULY 2006:

I began searching more diligently on Hemifacial Spasm and MVD and found, on the website of one of our hospital in Singapore, an article on “Decompression of HFS with Intraoperative Monitoring guidance using EMG and BAER. I also found the HFSA website and began to read all of the Member's Profiles, HFS Personal Histories, MVD Diaries and the technical papers on HFS, MVD and success rate. I was inspired.

I started researching Neurosurgeons in Singapore and found a website which listed all the registered neurosurgeons in Singapore and where they were practicing. At this point I also got in touch with two Singapore HFSA members, Frances and Priscilla.

I consulted the first neurosurgeon but was unable to make a decision, because I was not assured that he had any prior MVD experience.

AUGUST 2006:

I consulted the second neurosurgeon, Dr Ho, who has been doing MVD's for many years back and has even visited Dr Jannetta in the USA. I was very assured and made a decision to go ahead with a MVD with Dr Ho.

25th Oct 2006 – MVD day

Permission granted the HFSA to post Personal HFS History on website.
Lucy Quek, November 25, 2006

 

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