Brief Answer:
May be viral illness coming on

Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon and thanks for submitting your question. My name's Dr. Saghafi and I would like to answer your concerns. Here we go---

You say that for a few days now you've been feeling dizzy and off balance as well as tired though you seem to be getting plenty of sleep.

Your penmanship's not been what you consider it's "normal good looking self!" Perhaps, most importantly (to me at least) is your symptom of feeling a tingling sensation over the right side of the face....and ? maybe? some numbness as well?

So, the first thing that strikes me is that your symptoms of dizziness, fatigue, and imbalance are what we usually hear when sometimes has a viral illness (perhaps in the ear). And that is probably close to being the case with you. Except there is this odd feeling over the right side of the face. Are you by chance having any weakness or fatigue when you chew your food, any mild drooling from the right side of your mouth, did you have any shooting or stabbing pains BEHIND your right earlobe any time within the past 2-3 weeks that may have gone away within a few days?

Are you able to fully close the eyelid on the right side compared to the left side?

If you've answered YES to any of the above questions or even MAYBE then, it is possible that you are in what we would call the PRODROMAL period of what could turn out to be a Bell's palsy. If any of this is true or becomes true in the next day or so then, an immediate visit to your primary doctor may allow them to prescribe medications to head off the brunt of what could happen in terms of motor weakness of the face and numbness and tingling of the face on the right side to the point of where it may become difficult to chew, eat, and drink.

You may even consider going to your doctor with what's going on now even if you answer NO to any of the above questions I posed just so they can examine you to determine whether or not you actually do have evidence of what could become or is a mild form of Bell's. Again, the quicker you catch this thing and start treating the more success you could have in reducing its intensity.

You may not abort the attack altogether because usually that's not possible but you can blunt the effects tremendously if you get a head start before any of the other things start happening that I asked you about.

In the mean time, your job now is to carefully monitor things and if any of what I mentioned starts coming true (including severe headaches, redness of the right eye, tearing, scratchy feeling of the right eye, etc.) then, off to the doctor's tout de suite! You also need to increase your fluid intake (water, juice, milk) and stop all soda pop, caffeinated beverages, no Red Bulls, or whatever else you guys carry to school in your backpacks to down when you're on break...unless like I said, it's water, juice, or milk. Stop alcohol, no smoking, and get really healthy for the next few days to see if you can stimulate your immune system to kick it up a notch. You can start in on high dose Vitamin C (powder form which is found at Whole Foods stores and also some Trader Joe's....don't know if you have those stores nearby) at least 2500 or 3000 mg. daily....it's a little sour but good stuff to bolster the immune system.

If you feel this information young lady has helped you and that I've answered your questions would you do me a big favor by posting a little written feedback and giving me some STARS to go along with that? I'd be most appreciative. For once you get to grade the TEACHER! HAHA!

At the same time if you have no further questions to ask about this situation then, would you also be so kind as to CLOSE THE QUERY which will show the network that I've addressed your concerns to your satisfaction.

Thanks again for posting your question and giving me the opportunity to chime in..I hope we get this thing nailed down in time.....

This query required 30 minutes of physician specific time for review, research, and final draft documentation for envoy.


P.S. If you've got a perfect attendance record going in school right now and you don't want to break that....depending on how things go...just know that if you end up with Bell's palsy.....it's NOT contagious and you could certainly still go to school. Sometimes school officials get overexcited about these sorts of things and they don't want students in school....as I said it all depends on how you're feeling and what your wishes are but I see no reason to stay home if you feel well enough to go.... You may feel a little funny if part of the face is a little droopy...but don't worry, it'll come back.

Good luck!

---