I was 9yrs when I got G. Barre. Now 39. Still have problems with health & weakness! Can anything be done now?

Question

Had constant sicknesses when I was a kid and thru teen yrs and adulthood too. These last years have been really tough. Constant weakness, headaches, major depression, twitching in my legs, numbness, no sex-drive, had bad psoriasis (Immune system) too! I have been to too many doctors and specialists to count!!! No real answers, just a "band-aid" for this and a "band-aid" for that (psoriasis=skin cream, depression=prozac, no sex-drive=Viagra, headaches=Tylenol, weakness=eat something healthy!)! You get the picture!!! Don't know what to do!? Some days better than others though.

Have been seeing an Immunologist though ever since my Psoriasis got really bad this past winter (Feb 2006). Methotrexate has helped greatly! Immune system=all related from what I can gather!

Answer 1

GUILLIAN BARR'E SYNDROME - An inflammatory disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord (Peripheral Nerves).

Symptoms - Weakness, Numbness, tingling in the arms. feet and legs, loss of sensation, very slow heart rate, bladder control difficulty, may lead to paralysis.
Another well- known symptom is paresthesia or weakness of the upper and lower extremities. Respiratory failure might occur and cardiac dysrthymias.


Certain therapies can lessen the severity of the illness and speed up recovery. IVIG( intervenous Immunoblobulion) and Plasmapheresis are some therapies. Be vigilant for Cranial nerve palsy which is caused by Guillian-Barre Syndrome.

Because you survived GBS as child; you are very fortunate and resilient. So I'm sorry to hear that you're still suffering from this debilitating disease.

NO CURE is available but treatment is.

Treatment is symptomatic
􀂄monitor respiatory status
􀂄provide respiratory trmts
􀂄monitor neuro and cardiac status
􀂄monitor for complications of immobility
􀂄provide family support


GBS is "an acute, usually rapidly progressive form of polyneuropathy (disease of many nerves) characterized by muscular weakness and mild distal sensory loss that about half the time begins 5 to 3 weeks after a banal infectious disorder (i.e. a cold), surgery, or an immunization."
"Despite advances in respiratory care, 1.5 to 8% of patients die." And
I have seen this happen."5 to 10% require intubation for respiratory failure." (The nerves to the diaphragm are affected so the pt can't breathe).

"About 10% of patients relapse after initial improvement and enter a
chronic state."


This along with Psoriasis are immune diseases. My daughter uses Enbrel for her psoriasis. .

Answer 2

The rationale is that people who can't afford regular medical care put it off until it's an emergency. So instead of a GP prescribing medication for blood pressure, you get someone at the emergency room with a heart attack. The taxpayers still pick up the tab, but it's far more expensive. You also have to factor in the lost productivity at work, the assistance to the family now that Dad can't work, and the lost productivity when his kids drop out of school to help support the family. Multiply this times 40 million Americans and it ends up costing us far more NOT to provide health care, which is why every other modern nation did this long ago.