Reply To: walking slower and slower 8 years post GBS

PE is plasma exchange. The blood is pumped out of the body (not all at once!) and separated in a centrifuge. The plasma is separated to be discarded and the blood cells are put back with new plasma. I had nine treatments of that over a three-week period.

CIDP usually produces the same effect on the spinal fluid that is typical of GBS. The nerve conduction test can show the effect of demyelination. If the pattern of symptoms is typical, CIDP might be diagnosed without the spinal test. However, because both PE and IvIg are expensive treatments, and because Ig is a limited resource, insurance companies may want more tests rather than fewer to make the diagnosis.