Reply To: Why Does Recovery Take So Long?

One of the main reasons is that GBS is not a single condition. Numerous studies have reported something such as this: ” Little is known about the long term prognosis for patients the (sic) severe acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) form of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), unlike those with acute inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (AIDP).”

There may be only demylenation, linked to AIDP, or there may be axonal damage which runs the length of the nerve, as in AMAN.

Further, there are other factors linked to words associated with specialists and Journals of Neurology. Such as: association with anti-ganglioside antibodies, Campylobacter jejuni infection, axonal degeneration, Wallerian-like degeneration in the ventral roots and damage to Nodes of Ranier. Also, preceding gastroenteritis or collateral sprouting of surviving axons.

Finally consider this: “In our study, 8% of the 97 patients with GBS (six AMAN and two AIDP) could not walk independently at six months after onset. In the AMAN group, four of the six could walk independently one year after onset, one could walk independently 28 months after onset, and the remaining patient could walk 57 months after onset. Generally, it is believed that no further recovery can be expected two to three years after GBS”

the study is here- http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/76/5/719

There are other studies. Do a web search such as I did- guillain barre syndrome recovery patterns.

Good luck