Hi Lauren! Yep! I agree that 2009 is going to be a much better year for many of us! And I can’t wait to hear about your graduation! Good luck on starting school! I wish you my best! Hugs
Linda H

I Lauren! Never heard of that brand in here but pretty sure somebody in here can answer that! Hope you are doing okay and feeling better! Hugs
Linda H

Hi Lauren! In 1989, I went to the doctor complaining of numbness and tingling going on in my legs and he did my first EMG. I was admitted in the hospital with possible stroke symptoms. I was 28 years old when this nerve damage stuff started on me. I just happened to notice after I had a Hepatitis B Vaccine that a few days after that vaccine, I started getting sickly. Fatique, IBS, but more numbness and tingling going on and I noticed it when I went to bed at night that both of my legs were falling asleep. Legs would get dead and I had to work them to wake back up. Weird feeling! Totally weird! I became a challenge back then because in 1984, I had a blood transfusion and the next day after my C-Section and that blood transfusion they mentioned AIDS and blood transfusions on TV. What a worry for me! Mine started in 1988 a few days after that vaccine. Then I started getting worse. They said back then that I had sensory neuropathy only. A few months later, I showed Motor/Sensory Neuropathy. Chronic Demylenating Axonal Polyneuropathy. Saw one Neuro and he was positive I had MS. Tested me and said no it’s not MS. But could not give me any answers. I had the HIV test for 5 years over and over again with negative results. They even did a nerve biopsy back then and it only showed small fiber neuropathy. Still no answers!After that biopsy and cutting of my nerves in my leg I had another massive attack on my nervous system. And I got nasty nasty sick. 5 years later and finally going to University of PA Hospital after that attack they found me to have Lupus and said I did have a Stroke, along with CNS problems. So they ruled me as having CNS Lupus. Lupus even rare can cause CIDP. I was placed on pulse steroids and cytoxin.. I think it was Cytoxin but it’s been so long and I have tried Imuran too along with a few other drugs. No Rituxan just yet or Cellcept. Even though I was on all these drugs for Lupus I complained about the nerve damage going on in me alot! All the time! They told me I had lupus for a long time but must have been looked over as something else. I do remember in my teen years noticing my legs fell asleep back then too but I can’t really correlate if that was going on then also. The big bang hit me after that vaccine. Don’t know why but it made my disease come out of the woodwork. From 2002 until 2006 I started getting better and went in remission. The lupus went into remission but the nerve damage was laying dormant for a while. Meaning it could have still been there or I did get better. I was driving again, walking very well and doing exercises. Actually felt normal and felt like I was human again! But in 1998, I developed Asthma. Never had asthma a day in my life and then I get asthma. From 2002 to 2006 my asthma was fine. No problems. Then in 2006 I got asthma again with mild CODP. I also developed GERD, IBS, B-12 A Pernious Anemia, Osteosporsis, High Cholesterol yada yada yada! LOL! The cat with 9 lives! LOL! Thyroid issues what next. Back in June they said I had CIDP. I honestly think I had CIDP back then also but not sure! But my nerve damage stuff has always been there since 1988. I think I did go into remission and having that back surgery either brought it back and have another issue that is still not answered or it could have been my surgery causing this Graves Disease and thyroid cancer to come out causing me major problems. Then again I still have Lupus. My main concern, is right after that back surgery and getting nerves worked on. They took my sciatic nerve and rerouted it away from my spine to take away the compression plus shaved down 3 disk. Then I had that massive attack again! Just like I did many years back! I don’t know what caused your CIDP and do they know what caused it? The funny thing is me having an Epidural Injection a year before because of a back injury and my whole body got numb and scared me to death! So my nervous system is very fragile! I never had GERD and Asthma and the bone loss is most likely from Steroids. But I think it depends on how well you take care of yourself with this issue. Meaning no smoking, plenty of exercise, taking vitamins, eating right, staying away from stress. I think it really all depends on the person and what they eat, what they drink and getting the proper rest. And what they are diagnosed with. Lupus can be treated but there is no cure. Just like MS! Remissions and flares over and over again. Stress can cause a flare, virus’s can trigger a flare, climate change and surgery. I will never get better! I may go in remissions but the disease is still there in my body lurking for the attack. I believe this may be the same with CIDP. Some get better and go years and some might not! But! How did that person care for themselves over the years. Did they smoke, drink, sleep all day, no exercise, eat the wrong foods. All of that right there can effect a person with any type of illness they have. If you take care of yourself, you may do fine and get better. But once you get diagnosed any nasty habits you have in your younger days can and will effect you in later years if you keep doing them. Each person is different and each immune system is different. Age can also be a factor! The older you are the more prone you can become getting other diseases.
I hope this helps! Hugs! Hate to see you so young here! Once I got on meds for lupus.. I did get at least 13 years of doing okay. Was not normal but did okay!