I first noticed something peculiar when I was running in about August 2006. It felt like I had blocks under the balls of my feet. Of course in retrospect, this was numbness of that part of my feet. My doctor shrugged it off, but things got worse fairly rapidly toward the end of the year when my toes felt numb. Then began the series of tests toward the final diagnosis in about September 2007. When I look back, I have to say that I was experiencing weakness months before August 2006, but I mistakenly chalked it up to other reasons like being out of shape. Today I can walk without a cane, but I have some balance issues, numbness in feet up to the tops of the calves, in my hands, and weakness in lower legs and feet.

Like Norb, I am very fortunate in not having any pain. Might I say “comfortably numb”?

Rituxan treatments are the only medication I have had, 4 infusions of 800 g each in December. Am now waiting patiently for improvements. For the first three weeks after treatment, it felt like things were continuing to get worse despite the treatments. However, things may have stabilized now (I hope). Time will tell.

Andrew

My first symptoms began the middle of March, but I had been battling a severe cold in December which turned into a hack that lasted all winter. After I was dx with GBS I was told that I actually had “walking pneumonia.” I live in northern MN where we have pretty frigid winters. I was also told that it was what caused my illness. I believe my immune system went into overdrive after fighting that cold for so long.

But then again, here it is very common to talk to people who battle a cold for months during the winter, so why wouldn’t they get GBS?