GBS 18 yrs +

    • Anonymous
      September 24, 2009 at 2:50 pm

      Hi to everyone. This is my first post and as you can guess its been 18 years since i was diagnosed with GBS.
      i was 15 at the time and came down with flu then the following week (or days -cant remember exactly) felt numbness in my feet and loss of movement. I was admitted to hospital and tests done and was diagnosed with GBS. It was a difficult and frightening time for me being so young and not really understanding what was happening. I spent a total of two weeks in ICU and returned home after 3 weeks unable to walk and very weak all over my body.
      After 2 months i could just about manage to walk and commenced with physio. I done physio for a total of 5 months and regained back most of my movement,balance and strength apart from foot drop in my right leg. I used an AFO in my right leg for 3 months then disgarded it – too unconfortable.
      18 years on and so much has happened! Finished school, university, marriage, children (a boy and twin girls!!!)and a good job. I still think about GBS everyday especially when i struggle to put on my right shoe! But i never let it get in my way. I can even manage to play soccer with my son. So those of you who have just been diagnosed or in the initial years of GBS be positive.
      And now for some real interesting news, I have noticed during the past few months that i am able to raise my big toe of my rght led much more then i could during the last 18 years since i was stricken with GBS!!! Actually got quite shocked when seeing that. I can now raise my toe around an inch and before it was only few millimeters. What does that mean???? Is it possible to get nerve repair after so long??? The dorsiflexion in my ankle is around the same as it as always been during the last 18 years – around 2 cm lift.
      Ive been doing toe raises like hell during the last week to see if i will help me reduce my foot drop (i have read that the muscle lifting my big toe helps with dorsiflexion of ankle), but i think it gonna take long time to see an improvement (Hopefully not 18 years!!!), what do you guys think???
      During the past 2 years i have been doing some treadmill, around 20 mins a day at a real slow rate. maybe that has helped.
      Anyway, thats enough of me. Looking forward for your replies.
      fally

    • Anonymous
      October 31, 2009 at 12:15 pm

      [QUOTE=fally]Hi to everyone. This is my first post and as you can guess its been 18 years since i was diagnosed with GBS.
      i was 15 at the time and came down with flu then the following week (or days -cant remember exactly) felt numbness in my feet and loss of movement. I was admitted to hospital and tests done and was diagnosed with GBS. It was a difficult and frightening time for me being so young and not really understanding what was happening. I spent a total of two weeks in ICU and returned home after 3 weeks unable to walk and very weak all over my body.
      After 2 months i could just about manage to walk and commenced with physio. I done physio for a total of 5 months and regained back most of my movement,balance and strength apart from foot drop in my right leg. I used an AFO in my right leg for 3 months then disgarded it – too unconfortable.
      18 years on and so much has happened! Finished school, university, marriage, children (a boy and twin girls!!!)and a good job. I still think about GBS everyday especially when i struggle to put on my right shoe! But i never let it get in my way. I can even manage to play soccer with my son. So those of you who have just been diagnosed or in the initial years of GBS be positive.
      And now for some real interesting news, I have noticed during the past few months that i am able to raise my big toe of my rght led much more then i could during the last 18 years since i was stricken with GBS!!! Actually got quite shocked when seeing that. I can now raise my toe around an inch and before it was only few millimeters. What does that mean???? Is it possible to get nerve repair after so long??? The dorsiflexion in my ankle is around the same as it as always been during the last 18 years – around 2 cm lift.
      Ive been doing toe raises like hell during the last week to see if i will help me reduce my foot drop (i have read that the muscle lifting my big toe helps with dorsiflexion of ankle), but i think it gonna take long time to see an improvement (Hopefully not 18 years!!!), what do you guys think???
      During the past 2 years i have been doing some treadmill, around 20 mins a day at a real slow rate. maybe that has helped.
      Anyway, thats enough of me. Looking forward for your replies.
      fally[/QUOTE]

      At 15 you found GBS to be “difficult and frighteneing”…..well I got it at age 60 and found it to be that too, although those words seem too tame for what I felt!

      It is good that you are seeing some signs of new toe movement!

    • Anonymous
      October 31, 2009 at 3:21 pm

      Fally,
      You have made good recovery with your GBS. Being such a young age at that time you got GBS may have been to your advantage as far as your recovery.
      I can’t answer your questions but your post gives me hope that I can get more recovery over time.
      Hope you keep the movement in your toe and see improvement in your ankle.
      Keep us posted.
      Shirley