GBS–chance of recurrence

Sounds like a familiar question. My recall is that it is possible, yet the chances are very low.

Reminds me of getting hit by lightning twice.

Here is some data. Copyright (and contact info):

UPMC
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
412-647-UPMC (8762)
1-800-533-UPMC (8762)

“…Can GBS come back? There is a chance that you could get GBS again. But your chance is no greater than if you never had GBS….”

From: [url]http://www.upmc.com/HealthAtoZ/patienteducation/N/Pages/guillain-barresyndrome(gbs).aspx[/url]

[COLOR=”Green”][SIZE=”4″]Hello.
I had a triple bi-pass with no worry. Just remember to let every doctor or nurse know you had GBS and ask if they know what it is.(DO NOT ASSUME) One of my surgons made a change in one of the things he used just to be safe. Blessings (Lakoda)[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=yuehan]Reminds me of getting hit by lightning twice.

“…Can GBS come back? There is a chance that you could get GBS again. But your chance is no greater than if you never had GBS….”

[/QUOTE]

I’ve survived each one time and that is enough of either.

[QUOTE=hutsky]I’ve survived each one time and that is enough of either.[/QUOTE]

Amen. Thanks for sharing.

I have had GBS twice and yes I did feel exactly like I had been struck by lightening both times!
Both times the GBS followed a simple sore throat. Nothing else.
So it very rare but it can happen.

[QUOTE=yuehan]Sounds like a familiar question. My recall is that it is possible, yet the chances are very low.

Reminds me of getting hit by lightning twice.

Here is some data. Copyright (and contact info):

UPMC
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
412-647-UPMC (8762)
1-800-533-UPMC (8762)

“…Can GBS come back? There is a chance that you could get GBS again. But your chance is no greater than if you never had GBS….”

From: [url]http://www.upmc.com/HealthAtoZ/patienteducation/N/Pages/guillain-barresyndrome(gbs).aspx[/url][/QUOTE]

I’ve always wondered if that above quote….. about the chance of relapse being no greater than if you never had GBS…..is true?

I’m no doctor, but it seems to me that if you already had [B]one[/B] instance of your immune system getting screwed up and attacking your own cells, that it would make it slightly more likely to happen again, over someone that it had never happened to at all.

I wonder if there is any increase of a chance of GBS relapse based on HOW you first got GBS….be it vaccination, campylobactor, etc.

First case almost killed me, well it did for a few minutes. The second one was caught very quickly since I already knew the signs and symptoms and was a pushy b*tch to have certain tests done. Then I have a short, lovely vacation at the hospital for IVIG!!!

If the original Forums hadn’t crashed we could tell you the exact percent but sadly it is gone…… So here is a guestimate of what I remember. You have a 1 to 2 in 100,000 the first time. Out of those that get it you have a 3-5% chance of a reaccurance.

You lower your chances by being smart. If your first episode was from a vaccine then be VERY careful which ones, if any, you get in the future.

Second [B]WASH YOUR HANDS [/B]Campylobacter jejuni is most often spread by contact with raw or undercooked poultry. However, some suffer long-term consequences. One is arthritis. Another is a condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Angela

This may be stating the obvious, but if you know what caused your first bout with GBS, then avoid what caused it, if possible. I had it twice due to surgery, so am not planning on having any more unless absolutely necessary. I realize some causes can’t be avoided, but precautions can be taken.

suzanne

I have had GBS 4 times (once in 1948, doctor didn’t know what it was, I was walking funny); (once in 1958 after a virus, had just PT); (once in 1989, after a virus and stressful job situation – 14 months to recover); and (once in 2002, after a virus and stressful time in my life). For me, I believe stress had a lot to do with it. Since I am retired, I hope I will never have it again. I believe my body is susceptible to it.

Would anyone know the answer to a similar question about reoccurring GBS…I have recently been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and my doctor wants to put me on Enbrel, I’m worried about the warnings on the label about a rare side effect causing GBS. I had GBS – Miller Fisher Variant in 1997 when I was a teenager, we don’t know what caused my GBS it was either infection or vaccine since both happened at that time. Would it still be very rare to get GBS a second time around with this medicine, or would I be “playing with fire” in this case? Any thoughts or information would be greatly appreciated…I’m very scared and worried about this right now and have to make a decision within the next few days. Thanks everyone!

lysica, here are the warnings and precautions for Enbrel:

http://www.healthcentral.com/druglibrary/408/enbrel-warnings_precautions.html

Note that “association” does not establish causation. It is not possible to know whether Enbrel will cause a recurrence of GBS, but note that the precautions mention only central neuropathies, not peripheral. You should study the warnings and precautions and discuss your concerns with your doctor, in my opinion.

Thank you!

It is very unlikely to get it twice but I’m one of those who had it twice my syndrome was with one year between and I was told it was not common and doctors was head spinning about it