pain and fatigue

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 10:06 am

      I was diagnosed December 04, went back to work June 05 and in my efforts to get back to “normal” have gone back off work, can’t excercise and at this point have given up all. I am in the building up phase, trying to understand what is important, how to deal with financial issues……the list goes on. Help!

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 10:55 am

      Dear Laura:

      I am so sorry you have to go through all of this. It must be pretty difficult and overwhelming for you.

      Forgive me if I offer advice on how to fix the problems, but I’m a guy, that’s what we do.

      Your first priority is to get healthy. Everything else, including financial solvency is based on that. If you can’t work right now, then give your body the rest and healing time it needs so that you can work in the future. You may want to get back into your job incrementally. I started off going back to work for a couple of hours, and as I healed slowly over a course of almost a year, increased the work load to full time. The nerves in your body are tremendously inefficient right now and they are leaking energy faster than your body can replenish it. Trying to do more will just put you in a bigger energy deficit.

      The healing process is really slow. There is nothing anyone can do to speed it up. Trying harder to exercise or getting back to work sooner will just add to your energy deficit. Take things slowly, you will be back to work soon enough.

      Laura, please take care of yourself. You need to put your health first.

      Lee

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 12:05 pm

      Hi Laura,

      What you should do is concentrate on getting healthy. Can you apply for Long term disability at work?? Recovery really cannot be rushed with this, it will only lead to bigger problems. We are here to help however we can, take it easy and ask lots of questions if you need to.

      Take care,
      Jerimy

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 1:34 pm

      Well, Laura….you have heard from 2 or our best….nothing else to add except I will be thinking and praying for your recovery

      Stephen

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 6:00 pm

      Laura,

      I’ll add my voice to the chorus and repeat that rest and recovery should be your priorities now.

      So sorry you are going through such a rough time. Our Forum family is a great resource for encouragement and information. Come back anytime you need some.

      Best wishes for your recovery.

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 7:52 pm

      Hello Laura,
      GBS and CIDP are syndromes where you feel better very slowly. My opinion is that you need to give yourself two years before you start getting used to this and feeling better. During the first year, you DO need naps, so rest when you need to. Exercise is important because our muscles are not damaged and we don’t want to lose them, but unless treatments are successful in controlling the syndrome, you’ll be doing no more then just keeping yourself limber.

      Don’t try to push yourself about going back to work, instead find out if you can do part-time. If you have not done so, try to apply for disability, many here have had to do so.

      Here’s a group hug for you.

    • Anonymous
      June 7, 2006 at 11:14 pm

      hi laura,

      anything short of giving your body the rest it demands will slo your recovery. but by now i think you know that. i slept 20 hours a day at the beginning. take care. be well.

      gene gbs 8-99
      in numbers there is strength

    • Anonymous
      June 8, 2006 at 9:55 am

      Laura,

      Sometimes we have to be a little selfish in order to get better. What the other members said is absolutely true…take care of yourself. That is often the hardest part of the recovery, especially if you have a family or a job and/or both.

      Applying for Disability takes a huge amount of energy, but in the long run it may help you. If you can get the support of your physician and handle the grueling government requirements (they really aren’t nice), you may protect yourself financially from the long-term affects of GBS. I am on permanent disability and since I am a mature adult, I will probably not have to go through the re-evaluation process again. If you are fairly young, they frown on the fact that you are trying to avoid work. Talk it over with your doc and find out if that is the best solution for you. 😮