one, fifteen minute limit in good massage chair per day.

take a walk. use chair (when on) 3-4 times per week.

overusing chair brought on relapse of CIDP disabilities during my usual remission periods(inflammation aggravation of spine, phrenic nerve problems, brachial plexus and sternomastoid muscle discombobulations, etc.).

anti-gravity positions are great when chair is not on.

Do lower back exercises and stretches focused on L-4, L-5. Place ice pack at this location also. Don’t sit for long periods. Swim. Think, spinal nerve roots.

Get a spinal tap.

One curious thing I noticed about my CIDP is that I get 4-5 minutes, when wake up and walk around in the morning, without motor/sensory neuron dysfunction in my legs. Previous damage is noted, but isn’t this odd. CIDP for 21 years now. Just sayin’.

the muscles in the abdomen; abdominals, are muscles that are nerved-up by the thoracic spine. the symptom also seem to indicate phrenic nerve involvement. these are anatomical nerve related issues. usually CIDP nerves-up the cervical & lumbar-sacral first, as they are the largest part of the spinal column (more nerve roots to inflame). However, CIDP is progressive and after a few years the thoracic spinal roots become inflamed.

The sensations you feel, in varied locations, are because the anterior horn of the spinal column divides nerve impulse transmission to more then one nerve root. Redundant nerve systems and pathways, however portions of nerve roots can be demyelinated causing conflicting muscle coordination, pain, etc.

Here’s a resource:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercostal_nerves

Depends on type of work you do. At 150 grams of IvIgG each month, I was a whining garden slug unable to move from room to room without crawling, while leaving a slime trail everywhere I went. With an increase to 240 grams of IgG each month and 50 mg of Imuran each day, I regained strength, dexterity and a smile.

However, I can’t return to my profession of classical guitarist because the root nerves going to my ulnar nerve is kaputt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerve_root

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyRADICULOneuropathy is my diagnosis.

Meaning; many (perhaps all) of the 33 nerve roots coming out of the spine are inflamed. If you consider what demyelinazation does, many of the diverse symptoms in this thread can be explained. IvIG therapy(and other therapies and drugs) allows remyelization in a non-inflamed environment, thereby allowing action potentials to reach muscles without or with less conduction blockage.

It took 7 years for me to get my CIDP diagnoses. I was told over and over that all my symptoms were diabetes related.
Unfortunately, during that time, I lost partial function in my left foot (drop foot), developed permanent breathing problems and right hand dysfunction.

I also have fasciculations (tremors) that originate from cervical spine nerve root deymelinazation
that manifests in my left deltoids, right trapezoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles. When these muscles are effected by CIDP I have severe left arm weakness, diaphragm related breathing difficulties; leg and gait, and swallowing/chewing problems.

Luckily, with bi-monthly IvIG (200 grams/month) and 50mg of azathioprine 2x/day, I have regained many motor and sensory functions
over much of my body. My tremors have subsided. What was diagnosed as Essential Tremor in my right was also CIDP and ceases
after infusions.

I will never run again, but I feel blessed to have achieved a measure of success with the correct CIDP diagnoses, and drug and IvIG therapy.

And, yes, everything is worse when the IgG wears off, but I’ve discovered that the relapses can be ameliorated by strenuous and disciplined lap-swimming or repetitive lifting of small weighs, while walking.

My initial diagnoses was ALS, so everything and anything is better after that misdiagnoses.

IvIg gave me almost immediate relief on the first day of treatment,
however, that faded until one day after the 5 day IvIg loading dose, then the
IvIg gave me GREAT relief for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks, I crashed back to
my previous state of muscle dysfunction. After 3/5 day sessions per month, my neurologist
prescribed 3 days of infusions, every two weeks. I am very confident
that this new schedule will load me up and a smaller does can then be prescribed
for maintenance.

It took me 5 years of constant hectoring of Kaiser Hawaii to have my
condition recognized. At times I was reduced to a jell-o like state of immobility
and immense pain.

I have a permanent foot drop, twitching that I believe
will never cease and other symptoms that I believe could have been cured if
my CIDP was recognized earlier.

I also have mild diabetes and I knew I had something else going on. I complained until
I was blue-in-the-face to Kaiser Maui. I took matter in my own hands by getting a
stronger diabetes medication, becoming extremely fit and lowering my Ha1c to 5.5 for many
months, only then did Kaiser realize I had other things going on.

My concern now is an elevated M protein that could be a paraneoplastic
syndrome manifested asperipheral neuropathy… but that is a
cellular bug-a-boo of a different color.
However, my oncologist tells me the IgG can have
a beneficial effect on the IgM’s

Good luck…hang in there. When the IgG kicks in for me I literally jump for joy!!!