I had GBS at seventeen. My hospital pillow was often covered in wayward hair. I had a fair receding hairline and some thinning at 18. I thought the early loss was from the GBS but, I’ve since decided that isn’t the case.

I think the hair on the pillow was from the poor diet and poor health while in the grips of GBS. After recovery I did not see much of an improvement. Since it runs in the family, I expected to lose my hair, just not so soon.

Now, let’s jump ahead about 34 years. My 19 year old son, who has never had GBS or anything else serious, has thinner hair than I did at 19…by quite a bit.

Your best bet is probably to get with your doctor and make sure that you don’t have any vitamin, mineral or hormone deficiencies that are causing the hair loss. In the case of my late wife, the stress of cancer/chemo caused premature menopause which caused a number of problems including changes in post-recovery hair density.

Ashley,

Patience was never my strong suit when I was younger either. Still isn’t I suppose. I had GB at 17. It took me right at a year to get back on my feet without crutches. Every time I read the forums here about moms and dads with kids and jobs and bills who are dealing with GB and its aftermath I am ever so grateful I had GB when I did. I don’t really regret missing that year of high school much. Do your best to take time off, at least a semester or two if you can, and rest up. You will almost certainly get better more quickly that way.

Also, since a relapse scare a few years ago, a B-complex vitamin referred to as B-100 is my new best friend. Stress reduces your levels of several B vitamins. B vitamins are crucial to nerve health. Even though my levels were at the bottom of the acceptable range, that range didn’t really apply to me and my damaged nerves. Although I was weakened enough that I had to pull myself up stairs using the railing by the time I found out about my low B levels, once I started the vitamins I was back to “normal” for me in 1-2 weeks. Check with your doctor and see what they say about B supplements.

Jamie, check with your doctor regarding whether you can safely take a vitamin B complex supplement while pregnant. I swear by B-100. It helps with nerve health and we need all the help we can get in that area.

It got me back to ‘normal’ a few years ago when the weakness and tinglies came back. Turned out I was borderline deficient in one or more B’s and the nerve damage from GB caused the unpleasant side effects to happen much sooner than for someone else.

I have not had the spasms nearly as often in recent years. I don’t know if it is the B complex but, I’m not going to stop them to see :-).

I think the incapacitation in the “middle of life” has more to do with the depression than GBS specifically. I had GBS at 17. Turned 18 in a nursing home. I didn’t think I had an undue amount of depression at the time. GBS never had me thinking of suicide even when I couldn’t even lift my arms. I found losing my wife of 10 years to cancer three years ago infinitely harder and more depressing. Suicide crept into my thinking a number of times then. Thank goodness for my kids.

I count myself lucky for having GBS at 17 instead of later. I had fewer responsibilities to complicate things. My heart goes out to all of those here who have had to go through this in the “middle of life”. Not “mid-life”, but the “middle of life”. Wives, kids, jobs, mortgages, bills, argghhhhh! My hat’s off to you all.

In 2001 I thought I was having a relapse. I was 20+ years post-GBS. My B vitamin blood levels were in the low end of acceptable. Apparently due to my post-GBS status this was not adequate. I have been taking a B bomplex supplement since then. When it comes to nerve health you can’t take chances. Take the B’s.

GB,

I bought my first pair in a sporting goods store. Since then I have seen them in several other sporting goods stores and several chain drug stores.

Gabriel,

It depends on the severity of your drop-foot. In the beginning I used AFO’s. After some months, the AFO’s were relegated to playing football, bowling and other odd things. Now, the AFO’s are in the closet for ‘just in case’. I have switched to over-the-counter lace-up ankle supports for bowling and such. For everyday stuff, I just take care in selecting my shoes [I HATE shoe shopping]. I look for wide soles, slightly turned-up in front. This protects me from most carpet and slightly uneven ground. The rest of my protection comes from having learned over the years to pay close attention to where I’m walking and, when my attention wanders, how to fall properly 😉 .