Guillain Barre syndrome is an auto-immune condition with many complications. With the sudden onset of the syndrome in various countries, such as India, it is important that we share our experience. This will help you understand the symptoms and signs better.
This understanding is important to support recovery and complete your treatment. It helps navigate the symptoms better. The rare nature of this syndrome makes it scarier. However, it is treatable, and we’ll focus on that!
Read the following sections to know how I navigated the condition and brought it under control. The condition is quite scary, with the body attacking its cells, which can affect people differently.
Let’s have a look!
What Is Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and How Can You Identify It?
Pronounced Ghee-YAH buh-RAY, this is a condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves and can have lethal effects. The condition can cause numbness, weakness, or paralysis in severe cases.
In this article, I’ll be sharing my experience with caring for someone close who received the diagnosis for it. The condition can have several implications, from tingling in hands and feet to paralysis – which may come sooner or later depending on the severity of the case.
When we first got the diagnosis, there was obvious confusion and fear related to it. From being unable to react to the diagnosis to finding it difficult to console the patient, my family and I went through a range of emotions.
Some of the most common Guillain-Barre syndrome symptoms the patient experienced were tingling and numbness in the hands and fingers. They often said, “I feel electric currents running through my fingers and hands.”
At first, we thought this was normal. But one day, they shrieked, saying they could not move their knees. This was concerning as our area is experiencing a rise in GBS cases. It is all over the news, and I was sure once they expressed this symptom.
So, if you live in the following areas currently seeing a surge in GBS cases, pay close attention to the article.
Regions Seeing A Surge In GBS Cases
The recent surge in GBS cases has been mainly in the Indian subcontinent; however, the handful of cases are not a cause for concern.
Here are a few regions that are currently seeing a rise in the cases:
👉 Pune has 127 total number of cases (at the time of writing this article)
- 96 patients are from the Pune Municipal Corporation
- 13 patients from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation
- 18 patients from Pune (Rural) and Maharashtra (Other districts)
- 6 suspected cases in Sangli district
The rise in cases is alarming; however, there is no cause for panic—they are too far apart to lead to an epidemic or pandemic.
👉 West Bengal 3 deaths suspected to be GBS
- Two individuals from Hooghly district
- One 17-year-old teenage boy in Kolkata
Thankfully, the government authorities are tight on its spread, so there’s no chance of it taking a severe turn soon. Unless there is gross ignorance on the citizen’s and government’s part, the infection should not spread.
Symptoms Experienced Before the Treatment
As I mentioned, the signs of the infection were small. It started as a tingling sensation in the upper limbs. Then came the inability to move the joints feely, and shortly after was the appearance of the following symptoms, almost like clockwork:
- Difficulty breathing
- Rapid muscle weakness
- Difficulty speaking or swallowing
That is when we knew an appointment was immediately necessary. We rushed the patient to a nearby government hospital and had an expert attend to them. The doctor said the following:
You should have brought them when you noticed a tingling sensation without a cause. We must conduct immediate tests to confirm whether it's related to Guillan-Barre syndrome. Though rare, it is great that you brought him as soon as possible.
We'll be able to improve their condition with the necessary treatment.
The tests came back, and it was GBS. The doctor conducted the following tests to confirm that it was the underlying cause and immediately started the treatment. Here are the tests:
- Electromyography, where thin needles go into the affected muscles that help measure the nerve activity
- Pulmonary function tests that measured the neuromuscular respiratory function. Including the vital capacity, inspiratory pressure, and expiratory pressure.
- A glucose tolerance test and a thyroid function test were also performed. Both tests help conclude the severity of GBS.
The next section will examine the treatment options suggested for our patient. We followed the doctor’s instructions and proceeded with the suggested treatment.
Treatment Options
The common options that make it to the treatment regimen include the following:
- plasma therapy,
- ventilation support systems,
- intravenous immunoglobulin injections,
- IV fluids and tube feeding
Apart from these, the other treatment options include the following, which are administered depending on the condition and the symptoms. Let’s have a look:
- Respiratory care to combat respiratory failure with the help of mechanical ventilation
- Blood clot prevention with heparin prevents deep vein thrombosis.
These are some of the top treatments that help improve the patient’s symptoms and provide relief. With early management of the symptoms and proper follow-up care, your symptoms will subside, and you can easily overcome the diagnosis.
Natural Remedies
The most effective treatments for GBS are the ones listed above. However, natural remedies can help prevent and control the spread of this infection. Here’s what worked for us:
- Maintaining good hygiene in the genital area
- Easting probiotic-rich food such as yogurt
- Garlic has both antimicrobial properties, which helps control the spread of the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni
- Echinacea or coneflower has great immunity-boosting potential and helps control inflammation
These worked for us, and we consulted our physician to ensure there were no ill effects of this remedy. However, these are not a replacement for traditional treatments or those that worked for us in the above section.
However, these helped return the normal state after the medical treatment.
Preventive Measures
Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS, is a rare condition that does not occur in places with good hygiene and safe, potable water. The primary cause of this condition is a rapidly spreading bacterial or viral infection.
Here are some of the simplest ways to prevent the infection’s development and spread. This will also help you speed up the recovery process and return to normal.
Check these out:
- Maintain good hand, food, and personal hygiene
- Always thoroughly cook your food, especially meat and dairy products
- Maintain proper water sanitation – boil water before drinking for most effectiveness
- Seek immediate medical attention when you experience any of the symptoms
- Stay away from those with stomach flu or other infections
- Complete your vaccination
My family member was able to overcome the infection and is currently on their way to full recovery. The follow-up tests indicate good recovery for them, and they are expected to soon reach the normal state.
Good Hygiene FTW!
Whether you are near active cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome or Pune disease, you can stay safe by maintaining proper hygiene. While my family and I cared for the patient, we ensured each of us washed hands.
In addition, we boiled the water before drinking as a precautionary measure and followed the prescribed regimen to the T. We made sure none of the members contaminated the sterilized water or surfaces.
With all these measures, you can easily manage the condition and bring it under control.
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