I’m just getting over a cold that I caught 5 days ago. Before this cold I had another bout of cold back in January. Reason I’m stressed out is because I’m pretty sure that I got my GBS from an upper respiratory illness rather than from a flu shot. Now every time I catch a cold or come down with the flu I can’t help worrying about whether or not I’ll catch a relapse. My neuro told me the odds of me coming down with GBS again is as rare as the first time. Hmm, that wasn’t very comforting since the odds were not in my favor to begin with. But at least I know the early signs and can start the IVIG treatment right away.
Hey Spencer,
I just wanted to express that the fear you are experiencing is something that eveyone with this condition has experienced. I too had an upper respiratory infection before my onset. My fear of a relapse every time I even got the sniffles sent me into a state of anxiety and fear. I soon realized that the time I spent worrying could have been spent realizing how lucky I am to be alive and my rehabilitation.looking back I can now see that wearing rubber gloves, overusing hand sanitizer and staying inside to avoid people was somewhat comical. Your neuro was correct in the fact that relapsing is more rare than even contracting it. Take comfort in the fact that you know the signs and what to do in that scenario. I now realize that this “syndrome” changed my life forever and I refuse to let the “what ifs” affect me anymore. You are not alone in your feelings and I assure you that those fears will pass. Good luck in your recovery
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Hey Spencer,
I had a sinus infection 7 months after my case of GBS and I had a reflare of symptoms. However, it was not as bad as the symptoms I had initially. I was scared the next time and I had no trouble. My neurologist checked me for CIDP but I did not have that so he believed it was just some type of reflare because it was pretty close to when this first happened. I work in the healthcare field and am exposed to all kinds of colds/flu/infections and realized I could not be phobic about it. I do wash my hands frequently and wipe down the counters when I go into work. I’m no longer worried about the GBS with it though.
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