Neuro Note #3 - Guillain-Barre Syndrome

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Andrew's Story: Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Franek, A. J. [Andrew J Franek]. (2017, August 1). Andrew's story: Guillain-Barre syndrome [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWvrHhs2jps 

For this neuro note I watched Andrew Franek's documentary of his experience with Guillain-Barre syndrome. I chose this because I had never researched the disorder and I wanted to understand more about it. Andrew's youtube video documents the first signs, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, therapies, outcomes and emotions that he experienced. He had been sick with a high fever and shortly after (within days) he couldn't walk. The most shocking thing to me about this disorder is how fast it takes over. Andrew couldn't walk within three days. He was paralyzed from this disorder within a month. He was put on a ventilator, had a tracheotomy, an NG-tube, etc. However, he was well into recovery within 5 months! 

Guillain-Barre is a rare disorder that can be triggered by infection or illness. Neurologically, damaged nerve cells cause ascending paralysis. Symptoms start with numbness in the feet and legs and travel up the body. The disorder is typically treated with plasma transfusions and immunoglobulin therapy. Most people make a full recovery but some may experience long-term issues. 

I would definitely recommend watching this documentary to see and understand what a Guillain-Barre diagnosis looks like. 


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