Flu vaccine reactions--GBS

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 5
new GBS patient
Daniel,
I am just getting over GBS. I was diagnosed March 6, 2001 and had a flu shot about 1 month before. Let me know if I may be of any help to you.

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio Texas USA
Posts: 4
vaccines
My husband was diagnosed 4-23-01 with GBS, and 12 days before received a number of shots in preparation for a trip to Saudi Arabia. The flu vaccine was one of them. I am still in a state of shock, but I am positive it was one of the shots that triggered this.

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 13
had flu vaccine 1 week before diagnosis
My daughter was diagnosed with Gbs roughly 1 week after receiving her flu vaccine. She had all the classic symptoms but the doctor went ahead and gave her the shot. Her symptoms became more predominant and she went into a downward cycle. I hope I have been any help.
The neurologist says it was wrong for her to get the shot but there wasn't any way of knowing what it was until the symptoms came out and punched them in the nose. Because the fact, it is such a rare thing. OR so they say.
Hope i can be of help.

Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 1

I was diagnosed with guillain barre in 1990 a couple weeks after receiving a MMR vaccine. I know this isn't a flu vaccine, but I believe the MMR vaccine is similarly a live virus vaccine.

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 13
reply to the MMR vaccine
Unfortunately, there is no link to the flu vaccine to the onset of symptoms of GBS. And, as the previous person posted that the MMR vaccine is similar to the live flu vaccine.
My daughter is banned from receiving certain immunizations because of the possible risk of another flair up of what the doctors are now calling CIDP (chronic inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy. the wicked cousin of GBS.

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: oxnard,california
Posts: 18
pneumonia shot and GBS
I am writing to you because my step Dad John was diagnosed with GBS January 29, 2001. He received a pneumonia shot January 5th. His doctor suggested the shot after he was not feeling well from a cold. He recommended the shot because of his age. Which by the way he is only 57. This shot is mostly given to senior citizens. He showed systems of back and leg pains three days after his shot. he has been in the hospital ever since and has one of the worse cases of GBS in out county.
Please let me know if we can be of any help. We are writing to 20/20 to see if they can make people aware of GBS because it is so rare and may be linked to some form of a shot.
We are now in the process of checking with a doctor at USC who seems to be treating many patients with GBS.
Thank you,
Amy

Registered: Jun 2001
Location: alabama
Posts: 3
Vacination Injury Act
My mother contracted GBS soon after receiving a flu shot and during the flu. She has been ill since February and has been hospitalized, in a rehab ctr. and now in a nursing home. There are laws and limits to what medicare will continue to help her with but it seems that she should be eligible for some help with her health care through the "Vaccination Injury Act".

Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 13

Pat,
Unfortunately, I have talked to many people since this vaccination thing came out and I haven't been able to get any REAL substantial answers. I wish I could offer you more, but my prayers go out to your mother, because this is such a hard thing to fight...re-occurence is always lingering in the background.

My only advice is to become an advocate against receiving flu vaccines, because of the threat of GBS / CIDP that the doctors neglect to tell you when you receive the shot because the risks are unlikely... I'd like to see them tell that to someone who became sick with this disease from their damn shots.