HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

question-icon

Suggest Treatment For Guillain Barre Syndrome

default
Posted on Sat, 31 Jan 2015
Question: My brother has Guillain Barre Syndrome. He has begun to have Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. When should we begin to see improvement. He started to have symptoms on Saturday and was admitted and started treatment on Monday. We have not seen any improvement. yet.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Improvement takes time.

Detailed Answer:
I understand that you must be worried because as a relative you expect/hope a visible effect after treatment administration.

Guillain Barre during the first weeks has usually a progressive course. The severity and duration of symptoms vary from one patient to the other some remain ambulant, while others progress up to the point of needing intubation to assist breathing.
So it is difficult to assess in an individual patient how things would have gone without appropriate treatment, immune globulin in your case. While you feel disappointed because he is not improving the fact that he has deteriorated might be owed precisely to the immune globulin.
That is why efficacy of such treatment is evident only in studies with large numbers of patients where it has been evident that those patients who got immune globulin (or plasmapheresis which has similar efficacy) have lower severity and shorter course.

In the meanwhile you have to understand that some damage to the nerve has already happened, immunoglobulin has hopefully slowed or stopped that advancing process, but regeneration of the nerves is a process done by the patient's body itself and can take months.

The majority of patients recover very well. Since he is young and has taken appropriate treatment you can expect him to have a good outcome, but patience is needed.

I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

premium_optimized

The User accepted the expert's answer

Share on

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties

159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM Blog Questions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction
Suggest Treatment For Guillain Barre Syndrome

Brief Answer: Improvement takes time. Detailed Answer: I understand that you must be worried because as a relative you expect/hope a visible effect after treatment administration. Guillain Barre during the first weeks has usually a progressive course. The severity and duration of symptoms vary from one patient to the other some remain ambulant, while others progress up to the point of needing intubation to assist breathing. So it is difficult to assess in an individual patient how things would have gone without appropriate treatment, immune globulin in your case. While you feel disappointed because he is not improving the fact that he has deteriorated might be owed precisely to the immune globulin. That is why efficacy of such treatment is evident only in studies with large numbers of patients where it has been evident that those patients who got immune globulin (or plasmapheresis which has similar efficacy) have lower severity and shorter course. In the meanwhile you have to understand that some damage to the nerve has already happened, immunoglobulin has hopefully slowed or stopped that advancing process, but regeneration of the nerves is a process done by the patient's body itself and can take months. The majority of patients recover very well. Since he is young and has taken appropriate treatment you can expect him to have a good outcome, but patience is needed. I remain at your disposal for further questions.