Question: Is there a definitive medical position if polio survivors should take the flu vaccine each year? Last year when I went to get the vaccine, the staff notified me that Guillain-Barré syndrome is one of the risk factors of the vaccine. Should one not take the vaccine if you have a history of paralysis? Answer: My opinion is that …
Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.
Share your solution:
News about people who have made significant contributions to the disability community.
Share your story:
Shoulder Replacement in Polio Survivors.
Question: I have a severe rotator cuff tear and an orthopedic surgeon has recommended a shoulder replacement because of the severity of the tear and the presence of significant arthritis. I had polio in my right leg and use my left leg to lift/stabilize myself on crutches. Apparently the increased dependency has weakened my arms and, perhaps, injured them. The …
Do Those with Post-Polio Syndrome Need Higher Medication Doses?
Question: My father-in-law is 88 years old and has post-polio syndrome. He has had trouble sleeping for the past several years, and he claims that it “takes more medication for people with post-polio syndrome.” My wife is his caregiver and controls his medications so he will not overdose. What is your professional opinion? Answer: Your father-in-law is mistaken about need …
Muscle Regeneration in Polio Survivors and Bracing
Question: I am a polio survivor with PPS. Recently I began to suffer severe knee instability, but a sports medicine specialist recommended against braces, saying they would inhibit the muscles from regenerating. It seems to me that polio-atrophied muscles will not regenerate anyway and that braces would at least help to prevent collapse. Your thoughts? Answer: If your knee instability …
What is the Current Thinking on the Use of the Drug Lamotrigine for the Stabilization of PPS?
Question: What is the current thinking on the use of the drug lamotrigine for the stabilization of PPS? Is there data to show it is effective without significant side effects? It has been ordered for me by my neurologist at 100 mg twice daily. I am 81 and reluctant to start this drug as the side effects are very scary, …
Could Polio, Post-Polio, and POTS Syndrome Have Any Connection and/or Relationship?
Question: I had all three types of polio. I was paralyzed from my throat down and was unconscious. Now I am 69 years old and have been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Could polio, post-polio and POTS Syndrome have any connection and/or relationship? Answer: POTS syndrome causes the heart to race to compensate for an excessive drop of …
Do any Polio Survivors Experience Numbness in Their Affected Areas?
Question: Do you know of any polio survivors who are experiencing numbness in their affected areas? I did some physical therapy recently for about six weeks using both sides of my body to improve the strength in my unaffected leg, and noticed that my left arm (the affected side) was becoming numb and then later in the day, my left …
Could the Late Effects of Polio Cause Leg Swelling?
Question: I had polio in 1940. With treatment and exercise I was able to live a “normal” life and taught school for many years. At age 50, I started having new weakness. I am now 79 and my legs have shown greater weakness. I wear a full brace on my left leg and a short brace on my right leg. …
Ankle Fusion for Polio Survivor
Question: Thank you for the help you have given me in the past. I’m a 79-year-old male who developed polio at the age of four. I was in an iron lung for several weeks then treated at home with Sister Kenny’s hot baths and massage. My left leg was paralyzed but improved over the years to a point that I …
Cautionary Tale of Swallowing Impairment and Intubation
Question: My wife contracted polio at the age of eight. She experienced some paralysis on her right side, but with physical therapy and some bone grafts to strengthen her right leg, she made a good recovery. She is now 75 and has been experiencing some post-polio symptoms, notably general weakness, instability and some falls. She has had some difficulty swallowing …