Question: I’m a 69-year-old male who contracted polio in the early 1950s. My right arm was totally paralyzed from contracting polio. I was diagnosed with PPS about nine years ago. During the diagnosis, I was told that my left arm had serious muscle weakness. At the time, the doctor said my deltoid muscle was roughly 40%. When my primary doctor …
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Should a Polio Survivor with Some Breathing Problems Have a Heart Stress Test?
Question: I am going to have a heart stress test. Is it dangerous for a 72-year-old polio survivor who has some breathing problems to do so? Dr. Maynard: A Stress Test does involve some risks, but they are minimized by medical professionals trained and equipped to handle cardiac arrests and arrhythmia should they occur. I am unaware of evidence to …
Polio Survivors and H1N1
Question: I have concerns regarding the H1N1 vaccine. Are polio survivors considered an at-risk group? Answer: Based on my reading of current public health updates, people who had polio earlier in life are NOT considered ‘high-risk’ for developing H1N1 flu. I suggest that you consider receiving the vaccine when it is available to the general public, if you are a …
Polio Survivors and the Flu Vaccine
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 …