When I worked Neuro ICU, I was always told the difference between guillainbarre and TM was TM was descending from injury down and guillain barre was both ascending and descending. In other words, if you lost consciousness and were effected from the injury up, they called it guillain barre. Personally, I think some neurologist use the two diagnoses interchangably. At first, as with MS they said TM was often a symptom of the two diseases. People with both have TM. TM patients don't always have everything else. Now, with MRI's the existence of plaques and demylination is used. Many people recover from guillainbarre without residual. Many of them have the residual burning etc. So symptom wise, there isn't a lot of difference except for how the ascending area is effected. Winding up on a ventilator used to be almost hands down and diagnosis for guillain barre. Now, it isn't always. Some people on the vent are told they have TM.
From: [email protected] To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: [TMIC] we have a female child family member with TM symptoms Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:39:55 -0500 http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/guillainbarre1.shtml This website says that it isn’t inherited but genetics can play a part on who gets the disease…please read….. From: Emily [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:33 PM To: 'Elizabeth Clark'; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: [TMIC] we have a female child family member with TM symptoms How is it different from TM? From: Elizabeth Clark [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 2:36 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: [TMIC] we have a female child family member with TM symptoms According to the buzz.com list of auto-immune diseases: Guillain-Barré Syndrome: It is an autoimmune disorder which affects the peripheral nervous system. It is normally initiated by some acute infection. The characteristic of this disease is the weakness which starts with the lower limbs and rapidly grows in the ascending order. In this disorder, failure of the respiratory system is of the highest concern, hence, the treatment mostly starts with the intubation of the patient. Once the patient is stable, the treatment mostly includes of immunoglobulins or plasmapheresis. From: Emily [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:41 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: [TMIC] we have a female child family member with TM symptoms With that many people in the same family….maybe all of you should be tested for Gillian B??? From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 1:22 PM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Re: [TMIC] we have a female child family member with TM symptoms She is in my prayers. Jane/Splendora Tx In a message dated 1/11/2012 12:15:15 P.M. Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Mary woke up yesterday morning and could not raise up (sit up) or walk. She is at children's hospital. The onset sounds like TM. Mary is my mom's great niece and my 3rd cousin. I have not been able to talk with family members and found out through word of mouth. Mary's uncle, my 2nd cousin, was struck with similar event about the same time that I was hit with TM. But Adam was diagnosed with Gillian B. (can't spell that word and won't try). So we are concerned about the issue but I am concerned about the doctor's getting it right.
