Guillian-Bare Syndrome

Sam Powell was a young healthy man until he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Due to his condition, he was hospitalised but thankfully he is now on the road to recovery.

His loving and caring girlfriend Charlotte Coffey stood by him and together they are fighting this condition.

Charlotte arranged an EBay Auction and a Sponsored Walk in order to raise money for Leeds General Infirmary's ICU Department who cared for Sam while he was there.

Charlotte has kindly agreed to an interview with me in order to raise awareness of Sam's condition.

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An Interview With Charlotte Coffey:

What is your name and age?
Charlotte Coffey: 18

What is your boyfriend's name and age?
Sam Powell: 19

What is Guillian-Barre Syndrome?
Guillian-Barre Syndrome is an acute disease of the peripheral nervous system in which the nerves in the arms and legs become inflamed and stop working.
This causes sudden weakness leading the becoming paralysed.

When was Sam diagnosed?
Sam was diagnosed 13 March 2015

How was a diagnosis made?
The diagnosis was made by Nerve Conduction Study's, EMG, lumber puncher, number of blood tests

What symptoms did he / does he have?
Symptoms he had were pins and needles in his hands/feet for 2 days then his legs give way..
Symptoms now are just pains in legs and arms (legs most) little bit of weakness and getting hot easily and also tiredness.

What treatment did he receive?
Treatment- immunoglobulin  infusion and rehabilitation such as physiotherapy and hydrotherapy

What medication was he prescribed?
Medication- Gabapentin and citalorpram

Sam was in a coma due to his condition, how long did that last?
Sam was in a coma for 52 hours

How long was Sam hospitalised for?
Sam was in hospital for just short of 12 weeks (was in 2 hospitals)

What are the causes of this condition?
It's not official was causes GBS but some say it's to do with viral injection but Sam never had that so we don't know what caused it other than he had a bump in his car one month before.

Are there any long term complications due to the condition?
No long term complication for Sam but there does be in other people.

Is it hereditary?
No, not hereditary.

Please explain in detail about the EBay Auction.
Rugby League Auction- I contacted a number of rugby league stars on Facebook I library searched all rugby players and who had Facebook pages I messaged.
I informed them about what Sam's condition was and that I'm doing a rugby league auction.
All the players got back to me a lot of them couldn't donate and a lot do donate there shirts etc at end of each season but some got back to me donating signed shirts and signed rugby league balls.
I then arrange to get them from them and then I put them on eBay, posting it all over Facebook and Twitter with the link and then people bidded I raised £1000 from that.

Sponsored walk,- I'm a childminder and raised a super hero and princess walk.
13 children took park ages 1-4 and then they had a sponsored sheet that there families sponsored them.
We went around the wood near my house and they had so much fun.
The papers came and took pictures

What advice would you give others in a similar situation?
If I was to give advice it would be; if one of your family members gets diagnosed get yourself on Facebook on the GBS Facebook group it's such an amazing group with everyone that has been diagnosed with it and friends family and it's so useful to find loads of information and to ask questions.

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Facebook:

https://m.facebook.com/GuillianBarreSupport/ (page)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/25904251293/ (group)

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Help & Support:

http://www.healthline.com/health/guillain-barre-syndrome

http://www.gbs-cidp.org/