Saw my neurologist again yesterday ..
 

We talked a bit about the progression of the condition and he did some more testing of skin sensations. Symptoms are not really spreading but are getting much stronger. Decided to do full spinal MRI. I reminded him that it seemed to start very suddenly after I was hospitalized with a severe stomach flu. All in all he's now thinking it might be auto immune so likely they will eventually do some testing on my serum proteins.

I really have to be careful what I do or touch with my right hand but its pretty beat up any way...a few cuts and burns despite my caution. If this were my left I could not play banjo or guitar...my main passion ;)

BTW, he is only 63 and in great health but retiring in December....because of Obamacare. We are losing many Docs here in this small town. I will stay away from PARFY comments here.

Damn, I hope they get it figured out!

I had similar symptoms after having a mild case of the flu in my freshman year of college. Turned out to be Guillen Barre. I had a full recovery but it scared the crap out of me and my parents. That was 30 years ago - I'm sure many improvements have been made in diagnosis and treatment since then.

David,
I remember all that...Swine Flu vaccine, and all. I had a friend who almost died. Did they treat it in any way ? Doc told me that in some ways the treatment can be bad too...immuno-globulin which can be hard on the kidneys.. That's a coin toss I'm not sure I wanna try..

Went to four doctors, then finally an old German Neurologist told me that he knew what I had and that I was probably most of the way through with it. Lost all feeling in all fingers and toes, had some facial paralysis and an overall loss of strength. It really scared me, but because it affected both sides the same I pretty much figured it wasn't some kind of cancer.

A far as I remember there was no treatment at that time short of a respirator if it got that bad. I The final thing was an unbelievable series of headaches at the back of my head, which they gave me pain killers for. I had to make up a semester of school, but I fully recovered.

A few more things came to mind.

I was 18 and I always wore button fly jeans. All of sudden one day I realized I was having a lot of trouble fastening them. Chalked it up to gaining weight.

Always had a small locking Buck knife in my pocket. All of a sudden I didn't have the strength to unlock/close it. I started to freak out.

Probably TMI - but I also realized I could no longer such out of straw - that was really weird.

BTW - doc forbids me from ever having a flu shot.

Wow David....that is scary for sure. Reminds me a bit of my childhood seeing kids with Polio in an iron lung...Yikes. Glad you recovered.

Mark, seeing as it seems to have been triggered in conjuncture with an infection, I agree, it sound autoimmune. With a little luck its temporary with a plateau phase and then slowly recovery, partly or completely. This as opposed to the debut of manifestations of a more or less permanent condition.

Thanks Livi....hope you're right ;) After I looked at the treatment and possible complications of Immuno Globulin therapy I really don't wanna go there !

Funny you mention polio. My father had it in 54, and my mother thought she was seeing it all over again.

Thankfully it ended up ok.

Good luck sir.

Might look into food allergies or diet, drinking water, chemical exposure from house or neighborhood, or something externally influencing.