Symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) After a Flu Shot

You got your flu shot, just like you always do. But after a week or two, you start feeling weird. You have trouble chewing and swallowing at meals, your vision seems a bit off, and your hands and feet start feeling like pins and needles. 

You start searching your symptoms on the Internet, and you find out that you may have Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system. What’s more, the flu shot you received a few weeks ago may have caused this reaction.

What should you do from here? How do you know for certain whether your GBS symptoms are related to the flu vaccine?

In this article, we answer this question and explore the ins and outs of GBS diagnosis, treatment, and compensation. Keep reading to learn more. 

If you’re ready to talk to someone regarding your recent GBS diagnosis due to a flu vaccine, our vaccine injury attorneys are here to listen. We help people just like you across the United States pursue compensation in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. We’re available any time to speak with you. Just give us a call at (312) 578-9501 to schedule your free consultation today. 

Common Signs and Symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome After a Flu Vaccine

GBS stands for Guillain-Barre Syndrome. It’s a rare condition that occurs when the immune system decides to start attacking the body’s nervous system. There are a few subtypes of GBS, the most common being acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP).

There are also two axonal disorders, acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) and acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN). The last variant of Guillain-Barre Syndrome is Miller Fisher Syndrome, which tends to affect the eye muscles more than other subtypes. 

After a flu shot, the onset of GBS symptoms appears anywhere between 3 to 42 days. These signs include: 

• Tingling and numbness in hands, arms, feet, and legs
• Muscle weakness
• Loss of reflexes 
• Paralysis
• Difficulty breathing

How is GBS Diagnosed and Treated?

You go to your doctor, concerned about these strange symptoms. After running a few tests, your doctor diagnoses you with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and you got it from the flu shot, as you expected. 

If you’re experiencing the symptoms listed above and haven’t sought treatment yet, we strongly urge you to go speak to your doctor, or even go to the hospital, to be properly diagnosed.

Beyond a basic full physical examination, there are several tests a doctor may order: 

• Spinal tap (lumbar puncture). Your doctor will withdraw a small amount of fluid from your lower back. The fluid will then be tested to see if it has markers of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. 
• Electromyography. During this procedure, very thin needle electrodes are inserted into your muscles. These electrodes measure nerve activity in the muscles to determine whether signals are firing properly.
• Nerve conduction studies. This procedure assesses the speed of your nerve signals. Your doctor will tape electrodes to your skin, and then send small shocks through them.

After receiving a Guillain Barre Syndrome diagnosis, you will be offered two types of treatment options. These treatments will help make your condition less severe and help you recover more quickly:

• Plasma exchange (plasmapheresis). Blood is drawn and separated so that the liquid portion (plasma) is removed. Then, just the blood cells are returned to the body so that new plasma is made. It’s thought that the removal of the plasma helps remove the harmful antibodies that want to attack your nervous system.
• Immunoglobulin therapy. This treatment involves blood transfusions from healthy donors that help add antibodies to your body.

In addition, you may also go through speech and physical therapy to fully recover. Physical therapy will help you regain strength, keep your muscles strong, and cope with the fatigue that you may be experiencing from the condition. Also, you may be prescribed pain relievers to help with severe pain. 

Thankfully, GBS isn’t permanent, and typically most people who have it make a full recovery. According to the Mayo Clinic, among adults recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome:

• About 80% can walk independently six months after diagnosis.
• About 60% fully recover motor strength one year after diagnosis.
• About 5% to 10% have very delayed and incomplete recovery.

Can I File a Guillain-Barre Flu Shot Lawsuit?

There is a program created by the federal government for those who have been diagnosed with GBS after getting their annual flu shot. It’s called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). This program helps those who have been injured by a vaccine receive compensation and return to their normal life as much as possible.

There are a few general requirements in order to file in the program. First and foremost, your claim has to be filed within 3 years of receiving the vaccine. For GBS cases specifically, individuals must be diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 3-42 days after receiving a flu shot. 

In the VICP, petitioners can recover losses for past out-of-pocket medical expenses, future costs for medical care, past and future lost wages, and pain and suffering.

We recommend hiring an attorney to help file the petition with the VICP. While you can file on your own, hiring a vaccine injury attorney, like the ones at Shannon Law Group, is of no cost to you at all. The program pays for our attorney’s fees and costs separately from your recovery. Throughout your claim, your attorney will focus on drafting petitions, gathering medical records, and filing your case while you focus on getting better from your injury. 

Diagnosed with GBS After a Flu Shot? We Can Help

At Shannon Law Group, we help people file petitions in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. While we cannot undo the vaccine injury that happened to them, we can recover compensation on their behalf, so they can continue living fulfilled lives. If you or a loved one has recently suffered from a GBS diagnosis and believe it’s from the flu vaccine, we are here for you. 

Give our office a call today, and one of our compassionate attorneys will be able to speak with you about the first steps in filing your claim: (312) 578-9501. You can also fill out the contact form on this page, and someone will get back to you within 24 hours.