Medical Experts

Hi: Without the details about your son’s illness I cannot say if he has CIDP. I can say that the symptoms of CIDP are very non-specific and many other illnesses can have similar symptoms. If you would send a brief outline of his history and his complaints I will endeavour to address whether he has CIDP. Gareth

I am copying my recent answer to the same question. Nothing in life is 100% free of risk but this vaccine is one of the safest ever developed.

So far there have been more than 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccine administered worldwide and there have been perhaps 2 cases of new GBS and no cases of recurrence of prior GBS. By contrast, there have been dozens of cases of GBS following COVID infecti0n. Thus, we can say that the risk from getting the vaccine is tiny (about 1 in 1 billion) while the risk of getting GBS with COVID is much higher and the risk of dying from COVID very much higher so I recommend getting the vaccination.

Hi Diane: So far there have been more than 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccine administered worldwide and there has not been a single case of new GBS or recurrence of prior GBS. By contrast, there have been dozens of cases of GBS following COVID infecti0n. Thus, we can say that the risk to your husband from getting the vaccine is tiny (less than 1 in 1 billion) while the risk of getting GBS with COVID is much higher and the risk of dying from COVID very much higher so I recommend getting the vaccination.

Hi Sabine: At the regional conference of the GBS (NZ) Support Group today there was a very good lecture from Dr Kilfoyle on just his topic and some lively follow-up discussion. Over 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccine have been administered so far and there have been only 2 cases of GBS occurring in the 6 weeks following the vaccination, neither of which had had previous GBS. The expected number of GBS cases that we would expect from chance alone would be about 1500 so we can say confidently that the vaccine does not trigger GBS. The vaccine should not affect your husband any differently from any normal person getting the vaccine. Gareth

Pain in the toes can certainly be from neuropathy and can be an after-effect of GBS. A lot depends on the nature of the pain, when it occurs, what (if anything) makes it better or worse and other factors. It could be managed by your GP with medications such as nortriptyline, gabapentin or pregabalin or you could try to get seen by a neurologist in Auckland. Unless you go in private you can’t really choose a specific neurologist. Gareth