Has anyone been treated for Stiff person syndrome?

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Like with IV treatment other than just drugs. Has it helped? I have SPS and am looking at IV treatment to help. Possible stroke threat. Would like to find others who have this illness.
My daughter has been treated for Stiff Person Syndrome. (Stiff Man Syndrome in other parts of the world outside the USA.) She's had IVIg, pulse steroids, plasma exchange and ITB. The first three had limited effects for limited times but ITB (Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy) dramatically improved her life for almost a year. Take into account that her form of SPS is Progressive Encephalomyelitis, a high speed version of SPS, so the effectiveness of all of these therapies was shortened by the speed of the progress of her illness. eMedicine has a great write up of SPS and it also has a link to NIH's (the National Institute of Health) SPS pages. Also, when you search the internet, you ought to use the key words "stiff syndrome" and forget the person/man so your searches are much more productive.  (+ info)

How many people in the US have stiff person syndrome?

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  (+ info)

What is stiff person syndrome?

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What is Stiff-Person Syndrome?
Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease. SPS is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms. Abnormal postures, often hunched over and stiffened, are characteristic of the disorder. People with SPS can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls. SPS affects twice as many women as men. It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia. Scientists don’t yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord. The disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in the blood. People with SPS have elevated levels of GAD, an antibody that works against an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter in the brain.  (+ info)

How do you deal with a person with Downs Syndrome correctly?

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At my school we have a program called 'Peer Support' in which the students in their final year 'support' the new students coming to the school for a term. Well, in the class I am taking, one student has Downs syndrome, and as i've heard it's a mild case (not that I know what is considered severe/mild), anyway, does anyone have any tips or some information that can make it easier to work with this person? Thanks.
A person with mild Down's syndrome is simply a slow learner. But he does learn.
Basically, treat him with the same friendliness and respect that you would any other student. Just be a little bit alert for signs that he doesn't understand, maybe you were going too fast for him, so slow down a little. You could say something like, "If I'm going too fast for you, just stop me and let me know. Sometimes I talk too fast." "Don't be shy about asking questions!"
Also, don't be afraid to ask him questions to find out what he needs from you. You'll get a feel for him after a little while. Like non-Downs people, each individual has his/her own personality.  (+ info)

What is the name of the syndrome that the person may appear to have facial characteristics of down's syndrome?

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I previously watched a documentary about sufferers of a syndrome whose facial features appeared to be down's syndrome but it wasn't down's syndrome. The grow to be quite large adults and have special needs. Does anyone know the name of this condition?
Klinefelter syndrome  (+ info)

can sick sinus syndrome of the heart get worse even when the person has a pacemaker?

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What is called "sick sinus syndrome" is when the natural pacemaker in the heart isn't sending impulses in a timely manner to keep the beats regular. The symptoms progress over time until finally the person requires an artificial battery operated pacemaker implant to regulate the heartbeat within normal range. After reading numerous articles on Google about this problem, nowhere could I find anything that explained the outcome of the sick sinus syndrome after a pacemaker was implanted after some time goes by. If the pacemaker is regulating the heart rate, how could the problem still get worse, if it does? The person I am referring to is a 71 year old man who has no other major problems and doesn't have a weak heart muscle, just the problem with the electrical impulses. .
Also I was wondering if others who have had a pacemaker implanted, have had pain in their left shoulder or under the left shoulder blade and have you found the cause of it? Thank you for all comments.
The rhythm problem should be all better with the pacemaker.

The left shoulder problem is probably muscle related due to the arm being somewhat immobilized for a few days. Try a deep tissue massage and ask if the therapist found a lot of tight muscles in the area.

If the massage does not help at all, ask the cardiologist to evaluate the pacemaker site. I can;t imagine the pacemaker is causing the shoulder pain because it is so small, but anything is possible.

Is the patient having hiccups constantly ? If so, call the doctor as soon as possible.  (+ info)

What are the complications if a person has nephrotic syndrome and gets cancer?

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My wife has nephrotic syndrome (a kidney disease) and the doctor, due to recent blood test findings, believes she has cancer. Are there any complications that could come from having the syndrome and having to now fight cancer.
This is a dillematic situation - so far that I can say. Kidney cancer is a rare type of cancer. To treat cancer, doctor would suggest chemo/radiation/surgery... depends on the stage.

Does the disease affect both kidneys or only one? All chemo drugs are very strong, I'm afraid cannot be applied to your wife, given that her kidney is the one who has problem.

However, I believe that your doctor will know the best of her condition, hence can determine best treatment (maybe kidney transplantation?). '

In the mean time, it's important that your wife change to a healthy lifestyle, healthy food and enough rest. Good luck.  (+ info)

How can a person with chronic fatigue syndrome get more energy?

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I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome about 2 years ago and I have found a way to cope without pain. My biggest problem now is the fatigue.
I would have 2 things checked.....your iron level and your thyroid. Both can cause severe fatigue.

Other ideas include eating fruit for natural sugar as apposed to sugary foods. 10 minutes, 2 times a day of exercise can also help. It doesn't have to be a lot and you can work up to doing more than that if you want to.

If you are not sleeping well at night, I would also ask your doctor about starting a low dose of Trazadone. It helped me greatly and I felt much better during the day.

The biggest thing that helped me was regular chiropractic adjustments. I have Fibromyalgia (although you'd never know it now), spinal stenosis, High Blood Pressure, hypothyroidism and IBS. I also get chronic migraines. Chiropractic has improved my life 100%. I see my chiropractor 1 time a week and I virtually have no symtoms! I have been seeing a chiropractor for 15 months now.

Hope all of this helps!  (+ info)

What is the type of syndrome that causes a person to be indefinitely short and completely non-verbal?

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Oh yeah, it also has to deal with the person lacking one chromosome.
Turner syndrome girls are shorter than the norm, BUT they are ussually given growth hormone so get to around 4ft 10" to 5ft 2".. Speech is almost always normal. It is caused by a missing or partial missing X chromosome  (+ info)

How would a CT brain scan of a Down Syndrome person compare to that of a normal person?

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Not a Down's person with Alzheimers. A young otherwise healthy Down's person CT brain scan compared to a normal person. Are they different?
Usually quite normal in appearance on CT. MRI may show some subtle white matter changes.  (+ info)

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