Living With Polio

Millions of individuals who had polio are living in all areas of the world. Survivors range in age from a few months to nonagenarians (in their nineties). Aftereffects vary greatly depending on the number and location of the nerve cells destroyed by the poliovirus. The challenge or ease of living with polio varies for each survivor, depending on the availability of medical care and rehabilitation opportunities, and their family and social support.

Advice, hints, explanations, etc., are categorized by topic and are searchable. The source of the material is identified.

Reminder: PHI’s post-polio.org and IVUN’s ventusers.org or ventnews.org features numerous articles to assist in living with polio.

Constipation in Polio Survivors

From my standpoint as a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the connection between constipation and post-polio syndrome is academic. i.e., it is an interesting discussion and may be important, but I am not sure it changes treatment. William M. DeMayo, MD

Here are some practical thoughts.

I would address the issue the same as a partial neurogenic bowel, i.e., in a stepwise fashion. It's hard to give a cookbook one size fits all answer, but some points would include the following:

Health Professionals say: PPS-G14, Sequelae of Polio B91

In 2016, Post-Polio Health International (PHI) surveyed health professionals with experience in post-polio patient care. A PowerPoint of some of the data can be viewed at Survey of Health Professionals with Experience in Post-Polio Patient Care. Post-Polio Health, Volume 33, Number 3, (August, 2017) will feature an article about the results, too.

One thought not discussed in either of the above is related to definition and ICD-10 codes. The survey asked health professionals the following.

Anesthesia Specifics for PPS

Selma Calmes, MD, (ret) anesthesiologist

1. Post-polio patients are nearly always very sensitive to sedative meds, and emergence can be prolonged. This is probably due to central neuronal changes, especially in the Reticular Activating System, from the original disease.

Question: What to do about a bursa?

In mid-August 2016, I bumped my right elbow on the bar of my wheelchair, and it hurt a lot for a few days. But it wasn’t till late September that I developed a bursa. The nurse practitioner at our doctor’s office drained it, but it filled back up. When I went there the following week she didn’t want to drain it again without sending me to an orthopedist.

Questions about receiving the polio vaccine after having already contracted polio

Question

I contracted polio as child age 12 from the live virus vaccine. Several years ago I was diagnosed with PPS. Later in the US Army age 19 I was given a polio vaccination. What would have happened to me? What would have the side effects been? Enhanced PPS? Are there any studies on this situation?

Response

Marny Eulberg, MD, polio survivor and a family physician who has run a post polio clinic since 1985.

Post-polio hospital admissions in Australia over a 10-year period: An observational study and analysis of trends by month, location, and comparable conditions

https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaf029 More

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