Evidence grows for narcolepsy link to GSK swine flu shot

[Celebration]

Reuters Article

Emelie Olsson is plagued by hallucinations and nightmares. When she wakes up, she's often paralyzed, unable to breathe properly or call for help. During the day she can barely stay awake, and often misses school or having fun with friends. She is only 14, but at times she has wondered if her life is worth living.

Emelie is one of around 800 children in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe who developed narcolepsy, an incurable sleep disorder, after being immunized with the Pandemrix H1N1 swine flu vaccine made by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline in 2009.

Finland, Norway, Ireland and France have seen spikes in narcolepsy cases, too, and people familiar with the results of a soon-to-be-published study in Britain have told Reuters it will show a similar pattern in children there.

Their fate, coping with an illness that all but destroys normal life, is developing into what the health official who coordinated Sweden's vaccination campaign calls a "medical tragedy" that will demand rising scientific and medical attention.

[hedgehog]

1. I've often wondered if there was something different about the Swine FLu vaccine given in the

US back during the Ford administration. I've never been clear as to whether that vaccine was different from other annual vaccines before and since, and whether the association of that vaccine with Guillain-Barre syndrome was real or imagined.

[MuseRider]

2. I have been living with narcolepsy for over 40 years and it has never destroyed my life.

This seems a little tragic. Yes it is disruptive but I have never considered it a tragedy. Medications take care of most of it and it is a pain in the ass but there are things that are so much worse than it is.

Just wanting to comment. 14 -16 is about the age many kids start to suffer from it. It can come on later as well. If you or your children get it just learn how to medicate and your life will be fine. Benefit? You can sleep anywhere under any circumstances

I hope they find the connections, perhaps it will make it easier to find better meds.

In case I sounded less than sympathetic, I am sorry for the kids. It can be rough but again, it could be so much worse. This will not kill them or maim them or cause them to miss out on life.

[Celebration]

3. can you drive?

My daughter had a friend with narcolepsy and he had to take public transportation everywhere. He was at risk for falling asleep at the wheel.

I don't know much about it. Can't it be more severe in some people than in others?

Sounds like the girl had to avoid pleasure and excitement. I'm sure that is pretty difficult at her age!

[MuseRider]

4. Yes it can be more severe

but to my knowledge it can be handled by meds.

I can drive but I won't if I do not have my meds, I would fall asleep absolutely. I have not heard of cases that could not be handled with meds, perhaps there are? Nobody has ever told me I could not do anything, just to use my meds in a responsible way to keep from falling asleep and endangering others or myself.

All of the parts of narcolepsy be handled, I too would have moments of cataplexy but thankfully few. I am lucky mine is certainly not the worst case and I have a great doctor who knows that I will not abuse my meds so I have a bit of a free hand to use it when I need it and not when I don't.

It is difficult, especially when you are figuring out what works for you and what does not. Still, the article seemed a little alarmist maybe? It is not a horrific type of incurable cancer. My only point is that it can be dealt with. Not a fun thing to have but not life ending. If your meds are working there is nothing you cannot do, you just have to give it a little more thought than others.