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Facts about Stiff Person Syndrome

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    #31
    Fact #23

    Stiff Person Syndrome can cause swallowing problems to the point of medical crisis. The patient then develops severe anticipatory anxiety about swallowing and starts to avoid eating. They are mistakenly misdiagnosed as having anorexia nervosa (by, in my book, incurious and mediocre docs)

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      #32
      Fact #24

      “ The anti-GAD antibody is found in some neurological syndromes, including stiff-person syndrome, paraneoplastic stiff-person syndrome, Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), limbic encephalopathy, cerebellar ataxia, eye movement disorders, and epilepsy. Previously, excluding MFS, these conditions were called ‘hyperexcitability disorders’. However, collectively, these syndromes should be known as ‘anti-GAD positive neurological syndromes.’ “

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        #33
        Fact #25

        In follow up to fact #24, the same authors say that,

        ”With abnormally low GABA, the firing frequency of nerve cells increases and leads to conditions like anxiety and seizure disorders. Various other neurological and cognitive problems are also associated with low levels of GABA including cerebellar ataxia and limbic encephalitis (LE) along with anxiety and epilepsy.”

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          #34
          Fact # 26

          Because the symptoms of Stiff Person Syndrome can vary widely, as well as its rarity, it can take an average of 6.2 years to diagnose Stiff Person Syndrome.

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            #35
            Fact #27

            Other than the Paraneoplastic variety of SPS, the cause of Stiff Person Syndrome is idiopathic, which means th cause is unknown.

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              #36
              Fact #28

              Stiff Person Syndrome is not the only disease that is correlated with high GAD65:

              Lambert-Eaton Myesthenic Syndrome, a neuromuscular disorder, also shows high GAD65 levels.

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                #37
                Fact #29

                Thymoma, Cancer of the thymus, also can produce high levels of GAD65 and resemble Stiff Person Syndrome Symptoms.

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                  #38
                  Fact #30

                  Many professionals observe that people with Stiff Person Syndrome are afraid to venture into open space because of the risk of falling, since loud noises startle thenervous system and cause leg spasms and thus falling. Clinicians then conclude that agoraphobia can occur (fear of being in open spaces and public),

                  Some Psychologists, however, observe that the term Agoraphobia refers to an irrational fear, whereas the SPS patients fear is not irrational but good judgment. Agoraphobics aren’t afraid of open spaces per se. They are fearful of becoming anxious, thus precipitating a panic attack.

                  Personally I wonder if the use of this psychiatric term is a holdover from thinking these patients are not sick with a neurological disorder, but are just anxious and depressed.
                  Last edited by Sunshine; 03-14-2018, 12:52 PM.

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                    #39
                    Fact #31

                    While some studies show Rituximab can be beneficial to people with Stiff Person Syndrome, and even suggest a role of B cells in the disease, not all studies show this.

                    For example:
                    Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

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                      #40
                      Fact #32

                      There are two main approaches to Treatment of Stiff Person Syndrome:

                      1. GABA enhancing drugs such as Baclofen or diazepam (such as Valium)

                      2. Immune modulating treatment, usually IVIG

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                        #41
                        Fact #32

                        There are two main approaches to Treatment of Stiff Person Syndrome:

                        1. GABA enhancing drugs such as Baclofen or diazepam (such as Valium)

                        2. Immune modulating treatment, usually IVIG

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                          #42
                          Fact #33

                          With respect to IVIG infusions, Some people are not able to tolerate infusion-related headache, nausea and vomiting, as well as fatigue, fever and other possible side effects. For many, greatlyslowing down infusion rate prevents side effects. Some patients premedicate. Other strategies are used PRN prescribed by the neurologist.

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                            #43
                            Fact #34


                            Both Tetanus and Stiff Person Syndrome affect peripheral inhibition via central nervous system mechanisms and both conditions inhibit central gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) systems.

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                              #44
                              Fact #35

                              5% of people with Stiff Person Syndrome have cancer as the causative agent of their SPS. Eradicate the cancer and the SPS goes away.

                              Dr. Newsome does full body PET scans to detect hidden cancers for his SPS patients.

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                                #45
                                That's a scary fact but good to know the sps would go away.

                                ANN
                                There comes a time when silence is betrayal.- MLK

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