Submitted by deb on Wed, 10/12/2011 – 23:03 Irm’s Story The PPI’s Client Services Representative in The Netherlands is Irm. Irm and her son were clinically diagnosed with HypoKPP-plus in Germany in September 2011, but she has had symptoms since she was a young child. At the age of 7, she told her parents, “My head is…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 06/26/2011 – 23:58 Part Two Case Studies – HypoKPP Patient #1 Three Pregnancies: Familial HypoKPP Symptoms began at age of 13 years with three paralytic episodes of 48-72 hour duration. Are your symptoms worse with your menses? No Pregnancy No 1: Age 20 Diagnosed at time of this pregnancy: Yes Episodes consisted of…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 07/03/2011 – 23:34 When I’m in the middle of an abortive attack meal planning goes right out the window. I can look at a fridge and pantry full of food and not be able to figure out what to do with any of it. The only way to avoid feeding the family…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 07/17/2011 – 21:31 by Elson M. Haas, M.D. Potassium is a very significant body mineral, important to both cellular and electrical function. It is one of the main blood minerals called “electrolytes” (the others are sodium and chloride), which means it carries a tiny electrical charge (potential). Potassium is the primary positive…
Submitted by deb on Sat, 06/25/2011 – 23:22 Pain Often Overlooked Pain is an often overlooked component of the periodic paralyses. Patients who report muscle pain in association with their episodes are too often told that the periodic paralyses are not painful despite many authoritative reports to the contrary. In fact the pain which accompanies the periodic…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 06/26/2011 – 22:39 Description of Myoclonus Here is a description of myoclonus by Joseph Jankovic, M.D: Myoclonus describes a symptom and generally is not a diagnosis of a disease. It refers to sudden, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles. Myoclonic jerks may occur alone or in sequence, in a pattern or…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 06/26/2011 – 22:13 Myoclonus is the sudden, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles. Myoclonic jerks may occur alone or in sequence, in a pattern or without pattern. They may occur infrequently or many times each minute. Myoclonus sometimes occurs in response to an external event or when a person…
Submitted by deb on Sun, 06/26/2011 – 22:54 Part One There is little available medical literature to guide the physician in the care of the pregnant patient who has periodic paralysis. The first part of this packet consists of abstracts and quotations drawn from current literature. But this information is limited. Because Periodic Paralysis International has a…
Submitted by deb on Mon, 06/27/2011 – 00:31 In July of 1998 we conducted a survey of 64 self-reported clinically diagnosed periodic paralysis patients, all members of the HKPP Listserv. The questionnaire underwent no formal validation process, nor was the data assessed by personnel trained in this field. The patients surveyed were drawn from several countries and…
Submitted by deb on Mon, 06/27/2011 – 20:54 Acetazolamide (aka Diamox) is frequently prescribed as therapy for the periodic paralyses. While most patients take this drug without incident it can interact with other drugs. Physicians should be aware of potential problems which might arise. Acetazolamide can decrease excretion of dextroamphetamine, anticholinergics, mecamylamine, ephedrine, mexiletine, or quinidine because…