Anyone with Central Pontine Myelinolysis

Posted , 49 users are following.

Hi anyone out there have any information on central pontine myelinolysis , my 26yr old son has been diagnosed with this condition. He has been in hospital for 6 weeks and spent the last 4 weeks in intensive care, he went into hospital on Christmas eve after having seizures to do with alcohol withdrawal the first couple of days he was doing fine then things started to go wrong. He started to loose his balance he started slurring his speech and was getting very confused. He then lost his ability to swallow then started to slip into a coma at which point intensive care induced him into a coma and we were told not to expect him to survive. A week later he started to come round and could breath for himself but could only use his eyes,3 weeks later and he can communicate by blinking his eyes can squeeze my hand with both hands can wiggle his toes and can understand everything we say to him. We know we have a long way to go and don't know what the long term recovery is but would be grateful for any info from anyone who has come through this condition.

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  • Posted

    Hi Pamela,

    As Joe mentioned, your neice could be experiencing "locked in syndrome" at the moment. It's almost like being in a paralized state but often the patient can hear what is going on around them but cannot respond, either verbally or physically. It's very helpful to talk to her and encourage her and of course, it's best not to say anything in front of her that may frighten her as she cannot respond to it and she is then left there worrying. Perhaps just talk to her about her daughter, tell her how she is doing, that she misses her mum...that kind of thing. Please update us when you can as to how she is responding....take care and best wishes..

    Kelly

  • Posted

    my name is frank and i have cpm.would love to talk to you about it.

    • Posted

      Hi Frank, my sonKieran who is 26 has got CPM and is doing very well. As my original email I thought I was going to loose him but today he is getting stronger and healthier . He can walk and run but has balance issues , if he closes his eyes he has no balance at all. He can act very childish at times it's like I have a child again, he can be very argumentative and mood swings can be off the scale at times. He attends a brain injury group twice a week and has a social worker, but in one way he is healthier and happier now he no longer drinks than he had been in years. I will be happy to answer any questions.
  • Posted

    Hello Frank!  How are you?
    • Posted

      hi joe,

      frank here. have had cpm since 2004. stayed un hospital 9 months. i have a lot of issues. how long were you in hospital?how bad are your balance problems? can you control anything? do you have any problems with phelgm bn your lungs? i am 57. how old are you?

  • Posted

    hello,\frank here. i'm 57, live in mississippi. i have a bunch if issues, but they are manageable. how long did your son stay in hospital. i stayed in 9 months. got cpm in 2004. i have worked out 2 or 3 hours a day for 7 years. can't control anything, but can manage them. i like to hear what other cpm survivors are going thru...
    • Posted

      Hi Frank we live in the uk and when my son had this condition no one new how to treat him as they had never heard of it so the staff were learning as they were treating him. He takes medication to help with his muscles, his hands shake when he carries his coffee but he is determined for it not to beat him,saying that I would not allow him to use the cooker as a saucepan of hot water would be too dangerous. He has delayed short term memory problems so have to keep prompting him. Where as I had a normal cold he had a chest infection which he has medication for at the moment.. My son was in for 4 months but signed himself out and progressed quite well when he came home.
  • Posted

    Hello Frank. I went in the hospital in November of 2012 and went to TIRR rehab in January of 22013 and released in March and started out patient rehab. I still have some balance issues but continue to work on it. I am now in OT and speech and had Botox 3 times in left arm/hand and some facial muscles to relax contractors. I can now control bowel and bladder. I am 41 and live in Houston, Texas  No lung problems but have to be careful swallowing 
  • Posted

    Elaine, I also have tremors in my hands (much better with working out) but I ordered a universal cup lid from amazon for my coffee cup.  It's called Greenpaxx and works great!  {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252

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    • Posted

      hi joe its kieran my mum has been talking to u about me how r you doing ? and i would like to take to someone who nows what im going through
    • Posted

      hi,

      my name is frank from mississippi. i stayed in hospital for 9 months and was bedridden for over year. balance took a major hit. have many issues. how bout you?

  • Posted

    Hello Kieran. Good to hear you are doing better. I heard you can run. I have difficulty with that and I used to run 5 miles about 5 times a week. Something I really miss.
  • Posted

    Hi Elaine, I developed Central Pontine Myelinolysis, or the PONZ as my doctors call it, back on Jan 18, 2011 after a liver transplant.  I know what your going through and my heart goes out to you.  I was in a coma as well and in the ICU for 47 days.  My wife and I didn't know anything about it then but learned quickly once they released me from the ICU into the Physical Therapy ward.  I had to learn how to pretty much everything all over.  All my senses were scrambled, I couldn't see, hear, walk, talk (because I was trached) when they took the trach out and the wound healed up I had to even learn how to eat again.  I'm a former Marine and not having control of my body was a nightmare.  But with the help of a very patient and loving wife, and an outstanding team of doctors I made a partial recovery.  I have to wear hearing aids now, my balance is terrible, I can walk but not run, I've lost feeling in some areas of my body, and I'm forgetfull, especially in the short term and my left hand shakes continually.  I hate to tell you but I don't believe there is anything that can be done for your son.  The eye shifting thing happens to about 10% of the people who get the PONZ.  If God wills it he will come out of it.  When we found out about that disorder I told my wife that if that had been me I hope that she would forbid them from keeping me alive with machines.  That's no way for anyone to live.  And what is waiting for him on the other side is incredibly wonderful.  You see, while they were operating on me I died.  Before they brought me back I got a little peak at heaven.  I'll never forget the feeling of peace and tranquility that I felt for those few moments.  I wish you all the best. Hugs, David.
  • Posted

    Hi again Elaine,  I just read some of your other posts, and all I can say is THAT'S GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!  Glad everything is working out.  God must have been listening to you.

    Hugs Dave.

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