TheMateo

The flu vaccine doesn't cause GBS (they're still not quite sure what even causes GBS), but it can be a trigger for some. GBS is an autoimmune disease. So in regards to a flu, vaccine is administered...immune system goes to work but starts attacking their own body's nerves as if they were foreign cells.

So after recovery from GBS, they will NEVER get a flu shot again. You could potentially trigger the immune system to do it again.

Up to this point, researchers still don't know what exactly causes GBS or why some get it and some don't. So to say that a flu vaccination is the cause would be incorrect, yes.

What the flu vaccine can do (in a very small amount of cases) is trigger the disease, make it become active. But the vaccination isn't even the most common trigger by a long shot as /u/DragonAdept pointed out.

The only people who shouldn't be getting a vaccination are ones who are already been diagnosed with GBS. Because they know they have an over-reactive immune system, not taking a flu vaccination is erring on the side of caution.

EDIT: a word, thanks /u/Lazy_Rabbit

Exactly. I should have added..get the damn flu shot, people.

One of my best friends growing up was diagnosed with GB in first grade. We're in our early 30's now and he's completely recovered (minus a very minor twitch that comes out when he drinks). He's a workout-aholic, fitness instructor, did some amateur modeling...you get the idea.

Here's my dig. He is convinced he had Muscular Dystrophy. He's also equally convinced that he beat MD. I've on more than one occasion tried to explain that they are not the same disease (for starters, one is auto-immune, the other is genetic). But because the symptoms are obviously similar he is 100% sure he had MD, and is cured from it. He has even gone on a local talk show to discuss how he beat MD.

Have you ever met someone whose thought the same thing, confusing their disease simply over symptoms. Have any suggestions on how I could get through to him on this?