DUBAI: Doctors in a Sharjah hospital helped a 46-year-old resident undergo treatment for a debilitating nerve disease that prevented her from walking.
Annie Cherian, a school teacher from India and living in Sharjah, experienced weakness in her limbs six months ago and her condition quickly worsened, making daily life tasks like brushing her hair or even walking increasingly difficult.
On April 3 Cherian sought help from doctors at Aster Hospitals in Sharjah and within two days received a CIDP diagnosis, a condition that affects approximately 1-2 people in 100,000 annually according to the CIDP Foundation International.
CIDP, or Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, is a rare autoimmune nerve disease that attacks the covering of the nerve cells and leads to loss of physical strength and sensation in the arms and legs. It can be caused by a virus or infection that enters the body.
Usually CIDP is treated with steroids, but as Cherian is also a diabetic, this option was not viable as it might worsen her diabetes, explained Dr. Rajesh Chaudhary, specialist neurologist at Aster Hospital Sharjah.
With the help of Chaudhary and his medical team, Cherian underwent an intravenous treatment which lasted five days.
The treatment involved introducing antibodies through the vein, which helps existing antibodies in the body to strengthen and fight off infections and diseases, Chaudhary explained.
“Without proper treatment, a patient’s quality of life becomes very poor and they struggle to do mundane everyday tasks,” said Chaudhary.
Other symptoms of CIDP include problems walking, lack of strength, tingling and pain in the limbs, he said.
Cherian responded well to the treatment and regained strength in her limbs, and is now able to perform everyday tasks unassisted.
Chaudhary said Cherian is expected to lead a normal life after the treatment and will most likely not experience weakness or fatigue in her limbs again.
“I am so grateful for the medical team who helped me recover remarkably and restore my strength, but also made me aware of autoimmune disease’s impact and the importance of timely medical intervention,” said Cherian.
