Hello

I am glad to find your site; it has been hard to find anything on
children born to mothers who had Polio. My mother had polio when she
was 13 and was pregnant with me at age 15 and had me at 16.

I live in the United States and they do not believe there is a
connection to this as I did not have it. Here is why I am writing
you. This is very much a shortened version, yet still long--sorry.

I have struggled with my walking and standing ability for the last
seven plus years. I have fought very hard to keep my mobility at
all. My legs are weakened yet I do well if I pace and rest and pace
and rest; then I can spend a very short time at a store or such.
Now, I did have to train a service dog to help me to keep my
mobility and I have been to physical therapy several times. Anytime
we up my exercise, which I tried many times, I have an incredible
time getting anything back, It is like I lose more muscle or stamina
and it seems to be gone forever. I am now trying to add in more
supplements and so on. The reason I checked on this is that it has
been the only thing I found so far that fits this pattern. I was
diagnosed with fibromyalgia, yet don't believe I fit this as I have
my right side more affected than my left and exercise seems to be
detrimental--even using exercises meant for this. It could be I
suppose, but I tend not to dwell on the pain or there is not as much
pain
as there is weakness of the limbs. Docs don't know what to do with
me and I have been checked for MS and Parkinsons, I am classified in
an other category--doctor's just don't know what it is.

The thing that is odd to me is that I am and have been a driven
person; active with farm animals and horses, which gave me many
chores, which I love to do. With all of this I gave up the farm
animals completely and decided to go to school and use my mind; I
finished my degrees--using mind when body wouldn't cooperate.

I am not afraid to work hard and I was an exerciser and I
continually tell the docs that I am willing to work at it. They say
I can't overdo, yet do more exercise--the cycle of loss becomes
greater. I have a few issues and one autoimmune (skin) disease
diagnoses, and other health issues. It was in that online group for
this autoimmune issue that it was brought up about the PPS once
again. Seems others there have PPS--they did have polio as a child
though.

Sometimes I feel like I have to drag my legs places; I do it, yet it
seems so weird that we can not find the cause. My spirits are good
as I keep busy; my mother is a pusher like I am. As a PP survivor
she has had cancer twice, a quadruple bypass, a brain tumor and much
more; she keeps on with her life and is a great example for me. I
think that I push trough this so much because this is how I was
raised. If I push my physical body; it just never gets back to where
I was though.

Is there anything other than this that has this as a symptom? Why
does the US not believe in this as a possibility? I am afraid to
mention it to a doc here.

I am working hard to have freedom and ability to walk on my own once
again; it has been two and a half years since I had to start using a
service dog as a mobility assistant. I walked much like a drunk when
I pushed(more like drug myself) to walk and was in danger of falls.
Getting from my car safely into the house was even a struggle. The
dog gives me the movement and momentum to give me the extra pull
needed to walk without so much struggle. I hope this makes sense to
you.

Thank you for any help you can give,

Glennda from the US