26-year-old Sviatoslav from Novyi Rozdil almost completely lost his mobility due to a rare autoimmune disease, but after several months of treatment at the University Hospital he is now showing a marked restoration of function.
He initially put his symptoms down to spending long hours working at a computer: his feet went numb, he developed weakness in his legs, and his gait changed. From October to December his condition rapidly deteriorated — Sviatoslav stopped walking, could not sit up on his own or move his arms and legs, and he developed speech and swallowing difficulties, as well as impaired vision.
The family sought help from various medical facilities and underwent numerous examinations, but for a long time doctors were unable to establish a clear diagnosis. At the end of December, the patient was transferred to the Neurology and Neurosurgery Clinic of the University Hospital. Following further tests, specialists diagnosed acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy — an autoimmune disease that affects the sheaths of peripheral nerves.
Orest Semeriak, Head of the Department of Autoimmune and Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Nervous System of the Ohiienko Campus, stresses that you must not delay seeing a doctor if you experience similar symptoms.
“In such cases, it is very important not to lose time. Progressive muscle weakness, especially if it worsens over a short period, requires a mandatory examination by a neurologist. The earlier the cause is identified and treatment started, the more opportunities there are for recovery,” says Orest Semeriak
At the clinic, Sviatoslav began specialised treatment and a rehabilitation course. He can now sit up independently and remain in this position for long periods. Some movements are still difficult, and in everyday life his mother helps him, but he is gradually regaining skills that only a few months ago were beyond his reach.
When asked about his greatest dream, the patient says that he wants to stand up again, to walk, and to be fully independent.
Doctors remind people that if muscle weakness is increasing, your gait is changing, or you develop movement, swallowing or speech difficulties, you should not wait for it to pass on its own. You should see a neurologist as soon as possible and identify the cause together with specialists.
At the University Hospital, patients with neuromuscular, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases of the nervous system have access to comprehensive diagnostics, specialised treatment and ongoing rehabilitation support.