A Paralyzing Fear

Older Comments on A Paralyzing Fear

• Posted 04/21/11 by elizabeth bliss
  I think that another film educating us about the late effects of polio is long over due. I am in the late stages of polio and am losing the nerves and mucles that I worked so hard to gain. I am educating my doctors because they were not aware of the post polio syndrome. After many years of over using my muscles they are dying. I have had one neck and two lumbar surgeries and also have damage from the barbaric methods used in these surgeries. Thanks for this film. People take for granted their health and I'm glad that people who want to know about polio and it's effects on families now can watch films like this.
• Posted 10/12/10 by MirSho
  I was infected-age 3-1955; no inoculation. There is a need for a follow-up doc.re: Post Poliomyelitis Syndrome, to address the mismanagement of the plethora of misdiagnoses due to the mild, vague early symptoms. Mine started 15-20 years before a definitive diagnoses was made. The ever-worsening symptoms of Polio return sans the virus. After diagnosis, I was sent to 6 months of intensive physical therapy (while still working). My follow-up revealed a loss of 50% of my strength. THE only helpful exercise (for most) is warm water therapy. This falls under PHYSICAL THERAPY- which Medicare CAPS, and no way I can pay the 20% copay for going 3 times/wk. I need to do this to be healthy. For almost 2 decades, I was diagnosed with anxiety, depression & (you name it). Treated like a hypochondriac instead of being diagnosed properly. Had 1 back and 2 neck surgeries. These may likely have been unnecessary if I had started warm water therapy much, much earlier. Now I have a cascade of sequalae, including extremely severe Fibromyalgia. This genetic bullet may have never fired if my body had not taken the beating it did from wrong medications and incorrect diagnoses. Mia Farrow has PPS. The MAJORITY of survivors do and usually don't know what's wrong with them until suddenly- no longer able to work. The glaringly intensive symptoms show up (typically) 30-40 years after having Polio. Now I'm on "permanent medical disability", after working so hard all my adult life. I lost my home, my credit, etc. I cannot afford the outrageously expensive "Medigap" insurance for disabled persons < 65 years old. (Texas has the highest $$$). I'm on a boatload of meds + inability to pay medical bills. One week/mo I live on 1 meal/day: rice+beans & tons of H2O to fill me up. I am blessed to have that. There are many people with MUCH bigger challenges, I know. But, what happened to me WAS/IS PREVENTABLE. POLIO IS NOT GONE FROM THE USA, NOR THE WORLD, as long as PPS is untreated and undiagnosed EARLY. Physicians MUST take note: If a pt. has a HISTORY OF POLIO; it begins with aches, pains,& other mild, persistent symptoms 'of unknown origin'. NOT UNKNOWN. NOT MENTAL. Get us to warm H2O therapy pronto. I live in poverty due to all of the above mistakes. The disability ins. I paid for at work? Turned down twice: They claimed Polio was a PRE-EXISTING CONDITION! I didn't have the means to take them to court. UNREAL. Hope this helps even one person...
• Posted 02/18/10 by Sarah Wersan
  I learned more about polio from this documentary that from another one that has been more popular lately. There was a good balance between facts and the psychology of the times.
• Posted 02/18/10 by Jen
  Fascinating topic for those of us that didn't live through this, however, there are some points of terrible sound engineering, where the music is much louder than the narrator.