Raising the awareness of Miller Fisher Syndrome (MFS)

I was unlucky enough to contract Miller Fisher Syndrome from Campylobacter, a bacteria that causes food poisoning, back in 2004 which turned out to be the worse time in my life.

Often preceded by a viral infection Miller Fisher Syndrome is a very rare nerve disease which is considered to be a variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome although less common.

Symptoms that usually occur are:

• abnormal muscle coordination
• paralysis of eye muscles causing obscured vision and sensitivity to light
• absence of the tendon reflexes
• respiratory problems

Fortunately treatment is available and in most cases the prognosis is good with recovery starting two to four weeks from when the symptoms started and may be complete within six months.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system.

There seems to be little awareness and general knowledge about Miller Fisher Syndrome so I decided to have this website published to increase the awareness and also to share my story with an account of

• the period leading up to contracting MFS
• the first signs of something being wrong
• my time in hospital
• my recovery at home
• the effect it had on me in the years after

For information about Miller Fisher Syndrome, Guillain–Barré Syndrome, Campylobacter and Safety With Food please refer to the Links page on this website.

If you have any comments or would like to share your story (it can be published on its own page on this website should you wish) - please use the form on the Contact page.