Sufjan Stevens diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, says, "I woke up one morning and couldn't walk"

American singer and songwriter Sufjan Stevens has recently been diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome. The Call Me By Your Name singer shared the news via his Instagram account. In the post, he wrote:

"Last month, I woke up one morning and couldn't walk. My hands, arms, and legs were numb and tingling, and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility. My brother drove me to the ER, and after a series of tests—MRIs, EMGs, CAT scans, X-rays, spinal taps (!), echo-cardiograms, etc.—the neurologists diagnosed me with an autoimmune disorder called Guillian-Barre Syndrome."

In the same post, Sufjan Stevens also spoke about the treatment plan that was suggested to him.

"Luckily there’s treatment for this — they administer immuno-hemoglobin infusions for five days and pray that the disease doesn’t spread to the lungs, heart and brain," he wrote.

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What is Guillain-Barré syndrome and what are its symptoms?

Guillain-Barré syndrome may cause difficulty in breathing among some (Image via freepik)

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare type of autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system starts attacking the nerves of the body. There is currently no medical research that points towards the exact cause of the disease. However, based on repeated trends, it has been observed that some people who were diagnosed with the disease have reported experiencing symptoms of some kind of infection in the six weeks leading to the diagnosis.

One of the initial symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome involves experiencing tingling sensations in the hands and feet, which slowly spreads to the upper body and arms. These sensations then spread all through the body, eventually leading to full-body paralysis.

Here are some common symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome:

• Tingling sensation in your hands and feet that spreads to your upper body and arms
• Difficulty in walking
• Inability to control your facial movements
• High or low blood pressure
• Heightened heartbeat
• Inability to breathe properly
• Incapacity to move your eyes
• Problems with controlling your bladder or compromised bowel function
• Extreme pain ranging from mild to severe, especially during the nights

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How is Sufjan Stevens doing now?

On Thursday, September 21, 2023, Sufjan Stevens shared the news of his Guillain-Barré syndrome diagnosis via his Instagram. He spoke about how he had been in the hospital for a month and how he was trying to "learn to walk again" after waking up one morning and suddenly not being able to walk.

Speaking about the progress he has had so far, Sufjan Stevens wrote:

"On September 8, I was transferred to acute rehab, where I am now undergoing intensive physical therapy/occupational therapy, strength building etc. to get my body back in shape and to learn to walk again. It’s a slow process, but they say I will “recover,” it just takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work."

Sufjan Stevens thanked everyone for their support and love and extended his heartfelt gratitude towards all the "incredible caretakers of the world working night and day to help us heal."

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Although there is no known cure for Guillain-Barré syndrome, most of its symptoms can be managed with proper medication. In fact, most people diagnosed with it start to walk on their own within a year of diagnosis. However, in some rare cases, the symptoms might turn severe and can lead to death.