I was left paralysed and nearly died after eating a chicken Bhuna from my favourite takeaway | The Sun
A DAD has revealed how he nearly died after eating a dodgy curry.
David Miller suffered from severe food poisoning after ordering his favourite chicken bhuna from his local take out in London.
The food poisoning then developed into an autoimmune disorder that caused him to lose the use of his limbs.
Web contractor David couldn't walk or see clearly and two months after the food poisoning, he started feeling tingling in his hands.
The 43-year-old was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, caused when the immune system is low.
Dad-of-two David first fell ill in 2016 and six years after recovering, is preparing to run his first marathon.
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David, who before his illness was a keen cyclist, said: "It was pretty scary. Obviously we didn't go back to that restaurant again.
"It was a steep decline- I went from having tingling and pins and needles in my hands and feet to needing a wheelchair to get into hospital a week later.
"Some people die from this syndrome. It works its way from the extremities through your core and can stop your breathing.
"Imagine looking at your body and trying to make it move and it doesn't."
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He suspects that his ordeal stems for the food poisoning he believes he got from the curry.
David suffered with painful gastroenteritis for two months.
The food poisoning was followed by a painful stomach bug, which meant his immune system was compromised.
He was just back at work in December having moved house from London to Lincoln that same month, when over Christmas the numbness and tingling started.
A week later he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare and serious condition which can lead to life-long problems.
He was admitted to hospital in January 2017 and put into intensive care after his breathing became compromised.
What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?
The NHS describes Guillain-Barré syndrome as “a very rare and serious condition” that affects the nerves.
It mainly affects the feet, hands and limbs, causing problems such as numbness, weakness and pain.
While most people will eventually make a full recovery it can be life-threatening and some people are left with long-term problems.
It affects people of all ages but is most common in adults and males.
The initial symptoms are:
- numbness
- pins and needles
- muscle weakness
- pain
- problems with balance and co-ordination
These symptoms may continue to get worse over the next few days or weeks before they start to slowly improve.
People are advised to contact their GP if you notice any of these early symptoms.
You’re advised to call 999 or go to your nearest A&E if:
- has difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking
- cannot move their limbs or face
This is a medical emergency and the person needs to be seen in hospital as soon as possible.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is thought to be caused by a problem with the immune system, the body's natural defence against illness and infection.
Normally the immune system attacks any germs that get into the body. But in people with Guillain-Barré syndrome, something goes wrong and it mistakenly attacks and damages the nerves.
The father of two daughters, Elise, now seven, and Eva, three, said: "I was worried about my breathing, I could tell I wasn't breathing strongly.
"I was never fully paralysed, I still had some movement in my hips but not enough to even roll over in bed with."
He remembers not even being able to watch football properly, as the nerve damage had affected his eyes and ability to focus them.
At the time, his wife Kirsty was at home with their 18-month-old baby girl Elise, who didn't recognise him in the hospital bed.
David said: "I remember my wife putting her on me when I was lying in bed.
"Elise very clearly didn't want to be there. It was upsetting, certainly odd."
He was released after spending two months in hospital and had to use crutches and walking sticks.
He said: "It does make you think about food and the knock-on effect.
"It was a year of my life that it affected. My eating habits haven't really changed, but it does make you think."
He has since made a full recovery with no sign of any lasting side effects and is using his returned physical abilities to run the London marathon this April.
He said: "It makes you think a little bit more about life and focus on the now.
"I've been doing that more recently. I've taken more time off work and being ill was definitely a contributing factor in that.
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"With the marathon I'm raising money for the John Muir Trust.
"I've been worrying about the future more recently and the money raised will go to protecting our forests."
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