Mental Health, Wellbeing, and a Return to Work

This section will provide useful links and sources to help support your mental health after, or during GBS. If you’re a carer or have experienced a loved one going through an illness it can also be a traumatic time, and these links may also help you.

We also discuss getting back to work and how to communicate with your employer. 

Mental health & wellbeing

With all the changes in your health it is not uncommon to feel anxious or angry. An acute stress reaction is recognised as being a normal part of the process of adjusting to a life change, and it can often help to talk things through with a partner or close friend. However, please seek advice and help from your GP if you are finding it difficult to cope or to sleep, or if you are feeling overwhelmed emotionally.

The impact of being severely affected by a sudden, frightening and potentially life-changing condition such as GBS can leave people with symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). It can develop immediately, or many months or even years after a traumatic event.

If you are concerned about low mood, irritability, panic attacks, anxiety, flashbacks, physical sensations such as trembling or sweating, poor concentration or sleeping problems, please talk to your GP about getting some counselling.

Sexual Relationships

GBS, CIDP and associated inflammatory neuropathies can bring on problems in any relationship, and sexual relationships are not excluded.  Dealing with a long-term illness or disability can put a great strain on a relationship, particularly when one partner is partially or totally dependent on the other.  Even without the actual physical disability, the emotional upheaval can interfere with a couple’s sex life and this can be difficult to talk about.  This can mean that the once close, intimate relationship can become distant and stressful for both partners. Help is available so speak to your GP or a relationship counsellor.

Relate https://www.relate.org.uk/

Getting back to work

When someone is ready to return to work after an absence, the employer should have a procedure they follow, or an Occupational Health service. You can check your workplace’s absence policy for this. Your workplace might have a policy for meeting with employees after absences.

Back to Work: After long-term absence

If there’s been a long absence or the employee has an ongoing health condition, it’s a good idea for the employer and employee to meet and:

  • make sure the employee is ready to return to work
  • talk about any work updates that happened while they were off
  • look at any recommendations from the employee’s doctor
  • see if they need any support
  • if the employee has a disability, see if changes are needed in the workplace to remove or reduce any disadvantages (‘reasonable adjustments’)
  • consider a referral to a medical service such as occupational health
  • discuss an employee assistance programme (EAP) if it’s available
  • agree on a plan that suits you both, for example a phased return to work

Back to Work: Making reasonable adjustments

If an employee has a disability, by law their employer must consider making ‘reasonable adjustments’ if needed to help them return to work.

Reasonable adjustments could include making changes to the employee’s:

  • workstation or working equipment
  • working hours
  • duties or tasks

This can help:

  • get people back to work quicker
  • prevent any further problems

For the best course of action, the employer should take advice from:

Back to Work: Phased return to work

A ‘phased return to work’ is when someone who’s been absent might need to come back to work on:

  • reduced hours
  • lighter duties
  • different duties

For example, after a:

  • long-term illness
  • serious injury
  • bereavement

The employer or their HR manager and the employee should agree on a plan for how long this will be for.

For example, they could agree to review how things are going after a month and then decide to increase the working hours or duties, or they might decide they need to stay reduced for longer.

The employer or HR manager should continue to regularly review the employee’s health and wellbeing in the workplace and make new adjustments if necessary.

Back to Work: Pay during a phased return to work

If the employee returns to their normal duties but on reduced hours, they should get their normal rate of pay for those hours they work.

For the time they’re not able to work, they should get sick pay if they’re entitled to it.

If the employee is doing lighter duties, it’s up to the employer and employee to agree on a rate of pay. It’s a good idea to make sure this agreement is put in writing.

This information is provided by ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service).

Further information regarding absence and returning to work is available on the ACAS website:

https://www.acas.org.uk/absence-from-work

Welcome to our Guillain-Barré Syndrome Information Hub.

Here we breakdown what is happening to you or a loved in simple but proper terms. Our information is sourced from our Medical Advisory Board, medical texts, and recognised support providers. 

If you have any questions after reading this that you feel haven’t been answered. Please get in touch with us, we will strive to point you in the right direction. 

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and the variants?

We discuss the basics of GBS – what it is, some of the symptoms you may experience, different types, symptom variants, Miller Fisher, and possible triggers.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) | Advice for Carers 

Entering a new role as carer for a family member can be daunting. We cover some pratical suggestions, and have some useful carer support links and resources for you to access.

How is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) Diagnosed?

We cover examinations, nerve tests such as (EMG and neurophysiology), and lumbar punctures.

What is the advice surrounding vaccinations and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Containing information on vaccinations via our Medical Advisory Board and sourced journals.

My child has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

Contains information on condition management, paediatric intensive care, how you can help, rehab, going home, and an indepth look at return to school.

Other acute inflammatory neuropathies

Covering Brachial Neuritis and Vasculitic Neuropathy

Treatment for Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) inc. ICU and help from you

Containing information on various treatments for GBS. We explore what may happen in the ICU (such as pain management and ventilation information) and how you can help someone with GBS during their stay (such as mental stimulation, keeping them calm, help coming off the ventilator). 

Mental Health, Well Being, and Work following  Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

Contains information on how to care for your mental health whether you’ve experienced GBS or a loved one had GBS. We discuss sexual relationships, before a section on returning to work – how to approach and talk to your employer after an absence. 

What happens after Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

We cover support and rehab, returning home and care plans, residual symptoms and pain management, hygiene and health, exercise and physio.