Primary Periodic Paralysis attacks can be reduced
Know your triggers
Certain factors, called triggers, can cause you to have an episode of PPP. Learning to identify them is important for helping to manage your episodes.1 Common triggers of PPP episodes include1:Approaches often used to manage PPP episodes:
- Hyperkalemic: Eating frequent meals rich in carbohydrates while avoiding potassium-rich foods1
- Hypokalemic: Taking potassium supplements as recommended by a healthcare provider along with a low-sodium, low-carbohydrate diet1
- Paramyotonia congenita (PMC): Avoiding cold temperatures and strenuous exercise2
- Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS): For some patients, mild exercise and a low-carbohydrate diet may help3
Triggers vary from person to person, and from one subtype of PPP to another. Work with your doctor to determine your individual triggers.1
Emotional impact of PPP
PPP can also take an emotional toll. Some people, for example, may experience social anxiety, because they are afraid of having an episode in public.4 PPP can also impact work and relationships.4Lingering symptoms
Symptoms may sometimes linger after an episode.- Weakness
- Fatigue or persistent tiredness
- Muscle pain
- Clumsiness
Long-term effects of PPP
Many people with PPP have reported persistent muscle weakness, which is muscle weakness that is felt just about all the time, not only during episodes of PPP.5- For some people, persistent muscle weakness can occur over time as muscles break down4
- Persistent muscle weakness is more likely to develop in a person’s 40s and 50s, and it most commonly occurs in leg and hip muscles4,5
Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms of persistent muscle weakness.
Patient Ambassador “I have had a few bouts of profound muscle weakness when exposed to very cold wind, but I have not had an attack of temporary paralysis affecting my full body in [two] years.”