It wasn’t until after his move to Indore for medical school preparation at the age of 16 that he began noticing symptoms like an imbalance while walking and difficulty running.
“Securing a seat in the medical school was all that I could think of. So, the thought of a serious health issue seemed remote and unfathomable,” he explained.
Doctors suspected some type of hereditary neuropathy. But medical terms made little sense to Agarwal. It led to a phase of ignorance and denial as the symptoms worsened.
He set out to find the answers for himself. “Type X of CMT is the most difficult variety to manage. I started searching for alternative therapies,” Dr Agarwal recalled.
Extensive investigations revealed that Agarwal had CMT type 4c. It is one of the least severe variants of CMT, unlike CMT-X. CMT has several variants and each with its subtypes.
He emphasised the critical role of accurate diagnosis in medical treatment and patient well-being. It would serve as a roadmap for managing the disease.