Randomized controlled trials have shown beneficial responses to plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), but details about the first medical examination of patients with GBS and Fisher syndrome (FS) have not been reported. We investigated the period from first consultations to treatment after the onset of patients with GBS and FS. A questionnaire was used to collect informations on 247 patients with GBS and 125 with FS, all of whom had been referred to our neuroimmunological laboratory informations between January 2001 and October 2001 for serum anti-ganglioside antibody tests. A letter of inquiry was sent to the primary physicians; 150 (61%) patients with GBS and 72 (58%) with FS responded validly. Patients with GBS generally consulted an internist [58%, neurologist (21%)] or orthopedist (17%), those with FS an internist [52%, neurologist (26%)] or ophthalmologist (25%). Consultation with a neurologist usually came after one with a physician. We conclude that physicians should be aware that patients may have GBS or FS, and that such recognition is useful for early diagnosis and treatment of these syndromes.