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Author Topic: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)  (Read 4564 times)

Annie0710

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Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« on: August 24, 2015, 06:50:08 PM »

Think I got your letters round the wrong way !

It started dec 2014 with double vision watching TV in the evenings, by Feb this year it had gone to most of the day, every day, plus blurred vision at work.  Saw optician March for glasses (I've always worn contacts ) but needed extra help. Optician said my eyes hadn't changed but I insisted I couldn't focus and mention the double vision.  Panic set in and another optician chatted with the other and said they were referring me to the emergency eye clinic.  10 days later I got seen, they checked for tumour and diabetes and said its 6th nervy palsy and it's happened because of my age (I'm 48), I noticed the crashing fatigue getting worse as well as muscle fatigue, my legs and arms shake if I use them for support, just a general all over weakness.  Eye clinic told me to go back to optician and have prisms fitted to glasses, optician arranged for this but disputed the diagnosis and wrote a series of tests to be done with GP, one was MS, I started to worry and wondered how much had I put down to menopause? He told me he's pretty sure I have a condition, and the sooner it's diagnosed the better. Then I started waking with a gritty eye and couldn't open it for about 20 mins each morning.  Saw GP, she agreed with optician, did bloods and said she's doing urgent referral to neuro, in the meantime I had another clinic appt for ? Burning mouth syndrome and that consultant asked if I'd seen anyone about my eye (we had discussed the double vision) as he had noticed that there was an eyelid lag, it was slower and not closing fully, he said that's why I wake with the gritty feeling, he said to strengthen my case he's writing it on my notes. Saw neuro aug 14, he ran loads of muscle exhaustion tests and said limbs aren't weak enough at this stage to test but there's other tests to do that but the eye muscle tests failed miserably, and the only thing that can mean is myasthenia Gravis, he's arranged an MRI to rule out inflammation and lesions and started me on the myasthenia medication immediately. He sent me a copy of his letter to my GP saying he doesn't expect anything else apart from Myastenia.  Already I have strange happenings where I can't smile, under my jaw muscles tighten and swallowing is more tiring, as is chewing.  My arms and fingers tire very easily and feel like I'm working against them, and if I walk without resting it feels like wading through treacle.  The muscle spasms have increased in my toes and feet in strength and pain but I think this could be down to the medication

Myasthenia typically does present with a droopy eye and I'm praying I'm being spared this, it's a tad lower than the other and can't close in certain eye movements.  It's all been a shock and upsetting but it is what it is and I can't change anything, I don't think my family are quite understanding how bad this could get but maybe they do and aren't saying, nobody is treating me any different and that's a good thing.  I've told my boss today, and told her I want to carry on as normal working my usual long hours but need to drop Wednesday's, by then I can hardly see the screen from my 2 days of long hours (I've just come home from 11hrs solid PC work

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CLKD

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2015, 06:54:50 PM »

 :thankyou:  from what I read last week it's a difficult condition to diagnose and treat, also that treatment can take 9-12 months before any improvement is noted.  My friend is 4 stone overweight, diabetic, great fun and began with a droopy eye - into A&E in case of as stroke and has been admitted - because of the weight and with no family at home, it is unlikely that discharge will be any time soon.

 :medal:
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Annie0710

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2015, 07:02:52 PM »

Neuro told me after the test they do the 60 second eye test to diagnose myasthenia in the eyes, I had to look up for 60 seconds, which I couldn't do because of the muscles, eyelid couldn't stay up and eye went towards nose, apparently it's what happens, I've read up on it and he didn't do the ice test either, just noted all the double vision, he said the blurriness is also double vision but because it's near it looks blurry
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CLKD

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2015, 07:06:25 PM »

Long journey ahead then, how do find the treatment?
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robotwars

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2015, 07:07:06 PM »

My Mother has been diagnosed with this, she had a blood test, then electrical tests on her nerves to diagnose. it seems to get worse when she is tired. She is now on medication to help control it.
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CLKD

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2015, 07:08:59 PM »

How quickly was the treatment decided upon, apparently there are several modes of thought on what should be given  :-\
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robotwars

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2015, 07:11:52 PM »

it was very quick, after the blood test she was put on the tablets which help with the symptoms, she has been on them 2 months now and they do help to control the symptoms. she had to start with half a pill, then build up to the full dosage.
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CLKD

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2015, 07:12:39 PM »

 :thankyou:
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Annie0710

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2015, 08:22:06 PM »

He prescribed me Mestinon there and then . 60mg 3 times daily, they've helped with the blurred vision but I still need the prisms, he said they won't cure the double vision.  He sent me for anti body blood test but said only 50% test positive , if negative there's an anti MUSK test, and still 15% are still neg so they then do EMG test, but the group I joined said sometimes the neuro , after ruling out Ms will diagnose without all the extra testing, I don't know what route he'll take, his letter seems set on this diagnosis (after MRI)
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Annie0710

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Re: Myasthenia Gravis (for CLKD)
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2015, 08:24:51 PM »

I've been lucky with Mestinon, but I make sure I eat when I take it, have had the odd bit of indigestion but nothing compared to some people, I really don't want steroids
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