MS & Myasthenia Gravis

[tired_teacher]

Hey out there. Does anyone have both these auto-immune diseases? I'd love to hear about your experiences. This is new to me, and it almost feels like an extra slap in the face.

[22cyclist]

Hey out there. Does anyone have both these auto-immune diseases? I'd love to hear about your experiences. This is new to me, and it almost feels like an extra slap in the face.

I do not have them both, and can't imagine it at all. My best friend has MG and I see how she struggles, more than I ever do. Which is worse for you, or can you tell?

Hugs
Lisa

[tired_teacher]

Your best friend's MG

I am so new to MG that I am just now learning to differentiate between the two. What are some of her symptoms? Thanks for responding. --Melissa

[22cyclist]

Well, most obvious is the droopy eyelid, but she complains of heavy legs (which I have too), but I am guessing not as bad as hers. She also has trouble swallowing, which I do too, but mine is up high, and mostly on one side, the side where my lesion is. Hers is all down her throat, and both sides. She also has more trouble with liquids than me, although with a new lesion on the other side I have recently began to have trouble with liquids too.

I notice that her fatigue is much different than mine, in terms I can't quite put into words. It is like she has body fatigue, not so much mental fatigue. She does complain of foggy brain sometimes though, but not often. Word finding is not something she has trouble with.

She uses a walker too, and heat bothers her as well. She has no real numbness, but has felt tingling in some areas before. It is weird to compare, but MG scares me as a nurse because of the breathing, or lack thereof aspect. She has never had a close call, but sometimes gets short of breath and has to go on oral steroids.

Have you ever had trouble breathing?

Hugs to you...sorry you have both conditions
Lisa

[BethM]

Hi....I have both MG and MS. The MG was diagnosed about 25 years ago, and the MS about 16 years ago (initially as relapsing-remitting, and now secondary progressive). Some of the symptoms are easier to differentiate than others. The MG causes the droopy eyelids, and the muscles feel "heavy". The fatigue is different than the MS. With MG, I can best describe it as the feeling your muscles have after working out, except it doesn't always improve with rest. With MS, it's more of a "someone just sucked all the energy out of me" fatigue. MG is more likely to cause my swallowing trouble, though my neuro says both could do that. He also says that either could cause my vision trouble (diplopia and blurring). MS is definitely responsible for the numbness, tingling, the "MS hug", the "intention tremors", as well as all the various pains I get. One of the main ways I knew that something new was wrong right before the MS was diagnosed was the difference in my walking trouble. MG causes weakness, but never caused me lack of coordination when walking. My neuros say it's a rare combination of disorders, but there are a few of us out there.
Hang in there!
Hugs to you!!

[louisf267]

Hi was dx with ms in oct 2012 and mg in jan 2013 but I really cant tell the difference what symptoms are from each illness . Yes it really does feel like an extra slap in the face and doesn't help much with my depression.

[elinora]

I have MG and am being evaluated for MS, since I have mental fatigue, fatigue, weakness, and increasing paresthesias that are not consistent with the fatiguable weakness I have from MG. I suppose I might have MG and some other autoimmune disease looking like MS, but only time and more diagnostic limbo will tell.

Anyway, hello, all. I'm Elinor. :-)

[elinora]

With MG my muscles feel useless more than tired. Everything feels very heavy. If I hold my iPhone too long, for instance, my arms just become too heavy to continue, and they drop to my sides. My eye lids will not be able to stay open, and my eyes cross. Legs feel like rubber. This does not make me feel sleepy ever. Chewing is difficult and swallowing can be as well. Smoothies become a mainstay in times of trouble. Breathing can get bad. During worst times, I wake up not breathing and need to gasp to start again. It feels like comprehensive malfunction. I hope I do not have MS too. Life is already hard enough on a steady diet of steroids and immunosuppressants. I hope I'll not have to learn about all the MS treatments, too. Best to you for health.

I am so new to MG that I am just now learning to differentiate between the two. What are some of her symptoms? Thanks for responding. --Melissa

[thebug]

RESPONSE TO MS AND MG

I do not have them both, and can't imagine it at all. My best friend has MG and I see how she struggles, more than I ever do. Which is worse for you, or can you tell?

Hugs
Lisa

LISA I HAVE BOTH MS AND MG I DID NOT EVEN I KNOW I HAD MS IN BEGINNING
ALL I DID WAS GO TO WORK 1 DAY WAS WALKING LEGS WENT WEAK LOST STRENGTH KNEES BUCKLED I FELL
THEN I WENT TO DR AFTER DOING MRI SAID I HAD MS

I THEN FOUND MS DR TOLD THEM HE DID SOME TEST AND WAS SAYING I HAD BOTH
HE THEN SAID WAS RARE SO WANTED A 2ND OPINION
I WENT TO CHICAGO ILLINOIS TO A MS DR UP THERE AFTER THEY DID BOTH MRI AND EMG THEY SAID YES I HAD BOTH MS AND MG
SO HERE I AM WITH BOTH DISEASES

AT FIRST I WAS WITH A CANE THEN WENT TO WALKER STILL KEPT FALLING AND NOW IN POWERCHAIR
I STILL FALL AT LEAST ONCE TWICE OR MORE A MONTH
SO HERE I AM STUICK IN CHAIR CAN'T WALK I MOSTLY FALL IN BATH CAUSE THATS WHERE I HAVE TO STAND TO TRANSFER TO STOOL AND BACK

I HAVE FELL IN BEDROOM ONCE OR TWICE
I LIVED WITH EPILEPSY MOST MY LIFE AND HAVE OSTEOPOROSIS ON TOP OF MS AND MG SO YOU NOT ALONE


** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

[ebonezps]

Response to Ms and Mg

I have both diagnosed with MG in 1980 MS in 1983. It has been challenging none of the Ms shots worked the only thing that worked was Imuran which has controlled the MG better than any thing else still have to take Mestinon for MG .
The fatigue has gotten worse in last few year was taking Provigal but insurance won't let me have it switched to Nuvigal not as good. The most important thing is exercise I do Yoga Pilates and cardio. If I let up I start to stiffen up.