Additional Diseases/ Illnesses on Top of Myasthenia Gravis

[Charles Karcher]

My most severe symptom has been difficulty swallowing.  I was previously diagnosed with Acid Reflux with Barrett’s Esophagus.  Now when I have some difficulty I am unsure if it might be MG or Acid Reflux.  I take medication for both.

[Amy Cessina]

I have hashimoto that causes various issues. But if you read the recent MG news it says women with MG and thymectomies have higher risk of  lupus.  Lupus has many symptoms all over your body that aren’t easily diagnosed. And many MGers have neuropathies muscle pain etc that doctors don’t recognize and other autoimmune diseases. My thyroid was sub clinical for decades and I had chronic hives. Once I was treated for hashimoto a lot of my strange symptoms disappeared.
Personally I’ve learned doctors don’t really have many answers. They just prescribe pills and lots of them. They don’t do much for lifestyle and my personal belief is lifestyle is just as important in controlling MG as pills are.

[Kelley]

I also have Hashimoto’s (I hear MG and this are often seen together – for me, MG came 1st), arthritis, SVT, asthma, migraines, neuropathies, and allergies. I see my PCP in 2 days for unexplained dizziness.

[Cyndi DeHoff]

I also have Hashimotos, POTS, and  small fiber neuropathy. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which disease is causing the problem.  My neurologist calls me complicated, but In the nicest way.

[Douglas Manning]

What an interesting topic! As I live my life as a patient with generalized MG, my life has all its chapter written before the disease where my only comorbidities were Celiac disease and carrying some extra weight. The chapters I’ve written since have been full of the ink smears of ’caused-morbidities’. I’ve gained weight, developed cataracts, type-2 diabetes, have had steroid-caused (we think) tendon tears, and because of immunosuppression have had several systemic infections, and two debilitating osteoarthritis episodes. All this rides with bouts of ocular symptoms, swallowing, neck, weakness that comes with generalized MG. I’ve averaged one crash a year requiring hospitalization and breathing support.

Treatment has been an ongoing series of trial and trial again – steroids, cyclosporine (damaged my kidneys and pushed me to stage III kidney disease), tacrilimus, Mycophenolate, rituximab (paradoxically sent me into a crash twice), IvIg, pyridostigmine, thymectomy, and Plasma Apheresis. At last, at last, we have been on a ongoing regimen of prednisolone, Plasma Apheresis, Soliris infusions and pyridostigmine to conserve acetylcholine. For the first time in 7 years I feel as if we’ve found a steady plateau AND the last ACHR antibody test showed no measurable antibodies!

So, each new page in my story is written with joy. Life is beautiful (no matter how challenging), and I am blessed to have a family and care team as doggedly determined as me to see what the next  sentence in that book will be. So, no matter what may come, I believe that another step is possible. Please know that despite all the extras that come with MG, you have to keep putting the puzzle together.

[MikeS]

Hi, Jodi. I had my first MG episode last year (a couple of weeks before Covid appeared here in California), manifested by just diplopia. At the time a neurologist couldn’t pin down the MG diagnosis due to only the single symptom and no confirming test results. This year, before my 2nd and more extreme event (tongue, swallowing, drooping eyelid, facial muscle weakness, slurred speech, etc.) the neurologist had me do more tests and finally got enough evidence to label me with MG. So we weren’t surprised when the second event started. I’m fortunate to not have any other debilitating health issues. My other main problems are reflux, nasal allergies, life-long anxiety disorder, arthritis and bulging spinal disks. Let me just say, not knowing when the next MG event will occur and how serious it will be is not helpful when you have to deal with anxiety in general. Has anyone else seen their diagnosed anxiety disorder worsen with MG, and, if so, have you found any way to mitigate it? Thanks. Mike

[Karen]

…while not “illnesses” per se, I am also diagnosed with neurogenic bladder, chronic constipation (requiring a “cleanse” every 4 days), esophageal dysmotility, GERD, gastroparesis along with my seronegative MG…and also AVN of my R hip from years of IV steroids