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Myasthenia gravis

myasthenia

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Myasthenia gravis

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  1. Myasthenia Gravis: 7 Things to Know BY  JENNIFER L.W. FINK, RN, BSN This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

  2. What to Know About Myasthenia Gravis This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a disease that causes muscle weakness. (The words “myasthenia gravis,” in fact, mean “grave muscle weakness.”) Approximately 50,000 Americans have myasthenia gravis, but experts think the actual prevalence of the disease may be higher; because symptoms can come and go, it may take years for someone with MG symptoms to be accurately diagnosed. Anyone can get myasthenia gravis, but the condition is more common in women younger than 40 and men older than 60. Myasthenia gravis signs and symptoms, treatment and prognosis are different for everyone. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

  3. Eye problems are often the first symptoms of myasthenia gravis. • According to Mayo Clinic, eye problems, including drooping eyelids or double vision, are the first symptoms in about half of people who are eventually diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Because symptoms can be inconsistent—worsening with fatigue and improving with rest—it’s common for people to overlook or ignore the early symptoms of myasthenia gravis. Other symptoms of this disease include speech changes (your voice may sound softer or more nasal than usual), difficulty swallowing, difficulty chewing, changes in facial expression, and difficulty walking.

  4. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease • Nerves carry messages from the brain to the muscles. In people with myasthenia gravis, the body’s immune system mistakenly interferes with this process. Nerve endings release a chemical called acetylcholine, which binds to muscle tissue and causes it to contract. For some reason (no one yet knows why), the bodies of people with myasthenia gravis produce antibodies that keep acetylcholine from attaching to muscle. According to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, people with MG may have 80% fewer properly functioning nerve-muscle connections than unaffected individuals do.

  5. Symptoms may come and go. • An individual with MG who struggles to walk one day may do just fine on another day. Generally, myasthenia gravis symptoms improve with rest and worsen with activity. Other factors that may worsen symptoms include illness, stress, pregnancy, and menstrual periods.Although symptoms fluctuate on a day-to-day (or even hour-to-hour basis), weakness tends to increase over time in people with MG.

  6. It may take years to establish the diagnosis. • Because symptoms come and go, receiving a proper diagnosis can be a maddeningly frustrating process. It’s not uncommon for symptoms to be completely absent during a scheduled doctor’s appointment because symptoms are usually worse at night and most healthcare offices are only open during the day. A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is more common in people who have mild symptoms or symptoms affecting few muscles. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

  7. Common medications may worsen myasthenia gravis symptoms. • Many commonly prescribed drugs can increase myasthenia gravis symptoms. Medications to avoid include Botox, muscle relaxants, some antibiotics (such as ciprofloxacin), calcium channel blockers (often used to treat heart disease), beta-blockers (including propranolol, usually to control high blood pressure) and lithium (a common treatment for bipolar disorder).Be sure to let all healthcare providers know that you have myasthenia gravis, and do not take any newly prescribed or over-the-counter medication, herbs or supplements without first checking with your MG physician.

  8. A myasthenia crisis is a life-threatening condition. • Drooping eyelids or uncooperative legs might be annoying, but they probably won’t kill you. But during a myasthenia gravis crisis, weakness affects the muscles that control breathing. Because those muscles aren’t working effectively, a person experiencing a myasthenic crisis experiences acute shortness of breath. Without immediate medical treatment, the body will begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen and the person could die. Approximately 15 to 20% of people with MG will experience a crisis. Usually, an infection, fever or medication triggers the episode. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.

  9. Treatment can improve quality of life. • There is no cure for myasthenia gravis, but treatment can control symptoms. Treatment may include prescription medications, high doses of immune globulin delivered via IV (IV immunoglobulin, or IVIG), surgical removal of the thyroid gland, and plasmapheresis, a procedure that enables healthcare providers to temporarily remove abnormal antibodies from the blood. Some people with MG experience a full remission, which means that symptoms disappear completely. Usually, remission is temporary but occasionally it persists. Your healthcare provider will work with you to develop an effective treatment plan to help restore your quality of life.

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