Hello there, nice to see you again. Today, I decided to share my life with you by going back to September 18, 1988 when we rec'd the news that my tests were positive and I did have Myasthenia Gravis. It is also known as "MG", gosh, how I wish it was the sports car, MG. I could have dealt with that much better than Myasthenia Gravis.

I wanted to share a little about MG. So, here goes.

What is Myasthenia Gravis (MG)?

Myasthenia Gravis comes from the Greek and Latin words meaning "grave muscular weakness." The most common form of MG is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that is characterized by fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscle groups. The prevalence of MG in the United States is estimated to be about 20/100,000 population. However, MG is probably under diagnosed and the prevalence may be higher. Myasthenia Gravis occurs in all races, both genders, and at any age. MG is not thought to be directly inherited nor is it contagious.

The voluntary muscles of the entire body are controlled by nerve impulses that arise in the brain. These nerve impulses travel down the nerves to the place where the nerves meet the muscle fibers. Nerve fibers do not actually connect with muscle fibers. There is a space between the nerve ending and muscle fiber; this space is called the neuromuscular junction.

When the nerve impulse originating in the brain arrives at the nerve ending, it releases a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine travels across the space to the muscle fiber side of the neuromuscular junction where it attaches to many receptor sites. The muscle contracts when enough of the receptor sites have been activated by the acetylcholine. In MG, there is as much as an 80% reduction in the number of these receptor sites. The reduction in the number of receptor sites is caused by an antibody that destroys or blocks the receptor site.

Antibodies are proteins that play an important role in the immune system. They are normally directed at foreign proteins called antigens that attack the body. Such foreign proteins include bacteria and viruses. Antibodies help the body to protect itself from these foreign proteins. For reasons not well understood, the immune system of the person with MG makes antibodies against the receptor sites of the neuromuscular junction. Abnormal antibodies can be measured in the blood of many people with MG. The antibodies destroy the receptor sites more rapidly than the body can replace them. Muscle weakness occurs when acetylcholine cannot activate enough receptor sites at the neuromuscular junction.

Common symptoms can include:

A drooping eyelid

Blurred or double vision

Slurred speech

Difficulty chewing and swallowing

Weakness in the arms and legs

Chronic muscle fatigue

Difficulty breathing

Myasthenia Gravis: Tests and Diagnostic Methods

Treatments for Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

There is no known cure for MG. Common treatments include medications, thymectomy and plasmapheresis.

Medications are most frequently used in treatment. Anticholinesterase agents (e.g., Mestinon