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Old 11-08-2013, 02:37 PM
AddyNat AddyNat is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
10 yr Member
AddyNat AddyNat is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
10 yr Member
Default Am I on the right path?

Hello all!
I have been lurking here for a few weeks and everyone seems really helpful and supportive! I hope you can help me figure out if I'm on the right diagnostic path. I'm a 35 year old mother of two, so I really need to find out what's been going on with me, so I can get treatment and live my life! This is probably going to be long, so thanks in advance for reading!

Here is some background on my health, which may or may not make a difference:
Left eye -- severe congenital myopia, multiple retinal laser surgeries to fix peripheral degeneration, cataract removal, IOL adjustment.
Right eye -- legally blind since birth, retinal detachment in 1994, eye removal in 2004. Currently wear a prosthetic.
ACDF (anterior cervical discectomy and fusion) C5-7 -- disc herniations pressing directly into my spinal cord.
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis -- Dx earlier this year.
Mild Sleep Apnea -- Dx this past month.

OK.... so, I am currently having problems with terrible muscle fatigue in my hands, arms and legs. Not bad enough that they stop working, but I can't do anything for very long without resting that body part. When I explained to my doc that I was having trouble holding on the steering wheel, hair dryer, etc., he mentioned myasthenia gravis. I had researched some other autoimmune diseases, thinking that I might have something in addition to Hashimoto's, but nothing quite fit. But when I checked out MG... holy cow! Everything is scary familiar!

About a year after I got my prosthetic eye, my eyelid started drooping on and off. It would be worse in warm weather or after a hot shower. I just assumed it was my new eye settling in (and maybe it was?). When I had my newer eye made, the ocularist built it to prop open my eyelid better.

Last Christmas, I got these on and off attacks of blurry vision and light sensitivity. I saw my retina and cornea docs, and then a neuro-ophthalmologist. They couldn't find anything new wrong except a little dryness. I've been consistently moisturizing my eye, but it still gets randomly unfocused and more light sensitive than usual (especially at night, with headlights and such).

Anyhow, the eye issues were followed by breathing problems and chest pains, joint pains and temperature dysregulation. I spent a lot of time at the doctor's! Finally, I got diagnosed with Hashimoto's and the levothyroxine I was prescribed has been helping. I can definitely feel a difference.

Also, after I hurt my neck, I had to wait 3 months to get my spinal surgery. During that time, I had tingling and numbness in my hands and arms, which the doctors expected. However, I also had progressing weakness in my feet and legs (had trouble with stairs, leg dragging behind me), that they thought was unusual. I also started having trouble breathing, especially at night. I would wake up gasping for air if I lied on my back and had general breathlessness. I thought this was all from the surgery or medications, but now I'm wondering... I still have breathing issues occasionally - like my breathing pattern is off somehow.

So, here is the problem... my doc tested my AChR and it was negative. I see a neurologist on Monday and I'm wondering what the likelihood is that I could still have MG. I figure the neuro will test my MuSK and maybe do a SFEMG? If those are negative, too, do you think I'm barking up the wrong tree? I just recently went back to work (super p/t - 6-9 hrs/wk) and I'm finding it hard to handle even a 3hr. shift.

Thank you for your help!
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