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Member
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 314
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Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 314
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That is a decision only you and your doc can make. I am certainly glad I had the surgery. I think the younger you are (I was 55), the better the results. Maybe I had another incentive because the docs saw an enlargement of the lymph nodes in my chest and the original biopsy was non-conclusive. Since they felt it might be lymphoma, they wanted to go into my chest and do another biopsy (wanted to use microscopic procedure). I talked to my neuro and decided if they were going into my chest anyway, they were going to remove my thymus. I was having a bad relapse with the mg and had just started on IVIG in May, 2005. It helped but I was still extremely weak. At that time, I had read several stories of mg patients with ct scans that showed no problems with the thymus, but when they had the surgery, there were a lot of problems with the thymus. Adding everything together, I insisted they crack my sternum and do the open chest procedure (remember this was 8 years ago and the non-invasive surgery was in its infancy). So in Aug, 2005, I had the surgery which the results I noted above. I have never been sorry.
FYI - the swollen lymph nodes were sarcoidosis - another autoimmune disease where you grow tumors inside your organs (kidneys, liver, etc). Fortunately, I haven't had any additional problems with the sarcoid - I just have to have an annual checkup.\
Good luck with your decision.
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