Numbness in your fingers (plural?)? Have you had your vitamin B12 tested for? Numbness, tingling, etc. in feet, hands, or face can be caused by that. I had a severe B12 deficiency back in 1997-99. It's a very common deficiency, as is vitamin D.

The shortness of breath from MG can actually be mistaken for a panic attack! I don't have panic attacks, but that feeling of not being able to breathe well is unsettling. When breathing is worse, a person with MG can have a physiological hypo- or hyperventilation. That is normally checked with an arterial blood gas. There are always tests to look for signs of MG! Breathing tests specific for MG are MIP (maximum inspiratory pressure) and MEP (maximum expiratory pressure).

When you see another neurologist, stick to the MG symptoms. Don't say that you think you have MG! Why neurologists are so arrogant or can't handle patients being smart is beyond me. But there are some really great ones out there. You may want to write down all of your symptoms of weakness, ptosis, etc., when they started, how they progress. Seeing list of symptoms is faster than hearing patients say them all. Plus, you need a really good, neurological exam.

Seeing a neuro does not preclude you from seeing a pulmonologist. I highly recommend that.

Panic attacks, BTW, don't get worse with heat or exertion! But MG does.

The lipoma is probably incidental. It sounds as though you have a generalized weakness, which a lipoma wouldn't cause. And a person can have more than one thing wrong at a time, unfortunately. At one point, I had undiagnosed MG, diabetes insipidus (water diabetes), and a B12 deficiency. Oh, and undiagnosed achlorhydria (lack of stomach acid). Too much fun.

I'm sorry you had kidney cancer. I'm glad they got rid of it!!! When was surgery? Sometimes surgery can bring on an autoimmune disease.

Everyone here knows good neurologists, if you need help in that area. That makes the world of difference. Some of us have had to travel to see an expert just for a diagnosis. I don't know if you have MG, but, if you do, you need some serious help and soon.

Bring a cooler everywhere you go. Or get those cooling ties. Or both. For us MGers, the summer is the time to be prepared to cool down in any way we can, whether that's a handheld fan, cooler, a cold shower, or AC in a car. Cooling down those core/breathing muscles is especially crucial.

Okay, let us know if you need more help!


Annie