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Junior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: shiloh, tn
Posts: 91
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: shiloh, tn
Posts: 91
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Annie, you are so right!!
I agree with Annie, this disease does indeed demonstrate progression, with many variable changes along the way...& I'm one of those who wasn't dx early enough to protect what was left of those neuromuscular junctions....& no one recognized that my dypsnea could be at times life threatening, & I tried to get help.........
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QUOTE:
The course of disease is variable but usually progressive. Weakness is restricted to the ocular muscles in about 10% to 40% of cases. The rest have progressive weakness during the first 2 years that involves oropharyngeal and limb muscles. Maximum weakness occurs during the first year in two-thirds of patients. In the era before corticosteroids were used for treatment, approximately one-third of patients improved spontaneously, one-third became worse, and one-third died of the disease. Spontaneous improvement frequently occurred early in the course. Symptoms fluctuated over a relatively short period of time and then became progressively severe for several years (active stage). The active stage is followed by an inactive state in which fluctuations in strength still occurred but are attributable to fatigue, intercurrent illness, or other identifiable factors. After 15 to 20 years, weakness often becomes fixed and the most severely involved muscles are frequently atrophic (burnt-out stage). Factors that worsen myasthenic symptoms are emotional upset, systemic illness (especially viral respiratory infections), hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, drugs affecting neuromuscular transmission, and increases in body temperature. END QUOTE
the link for the above is from the MGFA home page:
http://www.myasthenia.org/hp_clinicaloverview.cfm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnieB3
I guess I should clarify the "progressive" statement.
Some people with MG get diagnosed early on. They get drugs that help stop the antibody process and, therefore, the destruction at the neuromuscular junction.
Then there are people like me who weren't diagnosed well or soon enough and have relatively more damage.
Some research says that the damage is only about 1/3 of the junction. Others say it is indeed progressive and can damage the entire area! Now, please remember that I am not a doctor. Although I have read umpteen articles, books, etc. from medical libraries on this.
One more thing about this acetylcholine thing. You have less of it as you age. So, even if your disease process levels off, you will get less muscle juice as you get older.
Yeah, Lizzie, as you can tell I totally disagree that it's not progressive!  And no two people are alike. I don't think anyone can really generalize about people with MG. It would be nice if we - or our disease - were all that simple!!!
Annie |
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