I think this is probably one of the toughest things to deal with, explaining a disease to your friends and family!

There are a lot of people who don't really want to know about what disease you have! They just want things to stay the way they've always been. Some people can't even talk about anything medical. Nor do they understand medical topics.

You know how alcoholics avoid going to a bar so they won't be tempted to drink and how people who are afraid to be fat avoid people who are fat? Those are just two obvious examples but it's the same with healthy people and sick people. Some people avoid "sick" people like the plague! It's all about fear and not about the person who is sick though.

Mestinon helps MG but it does nothing to stop the autoimmune process that is destroying your neuromuscular junction and making you weak! This is an awful example but here goes anyway. What if someone is wrecking your car with a bat? If the police come by and take the guy away temporarily, you feel relief but your car is wrecked. Then the guy comes back again and starts to wreck your car even more. I'm not very creative today or I would think of a better example. Someone else will probably come up with a way for you to describe MG and it's destructive power to people.

And MG gets worse while on Mestinon. I was on 90 mg. of it, round the clock when I had my crisis. Do your friends know that you could stop swallowing or breathing if you do too much? Or are out in hot weather?

MG is a big learning curve for the person having it. Imagine how hard it is to understand if you don't have it!

Just give it some time. My family "got it" after only a short time. One of my friends never did and we are no longer friends. All you can do is try your best to explain it to them.

Hang in there! You are going through a lot right now. Lots to think about.

Annie