Hi Nancy,

Erin and Annie are right - different for all, but I thought I'd share my experience with you. I first experienced double vision and ptosis but thought it was a childhood eye condition worsening so didn't go to the doctor. Eventually the weakness spread to other muscles but only after a lot of exertion (e.g I was helping my boyfriend's band lug their gear up 10 flights of stairs and my legs gave out and I fell back down those lovely stairs). After I had fallen for the 3rd time I went to the dr and she sent me to a neuro who immediately recognised MG. I've never had a crisis per se, but I did have an anaesthetic induced crisis after having my wisdom teeth out - so I guess I would say a crisis isn't inevitable as long as you are careful and don't over do it (and if you are having surgery check first to see if you are pseudocholinesterase deficient).

I was pretty stable with my MG for a couple years just taking 60 mg of Mestinon every 4-5 hours. I moved to Scotland in 2005 and soon after worsened quite a bit. At first my new dr thought it might be the stress of moving but my symptoms continued to worsen until I couldn't move around my house without help. I was able to continue working fulltime but had to make modifications (like taking the wheelchair entrance instead of the stairs). When my symptoms kept getting worse I was sent to a new neuro here and am now on pred (started at 60 mg daily now down to 40 mg alt days), azathiprine (150 mg daily), and mestinon (60mg every 3 hours). I've had a complete turn around (thank God) and am now just as strong as beofre i moved, maybe even stronger.

I'm still working full time and just got back from another trip with my school where we went to an adventure based camp. I was able to rock climb, abseil, hike all around and did almost everything pushing one of my kids in a wheelchair! To think that a year ago I couldn't reach up to wash my own hair was unbelievable! So, don't give up - MG is changable and it's unpredictability is annoying but just be ready for anything, Take the good days and relax on the bad ones. Make sure the people around you know about your condition so they understand if you need to hang on to their arm for support while walking or if you just need to take things a bit slower.

Good luck - i hope your MG stays right where it is and doesn't get worse but know we are here if it does.
~Kathy