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Originally Posted by Granacki
Greetings all
I tried posting this under New member introductions and no one else with this condition responded so I'm posting it again here. I'm new and still a little murky on how to post things.
I've been diagnosed with anti MAG neuropathy, an auto-immune variant with no known effective treatments. I never hear anyone else claim to have this seemingly uncommon type and very little is written specifically about it in the usual books. (Latov, Sennett, etc.). Luckily it is described as "very little progression over many years." Does anyone out there have any experience with this and is able to tell me what "little progression" has meant for them over many years? I've had it almost three years now (diagnosis just a few months ago at age 59) and so far, it's disturbing but bearable. I have burning, tingling and numbness in my feet but no weakness yet, no balance problems, and no shooting type pains. I've cut down on walking and standing but can bike as well as ever and can still walk 9 holes by taking it easy and recovering the next day. I read about so many other really disabling types of neuropathy that I wonder if that's in my future too. Any other anti-MAG folks out there?
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My symptoms started 3 years ago. I had numbness in my feet and big toes. I went to my family Dr who referred me to a neuroligst. He did a nerve conductance test that showed neuropathy in both legs & both arms. He ordered a spinal MRI (normal) and blood tests (normal). He said since my general heath is good at 65, no treatment and call him if symptoms worsened.
I was not satisfied with his assesment. Since I live near Johns Hopkins Hosp., rated best hospital in US for Neurology, I scheduled an appointment. The doctor was much more thorough in his exam and the nerve conductance test was much more envolved. He also did the blood test that showed the elevated level of Igm protein and explained the condition on anti-mag neuropathy. He reccomended that I see a hemotoligist for further testing. I
saw an excellent Dr at Mercy Hosp in Baltimore who put me through a skeletal survey, and a bone marrow biopsy. Both normal, no luchyemia. He suggested that I try the Rutxin infusions. I had a 4 week cycle of infusions, twice in 3 months. There were very little side effects.....a few chills, drowsy from the Benydril. It all goes away after the infusion. There was no improvement from the 8 infusions. I saw another Neurologist at Hopkins. He has been there 17 years and has traveled the world with Drs about this condition. I would imagine that he is a leading authority on this disease. My feet are getting worse, I see him again in June.