For Lizzie 
. I have absolutely NO way of knowing what type of pain we are talking about with Jess. I can say that IF she is lying on her BACK, I "may" have experienced a similar type of discomfort in my legs -- and I now take Tylenol (8 hour extended release) on a fairly regular basis at bedtime AND I now lay on one side or the other. My legs tend to "ache" -- I wouldn't exactly call it "pain", per se -- not like the throbbing pain of a migraine or of a burn or of a broken bone. But, this "ache" WAS enough to wake me UP from a sound sleep -- and, try as I would, I simply could not find a comfortable sleeping position. Tylenol IS always enough to ease the discomfort.
While pain is not a symptom of MG (in the book), it can be a result
of MG symptoms. Weak muscles and lost muscle communication can easily
cause bone misallignment, overuse of connected muscles, inflamation
of joints and ligaments, and general fatigue. (common scense)
Newswise — Patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), a neuromuscular
disorder primarily characterized by muscle weakness and muscle
fatigue, reported in a new survey by Penn State University
researchers that the disease impacts their quality of life.
While this finding is not totally unexpected, the fact that a
significant percentage reported experiencing pain as a result of
their illness is. "That such a large number of surveyed patients
reported pain associated with their disease," explained researcher
Dr. Milind Kothari, "is very surprising."
Kothari and fellow researcher, Dr. Kevin Scott, anticipated that most
of those surveyed would indicate that MG limits their ability to work
or perform moderately intense activities. "We were surprised, though,
to see 50% of the patients report experiencing significant pain as a
result of their illness with over a quarter reporting pain of
moderate or greater severity. Pain is not commonly associated with
this disease."
The surprising aspect of the survey results is that the patients'
physicians were generally not aware that their patients were in pain
and, consequently, failed to treat it appropriately. The authors
recommend physicians should routinely query their MG patients about
pain and decide if this warrants treatment.
Myasthenia Gravis results from an abnormal immune reaction in which
the body's natural immune defenses (i.e., antibodies) inappropriately
attack and gradually destroy certain receptors in muscles that
receive nerve impulses.
Most individuals with MG develop weakness and drooping of the
eyelids; weakness of eye muscles, resulting in double vision; and
excessive muscle fatigue following activity. In addition, in about 10
percent of cases, affected individuals may develop potentially life-
threatening complications due to severe involvement of muscles used
during breathing. Although the disorder usually becomes apparent
during adulthood, symptom onset may occur at any age.
The full survey results will be reported at the 51st annual meeting
of the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine in
Savannah, Georgia, November 3-6.
The AAEM is the largest organization worldwide (approximately 5000
members) dedicated to advancing neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and
electrodiagnostic medicine. The primary goal of the AAEM is to
increase the quality of patient care, specifically for those patients
with disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems,
neuromuscular junction, and skeletal muscles. This is accomplished
through programs in education, research, and quality assurance. The
AAEM believes that only physicians trained in electrodiagnostic
procedures should perform needle electromyography and interpret nerve
conduction studies to assure patients receive the proper diagnosis.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/507934