I have found using a potassium supplement from the vitamin store cured the spasms in my hands and feet.

PMC,

What dosage of potassium do you take? Did the doc. say of this is safe?

P.S. Did it help the moonface at all?

My brother in boston who was home for the new year uses it because his blood pressure medicine also upsets the pott/sodium balance.
I have such a wonderful overwieght mccann moonface its hard to tell

Hi Nickey,

I went through the same exact situation in 2000. I was on 80 milligrams a day and 100 milligrams of cytoxan for a tumor in my head. The moonface will only lesson as you come off the prednisone. Once you are totally off it, in time you will lose the hump oin you neck and the water retention will go away, eventually. while ur still on the pred try to eat a raw diet and veggies and greens. i know thats aweful advice but there is nothing else u can do. I totally know how aweful the side affects of pred are....but the drug does work. the walking will help but really eating the greens and fruit is a win win because it is putting all the healthy stuff back ur body....and ur body needs it since the pred is working on what it needs to buy it is depleating ur body of all the healthy vitamins. good luck!

Thanks for posting this, Kiwiwell!

I was just feeling so down because my cousin posted some pics. from Christmas on Facebook (I told him to not tag anyones with me in them...I know, it's vain and rediculous)...Anyway, he forgot, and tagged me...I look like I weigh 1000 lbs based on my mug, but then when you see my body, it's so much smaller- I just look flat-out weird...

But then I started to think, well, people should know what I look like now and whatever, it doesn't really matter if my head's enormous...There are so many worse things out there, a temporarilly ginormous head isn't the end of the world, although it does mean that I have to purchase even larger hats to offset the head, and sombreros aren't easy to come by...Plus, if people don't like it, they can kiss. lol

I'm sorry about the tumour- is it gone now? Are you still taking the same meds.? It's funny that you mention the raw veggies, because I love eating them- I crave the crunch and juiciness of carrots and celery and so on...

Thanks for the advice and for reaching out with the very helpful info.!

Nicky

Kendra,

Bronchitis sucks- are they sure it's bacterial? It might be from a virus, or smoking...I remember last year after I had stopped smoking for a month, I started again, and got a wicked case of bronchitis, but it was from smoking I think, as I didn't have a fever, just a lot of phlegm and aching and such...I stopped smoking again, and it went away within a few days...It could have been a combo. of a virus and smoking, though...

It would be rough to have to deal with that while being on prednisone...i have a really bad cough too often, with lots of phlegm, but it's never yellow, always white, so I'm not sure what's causing it...it might be the mestinon as it increases secretions throughout the body...

I'm pretty sure, but not positive, that Erin has high platelets...I remember her mentioning that before...If I'm wrong, and you read this, Erin, let me know! and then I remember someone else saying that they also had this problem, but I think that it was someone from a long time ago...Something I came across while going through old postings...

About the calcium and it competing for absorption...As far as I know, it always wins in the competition lol...SO you prolly have been getting your calcium all this time, but the other meds. may not have been absorbed as well...Certain types of antibiotics are similar...They can't be taken with food or other medicines, so check those out too...Boy, it's hard when you have to take a medicine every 3-hours, eh? Mestinon is a saviour but it's also a diva!


Nicky

Nicky, When I am having terrible side effects from Mestinon, I call it a B****, but Diva has a certain flare to it! lol Thanks for the chuckle!

Kendra, My cousin takes Calcium + D as do I and bought this huge jug of I think 600 tablets at such a great price. When she was about half way through it, I was visiting her and noticed there was no D on the label! So all this time she was only getting calcium, and from what I've been told without the D doesn't do much. She had to buy a bottle of D to take with the rest. I read somewhere that the majority of women do buy only Calcium. Didn't mean to be a mama hen! I hope you feel better soon.

Hugs,
Pat

Pat,
I appreciate the info and didn't think you were being a mother hen at all. I always appreciate the input.
Kendra

Nicky,
First of all I laughed out loud at your comment about your ginormous head!!! I sooo know the feeling of being vain about all these side effects!!!

The Dr wasn't sure it was bacterial. She said since I was scheduled for my repeat chest scan 2 days later it would show up in that but we ended up having a major snowstorm and I had to reschedule. My Neuro thinks I am just having trouble kicking it because of the pred. My immune system is so supressed it is having a hard time fighting off the infection. I KNOW smoking doesn't help. I have a RX for Chantix but it is $156. for a 28 supply and insurance doesn't cover any of it. I am hoping to get that filled here in the next week or 2.

I think I remember Erin saying something about high platelets too now that you mention it.

Yes taking meds every 3 hours stinks!!! I never dreamed I would have to take so many different meds. Sometimes I wonder if part ofthe reason I feel so bad is from everything my body is trying to absorb.
Kendra

Kendra,

My dad smoked and had a hard time quitting, he finally switched to some herbs. He said it worked great for him. He drinks teas and uses herbal chewing tobacco now. He said that the craving for nicotine never goes away but that the herbs satisfy the cravings.

Today I saw an article on these herbal substitutions and thought you might be interested. Be careful since some of these herbs have side effects that might be bad for MG.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2773/

I was looking for teas that might help my possible chest cold. I can't figure out if I am sick or not. My chest area muscles are so tight I feel like I have bruised ribs. I do have a slight cough so I though some tea would help.

I hope your bronchitis has gotten bettter.

I am curious about the platelet thing. My dad's family has a history of blood problems...and my grampa died from a blood clot in his knee (when I was a teenager).