Hi everyone,
This is my first post here. I've been reading for months, but I didn't want to post until I got a diagnosis. Well, I finally got diagnosed on Tuesday. The doctor was wonderful, and it took him less than five minutes to see what was wrong with me (after a few clinical tests). He offered to put me on Prednisone, but I told him I would like to try just Mestinon because I take no other medications and I wanted to avoid the side effects of Prednisone as long as possible.
Wednesday, I woke up with a terrible sinus infection and had to go to my new family physician's office, where I saw the PA. She gave me an antibiotic called azithromycin (I think she called it a z pack). Needless to say, my sinus infection is getting a little better, but my myasthenia symptoms are much worse. I feel very weak, worse than before. I didn't take the Mestinon yesterday, thinking maybe 60mg was too much, and my weakness was even worse. I am now wondering if the antibiotic is affecting the MG. Has anyone ever used this azithromycin? It's a five day, one pill a day pack. Has anyone ever had problems like this with antibiotics? I would really appreciate anyone's input.
Kathy

many drugs can make MG worse. I have been fine taking z-pack, but it is noted to cause worsening in some patients. I have had crisis following Cipro and Doxycyline antibiotics in the past. It would be worth talking with your MD about the z-pack and any possible link to your worsening symptoms. MG Association has good literature about medications and their potential worsening of MG.

Kathy, do please check with your doctor about it. Call your neuro's office first if you can, and see what they say. They may be able to tell you what antibiotics are better. There is also a thread http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=3412 on the antibiotics that can be a problem. Remember, we are all different. I can take Doxycycline, but evy reported in her post that it has provoked crisis in her.
You might want to investigate the different sites and copy the information on medications we can't take and give your GP a copy to include in your records. My GP is always very grateful for any info I can bring her like that. Keep us posted on how you get on.
Hugs,

Hi Kathy, I answered this on the braintalk, but I'll just re do over here... I can take Z-pak, but have talked with others who ended up in the hospital because of it. I want to say congrats on the diagnosis, but not happy that you're sick, and have to deal with this horrible disease. The infection itself can make you weak too. Doesn't have to be going away for you to feel the affects. Long before my symptoms would appear from a virus, I start feeling tired,and sleep all the time, and Long afterwards as well.
Although, being on cellcept has helped that a lot! Maybe you could talk with your doctor about Cellcept. I don't blame you at all about the Prednisone. I hate it.
call your doctor about your weakness, it's amazing how fast the weakness can get, and how serious it can get in just a short time. So please be careful.
Love Lizzie,....and ((hugs)):