[Neofate]

I am not diagnosed with anything at the moment -- so I am an open book as far as that goes.. but MG fits alot of my criteria.

At any rate I was curious if the following rang any bells with you guys/ladies?

Example: -- I don't exercise much these days because of how weak, and in pain I am in constantly. But I know I need to , so periodically I get out there.

When I first start, I am light and will just walk for a mile or so.

After a few minutes my legs,.. especially near my achilles tendon (above the ankle, but below the calf) becomes extraordinarily tight all the way around.

It literally feels as if my skin is going to burst open, and if I sit down after walking and let someone feel it -- they agree that it is as solid as if I had sticks in this area (or some hard substance) -- it isn't just a feeling, it really is this tight/hard. Further, the range of motion I can move my foot in, so up and down is very limited because of this.

I have no clue why this might happen.

It isn't limited to just that area, that is just one that is very pronounced during walking.

The tendons going down my forearms, and particularly underneath the forearms get tight as well like this. If I were to lift a 5lb dumb-bell 10 times.. they would be like rocks.. and not in a 'good' way. It is the tendons, and soft tissue doing this from elbow to wrist.

I have lots of pain and equal amounts of stiffness in my Neck (from the base of my skull) through my entire spine, back, and shoulder girdle. I suspect this is all related, as there is no reason it should be this stiff all the time.

I'll leave it at that -- I could get into how things seem to POP all too often,.. even whatever is attaching to the sternum and ribs in the front, not just attached to the spine -- But I don't want to con-volute this post.

So thoughts? Any link at all? Or no correlation?

[DesertFlower]

Generally, pain is not a symptom of MG, but the things you describe could be due to muscle weakness from MG. When all the cells in your mucles aren't functioning (due to MG or other issue), the ones that still are working get overworked and can cause pain.

I have had similar problems on occasion. When I first started getting MG symptoms, I had weakness in some muscles and actual muscle cramps in other places, it felt like I had a knot in my muscle that was extremely painful. I don't get those painful symptoms anymore. If I remember right, I often had the left side of my body get weak and the right side go stiff with tight muscles. MG does not effect everyone the same, nor does it effect any one the same all the time.

I do get achy on occasion if I sit in my chair for too long, or do any one activity for more than a short time, and I do get a lot of popping in my joints when I am weak.

If I type for too long, some of my fingers get tired, others go stiff (my pinky finger loves getting stuck in a straight position), and I often get twiches and click things with my mouse that I didn't mean to.

I don't exercise much these days but I'd love to. My exercise consist of walking around my house, or garden if I am having a good day, and doing some very basic yoga movements while sitting in my chair. I have tried going for some long walks, but I end up in pain afterwards, and then pay for it with extreme weakness for a few weeks (one time for three months).

Before MG hit, I used to run, literally run, up to the top of the local small mountain every Friday. My goal is to someday be able to walk up there again, even if it takes me all day rather that a few hours. I'm getting there.

It might be helpful to identify if you have constant pain no matter what activity you do, or if you only have pain associated with activity.

I hope that helps.

[Neofate]

Originally Posted by DesertFlower

Generally, pain is not a symptom of MG, but the things you describe could be due to muscle weakness from MG. When all the cells in your mucles aren't functioning (due to MG or other issue), the ones that still are working get overworked and can cause pain.

I see.

My pain is namely in my neck, back, and upper pelvis. Though it seems to start to give some sporadic sharp pains where my femur attaches in the front to the pelvis. Another 'joint' of some sort.

I have pain of some sort all the time. It shifts a bit, but there is at least one location that is always sore.. just under my right side shoulder blade.

That particularly hurts when I breath in for example.

The rest seems to be related to stiffness of the body, and weakness. The more stiff I am, the more I feel like I need to stretch my neck, and overall back.. not sure what that is.. the more I try to stretch it, the worse it hurts.

I can be sitting at my desk, and just have to most of the time let my posture fall over in a hunched over.. and 'not using' my back muscles anymore. Because it is so uncomfortable. It is like a marathon trying to sit up straight. I don't get it to be honest.

If I lay on my bed, for example,.. on my stomach to watch TV or use a laptop -- I can hold my head up (and some of upper body ) for minutes until I have to collapse to 'rest' if you will.

If I'm on my side, proping up my head with arm.. laying on the side on the bed.. the wrist will hurt quickly from the "weight".. and things start to hurt and just aren't strong.

The best way to describe it is like the muscles that are supposed to be things you don't even think about, are things I'm having to think about to hold myself up,.. or they are hurting or obviously feeling really weak.

I remember how just sitting in a chair, laying on a bed doing whatever,.. being in what are supposed to be 'relaxing' positions were thoughtless.. and whatever I was doing at the time was it. Now it is hard to enjoy much of anything because of how the body acts/feels.

Really hard to put into words.

I do get achy on occasion if I sit in my chair for too long, or do any one activity for more than a short time, and I do get a lot of popping in my joints when I am weak.

I *have* been sitting in front of my computer ALOT for the past several years .. alot because of my condition, but before this I did as well. So I wonder is this all some just blown out of proportion being 'out of shape'. Then I think to myself.. how could anyone be THIS out of shape. It seems illogical.

But yes -- lots of popping.. Feels like some connective tissue problem.. or tight muscles causing the joints to be strained.. etc. It doesn't feel or act like a pure 'bad back' that happened in my 20's... cause it covers SO much ground and alot of it will vary from day to day.

It might be helpful to identify if you have constant pain no matter what activity you do, or if you only have pain associated with activity.

I hope that helps.

Yes, some pain no matter what. More bothersome impossible to get 'comfortable' .. I often stand up for things cause sitting is much less comfortable, straining, etc.

The activity I gave as example was the walking.. that caused the odd tightness.. just wanted to see if that rang any bells. I'm trying to find some association somewhere,.. I feel quite alone with all of this that has been going on for years and don't have any place I 'fit' yet. All I want is to feel better, I don't have to be in any diagnosis group,.. but if I could find somewhere , that people related to what I said often, it would be strong evidence into what may be going on.

The MG possibility is just that, a possibility -- but since it really doesn't cause my type of vision issues, any real broad pain issues, cognitive issues etc.. I have only so much faith. But nothing else comes to mind as 'it' .. so it is just another thing to check off the list at worst.

I appreciate your feedback.

Thank you,

[Kage12]

Many of your symptoms resemble my symptoms of fibromyalgia. I was dxd with fibro just over 10 yrs ago and live in pain 24/7. sitting hurts, standing hurts, just as you said. Leaning on my wrist hurts, as you mentioned. I no longer sit on the floor because of all of the pain I will have in all of my joints. Positions that most people take for granted, like sitting, are painful and can cause a muscle spasm that will last weeks. Something hurts ALL the time. Joints are a big pain with the tendons & ligaments really hurting when and afer I exercise, especially the elbows, hips, wrists, knees & fingers. I have massive spasms in my shoulders, neck & lats on the back (around the shoulder blade, as you mentioned) and those areas are always tight & always painful. I sleep sitting up to reduce the spasms in those areas. On top of that I was recently dxd with MG. It would be nearly impossible to distinguish the 2 at this point, so I rely on my past with fibro to try to figure out what issue is which.

Good luck on your journey!!

[Smokey56]

Welcome Neofate,
I am a 55 yr old man, have always been an outdoors type - hunted and fished and worked hard all my life.
I had "spells" all my life that I didn't understand - swallowing was hard at times, shortness of breath when I laid flat, would get tired face muscles when chewing etc...
Fast forward to about age 45 - I would really notice when I worked out a lot of muscle pains - figured age was a factor. Then tremors started my Doc said no worry non essential tremors - they got worse and fatigue - he sent me to a Neuro - he said no worry - Non essential tremors ??? Hmmm
Well in last 3 years a new Doc and a new Neuro said MG - tests
were positive. I have a lot of leg pain like you - knotting in the right calf bad some in left - arms etc - tremors were weakness tremors from muscle use.
Anyway I think the pain is related to pushing a muscle to do what it does not want to some days I live on vicatin - neck pain is very bad also - body starts to relax all the muscles putting pressure on your discs and joints...
Good luck - I definitely can relate!

[scrubbs]

I thought the pain in my back and tightness and pain in calves and thighs were secondary symtoms of MG. Just found out that my problems are a result of spinal stenosis after having a MRI. I am 68 yrs. old.

Scrubbs