4-eyes,
I could have written this, as it is a more accurate description than what I wrote myself. Most months, I get a reprieve from symptoms (never completely gone) for less than a week, and sometimes I get lucky and have longer. Sometimes that reprieve never comes. But it all seems to revolve around that stupid cycle! Maybe the symptoms aren't exactly the same, as I have general weakness and DV issues mostly (at the moment), but the rest sounds eerily familiar.

And this is exactly what I was thinking of trying, and why I was hopeful that going a nutritionist/holistic route might work.

And thank you, it does help, although it still feels like there must be a simple fix.

Thanks, 4-eyes, for all of that. I am 46 and expect to hit menopause...eventually (my mother had a baby at 47--he's younger than my oldest son!--so I expect my own menopause to be late). But I have been wondering if, when I do hit it, my MG will improve. Sounds like there's hope.

I suppose it would be worth-while to try the natural treatments for PMS: mostly nutritional advice (avoid anything that tastes good, etc. ), and lots of B vitamins. Anything else?

Abby

LOL, Abby, I've tried it all--diet, supplements (evening primrose, flax oil, vitex chaste, soy isoflavones, progesterone cream, estrogen cream, Vit B 12, etc). I even did a series of acupuncture treatments, to no avail. The endocrine and neurological systems, or the body systems in general are so interdependent, I am afraid there is no simple fix.

Like Abby, I was anxiously waiting to see if natural menopause would make a difference. I was definitely in peri-menopause at the time of the chemo and things were actually getting worse by the month, so I don't know if eventually things would have reversed or improved. I have a friend with MG who has gone through natural meno, and there is some difference in her symptoms (in a good way) but even she is still on a multitude of MG drugs and is still very much affected by MG.

It's always something!

Seriously, this thread is a God send. You can't imagine how helpful all of your cumulative experiences are.

Having spent the last 15 months in search of a natural cure, or even natural treatment, it feels like I have been chasing my own tail. I have given up sugar, gone vegetarian, juice fasted, gone gluten free, (I've tried most of these diets more than once) spent alot of money (!!!) every month on supplements, and when I look at my very crude symptom calendar it still resembles a roller coaster.

Currently I am eating gluten free. And I've had a really fantastic couple of days- which are more likely related to my internal calendar.

I believe a sigh is in order.

Good news though, (pending dr referral) I've got an appointment with UTSW in December (so much better than the June appointment I was first looking at) thanks to 4-eyes recommendation.

Nice work, Christa! I hope you appreciate my dark humor, as my first thought was, "Someone musta DIED!" Quick appointments are rarer than hens' teeth at UTSW!

Hang on and take care!

I have had horrible time starting about a week before and during as well BUT noticed huge reduction in severity of symptoms since starting prednisone (2 months now)

Steph

FYI - MG got really bad after menopause. It actually improved during peri-menopause but once I was in menopause, terrible.

Interesting. Have considered or are you using HRT?

I know a local woman here that is mid 60's and is suddenly having a terrible time with her symptoms as well, after 30 years of relatively mild symptoms. Suffice it to say, MG STINKS!!!

I take hormone replacement therapy. I have not idea whether it has any effect on my MG. I have been taking it for years. It does seem to keep those around me from becoming evil.

Yes it does vary much so. Every month even a few weeks before my cycle I become weaker. Everything is affected so much worse, my legs and arms to my hands get weaker and don't even get me started on my speech. It affects that greatly. A few days before my cycle and on the day it begins I don't even go out the door unless I have to.