I am new to everything and have a million questions, I'll try to be brief I have generalized myasthenia, have for a long time but only very recently diagnosed. I caught a respiratory virus that my kids had and developed a constant cough. Without my realizing what was happening (there is a myasthenia learning curve!) my muscles were weakening and weakening in my rib cage from the cough, and the pain became unreal, I could barely move from the pain. It has been months and the pain lessons a bit everyday, thank goodness, but it still feels very tight and weird in my ribs, hard to breath. I have no clue, is this what you all experience too? I'm so scared to get sick this winter, my myasthenia wasn't as bad in the past and I could get through a cough without this experience. Is recovery from a simple cough always this scary and taxing? What ever doctor says pain is not a part of this disease is crazy, pain is always my primary symptom, I notice it before the weakness sometimes. thanks everyone, i appreciate you all very much

It sounds like you may have developed pleurisy as a "bonus" with the viral infection. It is very painful and can take a few months to completely resolve. You can do a search on pleurisy and see if the symptoms fit what you are experiencing. In general, MG does not cause the extreme pain you describe, although weak muscles can spasm and cause some pain and weak ones can be more prone to injury.

Thank you 4-eyes, the spasms were happening up my rib cage like crazy, it was a constant spams and kept me immobilized, that has finally passed thank goodness, my doctor said all of my muscles between my ribs were exhausted (my primary care not the neuro) and hence the pain. Pleurisy sounds like a crappy bonus but I bet you are right, ugh! Thanks for the info!

Gabriella -

So sorry you have been so ill. I haven't had the type of pain you describe from coughing, etc.

BUT

Sometimes when coughing or laughing or just turning wrong, one of my abdominal muscles gets contracted gets contracted and I have intense pain.... A true, double-up "get a grip" pain !

Kind of like a charlie horse in the tummy.

I have had two children; when this abdominal muscle cramps up - it almost looks like the bottom of one of my babies when he was turning around in the womb !!! I can see the muscle protruding out of my tummy. But seeing (and feeling) my baby's "bottom" protruding up in my stomach did not hurt!

Also, when I have this intense abdominal contraction and pain - others can place their hand on my tummy and feel the solid tensed up muscle.

My docs have said my pain/abdominal muscle contraction is due to the fact that my abdominal muscles are so weak, due to MG. The abs are proximal muscles. MG affects proximal muscles; those muscles that are closer to the "core" of our body.

The pain I have gradually goes away after muscle has relaxed.

I don't doubt that you are having severe pain. Perhaps those muscles you are suffering from so much pain are very tender due to the intense coughing - and the muscles can't tolerate the coughing as well due to MG weakness.

However, your pain sounds different than the kind I have experienced.

You may not know this (yet) - but MG is known as the "Snowflake" disease. As a "Snowflake", we MGer's are all different, yet the same.

If this pain continues, you probably should consult with your doc(s) again.

As mentioned above, pleurisy (or worse) could be a possibility and can be very serious.

Good luck.

Take care of yourself.

I hope you feel better soon.

(From one "Flake" to Another)

For me a simple cold/cough can wear my body down as well! I usually do well the first few days and then the 3rd of 4th day my abs really start weakening..

and also the day before I really get sick, I will be very weak and having an exacerbation, but not know why... then the next day I am obviously sick.

If I am standing too long one day, sick with a cough etc my rib cage gets pretty uncomfortable.. just like a muscle soreness/exhaustion feeling..

You can also get costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage of the ribs).. that can also last for months.. I've had this and Motrin is a life saver..

I too fear when I get a cough/cold, as I don't know how my body will handle it,. and am afraid it can make me crash..

My rib cage feels the same way from standing too long, the soreness and exhaustion, if it is really bad it feels like 1000lb weight on my ribs when I lay down to rest. I have two little kids that are always catching colds, I've already been crazy with the washing hands and hand sanitizer for myself, it is so hard to take care of two active kids when my ribs feel so weird and weak (never mind the rest of my body). I wonder if it is the costochondritis, how did they check for that? I'm better thank goodness, but when I cough it still feels so painful.

I hear ya! I have two small kiddos too.. so I get most of the colds they get.. and since being sick and being on IVIG I feel like I am even more susceptible to the germs... They of course will cough in my face, and I just can't avoid giving them kisses... so I am not a fan of germs!!!

I don't think there is really a way they check for costochondritis.. just go based on symptoms and their exam.. usually they will said NSAIDs are the way to treat it - decreases the inflammation and helps the pain, as long as you don't have condraindication of taking NSAIDs. I Had it badly after the influenza once and it lasted a good 6 months.. felt like a broken rib.. laughing hurt, anything did really!

yes, bny806, i totally agree even the laughing, feels like a broken rib, even if I cough a tiny bit, or try and clear my throat (my spit seems to keep on going down the wrong way lately), I hate that i can't laugh really hard! i will be patient with this one, if another month goes by maybe i'll get an xray to see if it is broken. my husband keeps on telling me to go to the doctor, but i know they can't do anything for this at all, i just have to wait it out! thanks for the info