Hi all,
I am suddenly having trouble swallowing. It definitly seems to get worse as the day does by. It started four days ago and has gotten so bad the past two days I have not been able to eat any solids only drink some liquids. Could this be myasthenia gravis? I am going to my PCM tomorrow. I am really freaking out and scared.

It could be. Ask your doctor to order the blood test.

Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody— a blood test for the abnormal antibodies can be performed to see if they are present. Approximately 85% of MG patients have this antibody and, when detected with an elevated concentration the AChR antibody test is strongly indicative of MG. - See more at: http://www.myasthenia.org/WhatisMG/T....5wOJD9f7.dpuf

-Mark-

Sent from my taxicab

Are you having other symptoms? He is a great primer on Myasthenia Gravis from the Medical News Today Knowledge Center:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179968.php

Often some of the earliest symptoms include double vision, usually late in the day or late in the week. Another symptom is a droopy eye.

We all know how scarey this is. The symptom that prompted me to seek medical help was double vision. I make my living driving a taxicab. I feared loosing my livelihood.

The good new is that MG can be treated. If you do have MG you will find a way to deal with it. By managing the symptoms one can good live.

Be insistent with your doctor to have the Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody blood test.

MG is rare and many doctors are unfamiliar with it. Sometimes doctors do not believe the patient because he or she had not seen the symptoms. Since symptoms present late in the day, and since most doctors' appointments re in the morning, you may not have the symptoms for your doctor to see.

Keep us posted,

-Mark-

Please don't be scared. Try to relax those muscles as much as you can. Stress only makes them worse.

If you can't swallow or eat, that's an emergency. You need to go to the ER. It doesn't matter if you don't know what's causing it. Eating and drinking are essential in order to live!

I hope your appt. went well. Did your doctor do any tests? I hope they didn't send you to an ENT first, as some primary docs do.

It could be MG, but you really need to see a neurologist to determine if it is. I hope you can get into see one right away.

If you do have MG, you need to take it really easy until you can find out for sure. MG gets worse with activity and relatively better with rest (and drugs).

If you can't swallow, breathe well, or are generally very weak, that's the time to dial 911. Those are all considered emergencies if you are even suspected of having MG.

There are two MG antibody tests: Acetylcholine Receptor Antibodies (binding and modulating) and MuSK Antibodies.

Have you tried having a thick protein shake? If you have MG, it will help if you tuck your chin downwards to swallow.

Rest your neck and head as much as you can to rest those muscles because they do affect the swallowing muscles.

Do you have droopy eyelids, called ptosis (toe-sis)?

I hope your primary doctor ran some tests and will refer you to see a neuro right away!! But don't be shy about dialing 911, okay?

Annie