I am happy to join everyone here. I have been reading posts and thougth now would be a good time to introduce myself...

I live in beautiful Tucson, AZ. Currently 37, married and have two kids (from previous marriage). I like to spend time outdoors-hiking, gardening, observing nature. I like to learn just about anything. I read as much as possible and I love music and writing. I am in general an active happy person, until recently...

Here is how my MG started:
In May 2009 I was sick with flu-like symptoms(including high fever) that went away after one day. One week passed and then I started to get double vision that kept getting worse. One more week went by and I started getting tired all the time and started having trouble chewing food and using my facial muscles (I couldn't smile anymore). I started to feel tingly in my face and arms occasionally and after a few more weeks the tingly sensation went away to be replaced by a heavy feeling in my arms and legs. At this time I had my blood tested and an MRI done. By the time my blood results came back with a positive diagnoses for MG in July 2009, I could hardly pick my feet up off the floor to walk and had lost 5 pounds because I was having trouble eating (I weight 120 lbs and did not need to lose weight). I couldn't pick my arms up above shoulder height and most of my fingers would not work at all. The worst thing was not being able to see properly and especially not being able to look people in the eye when I talked to them! I sometimes had slight slurred speech and then my eyelids started to droop and even close so I couldn't see at all. My eyes felt dry because my eyelids would not close completely. I spent most of my days in bed during June and July. During the last week of July, some of these symptoms started to fade so that I could function somewhat, but they did not go away.

I started taking Mestinon(60 mg twice a day) in August 2009 and after a few days I stopped feeling tired all the time. Slowly my strength returned, my eyelids would stay open and the worst of the double vision faded.

After one week of taking Mestinon I felt so much better, not normal, but functional. Then I started to get signs of an overdosage of Mestinon-my muscles were tight and would not relax, then I started to hurt in all my muscles. My husband said I looked like frankenstein since my whole body was stiff. My doctor reduced the Mestinon to 60 mg once per day then later added a second dose every other day. This dosage has made my life tolerable.

Other information that sort of relates to MG:
I have PTS (Post Traumatic Stress) which I think was partly the cause for me getting MG. I am going to explain why, since it feels good to talk about this and I am still healing from the experience. In 2004, my ex-husband (from 1997) decided to make good on his previous threat when we got divorced and hired a hit man to kill me. To make the story short, a man attacked me with a knife and I struggled and was able to take the knife away from him. He then held me to the ground and tried to strangle me and break my kneck, I fought to get away. This struggle lasted about 30 minutes. He was a large man, over 200 pounds and out of shape(lucky for me). I finally had a chance to get my hand out from under me with the knife and he backed off and left...I was left with many injuries but at least I am alive.
I have had constant stress since this time in 2004. The police detectives told me that others were involved in this wish for me to be dead and recommended that I leave the state. I had to move and quit a job that I loved. My ex-husband is in prison now but I live with a constant fear that the other people involved (his family) may try to kill me someday.
Since this attack, I have had constant bad things happen to me and getting MG is another addition to my list (the worst one). My ability to take all these bad things is ending and I feel a big shadow of despair over me just about to smother me. Today I feel like just giving up.

I know that my MG symptoms are not severe right now and that others feel much worse. I guess that I am currently feeling the big loss, so many goals I have to give up, so many things I can no longer do. It is like starting my life over again.

I hope everyone the best.

Sincerely,
Susan