Periods, anemia, memory, no sex drive with MG
 

I am new to this site and have many questions:

Do any females with MG know why when your period is due, you feel like your body hit a brick wall and are extremely beyond exhausted? Is it the hormone shift? Is this common?

I am also very anemic- Ferritin level has been 1 for past 6 mos. and RedBlood Count is all red flagged low. Have to get Iron from food, can't take supplements or full bag infusions. (rips my stomach apart) Does anyone else think this is associated with the MG?

How do you work with this? I am beyond exhausted just doing daily routine things and am on long term disability from my job.

Is it normal to have literally NO sex drive at all?!?!?!?!?!?

Lastly, anyone with short term memory loss? Boy, mine is AWEFUL!

PLEASE let me know if anyone has any issues with any of these!!!!
thank you!
Dhanes

I am afraid I don't have answers to all of your questions, but maybe I can help with one or two.

When I used to have periods, I did get quite tired when it was that time of the month. I'm guessing that this may be intensified because you are also facing other health issues, like the MG and the anemia. Those things can make you feel tired anyway, and then the tiredness one can feel with menstruation probably adds to it. My friends would tell me that they felt tired as well. I think some of it is hormones, and some of it might be other things, like dealing with cramps if you get them. Pain itself is tiring, and it can also affect your sleep at night, making you more tired the next day.

As for anemia, I don't think that is related to the MG, as far as I know. It is important to treat it, and that can add to your tiredness, for sure. Ask your doctors if there are ways for you to protect your stomach, reduce nausea (if that's the problem), and/or other means of administration. If your iron levels are really low, just trying to get iron through food will not raise it enough. I've been anemic before, and I feel for you. I know it's hard to take the supplements.

I have some trouble with my memory, but I don't think it is related to the MG exactly. I think it is because I am having trouble sleeping at night, and then it's harder to concentrate during the day. In a way, this is related to the MG, but only as a side issue. I have trouble breathing, and this affects my sleep, but it's not a direct correlation. I do have a BIPAP/AVAPS machine which helps somewhat, but I still find it hard to sleep at night. So for me, I think that's my issue - lack of sleep affecting my memory.

Take good care of yourself, and I'll be sending good thoughts your way.

Erin

Thank you Erin- take care yourself!

YES!!!!

I don't have to track my period or anything anymore, as I ALWAYS know about 3 days beforehand.. suddenly i get weaker, swallowing, facial muscles everything just flares.. i will think to myself "what's going on, I need more IVIG"... and then I realize it's my hormones.. It's crazy, and it can cause quite a bad situation depending on where I am with IVIG... when I crashed for the 1st time it was during that time of month....

Agreed, I don't think the anemia is related to MG.. but have them check your vitamin B levels too.. and your MCV on your CBC.. if it is high, b vitamins may help..

Sex drive - I think any chronic illness probably affects this.. it's hard with the overall exhaustion, the muscle fatigue.. and just the feeling crumby doesn't exactly set the mood! :(

I feel like when I am having a flare my memory is worse.. not sure why that would be...

fun stuff! :)

Hi,

I have MG and was diagnosed just over 2 years ago.

I have NO sex drive at all and my short term memory loss is really bad. I call it 'brain fog'. I don't remember anything at all and even forget simple words for names of things, making expressing myself extremely frustrating.

I get enough sleep so I do think that memory loss can be a symptom of MG. After all it doesn't just affect the messages to our muscles but also to our brain!

Hope yours lifts soon xx