Swallowing
 

My elderly father was just diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. He's on Mestinon and Prednisone, but now he is unable to swallow so he is in the hospital getting the drugs through an IV. Anyone have information and/or advice?

sp

How long has he been on the medications? If he is taking to much of the medication it would do that. Many of us have swallowing issues with our MG and know when we take to much mestinon it is as bad if not worse.

Has he had a thymectomy?

WLCOME TO NT

So sorry your father has MG. Here is the link for that forum:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum77.html

They can do special x-rays while swallowing, to diagnose the inability to swallow.

He can also have a feeding tube placed, so you can crush and run through the tube. Works out great if needed. You can keep the patient hydrated, give them prune juice and things they normally wouldn't want to swallow.

Just a thought or two.

Oh. You're good. you found the MG forum. I posted this in the "New" section.

Lots of info here.

Joanmarie -

Thank you for your post. He's been on medications for three weeks and he has not had a thymectomy. I was told that because of his age (91) his thymus is tiny. The mestinon worked magically for the first week after diagnosis, then swallowing became impossible. He'll have to start tube feeding today.

Does your ability to swallow vary that much. Of course, I doubt you are 91!

s

Hi speterson,

Welcome to the group! I am very sorry to hear your Dad is going through such a difficult time, but glad he's been diagnosed. I was thinking the same thing as Joanmarie. Do you know how much Mestinon he was taking for the week it was working so well? Do you know if they have decreased the dosage? Just from my own experiences and others here, there is a chance he was getting too much Mestinon. Was he having any side effects such as excessive saliva that may have caused him to choke? This is just a thought, I am not a doctor. It's good he is in the hospital and I'm sure they will figure everything out and put him on the correct meds. I will be keeping good thoughts. Please let us know how he's doing. Take care;)

Hugs,
Pat

YES - definitely too much saliva; it is driving him crazy. Okay, I'm going to talk to the neurologist ASAP. Many thanks to you and this forum.

s

WOW, he is 91, bless him! To be DXed at that age amazes me. You are a wonderful child to be coming to this site to seek information that may help him.

Please keep us updated on his/your journey through this crazy illness!

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Awe, 91? Get a hold of your local MDA, or the MDA closest to the Hospital his Neuro is affiliated,or where he is getting his IVIG. They can help you and him a lot.
Also just the sticky threads here for information, and get a hold of the Myasthenia Gravis foundation http://www.myasthenia.org/ They will be able to get you information that will help you and your Dad understand what he should do, shouldn't do, and what meds, or chemicals he should avoid, as there are several that can cause him more crisis' .
Come back here, or any other Myasthenia forums, and ask tons of questions, we'll do our best to help.
Make sure he is being seen by a neuromuscular specialist who has patients with MG.
Love and Prayers
Lizzie ONT]