Sore Muscles
 

I have read so many issues pertaining to MG, but there is one I don't remember hearing anything about. In the last several months, I noticed when I exert myself (pulling weeds, cleaning the car, etc), I am so sore the next several days that I have to lay around and it kills me to have to use those muscles. I went to my class reunion, and yes, I danced. I thought I had enough meds in me to take care of activity. When I went to get into the car, I couldn't bend my legs. My husband had to help me out of the car and into the house, not from weakness but from total muscle fatigue. I could not move for 2 days.

I was using my arms last week doing something, can't remember, and they were terribly sore the next day. I have read about weakness, but do not remember anyone saying anything about their muscles being extremely sore after doing something. Has anyone else experienced sore muscles besides the weakness. Is it because the muscles become so fatigued and stress that it makes them this way or is this related to MG. It has become more noticable in the last few months. I tote a laptop in a shoulder bag to work and my shoulders and back feels like they are worn out at the end of the week. Does anyone else have this problem. I am just trying to figure out before I see my neuro if I need to bring this up to him. He is a die hard neuro that says MG only pertains to weakness. busy

I have the same experience, though not as extreme as you describe. I think of it this way: MG makes your muscles fatigue faster than normal. If a healthy person lifts a weight and holds it up, after a while, his arm muscles will tire, and he won't be able to hold the weight up any more. That's muscle fatigue. With MG, this fatigue happens much sooner. Using muscles when they're fatigued makes them stiff and sore, no matter what the reason for the fatigue is.

If a healthy non-athlete spends the day mountain-climbing, he's going to be stiff and sore the next day, because he worked his muscles past their normal capacity. For a person with MG, day-to-day activities work the muscles past their capacity. So we get stiff and sore. On Saturday I cleaned my kitchen cabinets, which involved climbing onto a chair and back down a bunch. Sunday, I felt like I'd been, well, climbing a mountain.

You should definitely discuss it with the neuro, because I'm only guessing--there could be another reason for your symptoms. But sure, MG "only" causes weakness. But over-exertion of muscles causes pain and stiffness--and weak muscles get over-exerted much sooner than strong ones do. Doesn't that make sense? A neuro who doesn't get this needs to get his nose out of his books and think like a normal human being. It's just common sense.

Abby

thanks for your reply. that is exactly how my muscles feel after doing something. Now I don't feel like I am crazy. I also cleaned by kitchen cabinets over spring break, and yes, the next several days I felt as if I climbed the same mountain. Thanks again. busy:)

Busy,
I have some muscle issues as well, one thing I believe happens is as your muscles get weaker the neck and spine muscles allow the discs to bulge more increasing nerve pain like sciatica and shoulder pains. I would think keeping xtra weight off would be a plus with us MG'rs but that is hard to do when you can't exercise with any conviction...
Randy

Hi busy!
My pain started the same way... After using the muscles when weak I would become very sore for days after. Since then, the pain has unfortunately become a constant. It's there upon waking and still there at night. I have become progressively worse since last summer, so I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it. But even when I was stronger last summer I still had the pain. I've been taking vicoden to help and also use fentanyl patches at a very low dose of 12mcg. My pain mngmt dr tried me on Gabapentin (Nuerontin)...bad choice... That drug has been known to cause Mg to appear in people that have never had symptoms before. Ireland help anyway... So we stopped that and started the fentanyl. But even with all those meds I still have pain in all my major muscles. The meds help a lot, but when I'm strong and take advantage of it ... I pay for it later! Hope this helps and finds you strong and well.
With love,
Jessica