water on the knee (MG?)
 

So, my right knee felt like a water balloon for about a month. No pain. No injury. Very weird. I thought it might be caused indirectly by the MG, because my leg-muscles were weak and I was sort of hyper-extending my knees while walking. That was the main reason I got a round of IVIG--because I realized I might be damaging my knees.

So, five days after my last infusion, the knee went back to normal almost over-night. After having all that fluid on it for a month. Coincidentally (or not? That's what I'm trying to figure out) that's when I started getting strong again.

I'm just asking for ideas. One thing always lurking at the back of my mind is the possibility of additional auto-immune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis. It was so strange, though, that my knee was so goofed up without either trauma or pain.

Abby

Hi Abby,

Medically, I have no idea....but

I was dx'd with lymphedema a couple of years before MG. It was so bad I went for decongestive therapy (barbaric..but it worked) for 3 months.

Anyway, my neuro said I would see a difference with the fluid build up once I was on Mestinon for a few months. Said the lymphatics are supported by muscles...weak muscles = weak lymphatics.

Have no idea if medical literature has documented this - but I can tell you for me - it has been a true observation.

So maybe your IVIG helped in this way..or maybe it was something totally unrelated. But I'm glad your knee has improved so much!

Just a follow-up in case anyone's interested. I went to the doctor and found out that my swollen knee was indeed caused by MG--in conjunction with another chronic disease I have (recklessness). Months ago--it was Easter day--I was zooming around a parking lot at the park, kneeling on my rollator, when I hit a crack and fell forward, and landed on my knee. The knee seemed fine, but evidently I damaged a bursa sac, which ruptured months later. The fact that all the fluid was absorbed right after I had IVIG was a coincidence.

I'm really relieved to know that this isn't the start of some new horrible disease. And I never ride my rollator like that any more (I'm in recklessness remission. Let's hope it lasts).

Abby

Hi Abby,
I think there are a lot of us out here who have your other chronic disease, and not necessarily in remission. As someone else stated, "We have all been Cleopatra, Queen of Denial." Just a reaction to chronic frustration or maybe the flip side of resilience.
nc