What to expect
 

I've just been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis after 3 years of going back and forth to different doctors...

i am 23 years old, and seems like i'll be fighting this alone!
I've done my research, and i've read everything on MG i've been able to find, but it seems like my family and friends don't understand it.

i am scared, prednisone is HORRIBLE... and it just seems like i have no one to talk to.

HELP?

can anyone tell me what can i expect from MG... does it ever get better?
i know there is no cure, but will i ever feel normal again? :(

There is always hope and best wishes... I'm pretty darn close to "normal" where the disease is well managed with a minimal dosage of mestinon. But I still have up & down days.

Have you been diagnosed antibody positive?

You've found yourself a pretty friendly community here that understands what you're going through... feel free to chat, rant, question. We'll help as best we can.

I recommend that you get a copy of http://youmeandmg.com/ and give it to your family or local support structure. If you're riding it out alone and nobody understands this book will give them a better insight into what you're going through. Another one for your friends that is quite a bit shorter but will hopefully give them a little understanding of how you have to cope is http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/ca...-spoon-theory/ . One of the worst things about the disease is that you can look perfectly healthy on the outside and be falling down inside. Without experiencing it, other people cannot truly understand it.

Hi, and welcome. I'm glad you're here. It really is a big relief to hang out with people who totally get it, even if it's only on-line.

Please keep in mind that the people who get better, to the point where MG isn't much of an issue in their lives, don't tend to hang around here as much as those who are really struggling with it! So reading this forum might give you the wrong impression about the disease. We're the hard cases.

There is good hope that you will feel better, even that you might go into remission. Meanwhile, I understand how scary Prednisone is. There are lots of people here who are on it, and they can share their experiences.

Congratulations on getting a diagnosis. Most of us here know what you've been through! It took me 15 months to get my diagnosis, which is relatively short--but I alternated between being terrified that I had something even worse than MG (like ALS) and being terrified that I would be dismissed as a head-case. So, you've successfully overcome the first hurdle! Onward and upward!

If you'd like, tell us more about what you've been through, how you got diagnosed, and what symptoms you're especially struggling with now.

Abby

Hi Gabs and Welcome!

I can't add much to what has already been said. Just know that there are plenty of folks here who totally get it! And, yes...some have family who are very supportive...and others don't.

There are some folks around your age who you will meet here. I didn't have MG when I was young...but can empathize that it must be much more of an adjustment for a younger person.

Glad you found this site and hope you return often for whatever questions and support (or venting....we do venting very well!) you may have/need.

hey gabs sorry to hear tht you have MG but glad you got a Dx. ill tell you the truth that it feels like ur fighting it alone a lot. no one really gets it. ur one of the very few people around my age that has this as well. the hardest thing is trying to keep my lifestyle pace up to what i want it to be because im 21. one good thing to maybe look forward to is that the prednisone isnt so bad after awhile. i hate the fact that we have to use the word "normal" as something to strive for but my answer for that is there are some days that you feel amazing and so close to normal.