Wheelchair Use
 

Since starting Mestinon about 10 months ago I am able to get around MUCH better than before. For example, if I go to a convenience store to pick up a few items I have no problem walking around in the store. On the other hand, a long shopping day at WalMart is more than I can take. I either use my own wheelchair or I ride one of the power buggies there. Is this pretty typical? I was hoping that Mestinon would "cure" my walking problems. It has helped a lot but not as much as I wanted.

I have a lot of trouble walking if I try to do too much of it. I don't do a lot of the family shopping. If I try to stand all day, I get all wobbly. I lecture from a stool now and nobody has noticed anything wrong. Well sometimes they stare at my eye and I know that it is either twitching or closing. I suspect that I am more active than most people that have trouble getting up and down. I've never used the power buggies. I just leave when I get too tired.

During a good spell, I can go to WalMart, or teach standing for a couple of hours with no assistance. During a bad spell, I would bring my rollator to WalMart, so I could rest by sitting now and then, especially on the check-out line (standing is harder than walking). During a really bad spell, or in the evening of a day during a bad spell, I would sit on a chair to teach, and I would skip WalMart altogether.

Abby

I've been thinking about getting a rollator myself.

Sounds like the symptoms I still have are par for the course.

Thanks for your reply. :)

Mestinon is no cure. It does not get to the source of the problem. It just temporarily relieves symptoms. And the therapeutic level is only reached for 2.5 hours of my 4 hour dosing for me. SO my life is planned around my mestinon dosing schedule. But it is nice to be able to predict when I will be strong so I can schedule activities like shopping and cleaning which would be impossible without it.

kathie

Highly recommended! A rollator is perfect for MG, because it allows you to walk normally as much you can, but rest when you get fatigued. Then you can gather strength and walk some more. It's also good if you have trouble with balance, and you can put stuff in the basket under the seat. Plus, mothers pull their little kids out of your way.

Abby

In the larger stores I use the electric carts plus I got a handicap sticker to save legs in full parking lot.
Mike

I also use the power carts in a store and use my rollator in my home and Dr.'s offices. I agree standing is worse than walking. However, I can only walk about 30 feet before the muscles in my back and legs give out. I am on Pyridostigmine 60mg 5 times daily, methlprednisolone 6mg daily, azathioprine 50mg 3 times a day.