What causes MG? Total newbie wonders
 

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum. I didn't find a post that got at a question rolling around in the back of my mind. I will reveal the depths and breadth of my ignorance, so be gentle :o

What causes Myasthenia Gravis? I know it is an autoimmune disease. Do you get MG randomly? Does it just happen?

Is there something that can cause it? I know scarlet fever can cause heart issues. I know strep throat can cause heart issues later in life. Is there some exposure to some chemical early in life that sometimes triggers MG? Does untreated repeated Strep Throat compromise things and trigger MG? See where I'm going?

I'm trying to sort out whether it is truly random or whether there are statistically significant environmental causation factors.

If I had a ten year old child ask me - how did you get this? What do I tell them? If my adult child asks me - how did you get this? What do I tell them?

I really appreciate your compassionate and detailed response. Seriously.

Thanks!
Eric

I think most autoimmune diseases are caused by a bunch of factors working together to make a perfect storm. Two of the factors I know about that led to my MG are a genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases and a bout with the flu (H1N1). In general, viral or bacterial infections can cause the immune system to overreact in some people--especially long-standing infections.

But from what I've read here, my story is unusual. Most people who have MG can't point to specific triggers.

Abby

One risk factor for MG is inheriting specific forms (alleles) of proteins called HLA-DR3 and/or HLA-DR5.

The HLA proteins are important in the immune system. HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR5 can facilitate production of antibodies which recognise the acetylcholine receptor. These "autoantibodies" can cause destruction of this receptor at neuromuscular junctions, which is very common in MG.

My first MG symptom appeared 48 hours after my very first flu shot. I know the flu shot did not cause the MG, (my thymus was found to be very enlarged 9 days later), but I definitely do think that it awakened/kickstarted the process.
I, too, already have other autoimmune diseases going on, so I’m assuming I was bound to get another one.

Amazing
 

This is exactly what the Gulf War 1 Veterans were saying about their battle as well. They were given dozens of vaccines all at once in auto injectors prior to deployment. Along with "experimental" vaccines for possible exposures. God Bless our Troops!

In 2012 I had some blood work because I was suffering from something that I thought was Mono. The test came back positive for Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) which pointed to a "systemic sclerosis." After a second blood test about a week later, the test came back negative.

I believe that at that time, my body was giving me a sign that something was happening but me or my doctor didn't have the where with all to look further.

In 2016 I was hospitalized due to extreme fatigue that doctors believed had to do with status migrainous because I had blurred vision and only wanted to keep my eyes closed.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with MG because I had a neurologist that had the where with all to put the pieces together to test for Acetylcholine.

So this is what I would tell a child.

Take a water color paintbrush and begin painting on a piece of paper. If you use just enough your painting will dry and you can hang it. However, if you continue to paint, the paper becomes weak. Eventually the paper tears and the watercolor seeps through to get on the table.

Once the paper tears, it cannot be fixed.