• Community Member

    Member

    Sawyer –

    Welcome to this Forum where people who are dealing with MG long term can often get a different sort of help than we get from our neurologists because we are actually experiencing MG and all of its effects.

    One thing to realize is everyone’s MG is a little different, as our bodies and immune systems are all a little different, so you have to find out what’s right for you based on your own experience.

    Your neurologist should be more concerned about your side-effects than he/she sounds, so if you can’t get more advice or attention from them I would (seriously) look for another neurologist in your area.  You are looking at a lifetime of MG at your age so you will need top-class help to live a something like normal life with this condition.

    Your current mestinon and prednisone doses are on the low side of average while your IVIG dose seems high. I would ask why you are on such frequent IVIG which is a pretty radical approach to this problem and has its own long term side effects.   Do you feel better after the IVIG infusions?

    The most common side effects from mestinon are secretions (runny nose, damp skin, loose bowels) and diarrhea rather than what you are experiencing, and your dosage is low so I would be surprised if your mestinon is the culprit.  However I am not a doctor, just someone who has had 18 months of treatment including mestinon, prednisone and IVIG (as well as imuran immunosuppressant).   Your neurologist should not be passing your symptoms off because they do not understand them.  That tells me they are not as good a neurologist as you will need to get through the many years you are facing with this condition.  Be firm about getting your questions answered and your concerns addressed, and if they are not, start looking for another neurologist NOW.

    Good luck, and best wishes

    Alan B