Myasthenia Gravis News Community › Forums › Newly Diagnosed › Can you describe the period when you first began to notice symptoms of MG? › Reply To: Can you describe the period when you first began to notice symptoms of MG?

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    Not sure what first symptoms were, as so many things can be tied to MG. One weird thing I remember happening often, at random times, and with no apparent reason, was the floor trying to trip me! Usually on my left foot, which I now recognize as foot drop. But the thing that first got me going to the doctor was that I was no longer set on ‘go’ all the time. In fact, I was finding it difficult to find energy-physical and mental- to continue working a full time job and 6 part time jobs along with social obligations and volunteer work. The doctors all suggested that it was due to ‘old age’ (at 50! SMH) and said to slow down. Gradually, I dropped part-time jobs til I was left with only 1 in addition to my full-time high stress hospital job. I had been having my left eye close randomly, but chalked it up to allergies, and since it never really affected anything other than appearance, I always ignored it. After some years of having this happen, my eyes started feeling very tired, along with the drooping. I had mentioned this to my most recent at the time doctor who initially attributed it to eye strain. As most of my work revolved around computers, it seemed reasonable. Then one day at work, I was powering through, typing on my keyboard,and my boss stopped at my office and asked if I was awake. What a silly question, I thought, and asked her just how I could type while asleep. She said my eyes looked shut. I called my doctor and asked if he wanted me to send a photo of what it looked like when my eyes ‘got tired’. He told me to come in immediately. He was the first person to suggest MG. BTW, during the last three or four of these seven years when I was trying to find out what was happening, I would also have random heaviness in my limbs. I described it like how you feel after working out to exhaustion, heavy and burning ache. Around the time a doctor first suggested MG, I also started having eye twitching, that graduated to random facial muscles twitching. The tongue fibers jumping was wild! Quickly following, was slurred speech and desperately needing a nap by 1pm. Then, head tilt, difficulty swallowing, and a period of mostly being confined to bed because I couldn’t even turn over without help. From diagnosis 2017 to 2021, things went downhill. But things have improved (another story), and while I am slow and take lots of rest breaks along with long naps-I can do most of the things I need to and may things I want to. I live alone again and do my own errands and yardwork, including moving rocks in Alabama summer heat. Off all MG meds since 2/2021. Hope I continue to improve and hope this brings some hope to those who have been newly diagnosed