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Myasthenia Gravis?
My grandfather is in the ICU right now and I'm trying to understand this disease. He was having a ten day treatment with a shunt in his chest cavity to filter protein from his blood however the shunt going into his chest caused his heart rate to drop to 30, so the doctor stopped and said he couldn't continue. They are now doing an IV treatment (which I am researching because they did not tell my grandmother what it does and how it does it and what risks are involved.) for 5 days. He cannot eat or swallow anything and he just falls down for no apparant reason. Does anyone know about this disease? I don't think he has this problem, his symptoms don't point to it really. I suppose it could be this disease in combination with another that I believe he has (I think he has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) but when I told my grandmother to ask them to run tests they said no. Can she make them check him for that? I am really reading everything I can get my hands on and all signs point to PSP.
2 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder, that causes muscle weakness and excessive muscle fatigue. It is not inherited, and is more common in men over 50 yet more common n females below that age.
Symptoms of generalized form and occular form lists of tests, treatments and other disorders that present the same can be found at www.muscular-dystrophy.org it is an exellent site. If you are not satisfied with the doctors diagnosis seek second and third opinions. Is it a neurologist hes seeing? There is a blood test for myasthenia gravis, has he had it? I would also suggest if you can go to the hospital and ask the doctors to explain it to you. There are many disorders that can present in the same manner, there is probably a very good reason they have diagnosed it as this. I hope the website helps with your search. Best of luck!! And my best wishes for your Grandfather.
- 7 years ago
I have myasthenia gravis since 1996. What you describe is plasmapheresis where they put you in surgery for a port to be put in..they bring in a big machine that is also used for kidney dialysis...they will cleanse the antibodies out of his blood but this will not last permanently. It is really to get the med adjustments he needs thus the less need for plasmapheresis. Also the test for MG is a blood test that will show if the antibodies are in his blood. It is a definitive test...He can have excarbations of MG if he has an infection...There is alot of info out on MG..also he needs to go to a doc that specializes in neuromuscular diseases. I go to a muscular dystropy clinic...for it is a form of MD...Good luck...but get that antibody blood test done..if it is positive, he needs a catscan of his thymus...read on that...I hope I helped better.
