Myasthenia Gravis Support Group

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability. The hallmark of myasthenia gravis is muscle weakness that increases during periods of activity and improves after periods of rest. Although myasthenia gravis may affect any voluntary muscle, muscles that control eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, and...

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Abdominal Pain

Sarah100
Sarah100
My 14 yr old (who was diagnosed 1 yr ago w/generalized MG) has been experiencing worsening of her symptoms lately. Specifically, she has been sleeping a lot and has increased muscle weakness. She also has been complaining of severe abdominal pain especially in the mornings. She takes Mestinon only 2 or 3 times a day and would have none in her system upon wakening. I am beginning to think that this pain might be a symptom of her myasthenia itself, rather than something like a virus. Does anyone else have this symptom when your other MG symptoms worsen? Would you describe what it feels like? (My daughter can only say it feels "weird" and it "hurts".) Thanks so much. Sarah100
wab
wab
Sarah 100
For what iti s worth, I experenced stomach cramps/pain this pass weekend, and I attribute it to and increase in the mestinon I take. Stomach cramps/pain is a side effect of mestinon, and I find when I increase it I have cramps/pain for a few days. The pain is not isolated to a single area, it sems to radiate out from my whole stomack area from side to side and below belly button to upper rib cage. The pain is sharp all over.
I'm a 59 yr old male diagnosed in 91, but have had MG symptoms since 1967.
Although, if you daughter wakes up with the pain w/o mestinon in her system, I don't know what to tell you.
I hope whatever it is, it goes away.
deleted_user
deleted_user
You should let her doctor know all this.I also sleep alot when my MG acts up and have muscle weakness.I do think the meds can make you have stomach problems.Most important is to keep her doctor updated.Does she go for any IVG treatments?Has she had her Vit D checked?That can also make you very weak a nd tried.I wish you and your daughter the very best.Much Love Rebecca
deleted_user
deleted_user
My general practitioner has told me that people with auto-immune disorders are more vulnerable to other things than most people. And, to make matters worse, when people with MG do get something else, it makes the immune system go hay-wire, making the MG worse. For people like us, there is nothing too small to run to the doctor for. It is possible that her pains are only side effects of the mestion, but it is also possible that it is something else. And if it is something else, the something else could be making her MG worse, which is why she's tired all the time.
Sarah100
Sarah100
Thanks for your responses. She did just agree to have another round of IVIg (she hates the needles) and the doctors are setting it up. (She sees a pediatric neurologist every 3 months and a myasthenia expert every 6 months.) She has not had her Vitamin D checked but we do live in California. Do you still think that's necessary? Thanks again. Sarah100
Sarah100
Sarah100
Sorry. Just saw Mara's response. Actually, the doctors are theorizing that she contracted a virus around New Year's (her myasthenia was really bad for about 4 days) and her immune system has not been able to recover to an acceptable level. Thanks. Sarah100