Lot of thoughts and good discussion. So far Thymoma or enlarged thymus is only known cause. Because i think all thymoma patients have MG.
But what is the reason for non thymoma patients, yet to be discovered. Sero positive diesn't develop MG. Presence of other immune diseases may increase the probability but you are never sure. Henetic studies also do not suggest anything.

Sudhish

While now I realize I had MG symptoms for years, it was a prescription for Z-pac that unmasked it. I can remember precisely when it happened. I had taken my first dose of antibotic in the morning and I was at our church after work. All of a sudden, I felt something going on with my right eye. Went into the bathroom and saw a droopy eyelid. I went to my Internist and she thought it might be MG. An appointment with a Neuro and blood tests confirmed the diagnosis. One of the "why" questions that I ask myself is "why did my doctor have to prescribe a Z-pac?" Did it cause my MG? I don't think so. It was lurking under the radar and would have reared its ugly head at some point.

Sully

This is a question that one can only wonder....I have the MuSK Antibodie which makes it even more rare....I am 1 out of 300 patients that are in the US alone....my MG came on while I was expecting our fourth child. I am sure it was there just waiting.....

Couldn't agree more, but with ALL of it. Family history of immune problems (brother w melanoma--read about his cure at neoplas.org), then an incredibly stressful experience that resulted in PTSD diagnosis for several months. Fortunately, I recovered from that, but... did I really? Shortly after, the fatigue started and I knew something was wrong. Double vision began the quest. Soon, my ENT removed a golf ball-size polyp from facial sinus, with autoimmune cells on pathology. Reynaud's syndrome since childhood was really my only illness, healthy and active as could be until this found my Achilles heel. The stress just opened the door.

my double vision was unmasked after losing all ability to walk. I had been in the hospital for 2 days having MRI after MRI (because of previous back surgeries) and I woke up one morning, after a midnight MRI, and my vision was double. I read on the foundation website that iodine dye is a no-no..... like maybe in the contrast dyes they use in the MRI's..... anybody had any trouble with that? It lasted for 4 weeks.... well after I was able to walk again, well shuffle :)

Tiffany

I have wondered which came first the chicken or the egg. I was diagnosed with bi polar about four years ago. About that same time I started to lose my strength and just overall health.

Also not long before both of those things I stripped a floor downstairs in our basement. Removed the carpeting, removing all the tack strips, filling, sanding the holes, removing the carpet glue, and there was alot.

Then put a sealer, and five different colors of paint and then a thick polyurithane finish, several coates. It looks like tile, and turned out pretty good. It is about 1500 square feet and I did it all alone.

Alot of it with no gloves or mask. I really can't help but wonder if I could have contaminated my body with all those chemicals. Plus, whatever we have a genetic predispostion twards.

That, and stress, I think you are all right. The right things come into play together and Poof!!!! Eye of newt, and a dead man's toe, there you go. MG?

I have had this conversation with my nuero, as i am an analyst by trade I am a linear thinking. I was looking for a reason other than it just being luck of the draw with very high odds. I can look back at pictures as far as 2007 and see it in my eyes -- now that I know.

However, my mom has graves, as kids we cut through the apple orchards as they were spraying DDT, grew up down wind from a nuclear power plant and recently found an article where one "pocket" of a high incidence rate is from the Trento valley in Italty where my grandfather was born. Still have family there...

I do think it is part enivronmental, part familial and part living life fast. My recent exasberation followed a sudden death of a beautiful friend and wrecking a car...

So much for analytical thinking..

I was diagnosed in 1952 as a little 5 yr. old girl. I grew up in a rural part of central Arkansas where there was a lot of soybeans and cotton farming. Crop dusting with planes was the norm in those days with heavy spraying of who knows what! DDT or whatever.
Two months later after being diagnosed I began school and I'm not sure if I had already taken all the pre-school vaccinations before the MG appeared or after but I'm betting it was before the MG symptoms since they were required for beginning school.
Another interesting thing happened about 4 days prior to my MG coming out of remission this time was that I was visiting my sister in Arkansas who lives on a large farm. They do not farm but when we went outside that evening as I was leaving for home I commented to my sister that someone must be crop dusting in the area because I could smell it. She had not noticed it. Then, 4 days later.....the MG suddenly appears. Any correlation? Who knows!

I am becomming a stronger and stronger believer in chemical interaction. I am attempting to change my diet from processed foods to more organic. It has actually been rather difficult to find organic foods that are locally grown. I am interested to see if this has any affect on my MG. Right now I do not believe there has been enough of a change in my diet and lifestyle to make a difference.

CarolinaMoon1946, if you are interested in some documentaries that point to chemicals in foods etc. Let me know and I can give you the name of some documentaries that are pretty interesting.

Kimber

I have read up plenty on this sort of thing over time, especially after I knew what I had....
Got on the pity pot, and "why me, why me?"

Diet, Exposure to Toxins, Predisposition, Bad Luck, but things present to increase the chances of the bad luck. If not MG, then something else.

Cancer and MG? I don't see any relevance. Haven't checked into it either. Really, I just hope there is no relevance other than the potential from our toxic treatments.

Fact is, I have MG and I wish I didn't, but I am glad it isn't something worse or that my condition isn't worse.

Causes?...How does one get anything?

Peace to all,

TJ

We cracked the code in one of the other threads. Its the vitamin D! I'm starting a petition to ban all forms of vitamin D so that me and my fellow Myasthenics never have to worry about coming in contact with it again! Oh....wait....We need vitamin D. I better cancle that petition.

Now I'm starting a petition to add vitamin D to the drinking water!!!

X^D

l have OMG 2 years now. I also have another Autoimmune Disease hashimotos thyroid (immune system attacks my thyroid ,over 10 yeas diagnosed). I learned 10% of people with hashimotos develop MG.

I believe my hashimotos came from heavy stress, then these same antibodies also caused my OMG(I'm seronegative). I'm hoping no other stress events triggers my OMG to become generalized.

I also think our immune changes are part of evolution. I think about the first "human" who said "why is my own body attacking my darn tail".

Interesting. I never had many health problems through out my life. High blood pressure but controled for 30 years. When I was running competitively I wore out my knees and in the 70s had one repaired. this lasted until last year and I had it replaced. I had symptoms for several years but not enough to worry about. While recovering from surgery the MG hit me like a ton.
Will

Hi... this is my first post to DailyStrength. I have had symptoms of MG periodically since 1962, after I moved to a town which sprayed DDT every summer for mosquitoes. I also grew up in an abusive household, which may have contributed to periods of weakness following prolonged illnesses. I have an appointment for MG eval with an MG specialist later this summer that was triggered by a breathing ordeal this past spring. Thank you very much for sharing! Rosie