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...
I was curious if anyone could let me know what to expect on the EMG testing? Also, how many were negative to blood tests but tested positive by EMG?
I haven't been diagnosed with MG but the Neuro I have been seeing suspects it. I have tested negative on the blood tests so he is sending me to a university hospital to have EMG done.
My main symptoms include: Double vision especially when tired; some slight ptosis; general fatigue; weakness in my jaw/chin while eating; weakness in arms and legs while doing general things such as walking up hill, stairs, fixing my hair, even folding clothes. These are a few of the main symptoms I've been having. I have chalked it up for the most part as just being out of shape or recovering from a recent surgery...but considering I'm only 25 and not realy overweight or anything, I think there must be something else going on to feel the things I've been experiencing.
Thanks for your input!
I haven't been diagnosed with MG but the Neuro I have been seeing suspects it. I have tested negative on the blood tests so he is sending me to a university hospital to have EMG done.
My main symptoms include: Double vision especially when tired; some slight ptosis; general fatigue; weakness in my jaw/chin while eating; weakness in arms and legs while doing general things such as walking up hill, stairs, fixing my hair, even folding clothes. These are a few of the main symptoms I've been having. I have chalked it up for the most part as just being out of shape or recovering from a recent surgery...but considering I'm only 25 and not realy overweight or anything, I think there must be something else going on to feel the things I've been experiencing.
Thanks for your input!
When I first had symptoms (living in US at the time) I was prescribed small & increasing amounts of Mestinon anyway and that helped my symptoms (double vision and ptosis). My neuro did not regard Mestinon's impact alone as diagnostic proof of MG but it was additional evidence to support the diagnosis. (Also important to eliminate other possible causes of symptoms).
In my case the double vision was also very variable (sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical) indicating the issue was not a single muscle or nerve but different ones on different days.
A few years later (back in the UK) I had some EMG tests including two single-fiber EMGs.
The ones they did on my arm hurt. They felt like someone was passing high volt electricity through my arms (which it turns out is exactly what they were doing!). It was only momentary discomfort though. Fine afterwards.
The two single fiber EMGs hurt less. First time around I think they had never done it before and got no meaningful data (so concluded a negative result). Aware of false negatives my neuro sent me back to see the "main guy". He had a bunch of students with him at the time. I refused to let any of them also "have a go"! This test came back positive.
Right now I'm dealing with a relapse after 5 years in remission. Stubborn double vision and all round fatigue. Mestinon has reached its limits of effectiveness now and suffering some of the side effects. Contemplating whether risks of Prednisone outweigh prospect of living like this for rest of life (or re-entering remission which remains possible of course).
Staying positive though and wishing the best to all you other folks dealing with this illness, from across the pond...