I just joined this group and saw you posted about the same time. How long have you had MG and did you have symptoms long before you were diagnosed? Hope you are doing well.

I was diagnosed back in 1999 and I started off with only ocular Maysthenia Gravis it happen while I was in college one semester and a family member encouraged me to go to the hospital because my eyelid begin drooping severely (I was going through some major stress and poor diet at the time) and it progressed to generalized Myasthenia Gravis effecting my entire body. Before I was diagnosed I did not have any health issues. Currently I am stable and have regained alot of my faculties through all natural treatments; I do take Pyridostigmine Bromide generic for Mestinon and hopefully I will be coming off it soon.

Mine began some months or even over a year ago. The weakness in my arms and legs was extreme, but it would wax and wane, so thought it part of chronic fatigue. I was having a bit of trouble with my vision (like one eye was crossing), but eye exam showed each eye 20/20 (didn't test eyes together. Full double vision didn't progress until a couple months ago and has gotten worse. My right eyelid weak and wants to close, especially trying to read or type, dealing with double vision. All factors and neuro exams led to MG conclusion. I was prescribed Pyridostigmine but won't start that until after my daughter's wedding...don't want to deal with side effects. Starting very small dosage and will work up. Did you have any side effects at first? Hope it helps with arm and leg weakness, swallowing, breathing and double vision. I can deal with most of it but the difficulty in breathing scares me.

Yes, the first time I took it I was playing basketball and I had a moment I felt i could not breathe it was weird but it worked great and for first 6 months it helped I still had to take it 3x a day because the duration would last for about 6-8 hours. Huperzine A 200 mcg is an all natural alternative to Pyridostigmine they have Source Naturals on Amazon for about $25 it works about the same without the side effects but you can't take both Huperzine A and Pyridostigmine at the same time.

Hi, welcome to the site. I am a fellow MG'er. My first experience with MG started in 2015 when I was peeling potatoes. I lost strength in my right hand. It was not until May of 2016 when I started dragging my right leg. I felt like I was carrying bricks on my legs. I would drop anything I picked up with my right hand. I was very fatigue and weak all the time. My PCP sent my for repeated MRI's of my right leg and shoulders as I could not lift my arms above my head. I was slowly falling apart. Fast forward to July 2016 I was so sick that I had trouble walking, talking, double vision in my right eye and a weak neck. I was at work when my legs became paralyzed. I could not move, I was breathing shallow. My eye doctor, pcp and I was seeing a neurologist, no one gave me Mestinon to assist in my possible dx of MG. My eye doctor was the first to suspect because of my eye problems. My pcp had also suspected but the neurologist he referred me to stated my EMG was a false positive so he continued to send my for test which were negative. I finally got a 3rd opinion from my current neurologist who dx and has been treating me. It has been a slow process I have been off work for over a year and now receiving IVIG 2 days a month, I take 40 mg of Prednisone and Mestinon 60-90 mg 4-5 times a day. I walk with a cane and still have bouts of ptosis and chronic weakness.

Good Luck on your journey, you are in my prayers.

That's interesting that it effects your legs and feet for me its been generalized. I have it in my legs and arms, actually my entire body but it has been primarily in my chest, throat and mouth and caused a history of impaired speech and difficulty breathing. I guess what is interesting is that we all have individualized or unique cases to a degree.

I have had MG for 6 months, having been diagnosed last August with Occular MG. I have been taking Pyridostigmine 5 times a day since then. My double vision and squinty eyes went away immediately and I haven't had any eye-related problems since. Last week I read about and researched the all-natural alternative, Huperzine A, and decided to try it. I was having a lot of side-effects
from the Pyridostigmine such as diarrhea, runny nose, cough, no energy, foggy brain, ice-cold fingers and toes,and no appetite, and the Huperzine A was supposed to work just like the Pyridostigmine but without side effects. I took the Huperzine A for 5 days and felt fine. I went to see my Neuro and he practically flipped out -- told me I should never have done that! I feel so alone with this disease -- anybody have any stories or tips to share?

We're all different of course but, for someone with MG to go wandering off, effectively, or otherwise, doing their own form of a clinical trial without reference to their neurologist is asking for trouble. No wonder your Neuro 'flipped out'. That said, I sympathise, it can be tough at times, certainly in the early days when the dosage of Mestinon is high and the side-effects at their worst - it does get better though. Stick with the advice.

In the past I was so critically ill I had no other alternative but to try all natural remedies or I would not be alive, Being overly dependent on conventional medicine can be dangerous. The wonderful thing is I have a good neurologist who respects me and we have developed a great relationship over the years although we don't agree on everything, What's so great about him is that whenever I make an improvement he is happy even though it wasn't his efforts.