In general, I try to keep my medications as simple as I can. I like to know just what I am getting and why. With MG, we don't know why our immune systems are out of whack exactly, only that curbing the behavior with immunosuppressants or trying to sneak acetylcholine into a functioning neuromuscular junction keeps us alive and kicking.

So I would be hesitant to take anything I didn't understand or that hadn't been demonstrated to work in a study group of people with my problem. That is a big problem with supplements along with proper labeling as to contents and dosage, much less studies, and it would seem rather like throwing fuel on a fire you are trying to put out to take something to stimulate a misbehaving immune system. We are hoping for drugs that only attack the cells causing our problems, it seems like when our immune systems are stimulated in any way, it increases our symptoms. Some risks have enough benefit to justify temporary worsening of MG, like vaccination and socializing when doing well. I do take Vitamin D since I have to stay our of the sun and calcium since I already have osteoporosis and am on prednisone. But to deliberately try to encourage my immune system to make antibodies indiscriminately seems foolhardy. b.

Good question. I wondered if it was ok to take antibiotics and probiotics at the same time. It turns out is actually recommended. So your question about taking an immunosuppessant and an immune system booster at the same time is an interesting one.

Sorry I don't have an answer for you, but this may be something to ask your doctor or nutritionist.

If you find an answer, please share it with us. Thanks!

Best to you
Beamie

Please be careful. Our bodies and organs are designed to intake and process and eliminate vitamins and nutrients in their natural form, i.e., food. When taking supplements, some of them are in highly concentrated forms which can be way too potent for our organs to process successfully.

beamie,
Antibiotics and probiotics may be recommended for "normal" people. Unfortunately that is not us MGers. The tendency to hit very sick people with the most broad spectrum antibiotic around is rife in hospitals and explains the drug resistance there. These same drugs are used for urinary tract infections and bronchitis in nonhospitalized patients as well.

What that means is that when we take them, all the normal bugs in our guts that are helpful get wiped out and the baddies, many drug resistant get in. That is the reason there has been a discussion about c. diff. We end up taking more and more of the dangerous antibiotics.

We should avoid all antibiotics if possible, take the most narrow spectrum drug we can get by with, never take antibiotics to "prevent" infection (a common practice, not only are the antibiotics themselves harmful, this means the bugs that do make us sick are more likely to be resistant to the drug), and try and stay out of hospitals.

Probiotics do not replace the full spectrum of gut flora. Evidently they can even make people who are on immunosuppressants sick. The only promising treatment i have seen lately was also alluded to in that c. diff post--fecal implant. That too may be contraindicated in immunosuppressed people. Prevention and education of ourselves and the medical personnel who care for us is the safest way.

It is ironic. We take these awful drugs for our MG, but it is the commonly used drugs like antibiotics and anesthetics that may be the greatest threat. Do ask your doctors, especially your neurologists, but don't expect them to be always correct. Some have never seen an MG patient before--at least to recognize! Almost all need to consult the literature before treatment of even ordinary problems. It helps if you can hand it to them. It helps tremendously if you have a concerned person like Rankin to research and advocate for you. There are links to lists of drugs to avoid in the Links Group and many more helpful links to MGFA publications and recent literature. b.

I used to, but now, I take food related supplements - turmeric, ginger, milk thistle - all with my neuro's knowledge. I never take anything unless he knows. Oh, and sometimes a vitamin c. but that's it. so many supplements are meant to increase our immune systems, which we don't need. So when people have say to you....'have you tried....? you can say you have to be super careful.
wellness,

Rankin, please remember that the drugs we take to suppress our immune systems are designed to do just that--suppress them! Taking supplements to stimulate the immune system would be counterproductive to our treatment.

Because I'm on prednisone, I take Calcium and D, and I take a multivitamin as well, but that's it.

I read a site that said to take Omega-3m, multivitamin, and make sure you have enough calcium and potassium in your diet.

This is where I found it: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03138/Myasthenia-Gravis.html
-r

I take ginger and turmeric.

Emergen-C

It is important to be careful with supplements as well as pharmaceuticals. In my Experience: I take Black Currant Seed and Oreganol daily in a addition to that I take a multivitamin for maintenance. I have learned through all natural means how to treat MG and the better I get the less I have to take of anything. Yes there is reasoning behind MG its not so idiopathic as taught. I truly understand now why with most illnesses they say start with the gut.

i agree totaly with anomaly895, with all this there is a point to be made, and it start with our daily intake,

when i got mg, in 2011, i had to do a drastic change of life, meaning most important my foods, no red meat, no gmo's no sodas ect.
eat lots of fruits, fish principaly salmon, and lots of veggies
the only meat and this was after a long conversation with my endo. was lamb
venison,bufalo, helk. this are ok. for the red meat, also pork, chicken, making certain that they where free from hormones.

also iam keen on naturals, but the only thing that you have to consider is the relaiability of the sellers, unfortunatly they are some whom sell enaything and everything, because they know the needs for them.

so before you take them check the sellers, that way to cut the risks.

also for mg, you will benefit from the followings,

complex vitamins b's in all its forms
maganase 10 mgs. i use them from twin-lab as they are the most reliable
choline 500mgs
soil based organism, for digestive health from swanson

and the most important vitamin d3, high dose to boost your minimun stat requirements from 30 to about 50ngs, dayli, for all neurolocals desease it is the most important supplement, for bone structure, well been in general,

i am chrnic vitd3. so i am in ver high doses, but in all generality i am douing great, would not be in my feet if i woud not take it.

happy new year to all, (fighter)