Diabetes 2 and Myasthenia GRavis

[ivan1949]

Aged 69.Diagnosed with diabetes type 2 a year ago, well controlled blood glucose.Lost 50 lb.

Head drop a month ago and extreme muscle weakness when chewing, leading to slurred speech.Symptoms disappear after rest.Neurological exam was normal, head drop improved,but being retired in medical profession, I am sure I have MG because of very weak chewing muscles.

Will have to do some lab tests and ask for medications.

No steroids because of diabetes,hopefully mestinon helps.

All I hope it will not progress to respiratory muscles.

[blondie120]

Hi , certainly sounds like MG ! Ive had lems for 30 years or more can u believe i only got diagnosed with mg this month with a view its lems an rushing me in for a ct scan with contrast , but i dont think im the 60% who have underlying cancer , ive had this so long , when i chew most food i aspirate , sometimes cant even swallow water its so odd,i am on mestinon an steroids , got terrible stomach cramp at first and the mestinon made the steroids less affective my hands are so stiff , im hoping meds settle down and dvla allows me to keep my licence , not many talk on here , i guess we are a rare or quiet lot unfortunately , hope mestinon works for you nothing more annoying than not being able to hold your head up , Take care M.

[Goldyukr]

My neurologist also thinks I may have MG now though he said last year he was sure I didn’t have it. Things change and it’s hard when your symptoms aren’t obvious at the appointment. MG is so hard because it comes and goes with resting the muscles. Either way I do have neuromuscular junction dysfunction. This he saw on my EMG but I also have myositis so he thought it may just be stemming from that. Like blondie120 I ended up with severe stomach cramps twice, once took me to the ER, with the mestinon. So i’ve now stopped it until my next appointment. Not sure if the dosage is just too strong or what. We will see. Hang in there. Think positive. Maybe you can try something like azathioprine? I’m on that.

[hazelview10]

Interesting, I too am retired GP and 70 yrs old. About 1 year ago I had onset of double vision dismissed by the ophthalmologist but it was associated with drooping eyelids and muscle fatigue. On my insistence a blood test revealed a high level of acetylcholinesterase receptor antibodies and therefore MG. Pyridostigmine caused muscle cramp and fasciculation without any change in the double vision so I was started on steroids about 6 months ago with slowly some improvement to the muscular symptoms. I had nerve conduction studies yesterday which were reassuringly normal.

I also have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia which, being a cancer of the immune system, may be involved.

Good luck with your progress. John

[ivan1949 in reply to hazelview10]

Thanks for sharing your experience.The weakness of my neck extensor muscles has improved significantly within weeks.Neurological exam was normal two weeks ago, reflexes in lower limbs were even exaggerated. But not much attention to neck and chewing, although I insisted on the symptoms. Cannot go the hospital again - was admitted several times last year, diabetes and twice for coronary stenting.

MG cannot kill me right away with rather mild symptoms I have at the moment.

Still capable of walking 3 - 4 miles every day.Will wait and see what happens,hopefully not linked with any malignancy (LEMS) which would be lethal with everything I already have.

Thanks again.