Myasthenia Gravis mimicking a Stroke. How does the Doctor diagnose which you are having, in an A & E emergency situation? Rather concerned.

[Pollynolongerinagony]

just watching the FAST Stroke advert on tv tonight and realised the stroke symtoms are incredibly similar to MG. Drooping face, eyelids, mouth, slurred speech, weakness in arms, hands , difficultly in communicating..... especially in a myasthenic crisis when swallowing and breathing are compromised, and balance and communicaton are affected. I did read a stroke case report with the added presentation GCA symptoms, and extremely rarely MG symptoms .....

Hindawi case report in rheumatology, case report 2013, article ID505686

doi.org/10.1155/2013/505686 MG and Stroke in the setting of GCA

I wonder if any of you have been unfortunate enough to experience anything like this, and if not, I sincerely wish to say it is never my intention to scare, only to care and share... and I would be grateful for any feedback on the wonderful forum. thankyou, sincere best wishes , polly... (PMR).

[PeteW]

Yes, I have had the same experience. Long story short, had MRI which confirmed no stroke. I’m ok now. Had MG symptoms for 10 years with several 2 month periods of devastating fatigue. Just need rest rest rest and calm calm calm, clean diet including daily eggs, alpha GPC and ALC.

[ivan1949]

Hi, Do not worry. There is one crucial difference; MG is generalized, i.e. bilateral, unlike stroke when there is always so called lateralization (predominant symptoms in one side).

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to ivan1949]

thankyou ivan, vey reassuring. wearing a bracelt with mg details is vital too as mg so rare. best wishes and so deeply grateful, polly

[ivan1949]

Just remember; too much worrying is not very good for us. The neurologist (a colleague of mine, by the way), is not concerned at all in regard of MG mortality. People do not die of it ! Or at least, one can expect to die of a dozen causes, not MG.

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to ivan1949]

that's so reassuring thankyou. I'm not being negative nor morbid, just need complete picture so i know what we are are dealing with. may I trouble you with another question please.

because of severe swallow probs, and peristaltic wave atrophy, apirating, inhaling saliva all night, not shifting lung mucas every morning as no muscle strength, and constant chest infections, with compromised breathing as diaphram too weak to push and pull oxyegne in and out... lso laying down flat in the tunnel mri scanner for 20 mins brings on a choking inhaling fit and impossible to escape from the tunnel rapidly enough to sit upright, to prevent a spasm and coughing and choking fit... which is so stressful scenario it could provoke a MC crisis.

wonder if anyone has had an open mri scanner, which looks like two huge princess leah belgium buns either side of the patiient ,so their clostrophobia and apriration and breathing difficultes and chocking are coped with, and the urgent mri head scan can be achieve without the trauma a tunnel mri scan would generate. wonder if anyone has had open scan experience, they are dotted around the country , regards polly

[tallyho]

I had this happen to me Dr thought I was having a stroke when I lost the ability to speak however a scan showed it was not a stroke due to no blessing on the brain which happens with a stroke a stroke happens when there is a blood clot on the brain which they can see on the scan. They do other tests too and even with MG generally you would pass them if you had not had a stroke.

[Pollynolongerinagony in reply to tallyho]

you are marvellous thankyou. peace of mind such a gift. bless you, polly.