Huperzine A for Myasthenia Gravis

[AtopicGuy]

Despite mounting evidence that I have progressively-worsening MG with Class III weakness, I still don't have a diagnosis, let alone a treatment. I can't do much activity, so I read whenever my ocular symptoms allow. I have been refused a diagnostic dose of pyridostigmine to see whether it reduces my muscle weakness. Prednisolone really helps, but I'm not allowed it any more, because four courses didn't cure my "mystery" illness!

I came across the articles linked below, among others, about a food supplement called huperzine A. Proper scientific studies have found that it is a strong AChE-inhibitor (like pyridostigmine) and is safe at single doses up to about 1mg. So I bought some capsules from Amazon and have been experimenting with them for the last month or so.

Guess what? Within about 40 minutes of taking 0.9mg, not only can I raise my arms over my head, I can do it with 2L bottles of water in each hand! The benefit lasts between 3 and 4 hours before fading. Smaller doses provide proportionately-smaller benefits.

sciencedirect.com/topics/me...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...

As I've posted previously, in addition to corticosteroids, I have identified several compounds that allow my upper arms to rise above the horizontal for a spell. They are:

A single 900mg dose of aspirin;

A single 400mg dose of caffeine;

A single 1mg dose of inhaled salbutamol (10 puffs in 5 minutes);

A single 0.9mg dose of huperzine A extract.

I am not suggesting anyone uses these as a treatment. I've been forced to experiment because my doctors are content to right-off my quality of life. I will be presenting all the evidence to a fresh neurologist next week.

[stiff19]

please post after seen neurologist thankyou

[AtopicGuy in reply to stiff19]

It was quite a terse consultation at first, with the neurologist largely repeating what other (dismissive) doctors have said. Then I presented a list of all the unexplained symptoms I've presented with over the decades, including weakness, fatigue, photophobia, dysarthria, anxiety, depression, dysphagia, aches & pains, dyspnoea, inability to raise my upper arms above the horizontal without help or medication, ptosis, and rapid blinking when fatigued, all pointing towards MG. She agreed to perform a long list of tests. Blood was drawn last week and the first results are due next week. To my surprise, she reckons I do now have deep tendon reflexes, and she has seen a (negative) result of a MuSK test I didn't even know I'd had! She declined to reveal which doctor had requested it, but I could pursue that, if necessary.