Myasthenia Gravis Surgery Archive Questions

Below are Dr. Hafer-Macko’s answers to Myasthenia Gravis Surgery questions
received through the Ask the Expert feature.

This content is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended
to be a substitute for individual medical advice in diagnosing or treating a
health problem. Please consult with your physician about your specific health
care concerns.



Now displaying records 1 to 3 of 3.

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Q : 1 02/04/2009	I am an 18 year-old with Myasthenia Gravis and have been taking Mestinon for 3 years. I read that Mestinon can worsen UTI's. Is this true? Is there any alternative medicine one could take? There is no evidence based research documenting a link between Mestinon and urinary tract infection. Mestinon is contraindicated in mechanical intestinal obstruction or urinary obstruction.
Q : 2 01/24/2009	My current issue is of course with MG, and if there's anything further that I can do to reduce symptoms or even eradicate it. Is there an operation that might fix the MG for me? Or am I wasting time and money trying to fix this? There is no medicine or surgery that can "fix" this disease. MG management is directed at limiting symptoms and improving quality of life. Physical stress, emotional stress, colds and flus, and hot weather can worsen MG symptoms. When other medical conditions worsen or are not optimally treated, MG symptoms can worsen.
Q : 3 01/04/2009	My neurologist has been treating me for myasthenia for about 6 years. I take Mestinon daily and when I have difficulty breathing he gives me IVIG. I recently developed aseptic meningitis after the infusion and he is looking for alternative treatments. I am wondering if a thymectomy would be beneficial? There is no cure for MG. A thymectomy may offer some disease control over time. Often, patients can be maintained on lower doses of medication following a thymectomy. For patients whose symptoms are not controlled on Mestinon alone, we use immune suppressants drugs such as Prednisone, Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept), or Azathioprine (Imuran). For serious breathing and swallowing problems, we generally recommend plasmapheresis or IVIg. The aseptic meningitis that occurs with IVIg may sometimes be related to dehydration or infusion at a more rapid infusion rate. The aseptic meningits may not occur with a repeat infusion, however, we do understand how sick you felt with the aseptic meningitis.

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