I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) at age 75. Looking back, I did have many of the 6 major MG symptoms for several years but thought they were old age. When my speech would seriously slur after a couple sentences, I knew that was NOT just old age. I was admitted to a hospital and after several days of nearly 24 hr testings, I was given the Tensilon test. As soon as my voice started to slur, I was given a medication through an IV. Within seconds, I could speak clearly and read through an entire page of text. The hospital neurologist smiled and said you have Myasthenia Gravis (MG). He followed up the the ACHr antibody test which over 25 is positive for MG. Mine was 49! It is now over 7 years since MG diagnosis. It took me TWO years to find a neurologist who actually knew how to treat MG! I originally was only on Mestinon (generic pyridostigmine). I had horrible side effects from Mestinon! After nearly 5 months of exacerbation, I was put on IVig therapy which stabilized my MG. After I finally found the neurologist who knew MG, I was put on Imuran (generic azathioprine) and my MG has been stable since which is great. I am doing well at nearly 83 yrs old let alone having MG as well!
Would like to see Myasthenia Gravis file under the auto-immune diseases. The general public, and sadly most medical professionals are totally clueless about MG! They do NOT know MG symptoms many never heard of MG. Although there was no name for MG, MG symptoms were first recorded in the US in the late 1600s. That's during FIVE centuries and MG is still not considered when the MG symptoms are quite evident! It is sad that MG awareness is no longer learned!
MG can be specifically diagnosed IF medical professionals would know the 6 MG symptoms!