Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Not MG

After 10 years of being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, I found out yesterday that this is not what I have. It is a bit of a strange feeling. I have been on MG message boards, mailing lists, and have been to gatherings with other people diagnosed with this particular neuromuscular disease. My symptoms fit into the "mold" of MG and I never really questioned my diagnosis.

One thing I have found out from my research and observation is that many neuromuscular diseases have very similar symptoms. Often, the difference is in the prognosis. The muscles of myasthenics do not degenerate. The problem is with the transmission from the nerves to the muscles. 

While I have tried very hard not to "become" my illness like many folks I know, dealing with what I thought was myasthenia gravis was part of my identity. Hopefully, by next Thursday, I will have an accurate diagnosis. I guess it will become a part (but by no means ALL) of my identity. And I will buy a new Medic-Alert bracelet and just keep living as well as I can for as long as I can. 


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