Do I Have Myasthenia Gravis?

Are you a woman younger than 40 or a man older than 60?

Do you have a droopy eyelid on one or both of your eyes?

Do you have blurred vision?

Do you have double vision (while looking at an object, you see two images that are separated laterally or one image is higher than the other)?

Does double vision disappear when you close one eye?

Do you have a slow and slurred speech?

Does your voice sound weak, soft, hoarse, or “nasally”?

Do you have difficulty swallowing that makes it hard for you to eat, drink or take pills (you feel like you might choke easily)?

Do you get tired while chewing, especially when you eat something hard to chew like a steak?

Do you have altered facial expressions, for example, your smile might look like a snarl?

Do you feel weakness in your legs and arms so that you cannot climb stairs or lift objects?

Do you have weakness in your legs that affects the way you walk – you feel instability while walking?

Is it hard for you to hold up your head while sitting or standing?

Do your symptoms worsen with activities and improve with rest?

Do you have difficulty breathing and shortness of breath?

Do you have any of the following autoimmune diseases: thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a long-term neuromuscular disorder caused by impaired function of the immune system. “Myasthenia gravis” is a Latin expression for “severe muscle weakness”. The main symptom of MG is a muscle weakness that worsens with activity and improves with rest. It is caused by a flaw in communication between nerves and muscles. Myasthenia gravis is not directly inherited or contagious and anybody can get it, but it is most common in young women and older men. Diagnosing MG can be challenging, as muscle weakness is a common symptom in many other conditions.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have myasthenia gravis. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune, neuromuscular disease that lasts for a lifetime. It is characterized by weakness of voluntary (skeletal) muscles in your body. The degree of muscle weakness can vary from person to person, from mild to severe that may cause respiratory failure, which is a medical emergency. It is estimated that up to 10 percent of people with MG have another autoimmune disease. Diagnosing MG is often missed, especially in people with mild weakness. Treatment will depend on your age and the severity of MG, and includes medication and surgery.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have myasthenia gravis.