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Sudden movement risks

My symptoms appear to be mild most of the time until I make a sudden movement - either stopping, turning, reaching quickly, etc. It is then that I may fall down, ram my hand into a faucet or unintentionally stick myself with a knife that was starting to fall from the counter. Some of these instances have caused serious bodily damage.

Is this an odd scenario to others or common?

  1. Have you looked into ataxia as a possible cause? https://www.aanem.org/mxonline/resources/downloads/Case%20Study/31_It%20is%20Not%20Myasthenia%20Gravis.pdf. Different than MG, but I believe it is possible to have both diseases - Jodi, Team Member

    1. Oh... Mac2 that is not fun, been there with all that!!! I also have problems with sudden movement. But I do have spinal issues like Degenerative Disc & Joint Disease, stenosis. A Chiari Malformation (brain herniation into the spinal column) and a whole host of other stuff going on in there. Just last week we were flying back from a MG appointment with a specialist in Florida. I was standing to get ready to board the plane. And my legs went numb, as did my arms & shoulders. I had no control over my neck. And started to fall back words. My Husband caught me just in time. That set off the MG (stress will do that) and nothing worked including talking/swallowing, seeing, walking. Yep, the whole nine yards of MG symptoms. It was rough boarding the plane all the way to the back of a full flight. I had just taken my dose of Mestinon right before all this happened. So, I did better after sitting down awhile. It is very frustrating when you have this going on with no medical explanation. I have been doing this for year and just found out about all the spinal stuff in the last year. Even though it has been showing up on MRI's starting before 2005. Just got that information this week also. Hope you get some answers soon as to what is going on...Best wishes to you!! Sally Farrier...Myasthenia-Gravis.com (team member).

    2. If mestinon improves the issue, it is associated with MG. I also notice my weakness only when I start losing balance, dropping things, getting clumsy, and bumping into things

      - Jodi, Team Member

  2. Do these circumstances occur when you are already experiencing some weakness occurring? - Jodi, Team Member

    1. - when I have noticeable weakness I don’t try any sudden moves but when I’m feeling mostly ok is when I have this challenge

  3. Sudden movements seem to send me into "symptoms". Glad to read that others experience it. Currently I am working with MAYO clinic in Rochester Minnesota. Several doctors, including eye doctors don't see me having MG......I got new script for glasses and it has helped. (added more prisms) but told me they didn't see any evidence of Ocular MG......but have had the extreme dbl vision followed by falling. So much that I feel and broke my back. My primary Doc is thinking I have a muscle disease.. Currently I am so weak, scared to do anything etc. I go back up to Mayo the 22nd of May for muscle biopsy and other tests.

    1. It is interesting to see this occurring with multiple MG patients. I look forward to seeing who else will eventually chime into the discussion. Thank you both for sharing.


      , have you looked into ataxia as a cause? - Jodi, team member

    2. My hubby had real problems whenever he moved his eyes quickly as well. It took a long time, but eventually MG was diagnosed. Mayo is a good choice. You'll see from this site that a lot of people begin with centers and doctors that are not really qualified to diagnose and that wastes time.


      Hubby had double vision (a very specific kind that resolves if you close one eye) and fell. (We called it the 10 O'clock flop.)


      Wishing you a fast and accurate diagnosis. Juliana (Team member)

  4. I can't say if they are odd or common, I know I have experienced a few times like that especially when I am tired and a lot during flare before I got a dx of Myasthenia Gravis. I have to be extremely careful at times myself. Like the knife falling from the counter. I now will just make sure I am safe and don't even try to catch it. That is something I would just do before but not now. For me sometimes sudden movement is just too many messages being sent and my nerves & muscles can't always coordinate the movement. ❄Sally Farrier...Myasthenia-Gravis.com (Team Member).

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