Chronic Fatigue and Breathing Trouble
So over the past couple of years I've been diagnosed first with chronic fatigue, then fibromyalgia. Then last September my GP said she thought I might have MG, referred me to a neurologist for more investigation, and he diagnosed MG. I started treatment with pyridostigmine and steroids which helped a lot at first, but just before Christmas I hit a rock and suspect I'm in a flare situation which hasn't resolved yet.
I trained as a nurse in the 1980s (long since retired) and in the early 1980s, as student nurse I cared for a young lady who had MG which is my only personal experience of it until now.
I trained in a hospital in London and the young lady (she was 15) was transferred to an NHS bed from the private wards (an NHS patient took her bed on the private wards) because she was hard to manage, partly because she had no English and she would shout a lot and throw herself around. This put her at risk of respiratory arrest so she was safer in the main hospital. She had to have liquid pryidostigmine 3 hourly.
She never had a respiratory arrest while I nursed her, but I learned a bit about the disease then.
So here is what I'm experiencing myself
When I get over-tired, either mentally or physically I struggle a LOT. Posting my many international Christmas cards in the village post office pre-Christmas I nearly fainted. People were so very kind and came to my aid (although I'd rather become invisible) and when I posted a thank you on the village FB page someone from the visit contacted me to ask if we could meet because he'd been diagnosed 5 months before me. He and his wife came for a chat and it was such an encouragement!
I get very short of breath (which my family doesn't like in case, people will think I'm attention seeking). For some reason I'm SOB in the afternoons, even when resting. I also struggle in the mornings until my first does of pyridostigmine has begun to work, about 1 1/2 hrs after taking it.
Trouble walking
I can hardly walk at all, having to rest and bend right over every ... 12ft or so. I need to get up at night 5-6 times for the loo. I don't know if any of this is to be expected (remember that I've only nursed someone in hospital). I know things are supposed to be harder as the day goes on but I find things improve as the day goes on, even if they don't mean I'm normal.
My fine motor control is also rubbish, I drop things and can find it hard to use cutlery. I do watercolours too, but this is harder now, and I can't cook as I used to enjoy doing.
I'm waiting for my bathroom to be converted into a wet room via the Disabled Living Grant. It's in hand but I haven't been able to use to shower over the bath, even with the bath-seat I have, for months now.
What do you all think? Should I seek further help from my GP while I'm in this down period? I'm still taking 200mg of prednisolone but Azathioprine has been added in now with a view to reducing the steroids in the next few months.
I know you can't give medical advice! I'm just interested to hear if my story is similar to anyone else's!
And thank you if you've read this!
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