Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers-Squib) for skin cancer found to be associated with myasthenia gravis

The use of ipilimumab(Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) for the treatment of melanoma has been associated with the development of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that manifests as muscle weakness and fatigue, according to a report published April 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The report, which describes 2 cases, is the first in the medical literature of ipilimumab-associated

Saturday, April 26, 2014

A surprise diognosis added for woman with Multiple Autoimmune Diseases

Her name is Lauren, and she is a 26 year old women with an unusual collection of autoimmune diseases that includes Polyarthritis, Autoimmune Pancreatitis, Autoimmune Hepatitis, Fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, and IgA Deficiency, and Sjogren’s Syndrome with neurological involvement. She writes about her struggles with dealing with sometimes dangerous new treatments, balancing relationships with family and friends, her difficulty in adapting to life in a wheelchair due to debilitating arthritis, and most importantly her quest to maintain hope and faith in herself through it all.

This is her story of suddenly having to face the arrival of yet another mystery guest

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Yahoo's Nichole Rae tells her mother-in-law's story of being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis

Nichole Rae - Writer for Yahoo
My mother-in-law, Alma, has been living with the autoimmune disease known as myasthenia gravis for seven years now. It is a serious and incurable condition characterized primarily by muscle weakness and fatigue. I have known her for 20 years and she is one of the most positive and happy people I have ever met. Even with this unfortunate diagnosis, her resolve is strong and her optimism unfaltering. Alma was more than happy to share her life experiences so far with myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis can be a difficult disease to diagnose, sometimes taking

Mercury Poisoning may be linked to Myasthenia gravis, autoimmune diseases.

Freya Koss
By Freya Koss
In 1998 I was struck with double vision seven days after having an old silver amalgam filling removed and replaced with a new one. Within weeks I developed drooping eyelids, loss of equilibrium, swollen mandibular glands, worsening eyelight, ataxia and other neurological symptoms. A neurologist at a large teaching hospital diagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). At first he thought I might have Lupus, and then another neuroloigst diagnosed me with Myasthenia Gravis because of my dropping eyelids and my optomotrist considere MS or a brain tumor.

My blood work indicated a 10,000 ANA titer, elevated liver enzymes

Pharmaceutical trial for eculizumad (Soliris) announced for patients with mysathenis gravis and neuromyelitis

Cheshire Connecticut - April 24 2014 -  TAlexion Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:ALXN) today announced the initiation of a single, multinational, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of eculizumab (Soliris®) in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a life-threatening, ultra-rare neurologic disorder. Alexion also initiated a single, multinational, placebo-controlled trial in patients with refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (MG), another rare and debilitating neurologic disorder.

Mouse study of MuSK MG reveals cause - opens door to possible therapies

If you're feeling strangely tired and droopy-eyed, especially toward the end of the day or if you're occasionally seeing double and slurring your speech, there's a slight chance – 1 in 5,000 for Americans – that you have myasthenia gravis (MG). The chances are even slimmer – less than 1 in 50,000 – that you have a rare form of MG that doesn't respond well to available treatments (MuSK). There's no cure for MG, only treatments that alleviate the symptoms. But hope may be on the horizon for those who have

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Wrongly diagnosed and treated for myasthenia gravis Robert Wyble wins 4 million dollar law suit

Robert Wyble describes his ordeal of being misdiagnosed
with myasthenia gravis and the subsequent law suit.
NEW YORK:  — A prominent New York doctor has been ordered to pay up, after a patient said he was left sick and disabled after treatment for myasthenia gravis - which he did not have!
Robert Wyble,a landscaper, won the multi-million dollar jury verdict against neurologist Dr. Dale Lange.

Robert Wyble, 42, of Pine Island, Orange County, says he had his chest sawed open to remove his thymus gland, underwent biweekly blood treatments and was put on medication that caused him to gain 80 pounds and get hypertension — all

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Azathioprine: A close-up of the immuneosuppressant drug widely used to treat myasthenia gravis

Azathioprine (abbreviated and often refereed to as AZA) is an immunosuppressive drug that is used in organ transplantation (especially kidney) and to reduce symptoms of autoimmune diseases. It belongs to the chemical class of purine analogues. Originally synthesized  as a cancer drug and as a prodrug for mercaptopurine in 1957, it has been widely used as an immunosuppressant for more than 50 years.

Azathioprine acts as a prodrug for mercaptopurine, inhibiting an enzyme that is required for the synthesis of DNA. Thus it most strongly affects proliferating cells, such as the T cells and B cells of the immune system.

The primary adverse effect of azathioprine is that it can

Friday, April 4, 2014

Turmeric and it's Amazing Health Benefits

Almost out of turmeric 
Today I noticed that my big turmeric jar was close to being empty. Time to buy more. And it looks like I need more of the high potency extract that I use too.

Since discovering it's many uses, I can't bare to be without it. I've concluded that it helps me in countless ways. Numerous studies back me up. I've come to understand that it helps protect me from developing certain cancers (especially skin cancer), inhibits virus and bacterial growth, relieves my arthritis ( in my knees), strengthens me and increases my energy levels and helps me think more clearly (helping to remove the MG brain fog). Yep - all that - and more-from a bright yellow spice that's found in many kitchens around the world!

I had been using turmeric as a spice for years; long before I contracted myasthenia gravis. It adds depth to curry dishes, color for yellow rice (way cheaper than saffron) and it was my secret ingredient in deviled eggs. Like so many others, after I got MG, I went on the hunt for vitamins and supplements that would help me control the MG symptoms. I made many discoveries that have considerably helped me in that department but, along the way, I discovered the miraculous healing power for turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin.