Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is a long term (chronic) condition that causes muscle weakness and fatigue.
It's a rare condition that commonly affects the muscles that control the eyes and eyelids. It can also affect the face, speaking, chewing, swallowing and other parts of the body.
It can affect people at any age, but is most often found in women under 40 and men over 60.
There are other rarer types of myasthenia which you can read about on myaware.
If you drive, you must inform the DVLA that you have myasthenia gravis.
Symptoms of myasthenia gravis
The first symptoms of myasthenia gravis are often droopy eyelids or double vision. It usually affects the eyes first and may spread to other parts of the body. It can take weeks, months or years for symptoms to develop in other parts of the body.
The severity of the symptoms is different for each person. It's likely that your symptoms will tend to get worse when you're tired. The symptoms might improve after resting.
Symptoms can include:
Urgent advice: Phone 999 for an ambulance if:
- you're experiencing severe breathing or swallowing problems
You might need emergency hospital treatment.
You should avoid activities that could become dangerous if you experience sudden weakness, like swimming alone.
Diagnosing myasthenia gravis
It can be difficult to diagnose myasthenia gravis. Your doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms.
You might need several tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms before you can be diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.
Treating myasthenia gravis
There are treatments available that can help reduce the affects of your symptoms.
If your symptoms get worse following certain triggers, you should try to avoid those triggers as much as possible.
Triggers might include:
- stress
- tiredness
- infections
- medicines
- surgery
Treatment might include:
You might find that, during pregnancy or after having a baby, your myasthenia gravis worsens. If you're planning a pregnancy or become pregnant, you should speak to your healthcare team. Don't stop taking your medications without first speaking to your healthcare professional.
