What I Found Out about Momma's MG

My neice called me and we discussed some things, so when daddy called me I was prepared with questions.

First thing I asked daddy was about the muscle biopsy results. He said that her medical dr. Dr. H had this. He said that since they were treating her for Myathensia Gravis that he was 100% sure that is what she had. He said that he would ask though she for I guess our peace of minds. Ok.

Second...The specialist that she went to at UAB is Dr. O. He said that the man was Asian and in his 70's, but the best dr for this that there was. That he had written 2 books etc. And that he was more of less for the diagnosis of it then to treat anything. Ok.

Third...Her dr is not a psychatrist but a neurologist, Dr. C and happens to be one of the top neurologist in the area. Good!

There are two medications currently on the market for MG and mother happens to be on both of those. They have bumped her dosage up to 3 times a day from her normal twice a day. The IV treatment that she had while in the hospital a little while back was called IKG or IVG. I can't find anything relating to it online. This plasma option, well he called yesterday morning and the neorologist called him back and talked to him. She then called dr. H to discuss it. Either way. This dr. C must be great about call backs because she called him yesterday afternoon and said that as soon as it had been 3 months that they would do the Plasmapheresis. Which happens to be a plasma exchange.

The way the plasma exchange works is it's used to modify the immune system malfunction. It can be used to treat severe worsening of symptoms (exacerbations) or in preparation for surgery Thymectomy. In this procedure, blood is removed from the body and blood cells are separated from the liquid portion of the blood (plasma). Then, AChR antibodies are removed and blood cells are diluted with artificial plasma (usually a solution of saline and sterilized human albumin protein) and infused back into the body. Typically, 2 to 3 liters of plasma is removed and replaced during a single treatment, which takes several hours. Most patients undergo several sessions over the course of 2 weeks or more. Plasmapheresis improves MG symptoms within days and improvement lasts 6–8 weeks.

So this is something that she will be doing. Now my neice also told me about the surgery where they remove your thymus gland. I had read about this earlier when I was studying up what she might have. So, I told daddy this last night and he said that we will see after this plasma treatment.

So things might be looking up. Daddy has all the paper work to fill out (13 pages) for Medicaid. He said that he would start on that this morning. The nursing home that he wanted mother to go into is full so I think he had her put on the waiting list. There is one kinda across the street from the hospital that she is in that she will be going into. We don't know when this will be, because we aren't sure how long she will be in the hospital for.

I will keep you posted.