Latest news with #myastheniaGravis
WebMD
01-07-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Learning to Say No
Living with myasthenia gravis (MG) is like budgeting energy on a card with an unpredictable limit. Some days, I make it to the end of the day with credit to spare. Others, I'm overdrawn by 10 a.m. and paying in symptoms. The hardest part? Learning to say no without guilt, over-explaining, or second-guessing myself. I used to pride myself on being up for anything. I was a yes person. Yes to plans. Yes to last-minute meetups. Yes to helping, joining, contributing, showing up. I equated saying yes with being dependable, fun, successful, and even lovable. But when you live with a condition that messes with your muscle strength, energy, and general sense of control, yes can come with consequences. Sometimes painful ones. It's not just that I get tired. It's that my tiredness hits like a brick wall. My body doesn't negotiate. When I'm out of steam, I'm out. Muscles weaken, eyelids droop, and even speaking can feel like lifting weights with my tongue. Pushing through isn't an option. It's a gamble with my health. I remember saying to my dad once, 'If anyone lived a day in my body, they'd wonder how I managed to leave the house.' And I mean it. The symptoms can be all-encompassing: weakness, fatigue, fog, pain. Unfortunately, people don't always understand that. Especially when it's an invisible disability. You look fine on the outside, so people assume you're fine. But what's happening internally is a whole different reality. Still, I kept trying. I'd agree to things, then quietly dread them and hope I'd magically wake up with the strength to power through. Spoiler: I usually didn't. I'd cancel last minute and feel awful, or go anyway and pay with a flare-up. It wasn't sustainable, and it wasn't kind to me. Lately, I've been reading The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. It's helped me shift the way I think. The core idea is simple. If people want to misunderstand you, be disappointed, judge, or push their own expectations on you, let them. It's not your job to manage their feelings. Your only job is to protect your own boundaries. That really hit home. Because half of my energy went to managing other people's reactions. 'What will they think if I cancel again?' 'Will they still invite me next time?' 'Am I letting them down?' But those are heavy questions for someone who already wakes up with a low battery. The truth is, people will think what they want. Let them. You know your body. You know your limits. You don't owe anyone an explanation that costs your health. Saying no used to feel like failure. Now, I see it as an act of self-respect. I plan my days around how I actually feel, not how I wish I felt. I space things out, build in recovery time, and if a flare is looming, I cancel unapologetically. When you live with MG, your choices are: honor your limits or be forced to later. And something interesting happened when I started doing that. The right people stayed. They understood. They supported me. The people who didn't? Let them. So now, I try to filter my energy like gold dust. I protect it fiercely. I say no when I need to, without guilt or drama. Some days, that means doing less. Some days, it means doing nothing. But all days, it means being on my own side. If you're navigating life with MG or another chronic health condition, please know this: You don't have to justify your needs to anyone. Rest isn't weakness. Saying no isn't rude. Protecting your peace isn't selfish. Let them think what they want. Let them talk. Let them go.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) IMAAVY Demonstrates Superior gMG Control
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the 12 stocks that will make you rich in 10 years. On June 23, J&J announced new data from an indirect treatment comparison (ITC) study. The data show that the company's drug, IMAAVY (nipocalimab-aahu), demonstrated consistent and sustained disease control in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) compared to other approved FcRn blockers. The findings were presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) 2025 Congress in Helsinki, Finland. Gil C/ According to the findings, IMAAVY showed a comparable onset of symptom relief at Week 1. The drug demonstrated consistent and sustained disease control over multiple timepoints up to 24 weeks. More importantly, IMAAVY showed greater or statistically significant improvement in Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scores compared to the published Phase 3 data of other FcRn blockers. The drug received FDA approval on April 30, 2025, for adults and pediatric patients aged 12 and older with anti-AChR or anti-MuSK antibody-positive gMG. This makes IMAAVY the first and only FcRn blocker approved for both antibody types, covering ≥90% of antibody-positive gMG patients. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is a global healthcare company. It develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals and medical devices through two main segments: Innovative Medicine and MedTech. Its key pharmaceutical products include Darzalex, Stelara, Tremfya, and Carvykti, while its MedTech offerings span surgical technologies, orthopedics, and vision care. While we acknowledge the potential of JNJ as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stifel Reaffirms Buy on Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (DNTH) with 186% Upside
Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNTH) is among the best small company stocks to invest in. Stifel reaffirmed a Buy rating on Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNTH) while maintaining a price target of $52.00, citing the strength of the company in keeping more cash than debt. This impressive upside of 186.3%, from the current price of $18.02, shows that the giant is heading north as it develops lead drug candidate DNTH103. The discussion revolved around the design of DNTH103 and its anticipated Phase 2 trial results for myasthenia gravis (MG), which is expected in September 2025. The management believes the success of DNTH103, relative to C5 inhibitors in the MG trial, would translate to the success of Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNTH), driven by the drug's improved safety profile and straightforward dosing schedule through a biweekly autoinjector. A biopharmaceutical team in a laboratory analyzing new compounds to develop therapeutics. Big changes are expected in the near future. The company is working to test DNTH103 in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), with interim results forecasted for the second quarter of 2026. If the MG trial goes well, this study will clear the path for a follow-up Biologics License Application. Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:DNTH), founded in 2019, is a New York-based clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops complement therapeutics for patients living with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. With a commitment to leverage selectivity in its treatments, the company is conducting clinical trials with DNTH103 in several indications. While we acknowledge the potential of DNTH as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Muscular dystrophy drug rejected for use by NICE
A man with a rare muscle-wasting condition said he feels "deflated" that a drug that improves his symptoms has not been approved for use on the Stephenson, from Doncaster, has myasthenia gravis and has been admitted to hospital 32 times because muscles involved in his breathing stopped since taking the drug efgartigimod, the 45-year-old has not needed to go on a ventilator once and said he had seen a "huge improvement" in his National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the drug not be used by the NHS due to its "substantial" cost of more than £6,500 per infusion vial, despite it improving people's symptoms. Myasthenia gravis causes fatigue and muscle weakness, double vision, slurred speech, and difficulty with chewing, swallowing and making facial expressions."If you weigh up the cost of the drug against the hospitalisations, invasive procedures, surgeons and one-to-one care I have needed at times - I think prevention [with efgartigimod] is a cost-effective option," Mr Stephenson said."This is the first drug which has made a huge improvement and, unless you are a multimillionaire, you are not going to be able to afford to get it." 'Immense relief' Mr Stephenson was diagnosed in 2003 when, after leaving the armed forces, he began to struggle to exercise, close his eyes or smile."Food would get stuck in my throat and I would have to reach down and pull it out," he said."When I was drinking, I was choking, and water was pouring out of my nose."You worry, 'how am I going to live like this, what am I going to do?'"The father-of-four's symptoms fitted in with a recent car crash, but physiotherapists referred him to a neurologist who tested for the Stephenson said: "The diagnosis was an immense relief."If you have a chronic illness, it's good to learn about it, because you're going to be stuck with it forever."Adults who took part in a trial for efgartigimod reported regaining the ability to walk daily, dress independently, and some returned to work or education."Anybody who is on the drug at the minute can stay on it, but for new patients, it's not going to be available to them."I feel so lucky to be on it," Mr Stephenson said."I feel honoured and privileged to have been on the trial."Doctors will be able to privately prescribe the drug, also known as Vyvgart, meaning patients who can pay for it will still be able to to drug company Argenx, the price for one 400mg infusion vial is £6, number of vials used for one infusion, which Mr Stephenson said he has fortnightly, depends on the individual. 'Disheartening message' Andy Fletcher, chief executive of charity Muscular Dystrophy UK, said the decision not to approve the drug for NHS use "sends a disheartening message to those affected by rare and complex conditions"."Treatments are within their grasp, but their needs are not being prioritised," he said efgartigimod was an add-on alongside other treatments, rather than a appealed against the decision on the basis that the drug is a replacement, but NICE rejected the appeal."They got ignored and that, for everybody, was so frustrating," Mr Stephenson said."Our story should've made some sort of impact, but it feels it got bypassed and overlooked."NICE said drugs like efgartigimod replace other treatments only temporarily, providing "small benefits".A spokesperson said effective and fast-acting treatments like efgartigimod would be "welcomed" by patients, given the side effects and slow-acting nature of current treatments, but NICE could not justify the cost."The cost-effectiveness estimates [for efgartigimod] are substantially above what NICE considers an acceptable use of NHS resources," they said."We know this decision will be disappointing for people living with this debilitating condition and those who care for them."Muscular Dystrophy UK said Wales and Northern Ireland tend to follow NICE guidance, meaning patients there will most likely also be affected.A separate decision process is under way in Scotland. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
WebMD
10-06-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Gut Health and MG Management
When I was first diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I focused on the obvious: My immune system. I assumed that if I could manage that, everything else would fall into place. Gut health was sort of on my radar. I ate healthy, avoided processed foods, and believed what you put in your body affects how you feel. I even added fermented foods here and there, mostly because they were trending and sounded like a good idea. But I hadn't looked much further. I didn't understand just how central your gut is when it comes to managing autoimmune conditions like MG. Around 70% of your immune system lives in your gut. I came across that fact before, but it never hit home until I had food reactions and strange flares that didn't fit the usual MG pattern. I thought my gut was fine. No IBS diagnosis, no ongoing digestive drama. Just bloating I chalked up to eating too quickly or being stressed. But I started reacting to foods that'd never been a problem. My energy plummeted. Symptoms I'd learned to manage started slipping out of control, and I couldn't pinpoint why. Something wasn't right. I decided to get a comprehensive gut test through Genova. At the time, I was pescatarian and still relatively unaware of how deep the gut-autoimmune connection is. My results were eye-opening. Dysbiosis. Low microbial diversity. Overgrowth of opportunistic bacteria. Low secretory IgA. Impaired short-chain fatty acid production. Sluggish digestion. It was clear my gut was underperforming, and had been for a while. Suddenly, everything clicked. If your gut is inflamed or overrun with the wrong bacteria, your immune system will be on high alert. That background inflammation adds fuel to the fire of an autoimmune condition like MG. Once I understood what was going on, I took action. First through food. I was already eating a whole food diet, but I fine-tuned it. I eliminated gluten, dairy, seed oils, and refined sugar. I focused on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory meals. I reintroduced grass-fed beef, offal, and other quality animal proteins. I kept my meals simple, intentional, and supportive. That alone made a difference. Next, I addressed my microbial imbalance. I used oregano oil capsules and other natural antimicrobials, along with binders like G.I. Detox to help clear out toxins. I introduced supplements like calcium-D-glucarate, liposomal glutathione, and milk thistle tea to support detox pathways. I added digestive enzymes, spore-based probiotics, and made a real effort to eat slowly, chew properly, and stay calm while eating. I hadn't realized how much stress was affecting my digestion until I worked on reducing it. Improvements were gradual but undeniable. My bloating reduced. Food reactions became less dramatic. MG flares became less frequent and more manageable. I felt clearer mentally, and more stable emotionally. My energy improved and I began to feel like myself again. It wasn't a magic fix, but it was a fundamental shift. Gut health was no longer just a vague wellness term – it became a key part of taking care of myself every day. Looking back, I wish I'd understood the gut-autoimmune connection earlier. MG is complex, and no single approach works for everyone. But, for me, gut health is a cornerstone. If you live with MG and haven't explored what's happening in your gut, I encourage you to look into it. Not just guessing, but testing. It gave me clarity, direction, and a plan that actually helped. So much of what affects us happens behind the scenes. But once you uncover those hidden pieces, it's amazing how much more sense your symptoms can make. And how much more empowered you feel to do something about them.
