Living with Myasthenia Gravis: The Rare Autoantibody Disease That Causes Muscle Weakness and Severe Fatigue
–News Direct–
A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/-FuYn9PdBdI
Media tour conducted to discuss Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month and the 700,000 people worldwide living with myasthenia gravis (MG).
What would you do if you began to have symptoms of drooping eyelids and difficulty speaking? A rare and unfamiliar condition that turned to a daily struggle to chew, swallow, smile, see, or even lift your arms, legs, and neck.
That is what happened to Meridith OConnor at the age of 13 and after two long years of doctor visits, she was finally diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, also known as MG.
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoantibody condition of the nervous system that affects muscle strength and makes everyday activities like standing, blinking, swallowing, and moving your arms challenging.
MG is a highly debilitating rare disease for which there currently is no cure. As many as 60,000 Americans, and 700,000 people worldwide are living with the condition.
June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month, which provides an opportunity for people around the world to recognize the impact of MG. On June 26th a media tour was conducted with Meridith OConnor, Assistant Vice President of Patient Engagement, Advocacy, and Policy for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA), and Dr. Nicholas Silvestri, an associate professor of neurology at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, to learn the latest on the disease and how it affects those living with it.
Approximately 85% of people living with MG experience the more extensive form of the disease, generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). MG affects both men and women and occurs across all ages and racial and ethnic groups. However, it most commonly impacts young adult women and older men.
Diagnosis is often a long, frustrating, and painful journey for patients. This is because muscle weakness is a common symptom of many disorders, and symptoms can fluctuate. Patients often face months or years of untreated symptoms before they receive an accurate diagnosis, which is why they are often diagnosed at an older age.
Despite availability of treatment options, significant unmet need persists, as up to 20% of patients do not respond to existing treatments and are left with no effective therapeutic options.
Research is needed to develop new treatments for those who may not respond well and/or tolerate current therapies.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: IMAGINEMYMG.COM
THIS MEDIA TOUR IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON.
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View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/living-with-myasthenia-gravis-the-rare-autoantibody-disease-that-causes-muscle-weakness-and-severe-fatigue-970881265
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