Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-sem.ARPA Path: utzoo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!brl-sem!abc From: abc@brl-sem.ARPA (Brint Cooper ) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: A Request for Topics. Message-ID: <350@brl-sem.ARPA> Date: Sun, 7-Jul-85 20:55:55 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-sem.350 Posted: Sun Jul 7 20:55:55 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 8-Jul-85 10:16:53 EDT References: <1772@aecom.UUCP> Reply-To: abc@brl-sem (SECAD/CSMB).ARPA (Brint Cooper (SECAD/CSMB) ) Distribution: na Organization: Ballistic Research Lab Lines: 37 Thank you for your kind offer. As I indicated in private mail, I have had myasthenia gravis for over six years. Last year, I had the thymectomy. I've had nearly-total exchanges of plasma via plasmapheresis on six occasions--three during a March hospitalization and three during November. I take prednisone (60 and 40 mg on alternate days) for immune suppression and mestinon for symptomatic control. I am a 46 year-old male. The disease, at present, restricts my already-sedintary lifestyle by weakening my breathing and talking. What I would like to know: 1. The probabilities of improvement and/or worsening of the disease. 2. Effects of myasthenia on my life expectancy. 3. Successes with newer forms of therapy such as monoclonal antibodies to the myasthenia antibodies and the use of Cyclosporin in place of prednisone. Risks associated with same. 4. Statistical risks associated with use of Immuran as an immunosuppressant. Please, Craig, treat this only with the priority it deserves. Many more folks are threatened with cancer and diabetes. Only about 250,000 of us have MG. But if you run across anything in your reading, a citation would be appreciated. Best wishes, Brint