Hi all

Firstly thank you for visiting my just giving page.

my story 

In May 2013 I became unwell with showing signs of constant tiredness, dizziness and double vision. In the following months other symptoms appeared with weakness in my arms and legs until August 9th 2013 where I find it hard to eat, drink and swallow and had to go straight to A&E where I was admitted to Milton Keynes hospital for just over 3 weeks and went through lots of tests and was finally diagnosed with a rare condition called Myasthenia gravis.

I am now on medication to control this condition and on 8th Jan 2014 I had an operation called thymectomy.

Not much is known about why people get this condition or why it isn't curable (although is treatable) and this is mainly down to funding and people's awareness so I've decided to enter tough mudder http://toughmudder.co.uk on 25th October 2014 to raise as much money as possible for this charity https://www.mga-charity.org and with your help and generosity to try and help make a difference. This  particular cause as you can image is very close to my heart and can strike anyone down without warning not matter what health or shape your in.

Thank you so much in advance for your help and support.

For more information about this condition and operation please continue to read below.

What is Myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is a rare long-term condition that causes certain muscles to become weak.

It mainly affects muscles that are controlled voluntarily –often those controlling eye and eyelid movement, facial expression, chewing, swallowing and talking.

Sometimes, the muscles that control breathing, neck and limb movements are also affected. 

The muscle weakness associated with myasthenia gravis is usually worse during physical activity and improves with rest.

What causes myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune condition that affects the nerves and muscles. Autoimmune conditions are caused by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue.

In myasthenia gravis, the immune system produces antibodies (proteins) that block or damage muscle receptor cells.

This prevents messages being passed from the nerve endings to the muscles, which results in the muscles not contracting (tightening) and becoming weak.

It is not fully understood why some people's immune systems produce antibodies that attack the muscle receptor cells.

Treating myasthenia gravis

There is no cure for myasthenia gravis, but treatments are available to help control the symptoms and improve muscle weakness.

Medication can be used to improve communication between the nerves and muscles and increase muscle strength.

Immunosuppressants are a type of medication used to improve muscle strength by controlling the production of abnormal antibodies.

In some cases of myasthenia gravis, surgery may be recommended to remove the thymus gland (a thymectomy). The thymus gland is found underneath the breastbone and is part of the immune system. It is often abnormal in people with myasthenia gravis.

Thymectomy

A thymectomy is the surgical removal of the thymus gland, which has been shown to have a role in the development of myasthenia gravis.

Roughly 10 percent of patients with myasthenia gravis have a thymoma, or a tumor on the thymus gland. While most of these slow-growing tumors are benign, some may be cancerous (malignant).

The thymus gland is part of the body’s immune system, and plays its largest role early in a person’s development. Surgical removal of the thymus has no effect on the immune system for someone after they are born.

The thymus is in the front part of the chest just behind the breast bone and in front of the heart, an area known as the anterior mediastinum, with parts (lobes) extending into the neck.

Who Needs a Thymectomy

It is recommended for patients under the age of 60 years who have moderate-to-severe weakness from myasthenia gravis. It may be recommended for patients with mild weakness if it impacts breathing or swallowing, and is recommended for anyone with a thymoma.

A surgeon experienced with performing thymectomies should review your case and determine the best approach.

Benefits of Thymectomy

In patients for whom a thymectomy is recommended, the treatment goals involve reducing patient weakness, reduction in use of medications, and achieving permanent remission of the disease. Thymectomy is considered a means of helping a patient improve their condition in the long term.

Surgery

There are three main surgical approaches for thymectomy, including:

Transsternal: this anterior (frontal) approach goes through the sternum, removing the thymus, and, as necessary, the fat next to the thymus. Some approaches may include the neck to ensure removal of all of the thymus

Transcervical: this anterior transverse (horizontal) approach is by means of the lower neck, and may involve the chest to remove fat adjacent to the thymus

Videoscopic (VATS): this approach uses small incisions in the chest (right side or left), and thin, flexible tubes (scopes) with fiber-optics to let the surgeon see and remove the thymus, and, as necessary, adjoining fatty tissue

The transsternal approach is the most-often used approach for removal of thymoma.

While the surgical approaches vary, the goal remains the removal of as much of the thymus as possible, for best possible outcome. Some surgeons advocate the removal of the fatty tissue adjoining the thymus, while others feel the removal of the thymus alone is sufficient.

The extended form of transsternal thymectomy, with the removal of the adjoining fatty tissue, is the most frequently used approach, while the proponents of the transcervical and VATS minimally invasive approaches believe theirs are as effective.

It is important for a patient to discuss these surgical approaches with their doctor to determine which is right for them.