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I am incredibly weak in my legs and my arms right now. I've noticed that my arms are shaking. Does anyone else experience this?

A MGteam Member asked a question 💭
Clarkdale, AZ

I have a jittery / shaking feeling inside both my arms and legs due to extreme weakness. Very uncomfortable to say the least. Is this a normal symptom for Myasthenia Gravis and have others experienced this as well
I'm afraid I'm going to fall and break a hip, wrist or my arm. I'm now walking with a cane to help stabilize my body. Any advice as to what might help this
It does get a bit better with rest, but I'm the sole caregiver for my husband who has advanced Alzheimer's disease, and… read more

September 3
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Answer Summary

Members responded with warmth and solidarity to someone experiencing extreme weakness and shaking in their arms and legs while also serving as... Read more

Members responded with warmth and solidarity to someone experiencing extreme weakness and shaking in their arms and legs while also serving as a full-time caregiver for a husband with Alzheimer's. Several members shared their own struggles with misdiagnosis, with one describing being misdiagnosed with FND for 8 years before finally receiving an MG diagnosis, and others encouraging the original poster to keep advocating for herself and seek a specialist. A recurring theme was the importance of asking for help through elderly care services or home health agencies, and the reminder that caregivers must take care of themselves too.

A MGteam Member

I know when I was jittery and shaking my neurologist said to reduce my mestinon from 5x a day to 3. I thought that was too much so I did it to 4x a day. It seemed to work for me.

September 3
A MGteam Member

Will be praying for you. I have had days where I'm very weak and if I go in the sun that's a definite a NO NO. It is like we are in a plastic bubble because we don't know what the next second brings, no one understands except for people with MG, all we can do is support each other with positive vibes and prayers

September 3
A MGteam Member

Hi Diane , I get shaky arms and legs but it’s different to the side effects of MG medications if you take too much muscle twitches. MG does cause shaking due to weakness but for some reason with MG I developed low blood sugar too which also causes this I should ask this as a question on here , but I feel with you it could be a combination where you must be exhausted too being a carer yourself. I was 8 years misdiagnosed with FND when it was MG and since I’ve been in quite a few crisis where my body through misdiagnosis got so so weak . So the breathing also got worse I had to give up work because of this to stay alive. I’m on mycophenolate, pyridostigmine, and recent IVIG . I’m in a stronger place . Am EMG test showed positive for mg for me 🙏🏻🙏🏻 if not I know I would no longer be alive I got that bad . So keep reaching out to the doctors and maybe address your circumstances 🙏🏻

September 4
MGteam

First, your strength and dedication are truly remarkable — caring for someone else while managing MG yourself is no small thing. You are heard, and those prayers are being sent right back to you. ❤️

Yes, limb weakness in the arms and legs is a recognized symptom of myasthenia gravis. Other MGteam members have shared very Show Full Answer

First, your strength and dedication are truly remarkable — caring for someone else while managing MG yourself is no small thing. You are heard, and those prayers are being sent right back to you. ❤️

Yes, limb weakness in the arms and legs is a recognized symptom of myasthenia gravis. Other MGteam members have shared very similar experiences:

- "I was most surprised at how quickly my arms and legs would weaken at certain times."
- "Neck weakness and feeling like I have a bobblehead."
- "Having trouble walking."

The jittery or shaking sensation you're feeling is likely your muscles struggling to respond properly due to MG's effect on the neuromuscular junction — the connection point between your nerves and muscles. Using a cane is a smart and proactive step for fall prevention. Some additional things that may help:

- Contact your neurologist soon — worsening limb weakness that's affecting daily function and safety needs to be evaluated. Your treatment plan may need adjusting.
- Rest when you can, even briefly. Short rest periods can help muscles recover temporarily with MG.
- Avoid heat — warm temperatures are known to worsen MG symptoms, so staying cool may help.
- Track your symptoms — keeping a simple log of when weakness peaks can help your doctor identify patterns.

Please don't delay reaching out to your care team. Rapidly worsening weakness can sometimes signal a more serious episode that needs prompt medical attention.

September 3
A MGteam Member

Dear Roberta, thank you so very much for your kind words of comfort. I truly appreciate them. It helps to know that other folks are going through the same thig from time to time. It's really sad when doctors go by the book and don't listen to their patients at all and diagnose them based on their history and their clinical observations. Fingers crossed that we both find the right kind of doc who will actually listen to us. Thank you again for responding and thank you especially for your prayers. Prayer works wonders. Wishing you all the very best. ❤️

September 3 (edited)

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