Prognosis
With treatment, patients have a normal life expectancy, except for those with a malignant thymoma (whose lesser life expectancy is on account of the thymoma itself and is otherwise unrelated to the myasthenia). Quality of life can vary depending on the severity and the cause. The drugs used to control MG either diminish in effectiveness over time (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors) or cause severe side effects of their own (immunosuppressants). About 10% of MG patients are found to have tumors in their thymus glands, in which case a thymectomy is a very effective treatment with long-term remission. However, most patients need treatment for the remainder of their lives, and their abilities vary greatly. MG is not usually a progressive disease; the symptoms may fluctuate, but do not always get worse as the patient ages. For some, the symptoms decrease after a span of three to five years.
Read more about this topic: Myasthenia Gravis