Pystinon tablets to control myasthenia gravis symptoms

Pystinon is used to improve muscle strength in patients with a certain muscle disease (myasthenia gravis ).

It works by preventing the breakdown of a natural substance in the body called acetylcholine. acetylcholine is one of the necessary substances for normal muscle function, Pystinon works to preserve this substance and increase it in the body. 

The active substance in Pystinon is called pyridostigmine.

How to use Pystinon?

• Pystinon can be taken with or without food.
• The dose of Pystinon is determined according to the condition being treated, its severity, and the patient's health condition, so it is necessary to adhere to the doses that the physician accurately recommended.
• Taking Pystinon with food or milk may help reduce side effects.
• Moisture may cause a change in the color of Pystinon, but this does not affect how well the medicine works.
• Tell your doctor if the condition worsens or does not improve despite taking the medicine in the prescribed doses.

Side effects

Pystinon may cause the following side effects, and you should tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are aggravating, increasing, or continuing for long periods, and these symptoms include the following:

1. Nausea and vomiting.
2. Diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
3. Increased saliva and mucus.
4. Narrow or small size of the pupil of the eye (the black circle in the middle of the eye).
5. increased urination
6. Increased sweating may occur.

It should be remembered that your doctor has prescribed this drug for you because he has judged that the benefit from it outweighs the risk of side effects that it may cause.

Pystinon may cause serious side effects, but they are rare , if you feel any of the following symptoms, you should tell your doctor immediately, and the symptoms include the following:

1. Cramps, weakness in the muscles.
2. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
3. Difficulty (new or increasing) in swallowing.
4. slow heart rate
5. dizziness, headache

Allergic reaction to this drug is very serious, but is rare. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

What is myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is associated with a disruption of communication between nerves and muscles, and is most often associated with problems in a gland located behind the breastbone, at the level of the heart, called the thymus gland (or thymus).

Myasthenia gravis is one of the autoimmune diseases, a group of diseases that occur as a result of the failure of the immune system to distinguish the cells of the body, as it does not distinguish between normal body cells and foreign cells. Therefore, the immune system attacks the body's own cells, causing them harm.

Myasthenia gravis occurs more often in young women, and this disease causes nerve signals to slow down in the muscles. Symptoms can be similar to MS, and they include: weakness, fatigue, and heat intolerance. It may cause visual disturbances, difficulty swallowing, and sometimes swallowing and breathing difficulties.

Symptoms of myasthenia gravis

This disease usually affects the muscles that control:

1. Eye and eyelid movement, and this leads to falling in the eyelid.
2. Facial expressions, difficulty in facial movement.
3. Problems with chewing, swallowing and speaking.
4. Difficulty moving the arms and legs.
5. In severe cases, the muscles that control breathing and neck movements may also be affected.

What factors increase the risk of myasthenia gravis?

There are several factors that increase the risk of developing autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis, which are:

1. Family heredity (presence of autoimmune diseases in relatives).
2. Gender: Females are more likely than men to develop myasthenia gravis.
3. Race (some diseases affect certain races more than others).
4. pregnancy.
5. Some medications, such as antibiotics and cholesterol medications, increase the risk .

Treatment of myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis cannot be cured, however, treatment can be provided to control the disease, reduce its severity, or stop its progression, and the most important drugs used for that are anti-inflammatory (such as cortisones) and immunosuppressants. 

Some medications can also be offered to treat symptoms, such as pyridostigmine, and the condition may sometimes require treatment with plasmapheresis and globulin injections.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure for myasthenia gravis, but there are temporary treatments and certain lifestyles that reduce the exacerbation of symptoms and the severity of pain and damage caused by the disease.

There are several therapies that can help strengthen the muscles of a person with myasthenia gravis. These include:

1. Medications. Medications used include cholinesterase inhibitors, such as pyridostigmine, which improve nerve signals to muscles and increase muscle strength.
2. Immunosuppressive drugs (such as high-dose corticosteroids, necrosis factor antagonists) are used to suppress the production of abnormal antibodies and should be used with close medical supervision because they can cause significant side effects.
3. Surgical removal of the thymus gland. This surgery is done for people with myasthenia gravis who have tumors, as well as for those without tumors. The surgery improves symptoms in most patients who receive it.
4. Plasmapheresis, or plasma exchange, this procedure removes abnormal antibodies from the blood.
5. High-dose intravenous immune globulin. This treatment prevents the immune system from damaging the area where the nerve meets the muscle.

Patient Information Leaflet

Pystinon - Arabic information leaflet

Pystinon - English information leaflet

بيستينون 60 ملغ أقراص مغلفة - بيريدوستيغمين

Pystinon produced by Alexanderia Co. for pharmaceuticals & chemical Industries - Egypt . ATC code: N07AA02