Message from Our Group Leaders

Greetings! Welcome to our California Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Support Groups Network. We’re glad you’re here!

The California MG Support Groups Network is a community-based resource created to connect, inform, and empower people living with Myasthenia Gravis, as well as their caregivers and loved ones. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, managing symptoms, or supporting someone with MG, this network is here to help you find information, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.

This website brings together support groups content from across California, including regional chapters, event calendars, educational resources, shared stories, and opportunities to get involved. You’ll also find updates on local meetings, virtual gatherings, and statewide efforts aimed at raising MG awareness and improving lives. What started as a simple idea to make it easier for people to connect, share, and support each other has grown into a robust, evolving hub that serves MG Support Groups across California, including our vibrant Southern California chapters and our exciting expansion into Northern California.

Founded with heart and vision by Connie DiPasqua, and brought to digital life by Mike Stabile (website creator and administrator), this website is a labor of love, purpose, and community. We invite you to explore, get to know your local MG community, and contribute your voice. Together, we are stronger! This website is proof that, when dedicated volunteers come together with a shared goal, something truly useful and meaningful can take root and flourish.

Our Growth Journey

What began as the Southern California MG Support Group and its dedicated website has expanded to include new chapters in San Francisco, San Diego, and most recently, Sacramento-Sierra, forming a united, statewide network of care. Together, we’re growing a vibrant, evolving resource to support everyone affected by MG.

Explore Our Network

Our drop-down menus at the top of our website offer links to:

• 📚 Articles, Reports & Publications, from across the internet, on MG topics that matter

• 🌐 Trusted MG and Health/Medical Organizations

• 🛠️ Practical Resources & Tools for MG individuals and caregivers

At the top and bottom of this page, and also in the Group descriptions below, you’ll find links to the four support groups' homepages.

From All of Us to All of You

This site is for you, and built by people like you — people who care, people who are always there and people who believe in the power of connection. The group thrives because of those who never fail to be present, offering their time, energy, and love. We’re so glad you’re here! Welcome home. 💛

Questions about the site? Need technical help? Have an idea? Contact Mike Stabile, Website Administrator, at: mgsocalgroup@gmail.com

Brain & Life Magazine has released their Summer 2025 Myasthenia Gravis Special Issue. Click the link to read the entire issue! If you subscribe to the (free) magazine hardcopy you likely already received it in the mail. 

Medicaid and the Path Forward (MDA Advocacy Institute YouTube video) Presentation about OBBB's tremendous upcoming changes to federal/state government health insurance (Medicaid, ACA and Medicare). These changes will likely affect most MGers. In my opinion, it is vital that all of us who rely on  government health insurance (especially Medicaid) stay updated and prepare to enact our own contingency plans for mitigating these changes in our health insurance coverage. (Mike Stabile, Website Administrator)

(P.S.:  Note that most changes won't be implemented until after the 2026 mid-term elections.)

...Threats to Research and Drug Development (MDA Advocacy Institute - YouTube video)  Excellent review of how the OBBB will dramatically affect rare disease drug development. Although this presentation is by the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), nearly all subjects discussed will equally affect Myasthenia Gravis drug development.

🔥 Gabapentin users may face 85% higher cognitive impairment risk (Medical News Today)

I've periodically heard MGers in various MG Support Group zoom meetings mention that they use Gabapentin. Besides this drug being on at least one MG Cautionary Drugs list, this article discusses a new study that found another factor (# of doses) about using this popular and frequently prescribed pain reliever.  (Mike Stabile, Website Administrator)

Adaptive yoga session (Video) (MGFA) This adaptive yoga session was presented for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Southern California Support Group. This session is part of the Breathe Move Thrive program — a yoga and mindfulness experience intentionally designed for the neuromuscular community, including those living with Myasthenia Gravis.

🔥FDA grants orphan drug designation to CNP-106 for gMG (Myasthenia Gravis News)  This is the COUR Pharmaceuticals treatment that reprograms the immune system to recognize acetylcholine receptors as friendly and not make antibodies to attack it (the cause of gMG).

Cemdisiran Looks Promising for Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (MPR) "Treatment with cemdisiran was associated with a statistically significant improvement in MG-ADL total score compared with placebo."

Study IDs possible ‘off switch’ for overactive immune response in MG (Myasthenia Grvis News)

‼️gMG patients can carry treatment resistant autoantibodies, study finds (Myasthenia Gravis News)  "People with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) can carry certain types of self-reactive antibodies — proteins that mistakenly target the body’s own cells and tissues — that drive the disease but are treatment resistant, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers."   Here is the original research article

Differential Scanning Calorimetry as a Monitoring Tool for the Effectiveness of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Anti-AChR Myasthenia Gravis, Anti-MuSK Myasthenia Gravis, and Myasthenic Syndrome (MDPI)

How Infusion Therapy is Changing Neurologic Treatment and Patient Outcomes (Brain&Life) Interesting article about Infusion Therapy, a treatment method used by many MGers.

Which Anti-Inflammatory Supplements Actually Work? (Scientific American)  "Experts say the strongest scientific studies identify three compounds that fight disease and inflammation"   MG and inflammation don't work well together. Most of us do take Vitamin D, but there are two other supplements to also consider.

Here is a video series of MG subjects discussed at a recent Neurology Live conference:

• Quality-of-Life Burdens of Myasthenia Gravis

• Clinical Presentation of Myasthenia Gravis

• Treatment Strategies in Seronegative and Other Patients With Myasthenia Gravis

• Pathophysiology of Myasthenia Gravis

Creating The Perfect Hospital Bag for Myasthenia Gravis (myasthenia-gravis.com)

Medications Seniors Should Use With Caution (WebMD)  If you're into your 60's or older, I highly recommend this article. I'm 72 and recently had a severely pulled muscle in my back. I immediately went to my Tramadol stock, which has always, for me, been an excellent pain reliever and my go-to severe pain killer. After just two days I had side effects that I had never previously experienced. It destroyed my gut microbiome, caused mental fog, and shut down my appetite, among other unexpected effects. Moral of the story, as you age your body WILL change the way it processes those OTC or Rx drugs and give you additional challenges to deal with on top of your MG. 

Mike Stabile, Website Administrator