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Review scientific articles only and summarize the content to explain what treatments are available for a person with myasthenia gravis experiencing breathing difficulties due to diaphragm and intercostal weakness.

This was the question I posed to Microsofts Copilot software, the companys version of ChatGPT, both of which are artificial intelligence (AI) software easily accessible on the internet.

Why am I using AI to research this? Because frankly, Ive been frustrated with the unbalanced improvements in my myasthenia gravis (MG). Ive managed to increase my step count to 2,000 a day, I currently require fewer naps, and Ive generally been feeling better and stronger except for my breathing.

This summer, Im still experiencing air hunger and an increased need for support from a BiPAP machine.

What really frustrated me and got me going down this rabbit hole was needing my BiPAP machine before a daytime event because the air was heavy. Heavy and humid air always seems to trigger air hunger and a need for BiPAP support.

Anyway, back to my search. My initial question was pretty specific, in my opinion. It worked well and provided the usual suspects for treatment: steroids and noninvasive ventilatory support. But it also included a new option called diaphragm pacing (DP), also known as diaphragmatic pacing or phrenic nerve stimulation. I was intrigued.

Id never heard of DP, so I researched it a little more. It turns out that surgeons can implant a pacemaker in your diaphragm, much like they do with the heart. It stimulates the diaphragm to do its job in assisting with breathing. It eliminates the need for mechanical ventilation in those dependent on it. Cool!

So I did another search using the AI software: Summarize scientific literature only and determine if diaphragmatic pacing is safe for a patient with myasthenia gravis and provide sources.

The summary indicated that yes, this treatment is safe for someone like me. I got a little excited. But before I got my hopes up, I read the resources it provided.

And this, my friends, is where the cautionary tale begins. It turns out that DP is not approved for MG. The constant stimulation of the diaphragm that DP provides would not be a good alternative therapy in a disease that causes weakness the more a muscle is used.

Because AI is so readily available, there are some great uses for it, such as its ability to comb the interwebs, find and pull from specific content out of millions of pages online, and have it spit out a summary in seconds. The implications this resource has for the medical profession are profound.

But it should be used as a launching point and not taken as the answer. AI is still in its infancy and is still learning. Yes, AI learns from the people who use it. You can provide feedback by indicating whether the responses it provides were actually helpful. But I digress; this is an MG column, not a tech one.

Its important to understand how AI software like Copilot and ChatGPT work so that those of us with MG and other chronic conditions dont get our hopes up or try something that does more damage than good.

When using this new software, I urge you to do so with a chip on your shoulder and a grain of salt. Always add include sources in your query so that you can go to the source itself and double-check the findings. Its important to be informed, but its even more important to make sure the information comes from credible sources.

A quick tech tip: Use CTRL + F to open a special search window for that specific page or article. Its a keyboard shortcut for the find command. You can then type the term to be searched into that box, and itll highlight the word youre looking for. Remember to use all iterations or options, like myasthenia gravis, mg, neuromuscular disease, etc.

Note:Myasthenia Gravis Newsis strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice,diagnosis, ortreatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.

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A cautionary tale about the medical uses of artificial intelligence - Myasthenia Gravis News