June went to Rachel L. Amdur, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine. Dr. Amdur immediately called Arjun Seth, MD, a neuromuscular specialist and co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Myositis Clinic. After running several tests, they diagnosed June with a rare autoimmune muscle disease called HMGCR necrotizing myopathy (also known as myositis), which affects the muscles connected to bones, making movement more difficult.

Facts About Myositis

• Approximately 50,000 to 75,000 people in the United States have myositis.
• Symptoms include:
• Muscle weakness
• Pain
• Fatigue
• While there's no cure, medications and physical therapy exercises can be used to help manage the disease.

June is currently receiving monthly infusion treatments at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which have helped her feel better immediately and allowed her to get back to the gym for her daily workouts. At the Myositis Clinic, she can see the six specialists she needs to manage her care, including specialists in:

• Dermatology
• Neurology (neuromuscular medicine)
• Pathology
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Pulmonology
• Rheumatology

"Dead bugs and Dr. Seth saved my life, paving a path for me to recover," says June. "I hope my story serves as a lesson for others that sometimes symptoms aren't related to our age, but instead, a more serious problem that should be checked out by a physician."