Sjogrens Syndrome

Question: What does a high sedementation rate mean to someone with SLE Lupus and Sjogren's Syndrome? I have both Lupus (SLE) and Sjogren's Syndrome (for 15 years). Recently, in a blood test, my Sed Rate was 40, and this really upset my GP. She has referred me to see my Rheumatologist ASAP. What can this mean besides "inflammation"? I am also anemic and have been since August. I'm on double iron and folic acid and still continue to be anemic. My hematologist just did a bone marrow test and I don't have the results yet. This past 5 months have been very bad and I'm afraid I have something new. Can anyone help?

Answer: It means your diseases are active and the SED rate is a marker to show inflammation in the body. SED rates are also elevated in people with active arthritis. Inflammation of the joints, and would be elevated during an infection. Your immune system is hyperactive with your type of diseases, and your SED rate is an indicator of your disease. The Rheumatologist is expert in this area of helping the active phase of your disease to subside.

Question: What is the difference between primary and secondary Sjogren's Syndrome?

Answer: Sjogren's that occurs as part of a rheumatic condition such as Rheumatoid arthritis or lupus is called Secondary Sjogren's. Primary Sjogren's occurs by itself

Question: When do you say "you have Sjogren's Syndrome"? I would like a professional or someone with experience to reply, although I will listen to what you have to say, thank you. My rheumatologist THINKS I have Sjogren's Syndrome. My ANA was positive and symptoms only include dry eyes. Nothing else matches Sjogren's symptoms. Lupus, based on the tests he did, was thrown out. Can anything else create a positive ANA? or Should I go on meds for Sjogren's even when the doctor is NOT 100% sure and my only symptom is dry eyes?

Answer: I am currently under treatment for Lupus (for almost 1 year). I still do not have a definitive diagnosis. I have SOME symptoms of lupus, but I have to have a certain number of symptoms before I can be OFFICIALLY diagnosed. I would definitely follow your doctors directions!! I have very few external symptoms of Lupus, some of my bloodwork is just suggestive.

Question: I have primary sjogren's syndrome-is breast augmentation out of the question because of my disease? I was diagnosed 1 year ago (but have had it for at least 5-bloodwork from first preg. indicated a problem.) I have very mild symptoms. I always planned on having surgery after having children. Now I am afraid it may be too risky?

Answer: Hey, breast augmentation is NEVER a good idea.

Question: How can you CURE: Sjogren's syndrome? How can you cure a 79 years old's Sjogren's syndrome who had DRY MOUTH for around 2 years. if you know any good cure (or treatments) to Sjogren's syndrome PLEASE TELL ME!! also if you know a good doctor (in JAPAN if possible) for Sjogren's syndrome and it's treatments and cure PLEASE TELL ME.

Answer: My mother has this. There is no cure but you can treat the symptoms. For dry mouth, my mother carries losenges, mints, etc. with her. She also almost always has a bottle of water with her too. There are also over-the-counter salivas and medications that can be prescribed for dry mouth. For more information that can help with treatment go here: http://www.sjogrens.org/syndrome/treatme… This organization may also be able to help you find a dr. in Japan.

Question: I have recently been diagnosed with sjogren's syndrome. Is there any web sites or forums for this? It has caused me a lot of problems. I was just wondering if there was a web site I could go to for help. I would like to talk to others that have this condition and what they are doing for the symptoms.

Answer: Yes, there are tons of resources on the web. Start at google, type in your condition, and you'll find tons of links. A few to get you started.... My sympathies. That's one of those "but you don't look sick" illnesses.

Question: How can you Recover/Cure Sjogren's Syndrome ??? How can you cure or recover Sjogren's syndrome ??

Answer: Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic, probably autoimmune, systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown cause characterized by dryness of the mouth, eyes, and other mucous membranes. It can be primary or secondary to other autoimmune disorders. Sjögren's syndrome may also cause rheumatoid-like arthritis or affect various exocrine glands or other organs. Diagnosis is by specific criteria relating to eye, mouth, and salivary gland involvement, autoantibodies, and histopathology. Treatment is symptomatic. SELF-CARE:- Many symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome respond well to self-care. A self-care plan may mean you follow some of the following advice: * Use artificial tears and eyedrops. These can relieve the discomfort of dry eyes. Artificial tears and eyedrops are available by prescription or over-the-counter. Thicker drops are available that you don't have to apply as often as other drops, but they may cause visual blurring and collect along your eyelashes. Ask your doctor about whether you should select artificial tears with or without preservatives, because the preservatives used to prolong the shelf life of some products can cause eye irritation in some people. Another treatment that can keep your eyes moist is small pellets of hydroxypropyl cellulose (Lacrisert), which are placed in your lower eyelid. When you add artificial tears, the pellets dissolve and form a film over the moisture. * Increase your fluid intake. Drinking lots of fluids, particularly water, helps to reduce dry mouth. Lemon juice in water may help stimulate salivary flow. Sugarless gum or hard candies also may help. Because the risk of dental cavities increases with Sjogren's syndrome, reduce your overall sugar intake, especially between meals. * Use moisturizers. If dry skin is a problem, avoid using very hot water to wash and avoid soaking your hands in water or cleaning solutions. Pat your skin — don't rub — with a towel and apply moisturizers when your skin is still damp. Use rubber gloves when doing dishes or housecleaning. Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants help women who experience vaginal dryness. * Stop smoking. Avoid smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke because smoke can increase your dryness. * Increase humidity. Increasing the indoor humidity or protecting yourself in windy environments may help you reduce dryness. For example, avoid sitting in front of a fan or air-conditioning vent. You may also want to use goggles or protective eyewear when you go outdoors. * Use nasal saline sprays. Nasal saline sprays can help moisturize dry nasal passages and may help relieve a dry mouth because a dry nose can increase mouth breathing. * Protect your oral health. Brush your teeth after every meal and schedule regular dental appointments to protect against the increased risk of dental cavities. Your dentist or doctor may also tell you to use daily topical fluoride treatments and antimicrobial mouthwashes. Artificial saliva products can help keep your mouth feeling moist. These products can also help to prevent cavities if they contain fluoride. If you develop an oral yeast infection (such as candidiasis), your doctor may prescribe antifungal lozenges — for example, clotrimazole (Mycelex) — that will slowly dissolve in your mouth. Antifungal medication is also available in liquid form, such as nystatin (Mycostatin), for you to swish around your mouth. Inflammation of the parotid gland (parotitis) can be helped by massage, the use of warm compresses, and the stimulation of your salivary flow — such as through the use of sugarless hard candies. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help relieve your discomfort and inflammation. Please see the web pages for more details on Sjogren syndrome.

Question: Is whole-body pain one possible symptom of Sjogren's Syndrome? I went several times to my doctor, because of chronic pain. After sitting for even a short period of time, I can barely stand and my lower back throbs... Finally my doctor did bloodwork and said I have "Sjogren's Syndrome." This diagnosis confuses me because I do not have an overly dry mouth or eyes. In fact, I never once complained about dryness to my doctor. Can a person have Sjogren's Syndrome when chronic body pain is the only symptom?

Answer: Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disease. The tests to diagnose several autoimmune diseases are not terribly specific. Most likely you had a high ANA (Anti-nucleic antibody) count which indicates some sort of autoimmune process in the body. Further specific tests could indicate Sjogren's. Sjogren's syndrome can be primary or secondary. Primary means it is the main thing that is wrong. Secondary means that is a sort of side effect of another illness (people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases will often have Sjogren's syndrome too). It is worth speaking to your doctor about the pain you're experiencing. Keep a journal. Note changes in the pain, duration. If you experience stiffeness in the morning (and how long), stiffness after sitting or resting, etc. Many autoimmune diseases are diagnosed based off of examination findings and patient history as opposed to blood work.

Question: Sjogren's Syndrome: Is there a connection to the Epstein Barr Virus? hey all. I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of Sjogren's Syndrome having a connection (existing as a result of) Epstein Barr Virus. I was tested for it (Sjogren's that is) last Monday, and I know that when I first got sick I had ALOT of Epstein Barr Virus in my bloodstream, and I know that alot of diseases/conditions/syndromes can occur as a result of a high dose of Epstein Barr Virus (or so i read on the web) to answer the nurse's question: I had some bloodwork done about a year ago, and it showed that I had a very high dose of Epstein Barr Virus and Parvovirus at one point in time. I don't know if I actually have Sjogren's or not. It was suggested to me by two different doctors, and I had the bloodtest done last monday. :)

Answer: it is proposed that the initiating event in primary Sjogren's syndrome is infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and that the autoimmune exocrinopathy that progresses to keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia is a sequel to this.

Question: I was recently diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome. Does anyone have any information to share?

Answer: Sjogrens foundation has great literature....it's called moisture seaker. There is a cost as the money goes to research. you can get it at the previous website the last person put on your page. Don't eat spicy food, acidic food, drink alchohol, cut out sodium and drink lot's of water.....yeah i know shoot me now..you will get used to it...everything in moderation.

Question: What are the symptoms of sjogren's syndrome? medical description of Sjogren's syndrome

Answer: Symptoms of Sjogren's syndrome can involve the glands, as above, but there are also possible affects of the illness involving other organs of the body (extraglandular manifestations). When the tear gland (lacrimal gland) is inflamed from Sjogren's, the resulting eye dryness can progressively lead to eye irritation, decreased tear production, "gritty" sensation, infection, and serious abrasion of the dome of the eye (cornea). Inflammation of the salivary glands can lead to mouth dryness, swallowing difficulties, dental decay, gum disease, mouth sores and swelling, stones and/or infection of parotid gland inside of the cheeks. Other glands that can become inflamed, though less commonly, in Sjogren's syndrome include those of the lining of the breathing passages (leading to lung infections) and vagina (sometimes noted as pain during intercourse). Extraglandular (outside of the glands) problems in Sjogren's syndrome include joint pain or inflammation (arthritis), Raynaud's phenomenon, lung inflammation, lymph node enlargement, kidney, nerve, and muscle disease. A rare serious complication of Sjogren's syndrome is inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis), which can damage the tissues of the body that are supplied by these vessels. A common disease that is occasionally associated with Sjogren's syndrome is autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis), which can lead to abnormal hormone levels detected by thyroid blood tests. Heartburn and difficulty swallowing can result from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), another common condition associated with Sjogren's syndrome. A rare disease that is uncommonly associated with Sjogren's syndrome is primary biliary cirrhosis, an immune disease of the liver that leads to scarring of the liver tissue. A small percentage of patients with Sjogren's syndrome develop cancer of the lymph glands (lymphoma). This usually develops after many years with the illness. Unusual gland swelling should be reported to the physician.

Question: Please does anyone know if Sjogren's Syndrome can come and go and come back again? Can it come on fast? My daughter became very ill with either Sjogren's, or a connective tissue disease or something else (no doctors agreed on what it was.) It lasted heavily for 8 months, then went away. Now all of a sudden about 5-6 of the symptoms have begun to happen again and I'm scared she might have an autoimmune disease after all. She was 15 the first time this came on, and she's 17 now. Anyone??? Whether it is Sjogren's or something else, it messed with her mind and her nervous system, digestive system, joints, skin, heart, and more! Help if you know anything, please.

Answer: This does sound like more than just Sjogren's I have what is still considered a "rare" autoimmune disease, but I know for a fact that it is not rare, just little know by many doctors. This can cause all of the symptoms that you mention. It could be both, but blood work can tell. Best wishes for you and your daughter

Question: Does anyone know what it is about Sjogren's Syndrome that causes heart problems ?

Answer: Sjogren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disorder which affects various organ systems of the body. Autoimmune disease means the body's immune (defense) mechanism fights against body's own cells. Normal immune system does not fight against one's own cells. Most important features of Sjogren's Syndrome are dryness of the eyes and mouth, since it affects the tear glands and salivary glands. Sjogren's Syndrome in the mother has been associated with congential complete heart block in the baby. Congenital complete heart block is a disorder in which the heart beat is unduely slow in a new born baby. This is because antibodies in the mother's blood cross the placenta (connection between the baby and the mother in the womb) and reach the baby's heart and changes the function of the conduction system of the heart. Conduction system of the heart is similar to an electrical circuit which transmit tiny electrical signals from the upper chambers (atria) of the heart to the lower pumping chambers (ventricles) of the heart. This conduction from the atria to the venticles is impaired in congenital complete heart block. Hence the ventricles contract at a very slow rate.

Question: Is there anyone else that has Sjogren's Syndrome? How do you handle your everyday life? Would like to find others who have this Chronic Autoimmune Disorder.

Answer: My sister has it. She has a terrible time with dry mouth. It is due to autoimmune attack of the salivary glands.

Question: Sjogren's Syndrome, Any help out there? My mom has Sjogren's Syndrome and is have a hard time finding some relief. Does anyone out there know of something that she can try to get relief from the horrible dry mouth?

Answer: 1.Sipping water by carrying a water bottle around (but not too much water otherwise it causes more dryness). 2.Chewing sugar free chewing gum 3.Two prescription drugs (pilocarpine/Salagen® and cevimeline/Evoxac®) reduce symptoms of dry mouth and increase salivary secretion for a few hours in most patients taking them. Both drugs have side effects; they may not prevent tooth decay and are not suitable for everyone 4.Brush after every meal and floss your teeth daily; use a fluoride-containing toothpaste - to minimise tooth decay from lack of saliva 5. Avoid frequent intake of acidic beverages (such as most carbonated and sports replenishment drinks) 6.Drink water while eating to aid chewing and swallowing. 7. Avoid caffeine 8.Many over-the-counter saliva substitutes are available 9. Dry cracked lips may be soothed by an oil-based balm or lipstick placed over previously moistened lips. The use of vitamin E-containing ointments may be helpful 10.Increase the humidity in your home, particularly at night, by using a room humidifier. Hope this helps.

Question: How is sjogren's syndrome diagnosed?

Answer: http://arthritis.about.com/od/sjogrens/s…