Re: Dry skin — I experience extreme dryness where my skin starts to hurt when I scratch. I have small scabs and scars from scratching.
Re: Thrush — I have thrush in my mouth and kind of down my throat (or so it feels), very dry eyes, infection in my eyes, a yeast infection, dry nose but it feels like my sinuses are infected, too. Lots of pressure but that could be from the weather, it often affects me. I feel rotten...I have other autoimmune diseases and am wondering if I have Sjogren's.
I did get a prescription from a doctor on call for thrush, bought some yeast infection cream OTC, & more skin lotion, I'm not usually this dry. BTW, I'm vacationing on the gulf, my husband says it's 'plenty humid'. It might be in his world but not in mine!!
Who do I see for this? An opthamologist, rheumatologist or a GP?
jolanza Re: Dry mouth — My symptoms are much like Alexandra's. I, too, manage my dental situation by brushing after every meal. I floss only once a day, but I use a interdental pick after every meal as well as brushing. At night I brush, floss, use an interdental pick and a plastic toothpick around the margins of all my teeth. My gums are excellent, and my decay is controlled since I discovered Xylitol.
To comfort my dry mouth, I sip rooiboos tea which I highly suggest. Rooiboos tea is a wonderful African bush tea that has no caffeine at all, much more comforting in the mouth than simple water. I make it usually with hot faucet water and consume 4 or 5 cups a day.
rainbowillow Re: Water Aerobics — I have joint pain with the sjogren's and this seems to be a great way to work out with less stress on the joints.
rainbowillow Re: Neti pot for sinus infections — it took a while to get used to but it really has dropped the number of sinus infection i get.
Bugbear Re: Thyroid problems-too much or too little — Thyroid problems make you act crazy. You can be up or down for no reason until you figure out it is a thyroid hormone problem. Mine is an autoimmune version, and I would tell anyone with SS to get tested for these antibodies along with the normal thyroid measurements. Many doctors are not up on the modern understanding of thyroid disease--so go do some reading.
Bugbear Re: Aspirin — Aspirin hits a particular combo of prostaglandins which helps relieve certain kinds of pain. The soft tissue pain I have and the resulting cramping was not touched by aspirin. It also caused tinnitus. I was lucky
to loose the ringing ears when I stopped the aspirin. If you do use it, make sure it is coated to protect the stomach lining. Sjogren's tends to interfere with proper stomach acids. The beginning of digestion is the production of extra saliva in the mouth and sent to the stomach to start a whole brew of reactions.
Bugbear Re: Yeast infections — Sjogren's can allow yeast to grow in many places. Mouth, mouth corners, arm pits,groin creases, vaginal,GI track,feet and hands,systemic.
Bugbear Re: Irritable Bowel Syndrome — This is another syndrome which is part of the Sjogren's Syndrome. I've had it since I was a kid, and the combo of symptoms has changed but
never goes away. I no longer eat wheat and oats harvested with wheat.
Bugbear Re: Fish oil supplements — This is good for all dry symptoms, but especially for my eyes. I am using Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omegas because it has been tested by
outside labs for use in heart disease double blind studies. But this is
expensive, and I'm looking at other sources.
Bugbear Re: Neti pot for sinus infections — The only way I cannot spend months with a sinus infection. Once daily for maintenance, 3 x daily with an active infection.
Bugbear Re: Pilocarpine — Pilocarpine is an old and short lived treatment for dry mouth which is short lived. Evoxac,which came on the market in 1998 has better results. The quantity of saliva is higher and it lasts for me 4 hours. They both effecy smooth muscle movement, which can be good or bad depending on your particular symptoms.
Bugbear Re: Dry mouth — If I do not work to stay ahead of the game nasty things will happen.
I must floss and brush after eating, and use sodium fluoride twice daily. I use xylitol products daily so I can speak and exercise. I use a neti pot for my sinuses--the mouth is connected to all of the head and each part needs to be soothed or bacteria and viruses get a good head start.
Re: Dry skin — I experience extreme dryness where my skin starts to hurt when I scratch. I have small scabs and scars from scratching.
Re: Thrush — I have thrush in my mouth and kind of down my throat (or so it feels), very dry eyes, infection in my eyes, a yeast infection, dry nose but it feels like my sinuses are infected, too. Lots of pressure but that could be from the weather, it often affects me. I feel rotten...I have other autoimmune diseases and am wondering if I have Sjogren's.
I did get a prescription from a doctor on call for thrush, bought some yeast infection cream OTC, & more skin lotion, I'm not usually this dry. BTW, I'm vacationing on the gulf, my husband says it's 'plenty humid'. It might be in his world but not in mine!!
Who do I see for this? An opthamologist, rheumatologist or a GP?
jolanza
Re: Dry mouth — My symptoms are much like Alexandra's. I, too, manage my dental situation by brushing after every meal. I floss only once a day, but I use a interdental pick after every meal as well as brushing. At night I brush, floss, use an interdental pick and a plastic toothpick around the margins of all my teeth. My gums are excellent, and my decay is controlled since I discovered Xylitol. To comfort my dry mouth, I sip rooiboos tea which I highly suggest. Rooiboos tea is a wonderful African bush tea that has no caffeine at all, much more comforting in the mouth than simple water. I make it usually with hot faucet water and consume 4 or 5 cups a day.
rainbowillow
Re: Water Aerobics — I have joint pain with the sjogren's and this seems to be a great way to work out with less stress on the joints.
rainbowillow
Re: Neti pot for sinus infections — it took a while to get used to but it really has dropped the number of sinus infection i get.
Bugbear
Re: Thyroid problems-too much or too little — Thyroid problems make you act crazy. You can be up or down for no reason until you figure out it is a thyroid hormone problem. Mine is an autoimmune version, and I would tell anyone with SS to get tested for these antibodies along with the normal thyroid measurements. Many doctors are not up on the modern understanding of thyroid disease--so go do some reading.
Bugbear
Re: Aspirin — Aspirin hits a particular combo of prostaglandins which helps relieve certain kinds of pain. The soft tissue pain I have and the resulting cramping was not touched by aspirin. It also caused tinnitus. I was lucky to loose the ringing ears when I stopped the aspirin. If you do use it, make sure it is coated to protect the stomach lining. Sjogren's tends to interfere with proper stomach acids. The beginning of digestion is the production of extra saliva in the mouth and sent to the stomach to start a whole brew of reactions.
Bugbear
Re: Yeast infections — Sjogren's can allow yeast to grow in many places. Mouth, mouth corners, arm pits,groin creases, vaginal,GI track,feet and hands,systemic.
Bugbear
Re: Irritable Bowel Syndrome — This is another syndrome which is part of the Sjogren's Syndrome. I've had it since I was a kid, and the combo of symptoms has changed but never goes away. I no longer eat wheat and oats harvested with wheat.
Bugbear
Re: Fish oil supplements — This is good for all dry symptoms, but especially for my eyes. I am using Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omegas because it has been tested by outside labs for use in heart disease double blind studies. But this is expensive, and I'm looking at other sources.
Bugbear
Re: Neti pot for sinus infections — The only way I cannot spend months with a sinus infection. Once daily for maintenance, 3 x daily with an active infection.
Bugbear
Re: Pilocarpine — Pilocarpine is an old and short lived treatment for dry mouth which is short lived. Evoxac,which came on the market in 1998 has better results. The quantity of saliva is higher and it lasts for me 4 hours. They both effecy smooth muscle movement, which can be good or bad depending on your particular symptoms.
Bugbear
Re: Dry mouth — If I do not work to stay ahead of the game nasty things will happen. I must floss and brush after eating, and use sodium fluoride twice daily. I use xylitol products daily so I can speak and exercise. I use a neti pot for my sinuses--the mouth is connected to all of the head and each part needs to be soothed or bacteria and viruses get a good head start.