New Rheumy says it's Sjogren's

Well, after 4 years of diagnosis limbo, my new Rheumy at the Emory Clinic in Atlanta believes that all my issues are Sjogren's.  It's hard to believe that the incredible amount of joint pain, the rashes, the hives, the fatigue, the unbearable migraine headaches, that everything could come from something that mainly attack the moisture producing glands in the body.  I know for sure I do have Sjogren's, because I've got all those syptoms now this summer worse then ever.  I've been useing a Dry eye relief drop several times a day now, drinking water all the time now for dry mouth, vaginal dryness that is sometimes painful, there is even some weird facial neuropathy, like if I rub my nose, I feel like I just wiped it with a big wad of cat hair.  All this stuff is crazy.  The Rheumy even said that Sjogren's is so nutzy that it can make your other AI bloodwork show false positive.  It can make a RF or antiDSDNA look postitive when it's not, so those tests for me are now null and void and we now have to go by symptoms and physical findings alone to track if there is any progression of any other diseases.  He doesn't believe that I have anything else going on at this time.  So it's like my PCP told me, It won't kill me as quickly like Lupus, I'll just feel like crap a whole lot longer.  None of my treatment changes, I'll still remain on the Methotrexate and Plaquenil and everything else.

Hi Jennifer,

Have you been to an ophthalmologist to have your dry eyes checked? I have punctal plugs in my tear ducts and I use Restasis twice daily, both of which have helped immensely with my dryness. You also might want to ask your rheumy if you can take Evoxac or Salagen for the dry mouth. I don't take either of these myself, but I've heard from other Sjogren's sufferers that they sometimes help.

I know what you mean about the joint pain and the fatigue. For quite a while before I was diagnosed I had a lot of trouble getting out of bed every day and I would just get back in it as soon as I got home.

I think as long as your rheumy continues to monitor your symptoms and adjusts your treatment you should be in good hands. It seems lately my meds are changed almost every time I visit my rheumy, and I go once a month!

Best of luck

Erin