Sjogren’s Syndrome – Introduce yourself and meet others

@cblue this site from Mayo Clinic says pretty much the same thing; that cevimeline stimulates your own glands to produce saliva versus artificial saliva which many people have to use.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/cevimeline-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20062661?p=1. Your dentist says the saliva produced is not adequate to protect your teeth. Have you asked him what he would suggest you use in addition to cevimeline?

@cblue this site from Mayo Clinic says pretty much the same thing; that cevimeline stimulates your own glands to produce saliva versus artificial saliva which many people have to use.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/cevimeline-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20062661?p=1. Your dentist says the saliva produced is not adequate to protect your teeth. Have you asked him what he would suggest you use in addition to cevimeline?

Man, this aging process....... Thank you for taking time to try to help!

I have had a positive ANA for decades and run a higher CRP number, I have for many years. Other than Osteoarthritis, no other autoimmune diseases have been identified. My health is good for the most part at 70.

Last month I had, what I refer to as a "flare". My whole body was in pain for over a week. I went into my PCP who I've had for decades. Once again she ran blood tests looking for clues.

My CRP had jumped from a previous high of 7 mg/L to... 80 mg/L...!!!!!!!!!

The only clue was the test for Sjogren's Ab. My result was Sjogren's Anti-SS-A was.. over 8.0..., normal range being 0.0-0.9. The Anti-SS-B was normal range at less than 0.2.

She is convinced this is enough for a DX of Sjogren's. I know medicine is a process of elimination and I have had severe dry eyes and mouth for years. Do I need further testing or is this convincing?

Man, this aging process....... Thank you for taking time to try to help!

I have had a positive ANA for decades and run a higher CRP number, I have for many years. Other than Osteoarthritis, no other autoimmune diseases have been identified. My health is good for the most part at 70.

Last month I had, what I refer to as a "flare". My whole body was in pain for over a week. I went into my PCP who I've had for decades. Once again she ran blood tests looking for clues.

My CRP had jumped from a previous high of 7 mg/L to... 80 mg/L...!!!!!!!!!

The only clue was the test for Sjogren's Ab. My result was Sjogren's Anti-SS-A was.. over 8.0..., normal range being 0.0-0.9. The Anti-SS-B was normal range at less than 0.2.

She is convinced this is enough for a DX of Sjogren's. I know medicine is a process of elimination and I have had severe dry eyes and mouth for years. Do I need further testing or is this convincing?

Man, this aging process....... Thank you for taking time to try to help!

I have had a positive ANA for decades and run a higher CRP number, I have for many years. Other than Osteoarthritis, no other autoimmune diseases have been identified. My health is good for the most part at 70.

Last month I had, what I refer to as a "flare". My whole body was in pain for over a week. I went into my PCP who I've had for decades. Once again she ran blood tests looking for clues.

My CRP had jumped from a previous high of 7 mg/L to... 80 mg/L...!!!!!!!!!

The only clue was the test for Sjogren's Ab. My result was Sjogren's Anti-SS-A was.. over 8.0..., normal range being 0.0-0.9. The Anti-SS-B was normal range at less than 0.2.

She is convinced this is enough for a DX of Sjogren's. I know medicine is a process of elimination and I have had severe dry eyes and mouth for years. Do I need further testing or is this convincing?

I don't know what else you would need for a dx. My dr during a flare dx'd me with the same even though the Sjogren's was not positive. My rheumatoid is always highs. the new Tyrava nose spray is helping for the dry eye. Expensive. The drops are a bit tricky to administer bc I find the spray is hard to feel. My eyes are now more bothersome again especially to light.

Good luck! Hope you find what you need and feel better! We are about the same age....turn 70 in December. Sometimes a challenge in itself!

This has been a journey. went from 146 lbs. in January 2022 to a current wt. of 112. This started with Endoscopy and colonoscopy showing Gastroparesis, gastritis and a SIBO infection. My GI tested me for endocrine tumors which were negative. PCP group was just sitting by with no idea except that I came to the ER too often. GI suggested I get a long term + ANA investigated. I did and some labs were abnormal. I had no idea that my Sjogren ANT was negative. Meanwhile, after several falls and night sweats with a crazy TSH going from5, to 15 to 34, I go to a local rehab hospital with dehydration and weakness. The rheumatologist call me to DX me with Sjogren. I am placed on Plaquenil and for unmentioned reasons I change rheumatology. This group is concerned about how frail I am and my neurological symptoms. EMG shows no big deal except a bad R shoulder, now known to be calcific tendononis. Three ER visits later for eye infections, I off Plaquenil and my sight is decreased quite a bit. I rely upon Sjogren foundation and find a rheumatologist at U. OF Pa. Currently, I am scheduled for a lip biopsy on Dec. 29th. I have had home OT, PT and speech therapy. Pain management manages my pain. My depression is quite awful. I wish I had the money to go to Mayo Clinic where a team works together. I have been a nurse since 1974 and that was what I was taught. I would appreciate feedback on this story and my illness. My. name is simply Lucy.