← Return to Sjögren’s Syndrome: how do you manage the symptoms?

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@shiprock

I hope you find some relief soon. The following has helped me deal with my symptoms. I was diagnosed with Primary Sjogren's in March of 2013 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. If you are just starting on this journey make sure you know some key things. Do you have Primary or Secondary Sjogren's? Know your CRP level. The C-Reactive protein test tells you your level of inflammation. Like most autoimmune diseases, Sjogren's is a disease of inflammation. Learn to control your inflammation levels and you will reduce symptoms. My CRP level before my diagnosis was 124. It took several years to get it down to the 3-4 range that I now maintain. In 2014 I started the AIP diet ( http://www.autoimmunewellness.com ). This was a life changer for me. I was able to put away the two walking canes that I used to get around and within 4-months was able to walk a mile without pain. I have maintained this diet since 2014. For other ways to deal with symptoms, I have cool mist humidifiers in my living/dining and bedroom. I use Refresh preservative free eye drops 3-4 times a day, use Systane preservative free night time ointment, and Biotene dry mouth products. I have my teeth cleaned every three months and my eyes checked every six months. I have been pain free and stable for years. You'll probably experience flares every now and then. I'm the first to admit that the AIP diet is not an easy one to stick to but for me it works and I've just developed my lifestyle around it. Hope you find something that works for you. My experience is that Sjogren's is not a disease in which you can take a pill and hope everything goes away. The choices you make about diet, exercise, and drugs/no drugs, will help you develop a path to wellness that works for you. It takes time but you can do it. The Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, and John Hopkin's websites all offer information about Sjogren's.

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Replies to "I hope you find some relief soon. The following has helped me deal with my symptoms...."

I like your protocol for handling symptoms. Regarding exercise, some days I just hurt to much. Do you push yourself through on those days or do you just take a day off?