Sjogren’s Syndrome with heart pain

Hello @simc, Welcome to Connect. I'm not a doctor and don't have any experience with Sjogren's. While we wait for others to respond, here is some information related to your question.

"Based on published research, the frequency of respiratory involvement is variable. If you have Sjögren's syndrome and experience cough, swelling, chest pains or shortness of breath, ask your doctor to be evaluated for lung disease or PH."
--- Pulmonary Hypertension - & SJÖGREN'S SYNDROME: https://phassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PHA-Sjogrens-Final.pdf

Can you discuss your symptoms with your doctor to see if this might be causing the chest pain?

No chest pain but weight bearing balance problems that have made everything difficult. Waiting on biopsis for short fiber neuropathy. None of the classic symptoms of sfn, just balance problems and legs getting weaker. Classic lack of salava and dry eyes for rest. Are you on plaquinil? I find that stuff kind of scary but it is better that pred. BTW: SS is one of the diseases that Low dose Naltrexone helps. Stops what I call "non moving pain". Hope you get answers. Bringing it up with your doc is a good place to start.

I checked one of my favorite resources, "The Sjogren's Book" by Dr. Daniel Wallace, MD from the Sjogren's Foundation and this could be something you should get checked out.
Many of us with Sjogren's disease, have acid reflux type symptoms, but when I was checked out at Mayo Clinic by cardiology, it was mentioned to me that have an autoimmune disease ups your risk for heart issues.
Good luck and hope everything turns out OK.

I have discussed this with my rheumatologist & cardiologist. It’s quite frustrating with my rheumatologist as he really just blows it off. My cardiologist really doesn’t honk the pain is related to the Sjorgren’s, so I continue frustrated.

I also suffer from fibromyalgia.

Welcome @smc55, I'm sorry to hear that your rheumatologist blows it off and your cardiologist doesn't think the pain is related to Sjogren's. Are you able to seek help or a second opinion at a teaching hospital or major health facility that uses multidisciplinary teamwork approach to diagnosing difficult conditions?

The Sjogren's Foundation has a monthly magazine and that had an article that Sjogren's does cause heart issues. I have had Sjogren's most of my life and now have AFIB plus Congestive heart failure. So please get another opinion.

? does anyone know if numerous auto-immune diseases trigger afib? i developed afib in past year. My cardiologist insists that there is nothing wrong with my heart but that my thyroid auto-immune disease is triggering afib. He has prescribed beta blockers prn from nothing to half of lowest dose (12.5/2) to 50-60 mg/day

@elisabeth007 did your cardiologist do all the necessary tests like an echocardiogram and a stress test? I, too, went to my doctors complaining of severe chest pain. I had all the tests which came back normal. The doctors said that my heart was fine, so the autoimmune condition I have was probably the culprit. You might try for an appointment with your rheumatologist to get their opinion.
Will you let me know what you learn?

my situation evolved differently than yours. I had NO chest pain and did have one similar incident of heart palpitations around 2016.

In 2016 my heart was briefly racing so i went to the ER thinking i might be having a heart attack. The only thing that was abnormal was that my TSH level showed i was hyperthyroid. (An EKG was done). The ER dr told me that i was hyperthyroid and that was the source of my tachycardia/heart palpitations. As followup, i went to both a cardiologist and an endocrinologist. The cardiologists prescribed an echocardiogram and a holter monitor

I had lots of tests and was diagnosed with thyroid autoimmune disease, graves’ disease and hoshimotos.

Heart tests were normal. My cardiologist insists that if an echocardiogram a normal than it’s unnecessary to do a stress test. My cardio is head of echocardiogram dept for Cleveland Clinic Florida.

For the last week or so, i have been using a zio, a type of holter monitor. They have been sending my cardio daily reports.