Sjögrens Forum

Q:  I've been ill over last two years. Extreme fatigue, sleep disturbance, night sweats, chills (even in 80 deg room, I wear three coats), sticky saliva that yeast meds don't help, unexplained weight loss eating like pig, desire to constantly drink fluids, sudden onset of acute arthritis, itchy skin, difficulty swallowing, dry nose, recently sandpaper eyelids with white patches although eyes have felt weird for many years, been tested for everything from lyme to syph and then some, all negative. Have vit d deficiency. Today I saw eye doc who briefly mentioned sjorgren's. Fllowup 4/11 when eyes feel better supposedly. Do you think I could have sjorgren's? Thanks. A:  Could be. From the dr's perspective, it's in the "differential diagnosis". In my experience, the multi-system illnesses that go on for 6 mo or more are either: chronic infection, autoimmune, or paraneoplastic. In 2 yrs with investigation and testing, usually infection and underlying malignacy have been ruled out, as best as... Read More →

Q:  In 2009-2010 I had numerous symptoms ranging in extreme fatigue, joint pain, hair loss, ringing in ears, fever, pain in chest, shortness of breath, swollen legs and feet and feeling like someone was touching a hot poker to my joints in toes and fingers. I had 3 positive ANA blood test but nothing specific.  I saw a rhuemy 1/10 and while there were other things (thyroid and red cell width and blood in urine) there wasnt any corresponding autoimmune tests that were positive.  Told to return if symptoms worsened.  2/2011 diagnosed with stage 3b cervical cancer.  Internal/external radiation + 6 weeks chemo.  Cancer in remission with neg petscans until 1/2013.  Hilar and subcarnal suv uptake.  I returned in 2/2013 complaining of shortness of breath, rash @ chest, headaches(optical swelling per opthamologist) and my eyelids are swollen and peeling and  a"feeling" like I had back in 2009.  Insisted on ANA and ssa and ssb on blood draw with PMD. To get rid of me he complied and ANA... Read More →

Q: Dr. Carteron, Thanks for taking my question and helping many people. I have been dx'd with Sjogrens since 2007, fibromyalgia 1997, Hasimoto's in 2002. I have had many surgeries involving connective tissues. I have depression(1991), severe anxieties since jr. high school, panic attacks, social, generalized etc. I have only been prescribed Plaquenil & Salagen. Dry mouth is moderate but tears flow easily.Plaquenil makes me nauseous. I have many disorders too many to mention that could be related.I get a little relief from Percoset Prescibed by my pain Dr. for severe knee and shoulder pain. I have had a factory job 27yrs. standing the entire shift. Everytime I call for help to my rhuemy the nurse calls back and says the DR. has blamed it on a fibro flare..I disagree moderate exercise or a good deal of walking sets me back, almost bedfast for a day or more. I try to push my self and try to move,exercise,etc after but I can't do much and seems to set me back farther. I was an athelete,lifeguard... Read More →

Q:  Hello Dr. Carterson, Though I have not been formally diagnosed with Sjs, I have many of the symptoms that I read about in your book, A Body Out of Balance.  I have been diagnoses with dry eyes.  I also suffer from sore joints, burning mouth and tongue, tender neck (glands), vision problems," cracking" joints especially in the AM.  Two years ago I was tested but the ANA results were negative. I was tested again last year and the ANA results were negative.  I am VERY frustrated.  These problems arose after going through menopause at age 49.  I am now 56. Can you tell me of a reputable doctor in my area?  I live north of Vancouver, WA, near Portland, OR. Thank you so much! A:  Frustration for 7 yrs can't be good for health! ~40% of pts with a diagnosis of Sjs by lip bx have negative SSA/SSB.  Sometimes the ANA is negative  but the SSA and/or B will be positive or there may be a positive RF. So Sjs has not been ruled out yet. Menopause can lead to dryness symptoms etc, but what... Read More →

Q:  I was disgnosed with Sjogren's Disease 3 years ago but realise I had it for many years. I am female and 53 years old. I have multiple lung cysts so get anxious if I get a cough. This happened last month and my chest was sore when coughing so I went to my GP. She also took a regular blood test to check on my meds' effects. My white blood cell count was low so she asked me to come off Immuran for a week while I was taking an antibiotic and see if I improved. I did that and all worked well and went back on Immuran again, I also take Plaquenil. Yesterday while sitting down at work I felt a pain in my right foot. It got worse and I felt shivery and my hands were very cold. When I stood up to leave I couldn't walk properly and limped to my car. The pain was vey bad even when my foot was motionless. I took pain killers and it passed very soon. I was very tired for the rest of the evening. I googled it and found this forum and the following question: (Q:  I was diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome... Read More →