????? SJOGREN'S

[Diddydriver]

Last Monday, after having a hard lump in my neck ( just under my jaw ) for the past 6 weeks, the GP referred me to an E N T specialist with a suggestion of sjogrens. Yesterday I recieived the appointment as early as next Tuesday. I am now very worried as the letter that came with the app wrote a lot about throat cancer. Can any of you good people give me some advice??? I also have a very dry throat all the time, my fingers from my middle knuckles to my finger tips are white in comparison to the rest of my hands ( which are now in a flare) . I have also noticed that my nostrils are very dry, I can't remember when I last blew my nose, just dry mucus. I also have dry eyes for which I have eye drops for prescribed by my optitian. Can anyone shed a light on these symptoms for me please. I hope this post finds you all as well as you can be with the dreaded RA. Xx

[Jacki08]

Hi-- I too had sjogrens-- my optician diagnosed it after examining my eyes thoughly. I mentioned it to the consultant and she said it is very common when you already suffer with RD. I have cream or drops for everywhere that is affected--- eyes, nose, I permanently have lozenges in my mouth- and gel for my """ lady garden""- . I'm like a prune with pain full joints and eyes!!! X😡

[Diddydriver]

Thankyou Jacki for your reply as sjogrens has not been formally diagnosed do you think that the symptoms that I describe are reminesent of sjogrens ???

[weathervane in reply to Diddydriver]

Hi , i have Sjogrens and have symptoms very similar to you. First lead to diagnosis was swelling in jaw which my salivary gland getting blocked . Massaging swollen area working from jaw to chin helps . Dry mouth try biotene toothpaste and mouth gel and for nose sterimar allergies and sinus salt nasal spray, sound horrible but 2 times day makes a big difference . Hope this helps , good luck with appointment 😃😃

[Jacki08 in reply to Diddydriver]

I have all those symptoms apart from the lump in my jaw. Sometimes at the end of a working day my whole head feels " dry"-- I can't see the TV without putting eye drops in . 😵x

[Diddydriver]

Thankyou weathervane, first got reading the post and second for replying. Befor I do anything I think I will wait until I have had the app. and get it formally diagnosed, my GP thinks it is sjogrens but not sure. After your reply I now do think that it is. Oh having RD is such a pain, you never know what pops up as secondaries. I woke this morning with my right hand very swollen, it looks like a rubber glove blown up. Ugh I am so fed up with it all.

I hope you have a good day and not in a lot of pain. Xx

[Karen77]

I think with Sjogrens, all you can do is to lube up whatever's dry. I have Sjogrens (diagnosed via neck ultrasound around same time diagnosed with RA) and sometimes I take eye drops but I haven't noticed too many side effects. I did read that there's an increased risk of cancer, but there's an increased risk of cancer with most of the RA meds and with RA and Sjogrens so closely linked, I wonder if they can tell which is the chicken and which is the egg. Pick your poison, I suppose. I'll just live my life as best I can and hope for the best! Try not to fret too much.

[Sheila_G]

I hope all goes well for you. I will leave the advice to the professionals. x