SJOGRENS

[NoahsUncle]

My name is Ian I'm 65 and I've had RA for 15 years recently I've developed sjogrens which is making eating very difficult as my mouth is extremely dry

Does anyone have any tip or recommendations?

[Hidden]

NoahsUncle my GP gave me a really good tip cut up fresh (ideally) pineapple put a piece in an ice cube tray add water and the freeze. When mouth dry pop ice cube in and the pineapple helps create moisture and low calorie too. He did say ideally suck ice cube not crunch so it takes time!

[Hidden]

It looks like I’ve got Sjögren’s just waiting for confirmation from Rheumatologist. My nurse told me to suck boiled sweets and chew sugar free gum. My Gp gave me a saliva spray which gives me some relief especially when I wake at night because my mouth is dry and I can’t swallow.

[Jillyanne]

I also have this awful terrible side effect of RA 😓😓😓 I have 6 monthly infusion of Rituximab with helps with my RA and also helps with the sjorgens BUT i have a massive problem with a dry throat and cough quite a lot , which by the end of the day my throat hurts 😥😥😓😓😓

Any tips PLEASE 😪😪😪 so had enough of all of this

[AgedCrone in reply to Jillyanne]

I’m on Rtx & after about the second set of infusions I started waking in the night with my tongue virtually stuck to the roof of my mouth....I now drink much more than I used to I have a jug of juice in the kitchen & drink a glass every time I see it..plus another smaller jug upstairs. Iprobably get through a couple of litres a day.

Of course it may be coincidence but I don’t wake up with a really dry mouth anymore ....so make a concentrated effort to get more liquid into your system!

If I were you......if after a couple of weeks you don’t have any improvement Id speak to your rheumy nurse and ask her advice.

[Hattie23]

Biotene products from GP.also available in boots. Gel,mouth rinse and spray.

Aqueous drops and gel fir eyes from GP.

Helps me.

[Hattie23]

Sorry and pilocarpine tablets on prescription

[Brushwork]

Sjogrens is an unpleasant addition to the RD. I've had it for about 5 years now. I have eventually, after trial and error, found that dairy products make mine worse as does sugar. So, I cut both from my diet and have found the symptoms are improved though not cured. I try to drink lots of water, and fresh lemon and a little water first thing each morning. It seems to help. My eyes are the biggest problem for me, I need lots of eye drops regularly.

[Hidden in reply to Brushwork]

I know lemon make me worse but never thought about dairy and sugar going to try and reduce my consumption and see if it helps.

[Cal48]

Boots dry mouth spray. Tastes better then others.

Salivex lozenges. Sugar free soury sweets.

I find tea dries my mouth.

[Lizard28]

Try Salivax pastilles, I find they are good. My dentist also said to suck an ice cube as it’s better than taking sips of water, but I hate cold ice. I used to stick one of those little pastilles on roof of mouth when I woke up choking because my mouth was so dry.