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Sjrogens discomfort

Love2fish2 profile image
22 Replies

I have lupus SLE and have Sjrogens. I have been suffering with dry mouth. My full time job is taking care of my mouth. I am most uncomfortable at night. I use everything made by biotene; drink water all day( small sips), suck sugar free candies. Anything works well for anyone?. I stopped coffee and my social drinks.

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Love2fish2
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22 Replies
Megansheart profile image
Megansheart

For the past 5-6 years I have used at night a product called Xylimelts. They are a lozenge which adhere to the gums and slowly melt over about 8 hours, helping to provide moisture to the mouth. You can use one or two lozenges as required. I find one to be very effective for about six hours. Sometimes I need to add a second one, then I can go back to sleep.

Rather than chew lollies I tend to chew gum. Until recently I used the Extra brand Lemon and Lime which was excellent. However it seems to have gone off the shelves which is a huge pity as I find that anything peppermint flavour is quite drying in itself.

Anyway for me these are a couple of helpful things I have found.

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply toMegansheart

Thank you 🙏🏿 I also use the Xylimelts. I use two at a time. I don’t get any relief from them in the daytime and I’m afraid to use when sleeping incase the somehow dislodge and go down my throat 😭

LindyK profile image
LindyK in reply toLove2fish2

Nothing helps me except Xylimelts. I use four disks in my mouth at night and if I awake uncomfortably dry I replace them and add at least two more in the middle of the night to get me through until morning. I use natural toothpastes that contain xylitol.

Megansheart profile image
Megansheart in reply toLove2fish2

I have never had one dislodge, they are ‘sticky’ little buggers.

milkwoman profile image
milkwoman

I’m in the US and my rheumy prescribed Cevimeline (a saliva production stimulator) which I take with my evening meds. I can take 1-3 capsules (I typically take 2 each night) and it has helped tremendously.

“Cevimeline is used to treat the symptoms of dry mouth often experienced by patients with Sjögren's syndrome. It works by causing certain glands in the mouth to produce more saliva. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.”

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply tomilkwoman

Thank you, I will do my research on this medication. I’m also in the U.S. My Rheumatologist has told me about two drugs Salagen and Evoxac, and in the same breath she said they come with a host of side effects and left the decision up to me.

I appreciate you 💙

milkwoman profile image
milkwoman in reply toLove2fish2

Evoxac is the brand name of cevimeline. I’ve not experienced any side effects from it. I haven’t tried Salagen nor do I know anything about that medication. I hope you find something that works. The care.

Lari profile image
Lari in reply toLove2fish2

I’ve taken both. Salagen is less effective. I had no side effects from it or Evozac. Good luck!

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply toLari

❤️

SusieW2 profile image
SusieW2 in reply toLove2fish2

I've been taking Salagen for many years with no side effects and good results.

honeybug profile image
honeybug

Hi Love2fish2 😊🌿🌸🦋

I’m in Michigan. I take Evoxac capsules 1 every 12 hours. When I miss a dose I really suffer until my next scheduled dose time. All of my saliva ducts closed off in my mouth decades ago per my dentist. My ENT prescribed the meds which also helps my lungs so much too. I can’t use the Biotene products anymore because my autoimmune disease killed off my thyroid and Biotene products block my thyroid meds absorption per my PCP. I hope this info is helpful. Best wishes for relief soon.

Love and prayers,

EJ 🤗♥️🥰🙏🕊🌿🌸🦋

PS milkwoman has given the generic name of Evoxac in her reply. 😊

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply tohoneybug

Thanks for replying to me. Do you have any side effects. Frequent urination, excessive sweating with this medication? I also have Lupus and need to protect my kidneys as much as possible. Thanks for letting me know that milk woman gave me the generic name.

🙏🏿🙏🏿

honeybug profile image
honeybug in reply toLove2fish2

You’re most welcome sweetie. I don’t have excess sweats from this meds. On occasion I’m so exhausted that I accidentally take 2 not 1 then I DO sweat. I have dozens of diagnoses most are autoimmune diseases or inherited and a few pending. I suspect I have Lupus too but I’m not able to chase the testing process anymore at my age. I have 2 conditions that are cyclical. One is inherited Erythromelalgia in conjunction with Raynaud’s Phenomenon so I constantly burn up and sweat followed by freeze and sweat. This is a regular occurrence w/o the Evoxac.

Do you live close to a drugstore??? You could call or visit your pharmacist and have him/her educate you if it would be safe. Also be sure to mention all your conditions and meds and what would be recommended to resolve your dehydration. A lot of times meds will cause dry mouth and other moisture cell issues

My insurance requires mail order unless it’s a short term meds ( antibiotics). But if I have questions I call their pharmacist and they help resolve issues.

I sure hope you get relief soon. Dry mouth nose lungs GI tract lungs and privates are so miserable. I pray they never stop producing Evoxac it truly is a blessing for me.

Love and prayers,

EJ 🤗♥️🥰🙏🕊🌿🌸🦋

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply tohoneybug

Thank you. I will ask my Rheumatologist for a script. I will definitely give it a try.

❤️❤️

honeybug profile image
honeybug in reply toLove2fish2

You’re most welcome sweetie. Be sure to double check with pharmacist before filling/using Evoxac regarding CKD effects.

I just said a special prayer for you. Take care and best wishes in all things.

Love and prayers,

EJ 🤗♥️🥰🙏🕊🌿🌸🦋

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply tohoneybug

🙏🏿❤️

fluffmonkey profile image
fluffmonkey in reply toLove2fish2

I also have Lupus and I had dreadful sweats with it.

Snithson profile image
Snithson

Hi love2fish2, my dentist suggested is use a tooth mouse instead of toothpaste. I had to get it ordered in but I think it helps. Can't hurt to try

SusieW2 profile image
SusieW2

Hi. I just got a new product from my dentist. GC Dry Mouth Gel. I've only used it 3 times but it seems to help. It's not available (USA) over the counter but not expensive from DDS. p.s. I've used Salagen for years with decent results and no side effects. I have only moderate symptoms.

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply toSusieW2

Thanks for the info ❤️

Love2fish2 profile image
Love2fish2 in reply toSusieW2

It’s the same as biotene gel

ROXY6767 profile image
ROXY6767

Do you also have dry lips? I have problems with not making enough saliva, so I don't always have great luck with swallowing, and I also struggle with dry nose and super dry, peeling lips. I tried everything natural on the market, specifically because anything not natural makes it much worse, and the only thing that works is a formula that I created myself, using about 20 different ingredients. All of them are natural based ingredients or products. I use a little bit of bees wax to hold it all together. As long as I keep this on my lips at all times, they don't get hard and begin to crack and peel. It can be quite painful, and can also cause infection and bleeding. Before I discovered what was causing this, my dermatologist assumed I had some type of cheilitis, and gave me 2 laser treatments to my lower lip. That was very unpleasant and did me absolutely no good.

Long before I was diagnosed with lupus I was diagnosed with severe dry eye, and received laser punctal occlusion treatment. This is where they cauterize the drain holes in the corner of your eyes so that the tears can't escape so fast. I discovered that using Castor oil on my lid area, specifically the lash base, massage it in at night, really helps my dry eye. I probably was able to cut down on my eye drop use by about 80 - 90%. No more itching or burning, way less redness. I need to let my ophthalmologist know about this because her only solution was to use some type of eye wipes every night. But that really didn't do me any good at all. I think my cat aggravates the problem, but the oil counteracts that quite well.

It's amazing to me that it took approximately 35 years to make the connection between my lip issue and my eyes, all dry dry dry. I think kidney failure putting me in early menopause also just made me overall more dried up.

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