Very Dry Mouth

[teyris]

Does anyone get a really dry mouth that happens very quickly even though they drink water all the time?

[rosserk]

Me! I have Hashimotos but I also have sjogrens so not sure which is causing the dry mouth and eyes but I suspect it’s sjogrens. Have you ever been tested sjogrens is common in people with thyroid issues. I have eye drops and gel on prescription which work well at controlling the dryness and itching.

I noticed a second post from you that asked about dry eyes, it sounds like you could have sjogrens. Ask your doctor to investigate. 💐

[Mouldyoledoll in reply to rosserk]

What is the test for Sjogrens please?

[rosserk in reply to Mouldyoledoll]

Hi Mouldyoledoll, it might be easier for you to check out the following link. I’m sure to miss something if I try to explain.

sjogrens.org/home/about-sjo...

[Polly91 in reply to rosserk]

Hello rosserk

I too have the dry mouth & lots of neurological symptoms like neuralgia pain & pins & needles & headaches. Does this sound like sjogrens? What antibody do they test in sjogrens?

Thx so much

[puffyface in reply to Polly91]

I think it's anti Ro for Sjorgrens. They also do a schirmer dry eye test. A lip biopsy is conclusive, but I've never had one. It causes dry eyes and mouth along with a whole host of other symptoms. Ask your doctor investigate, because they can help some of the discomfort of dry eyes and mouth. 😊

[rosserk in reply to Polly91]

Hi Polly91, the link below explains it much better than I could. Look back over any blood tests you’ve had and see if you’ve ever had a positive ANA (Anti-Nuclear Antibody). That’s a big clue.

sjogrens.org/home/about-sjo...

[Polly91 in reply to rosserk]

Thank you Rosserk

I think I had the ANA & the Ro & La& they were negative.

I'm clutching at straws trying to find answers.

X

[teyris in reply to rosserk]

I will do thank you, I hadn’t put the two together. What are the symptoms of Sjogrens?

[rosserk in reply to teyris]

There are lots of symptoms that can be attributed to sjogrens but they can also be found in people who are hypothyroid. The most significant are an extremely dry mouth and eyes. The dry mouth isn’t like being thirsty it’s worse than that my tongue feels as if it’s burnt as does the roof of my mouth and lips. Drinking water doesn’t relieve it and eating can be difficult because it makes swallowing hard. With the dry mouth you can’t stimulate saliva.

Your eyes feel like you have grit in them and the only way to relief them is by applying prescription gel or eye drops. The inside of my nose is also really dry but sometimes I get a nasal drip.

If you go to the optician ask them to do a tear test / Schirmer's test which is used to determine whether your tear glands produce enough tears to keep your eyes adequately moist. If the test is positive and you also have positive ANA then it’s highly likely you have sjogrens. The test results are 1-10 I think anything below 5 would be considered very dry mine are 3 which my optician said was extremely dry.

Also if you sit with your mouth open for a few minutes without swallowing does saliva pool under your tongue? I could sit all day with mine open and it would just get even dryer! You can ask your dentist to do a saliva test.

I have recently been diagnosed with vasculitis and high liver enzymes which have been attributed to sjogrens.

What symptoms do you have?

[teyris in reply to rosserk]

I have dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin....

Some days very tired but I don’t sleep well

vaginal dryness

A permanent rash on both sides of my neck which never goes away you can see it more sometimes than others

Infected or swollen salivary glands

muscle pain

joint pain in my thumbs

Not sure if any/all are connected but have realised the first time I told the doctor about my dry mouth was over two years ago and she just changed my antihistamine but I no longer take them so that can’t have been the issue and I have been buying drops for my ‘tired eyes’ for ages but it’s onky recently they have started going blurry.

I am hypothyroid and at presently very slightly overmedicated but the doctor wasn’t concerned about it and it was him I spoke to about my eyes at the same appointment

Also the sides of my mouth split on a regular

basis.... not sure if connected

Thanks for your advice it’s much appreciated

[teyris in reply to rosserk]

No I haven’t been tested for Sjogrens, but will look into it thank you

[rosserk in reply to teyris]

You’re welcome. I need to see my consultant rheumatologist about starting treatment to sort out the antibodies because I’m a lot more symptomatic than previously. Good luck! Hope you get things sorted. 💐

[swalls48]

antibodies attacking tear ducts/glands. Sjogrens. or dehydrated from hypoaldosterism associated with addisons but less likely. you can treat the symptoms but not much to do about the cause.

[Supul]

I agree with other replies.

Consider sjogrens. I self medicated for years before diagnosis, drinking water every hour or so.

[HLAB35]

Taking Sea buckthorn can relieve Sjogrens symptoms. It would be interesting to find out why...possibly due to Omega 7 being antiinflammatory.

[Summer64]

Yes but I too have Sjogrens. I use artificial saliva at night and suck Salivix pastilles during the day. Eyedrops during the day and ointment at night.

[teyris in reply to Summer64]

It’s interesting you say about eye drops, my eyes have been blurry on and off and I sometimes use drops to refresh them.

I don’t have Sjogrens (that I know of anyway)

[rosserk in reply to Summer64]

Have you tried biotene gel it’s much better than Salvix pastels. I also find chewing gum helps although I hate it and it stings like *ell when I first put it in my mouth! 😜

[Summer64 in reply to rosserk]

No I haven't. The doctor gave me the pastilles. Do you need a prescription for that? Because of my teeth and arthritis in my jaw I don't get on with chewing gum.

[rosserk in reply to Summer64]

No you can buy over the counter but you should be able to get it on prescription. It’s expensive to buy. It’s really good, I didn’t think the pastilles did anything. 💐

[Summer64 in reply to rosserk]

Only minimal help with the pastilles. I wonder if I could get my GP to change me to that and do away with the pastilles and the saliveze spray I use at night. The gel might do both so may work out cheaper. I'll have to see if I can buy some first to try it out.

[rosserk in reply to Summer64]

You can buy it in Boots or any other pharmacy. It’s a lot better than the pastilles. It’s about 8 pound a tube so I’d ask your Doctor to add it to your prescription. 💐

[makemepainfree]

I do very dry due toi meds i take

[teyris in reply to makemepainfree]

I only take Levothyroxine & Lisinopril and have done for years but this is a relatively new thing