Wow,, I am new to this site but have found it very helpful. I amlearning how to accept and adjust to all these crazy dry symptoms. I did take the advice of someone and bought the Oasis mouth wash. It does help. I am treating my eyes aggressively with ointment and eyes washes. I now need to find out how to deal with the pain and cold hands and sleepless nights due to dry throat that wakes me up coughing. I keep water by my bed ut I work full time and finding it difficult to make it through the day. My office has a heater that blows underneath my feet and is ard on my eys, ut my ffice is still cold so my body aches more. I also bought some lip moisturizer that i put on several times a day. The time it takes me to get ready toleave for work has increased so i am having trouble getting to work on time. I get up at 5:45 and it has been tough because I am stillso tired from restless sleep. I am the main source of income formy family because my husband is disabled. I also found these cool pajamas that are silky on the outside but have a nice warm lining that doesnt make me too hot or too cold. I really need some female friends who share the same discomforts. I would also liketo find a local support group in my hometown that I could attend. I have not gotten a diagnosis but at this point who cares ,, the symptoms are there and need to be treated regardless of what the test results say. I am scheduled to see a rhuemy december 1 and from listening to everyone it is not an easy thing to diagnose. I just hope I have a good rhuemy. Thanks for all the feedback.
Teresa
When you think about it, support groups are for the people and how they deal with the symptoms, not for the disease, so who cares if your don't have a firm diagnosis...you are just as much in need and deserving of support as someone with a "label"!
Your "jammies" sound great...pretty and feminine but comfy too, what more could you ask!
Just a thought about the heater in your office. If the heated air is blowing directly on you, it's bound to cause increased dryness, but if your could get some type of deflector, so you'd still get the benefit of the heat but not blowing right on you, it might help. Another approach is one of those "hunter's seats" that you could sit on and have it reflect body heat back to you, helping to keep you warm; a strategically placed heating pad would do the same.
Hi :)
Would it be possible for you to use a personal humidifier anywhere in your office?
I really like the mini handwarmers you can get where you'break them' and they heat up and then once they've cooled down again you can boil them up and they are ready to 'snap' again. they can be slipped into a pocket so easily. Also fingerless gloves are quite good.
A humidifier by your bed is an idea and also an artificial saliva spray to use when you wake up.
Take care - Scottie :)
Teresa:
The best thing I found for dry throat is OTC Mucinex (NOT Mucinex DM which has an antihistamine that will dry you out more) but plain old Mucinex. I don't have the joint pain but a lot of forum members report relief from that with Plaquenil, which your rheumy can prescribe.
Sounds like you have a lot on your shoulders - I am sorry you are having to deal with all this Sjogren's stuff too.
Sue
Hi Teresa
Welcome to our little group - sorry you're having such difficulty at the moment, cold makes me ache all over too. Have you tried artificial tears/gel for your eye dryness?, also Plaquenil helps alleviate some of the aches and pains.
Keep slapping on moisturiser throughout the day, and sugar free gum or sweets can help with dry mouth.
Wen x
Hi Teresa,
I do admire your strength, working and caring for a disabled hubby, along with being ill.
I too would like to suggest a small personal humidifier not only for work, but especially for nightime when you sleep. I find the one I have by my bed to be the biggest help.
Also please try the eye drops for "dry eye" but make sure they are "Preservative Free". There are drops and gels. I use the drops during the day and put the gel in at night. Another tip is keep a bottle of eye drops in the refrigerator for those bad times when your eyes are really burning. It is so soothing when they are cold.
Take care,
Pooh