Salagen or Evoxac for someone on beta blockers?

[deeindiana]

I read back through the discussions about Salagen vs. Evoxac. Seems like different meds work better for different people. Not surprising.

Is there anyone here who has been on a beta blocker (for irregular heart beat or tachycardia not related to sjogren's) and now needs a medication for dry mouth?

I had heart ablation a decade ago for tachycardia and it cured the irregularity. My only problem since then was that my heart beat a bit too fast. At age 50, when I needed an RX for high blood pressure, my cardiologist put me on a beta blocker. He figured we might as well slow down my heart rate a little while we control my blood pressure. I've been great since then.

Now, I desperately need some kind of medication for dry mouth, but I noticed that Salagen and Evoxac warnings both say not to take with a beta blocker. I've also read discussion posts here that either of them can really mess with your heart rate.

Is anyone else in this same boat?
Do you take Salagen vs. Evoxac?
Did bad effects happen immediately or did it take awhile to show up?
Both of these pills seems to be short acting - so once they were out of your system in a few hours, did your heart rate return to normal?

Sorry to always be asking questions. I'm trying to get prepared for my first sjogren's doctor's appointment with as much info as I can get! Thanks for all your help!
Deb

[ohiolady]

Dee,

Why don't you talk to your cardiologist about switching you to a different blood pressure medicine.  I know how you feel I could not bear the thought of not taking Evoxac.  I could not swallow food without it, I'm that dry.  I bet there might be some other options for you.

Anna

[eyeamdry]

Good idea Ohiolady.

I do take a beta blocker and have also taken both the drugs.  I am taking the beta blocker for tachycardia.  I tried Salagen first and it gave me a burst of spit and then 1/2 hour dry as the desert.  I tried Evoxac and it's terribly expensive.  With ins, my co-pay is like $80 month.  This works better than Salagen and i try to get by on one or two pills a day to save a little $. Lucy

[deeindiana]

I asked my cardiologist and he recommended the Salagen, so my rheumy prescribed 5mg twice a day. I just took my first one about 30 minutes ago. I have such a phobia of pills that now I'm sitting here waiting for my head to explode or a toe to fall off or something horrendous. *blush* I'm such a scardy cat! *slap* Snap out of it!!

How quickly does Salagen work? Will I notice a difference in saliva immediately or does it take days to get results?
Deb

[ohiolady]

Dee,

Salagen will cause you to have some increase in saliva about half hour after taking.  If you read the insert, from the pharmacy, it will say you will see better results after 3 continuous months of taking..   Someone will come along and say it is immediate but the education handouts on the drug do say, it reaches it's full efficacy after 3 months.

Sorry you can't take Evoxac.  I think most feel it works better but I have a friend that says Salagen works best for her.  Are you only allowed to take 2 aday or will your rheumy gradually increase your dose. 

Anna

[deeindiana]

Thanks ohiolady. He didn't mention if he will increase the dose or not. I didn't realize that many people here take it much more often. How long does one dose last? Actually, I was so nervous about taking the first pill (I'm hyper-sensitive) that I cut it in half.

Not sure if it's my imagination or not, but I did think there was a little more, and thinner, saliva and my nose wasn't as stuffy. Wishful thinking or reality? It seems strange to me that it takes three months to reach full efficacy since it doesn't really 'stay in your system'.

I was feeling fine at first, but now (almost two hours later) I'm a bit dizzy and getting a headache. I'm wondering if this is just normal weirdness or the medication.
Deb

[ohiolady]

Deb,

I think it can be taken up to 5 times daily.  As with any new medication you can have side effects that may go away after a few weeks.  I think you should stay with it as it could improve your quality of life greatly.

Take care and good luck.

Anna

[Epson]

Deb,

I take a beta blocker and Evoxac with no side effects with a dosage of 2 to 3 pills a day and find that it really helps my dry nose, mouth and even the eyes get a little benifit from it.

[deeindiana]

Thanks epson. It's nice to know there might be an option of trying Evoxac down the road if needed.

I think the first dose of the salagen did help a bit this morning and it wasn't my imagination. The moment it wore off was obvious: instant dry mouth and the burning was back. I'll try another 1/2 pill in a little bit and see what happens again.
Deb

[irish]

I took the salogen for quite a while. I am so sensitive to drugs plus I have asthma and people with asthma can have problems also. Anyway, I started out on the 2.5 mgm for about 1 week and then went up toe the 5 mgm and that is what I stayed on. It takes a while for the saliva glnds to kick in---probably with the low dose, but after a while it worked quite well. I made sure to use it before I ate and prior to going to bed and then for those day as a desert can't stand it anymore times.

I can't take it now because I am on another med that interacts with it so I suck on sugar free halls cough drops or ice. Irish

[deeindiana]

Irish, you can't take the Evoxac or any of the medications for dry mouth? Does your plaquenil help? I feel so sorry for all of us with dry mouth, swallowing problems, sores... It's something you just can't get away from it.
Deb

[irish]

Deb, I can't take the exovac or the salogen anymore because I take Mestinon for my myasthenia gravis and the combination isn't good. I am not on Plaquenil. Ihave those low t-cells and am unable to take immunosuppressants because I will get bad infections---possibly life threatening.

My immunologist has thought about putting me on Plaquenil but he holds off for now. I can't say that I am a big hurry about it just because I don't have much of the aching anymore. My eyes are dry but not too bad as I started the Restasis like 5 years ago.

I have been dry all my life and did not realize how bad it was as I got used to it plus with my antidepressant and my thyroid meds I sort of had a bad taste in my mouth anyway. I have had tons of dental work and horrible infections in my mouth--literally gobs of pus plus abscesses in my throat that ruptured, etc I did not know until 2006 aboaut the t-cells thing and had infections all my life. Only they got much worse.

I am an antibiotic now and just got off of them about 3 weeks ago. My nickname for myself is "pus bucket". I am amazed that I am sitll alive cause the infections have been so bad. They aren't as bad now but I am more miserable then I was. Just learn to live with it. I buy about 10 boxes of Kleenex a week cause alwas replacing kleenex boxes.

Anyway, teeth all removed finally, had right submadnibular gland removed last November and I think I have something else that needs to be either lanced or removed in the back of my throat and also gland under my tongue. Sjogrens and other autoimmune disease are sort of a revolving door aren't they. Never a dull moment. Hope all is well with you. I have to magic cure for dryness, but I do the lemon drop thing and I suck on the sugarless Halles cough drops a lot. Sip carbonated water, diet pop, decaf tea and coffee and suck on ice.

I have problems with my swallowing that is related to my myasthenia and if that gets too bad I will end up having a stomach tube. Kind of gross isn't it. As a nurse it doesn't upset me cause I've worked with tubes a lot. The only thing is I will have no time in my life for House Hunters cause I will have all my sjoggie chores, eyes, mouth, nose, nebs, etc. Busy, busy, busy arne't we. lol

Have a good weekend. Irish

[deeindiana]

Irish, I had no idea that you have so many extra problems/conditions/illnesses on top of the SS. I have sent up a prayer for you for healing, peace of mind and realized hope. Take care of yourself, dear!
Deb