Hello from Missouri

[claudiamullins]

Hello everyone! My name is Claudia. I live about a half hour south of St. Louis Missouri. I am 34 years old. I was diagnosed with Sjogren's and Fibro almost 2 years ago. I went doctor to doctor for a couple years getting told I had a pinched nerve all the way to another doctor wanting to put me on Prozac. No one would listen to me, no one would run any test! I was getting so fed up with everything! I came across my rheumatologist one night while searching the internet. I fell in love with her. She actually listened to everything I had to say. She was not in a hurry and she was ACTUALLY listening to ME!!! She did a lot of tests. She called me about 2 weeks later with answers to all my questions. She told me I had Sjogren's and Fibro. I was so happy and scared at the same time, I cried. The next week I did nothing but do research on what this Sjogren's was. I was shocked!! Everything made sense!! It was me!
I have a more serious case of Sjogren's. I of course have the dry eyes and mouth. I have a lot of problems with my blood vessels becoming inflamed and bursting. I have a lot of GI problems (my bowels are inflamed and produce xtra mucus), sorry if TMI. I have a lot of GYN problems. My paps come back abnormal, my mucus membranes in that area are swollen, etc. Biopsy was done, no cancer, just abnormal cells.
I am tired all the time. I sleep 12 hours at night. I'm awake for a few hours and then I'm ready for a 2 or 3 hour nap. I can take another 2 or 3 hour nap in the afternoon. Some days I can fight it off, but most days I just can not keep my eyes open. I tried Nuvigil, it did nothing for me other then make me sick to my stomach. I had a sleep study done about a year ago. It did not show anything other then me waking up and trying to reposition myself because I am hurting.
I hurt every day of my life. I normally run a low grade fever.......I can go on and on LOL.
I look forward to meeting and talking with everyone! Finally other people like me!

[hootyhu1]

Hi Claudia!
I too am 34 and I have been hurting on and off for years and yes, the fatigue is horrible. the Plaquenil helps with the pain and fatigue. I have no dryness symptoms. You are so lucky to have found a rheumy that you love. I have a love - hate relationship with mine. I like her and she seems to have a lot of info for me but then I wait for 2 1/2 hours for her and I see her for 5 minutes......Anyway, I have found a lot of info and very sweet people here on this site.....welcome!!!!

-hootyhu

[season]

Hi claudia. Nice to meet you. I love Missouri.

From your info, it sounds like you are a classic case for sjogrens. I'm glad you found a good rheumy as that is one of the most important things when you suffer from everything that comes with sjogrens.

I have primary sjogrens and when I had my blood work done and I was told I had sjogrens, I ask if there was any doubt and my rheumy said "from your bloodwork, there is no doubt at all." I was never given any other kind of test.

So sorry about the fatigue. I understand what you are going thru. It is so terrible and I struggle with it every day.

Welcome and I hope you find all the info that you need as this is the place to be.

Season.

[Joe S.]

Welcome Claudia. There is a lot of information on this site. Some of us have put what we are taking in out signature to help others. I can not take the norm scripts so I have gone with alternative therapies.

[lynnmarie219]

Hi Claudia and welcome to Sjogrens World!

So sorry that you have so many symptoms that cause you pain and fatigue but glad to hear that you have a rheumy that you like and trust. For some people here...that is a rare find...so make sure you keep her! 

I hope you find this site useful....you will find a lot of people here from all over the world who are very knowledgeable and love to share their experiences. You will also find friendship, support, and many laughs too! Glad you found us....

[Pisces24]

Welcome fellow Midwesterner!!!       I live in eastern Iowa so not too far away from you.

It took me 6 years to get a firm diagnosis. All of us can relate the the runaround we got ( and maybe are stil getting ) from the doctors.  Glad you found a good doctor!!!