SSB positive only

[angelina]

So grateful to have found this forum. I've only just been diagnosed after having terrible tendonitis and arthritis. I also have a new baby and am finding it all so very hard. I thought I had MS because my feet are numb and my spine is constantly tingling.

My rheumatoid factor was 30 and my SSB was positive but my SSA was negative.
Does this mean my sjogren's will be milder than most or could it mean perhaps worse?

I have cut out dairy and gluten and do find that that helps with the dry mouth- hard to do though.

Dr put me on prednisone 10mg and plaquenil 400mg

Thanks for any insights

Angelina

[Tharrell]

Hi Angelina, welcome to the forum, but so sorry you had to find us. Congratulations on the new baby! I too am ss- B positive without the A and am also RNP antibody positive giving me mixed connective tissue disease with sjogren's. I haven't yet figured out what it means to be just possitive for ss-b as far as disease progress and out comes and I have been looking for three years.
Just remember that everyone is different. Work closely with your rheumatologist. Thankfully yours seems to be a good one and right on target.
The plaquenil can take up to 6 month to get to work, though for some of us the relief is much faster. With the prednisone dosage you should get relief in the joints much faster.
How is your dryness issue? Have you seen an eye doctor yet to get a baseline reading for the field vision test because your on plaquenil? Some eye doctors will do this test every 6 month like mine does, others once a year, because of potential side effect of this medication.
Others will welcome you soon. If you search this site you will find many years of gathered info, I still haven't read through it all. Or simply ask away!
Again welcome!

[Nymph]

Hi Angelina,

Welcome! I am sorry that you are going through this with a new baby. That must be very tough! Hopefully the meds will be effective for you and you'll feel much better in time. I don't know that there is any way to predict the future based on antibodies. I have tried, and given up!

There's a big adjustment period when you're first diagnosed. It's rough. You will eventually learn to deal with and enjoy life anyway.

Best,

Nicole

[angelina]

Tharrell and Nymph thank you both so much.

Tharrell my dryness is just awful. My eyes are gritty and sore constantly- my mouth is also terrible.
I ordered xylimelts off amazon and they help a little. I'd be chewing gum all day if my jaws weren't so sore.

Yes will get onto making an appointment with my ophthalmologist.

Thanks for the congratulations on the little one. Yes very hard to cope with him and this disease at the same time. I often feel dizzy, foggy, and very much like I have MS although I don't.

I have been reading up on leaky gut and candida etc.....
I'm probably grasping at straws thinking I can heal myself through diet or cutting food groups.

Well the disease sucks but at least I have this lovely forum and you kind folks!

Thanks so much
Ange

[Tharrell]

You may want to ask your rheumatologist for a evoxac which helps you produce saliva. I am surprised he did not prescribe that.
You can ask the eye doctor for a prescription of restasis for dry eyes. Meanwhile find eye drops without preservatives like systane. Biotene toothpaste seems to help with dry mouth.

Diet elimination can help. For me cutting out sugar helps alot for others it's dairy and gluten. It's really trial and error to see what makes you feel better, but those three are high inflammatory so it makes sense to reduce or cut them out when possible.

[warmwaters]

Welcome, and sorry you need to join us.

I don't think that particular anti-bodies that you test positive for are an indicator of what your disease progression will look like. We have folks here who are seronegative (don't have the indicators), and those who've had various patterns.  I started out with positive SS-A, but now don't have positive SS-A anymore. And yet I have Sjogens, and a fairly serious set of problems to go with it.

You're off to a good treatment plan. Dietary experiments can help some. 

There's a lot of trial and error for medicines, supplements, diet and so on.  Hang in there and assemble a good team of doctors to help you.