Menopause

[Wynter]

Hi everyone,

Can Sjogren's tricker menopause or vice-versa? I haven't been officially diagnosed. I was wondering if I should get hormones tested? I am young for this, only 39.

[Linda196]

Wynter, if you are still in search of a diagnosis, it wouldn't hurt to have full hormonal testing in addition to all the immunological testing. An endocrinologist could check out the function of all hormone producing glands and rule out issues with ovaries, thyroid, adrenals, parathyroids or pituitary. Many of the hormones can trigger or mimic menopausal or autoimmune diseases.

[Scottietottie]

Hi Wynter 

You are young for menopause but a friend of mine started when she was 40 - so, as you know, it can happen.

In my case I started menopause round about the everage time. It seemed to trigger the SjS - or at least make it flare up enough that I finally got a dx. I thibnk the beginning of it was triggered by pregnancies, so personally, I wouldn't be surprised about a hormonal link.

Of course - that doesn't explain the men with SjS.  everybody'd individual and there a probably a whole range of factors.

Take care - Scottie 

[Sjenny]

Wynter:

Have you been checked for sarcoidosis by x-ray or ACE tests?  My rheumy suggested this might be a possibility with me, but I haven't had the lip biopsy yet either.

Are you ever short of breath or do you have a dry cough?  I don't, but I don't know if that means anything either.

Best wishes,
Sue

[Linda196]

ACE levels aren't diagnostic for sarcoidosis, but in the approximately 50% of people with Sarcoid who do have elevated ACE levels, they can be used to monitor the progression of the disease or the effect of treatment.

Chest x-rays will miss the approximately 15% of people with sarcoid who have no lung or chest lymph involvement.

If it is a possibility, and both of those tests are negative, a lymph node biopsy is the most definitive test.

[Dejibo]

i was told that peri menepausal women are the ones who are most likely to be dx with SJS. 

hormones! either they are making ya crazy and you want them to go away, or without them they are making you sick and you want them back.

[Sjenny]

Does hormone replacement therapy ever alleviate the sicca symptoms of Sjorgren's?  I think I read somewhere that HRT actually causes Sjorgren's.  It's enough to make the head start spinning!

Sue

[Katybarstool]

Hi Sue

I believe hrt can actually help menopause symptoms. This is the link to some information my rheumatologsit recommend http://www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/patpubs/6041/6041.asp. It suggests that women with SS actually expeirence menopause symptoms more than other women, and that hrt can help.  I know that when I stopped my hrt for 36 hours, my joints were agony, so I think there is some truth in that.

By the way, as I had surgical menopause, I only use oestrogen.

Kathyx   

[Patze]

Hi Wynter,

I started peri-menopause in my mid 30's, and I'm only 49; my hormones have been off the chart for several years now.  The first endo I went to would blame every.single.thing on menopause. 

My sugar would fluctuate, it's my hormones, hair still falling out (after being on Levoxyl for two years) it's because of the hormones, can't lose weight, the hormones again, on and on this went.  Finally at the 2nd year, he finally did a challenge test (of sorts) checking for diabetes - nope, don't have it, but still have a high sugar level that is still unexplained. 

Unlike Kathy, I can't use HRT (I'm so jealous of those that can use it! ). 

Take care and let us know what your doctor says -

Patze