Hi, everyone

[Katmandu]

I've just joined the group today. I've been a "lurker" from time to time since I was diagnosed in 2004, but I've never posted. Today, when I was checking up on some "new" symptoms of mine, I decided it was time for me to get more active. So, here I am. In brief, I'm 58 year old female, diagnosed for 5 years. Looking back, I think SjS may explain a lot of mystery ailments as far back as my early 20s. But, that's just guesswork. Currently,  my biggest problems are the fatigue, migraines, aches & pains, brain fog, slight dryness ( of everything, lol....eyes, skin, nasal, mouth, etc) But none of them are constant. I have some bad patches, but after reading these boards, I think I'm pretty blessed. I've been taking Plaquenil (generic, lol) for about 5 years now. I get bloodwork and opthamology check-ups annually, and so far so good. Okay, that's probably enough background, lol. Hope to see you all on the boards!

[ginger_pops]

Hi Katmandu
im a newby, so thought i would welcome you to this site ,i have found it very helpfull and everyone most friendly and welcome, ive not been diagnosed yet waiting for my results to come through.
linda x

[Scottietottie]

Hi Katmandu 

Welcome to Sjogren's world. 

As you've already gathered - Sjogren's is an amazingly individual disease - although dryness tends to be a common factor. Everyone seems to present slightlty differently. I've suffered dizziness - but never migraines. My brainfog is always woprst when my thyroid is out of kilter - but I do believe Plaquenil has helped it too.

Anyway - welcome - and I hope you find the site useful.

Take care - Scottie 

[Ohiocat]

Welcome Katmandu,

I also "lurked" on this site at first (but not as long as you did  ).  But then one day I saw a post I just "HAD" to reply to.

Never did formally introduce myself or tell my SJS story.  Maybe some day I will, after i have 50 posts or so

Any ways -  welcome to posting on the site!

[salsen]

Welcome to the site.  I know over time you will use this SJS site as your constant reference source for help.  The blessing of this community is the coping skills from others who give you wonderful insight how strong you can be living with a chronic illness.  Whether "lurking" or being vocal there is always something I learn from checking out the boards.  Sometimes I just want to read others stories and sometimes it helps me to share with someone who is asking for advise.  Enjoy our world, the knowledge and humor are priceless blessings.

[Patze]

Hi Katmandu,

Let me also welcome you to the SJS World!  Please do look around a mist the tons of topics and there's oodles of information to be had!

I'm glad to see that you're doing well and decided to come join us! 

Come often and hopefully we'll meet in the chat room soon!

Take care -

Patze

[lynnmarie219]

Hi Katmandu and welcome to Sjogrens World!

I'm glad that you decided to post and join in even though you were technically with us before just without posting.    I hope that the information that you find here is helpful to you and if you have any questions or feel that you can offer some of your own advice and knowledge please just jump right in! We all learn from each other here!

It's nice to meet you...just sorry that it had to be under these circumstances!

[Chickpea]

Hi Kat

Good to meet you!  It's interesting to hear that you think you'd probably had SjS for years before diagnosis. I'm sure that would apply to many of us. We've got so much to learn about auto immune disorders - I sometimes wonder about clusters of AIs, and whether we carry lots of labels when actually we each have our own unique set of AI issues. 

So sorry to hear that you have lots of symptoms, but you have such a great attitude!  How do you cope with migraines?  Have you found anything that helps?  Do you get vision disturbance or long-lasting effects?

Post lots and let us know how you are doing.

Take care - Chickpea

[Katmandu]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes, everyone!

Chickpea, I've been thinking the same thing....that maybe there's just ONE autoimmune disease, with a zillion different modes of expression. One of my friends has discoid lupus, and another has fibromyalgia (though she won't tell many people for fear of being considered a hypochondriac). We have three "different" AIs, but we share so many similarities.

As for the migraines, it's kind of like the chicken and the egg. Am I dizzy from a migraine, or is the dizziness making me puke? LOL! I still haven't come to a decision on that one! I have lots more to say about that, but I guess it should really be in a thread about migraines and/or dizziness. So, I'll head over there to post that!

Linda, I hope you get a diagnosis soon, but that's such a crap shoot, at least as far a bloodowork giving a definite result. AIs may show up, or they may not. I was just plain lucky. Doc ordered blood work at just the right time.

Again, to all of you----Linda, scottie, Ohiocat, Salsen, and Chickpea----thanks for the welcomes. See you on the boards!

Kathy