Puffy spot

[Uvgotgail]

Does anyone or had a raised 'puffy spot' on your face, actually at the top of cheek bone below eye about the size of a dime? Was hoping for an answer from the encrinologist today who just said, "lets just wait and see what it looks like in 3 months". It popped up overnight about 3 months ago when I was diagnosed with sjogrens and hashimotos thyroiditis. Its not painful or tender, just wonder whats causing it. I start the levothyroxine tomorrow, even though in normal range, its just slighlty off enough to create alot of symptoms that we are hoping to alleviate. Just curious, couldnt really find any answers elsewhere either.
Thanks 

[Joe S.]

Welcome Uvgotgail. I do not believe that I did this before. I have no Idea what your bump may be. Here is my standard welcome. Please try the mumps scarf and see if that helps.

While I am glad that you found us, I do not like it that anyone else should have to deal with this health challenge. I am more frustrated when I see younger people with this illness understanding that there is so little that is being done to help us. I believe that the medical model for Auto Immune disease is wrong. I use alternative therapy because of bad reactions to Plaq and MTX.

Sjogrens: Dry eyes, dry sinuses, dry mouth, dry skin, and dry bum.

You may or may not be faced with other health challenges related to this disease that the doctors do not tell you about. Auto Immune (AI) diseases love to bring their friends. If you have one, eventually you will have more than one.

I like also suggest that people with AI diseases read Spoon Theory on the web. It helps to explain how our lives have changed and helps us understand how we can manage the changes to our lives.
http://butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf

1. Do not Panic: Anxiety can make your symptoms worse. I suggest that you read and practice the exercises in the book Feeling Good by David Burns. The book is on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). It has information on dealing with depression, grief and other mental health issues that you may face in living and managing this disease.

2. Breathe: For as long as you live always remember to breath. When we are in pain, our muscles go into a splinting action. I know that it is hard but we must remember to breathe through the pain.

3. Meditate: Meditation can help you deal with pain and symptoms. When you can do it for 15 minutes you will be at that stage. Here is a very easy meditation technique that will help you as it has helped me. Find a safe comfortable position and close your eyes. With your eyes closed, look to the top of your forehead. As you breathe in, think I am as you breathe out, think calm. Repeat as needed. Meditation can be as good as sleep.

With Sjogrens we tend to have a lot of infections so wear your polar fleece mumps scarf to bed. This will help your body to fight these infections. This link will help with the gland issues: http://www.chakraforce.com/Tonations.html#228.

Omega3, D3, C, Multivitamin, Probiotics seem to provide general support to our bodies when we are facing AI diseases. I like to add an 8oz glass of carrot juice every day to help my body generate endorphins.

I take what I call the Fabulous Five supplements and I wish I had known about them when I got my first AI disease. They are Alpha or R Lipoic Acid, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Biotin, PQQ, and Co-Q10. As with any drug or supplement, do your own research and consult with your healthcare professional.

Sip-Swish-Swallow are the three Ss of Sjogrens.

[A66eyroad]

I actually have gotten this a couple of times in the past and chalked it up to nerves and/or hives.  I got it each and every time we were having our family pictures made for our church directory (three times with two-year intervals, weird!) and a couple of times my eye would just swell for no particular reason.

I never equated it with SJS, but hmmmmmm!  It sure makes sense!

[Uvgotgail]

Thanks for the input and thought.  I will keep you posted if any changes, hopefully this will go down. Never gave it any thought that it could be nerves. Hmmmm is right 

[Scottietottie]

Hi Uvgotgail   

Welcome to Sjogren's world.

I don';t have an answer for you but I do have a suggestion. Photograph it. Keep a photographic record of any untoward lumps, bumps or rashes and then you can show a doctor they have happened even if they have disappeared by the time you see one.

The thyroxine should make you feel a whole lot better when you get the dose balanced.

Take care - Scottie 

[Uvgotgail]

Thanks for the great idea Scottie, will definitely do that. 

[Tivia]

Oh man I have had this happen in the past years ago I never thought anything of it. I guess it was AI related all along. Another thing I get is a reddish purple spot under my eye that comes and goes, had that for years too. Well if my test comes back as lupus I guess I will know.