Allergies and Sjogren's

[Sharon]

My Sjogren's began with crazy allergic reactions, both airborne and contact.
To soaps, detergents, formaldehyde, dust, fragrances,cosmetics, rubber and so many other things
it's too tedious to list. I get hives, terrible itching attacks, swollen eyelids, red stinging eyes, stuffed/running nose...
I've had extensive testing (bloodwork, patch tests, prick tests) and nothing has been found to explain this.
I've been to allergists and to immunologists, tried nearly every antihistamine on the market with
no success, tried natural antihistamines...nothing.
The only thing that actually helped has been Prednisone, but had to discontinue.

Does anyone else experience this? What has helped you?

[Nymph]

Hi Sharon,

I, too, have quite a lot of allergies, although I can't tie them directly to my Sjogren's per se. I have learned quite a bit about mast cell activation disorder. This seminar is quite interesting. I would recommend it for anyone with inflammatory symptoms of whatever type.

http://www.chronicpainpartners.com/webinar/webinar-mast-cell-activation-update/

hugs,

Nicole

[Sharon]

Thanks Nicole, has anything helped you with these symptoms?

[jazzlover]

For me, it is salicylate sensitivity and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Not all allergists understand it and even fewer will do the proper testing for it.

What has helped me is identifying the salicylates in foods and skin care products and thereby avoiding them.

I also take cromolyn sodium and it has helped alleviate many symptoms.

[jazzlover]

ww.askdrmaxwell.com/2017/05/mast-cell-activation-syndrome/

[Maria3667]

@Sharon: I feel for you! Before Sjogren's I had no allergies, now the list is growing.
@Jazz: maybe I'm also afflicted by salicylate sensitivity? It could explain many of my adverse reactions.... And just curious, did you make a 100% recovery after Lyme's? I feel like Sjogren's is the residu after I got treated with a short course (too short in my opinion) of AB after being bitten by an infected tick.

[hayley3]

I have both airborne and food allergies.
I heard that most people with autoimmune diseases have allergies.

[jazzlover]

Maria .. I felt really good for about 10 years after my Lyme treatment. Then a series of events caused me to spiral into the MCAS problems about 3 years ago.

It affects my life way more than Lyme or Sjogren's ever has.

[jazzlover]

Sharon

There are several good mast cell groups on Facebook, where you can get info and find a list of available doctors.

[Sharon]

Jazz- Thanks, I do suspect MCAD but there is no testing for it in my country and no cromolyn sodium.
I tried going that route but hit a dead end. I don't seem to have problems with salicylates- checked that as well.
The only thing I can get here are antihistamines. I know antihistamines in certain combos should help with MCAD but I can't tolerate even small doasages of them because of the dryness.

Maria & Hayley- Does anything help you?

[Nymph]

Have you tried fexoofenadine? It's one of the less drying/sedating antihistamines and I don't have a problem from it. I also take quercetin. I learned that it's better absorbed if dissolved in oil so I get a capsule and mix it with a little olive oil. It is helpful. Also, getting enough magnesium, choline, and Vit C.

[Sharon]

Thanks Nicole,
Yes I tried that one. They all just really dry me out.
I also take quercertin but it stopped helping. I take it with Omega 3 pills, but maybe
actually mixing it like you do would be better.
I take mag. and Vit C, but not choline.

[Nymph]

I found that mixing it made it much more effective. There are also certain brands that are supposed to be much better in terms of absorbtion, but I already shell out so much dough on supplements.