Is remission ever possible?

[kcoffiner]

Wondered if anyone has heard of any Sjogrens related remission, specifically the dryness, or at least improvement with the dryness over the yrs, or is this as good as it gets. I am trying everything and anything to remain some positive spirits. Anything helps!

Thanks!

[Scottietottie]

Hi 

I don't know whether remission from the dryness is possible or not. I had oyther stuff going on before the dryness came and I got about a 10 year remission from it. Plaquenil has eased the dryness a bit. It has not progressed since I started it.

Take care - Scottie 

[genko_b]

It's really hard when you are at the beginning of what seems like a long, long road! We have all been there.

Actually, no one can tell you what course your particular case of Sjogren's will take. Some days are better than others. Sometimes you find medications, drops, creams or whatever that really help. Sometimes you have supportive doctors and sometimes you don't. But what most of us have found through personal experience is that the only way to get through this is not to project into the future too much and to take each day as it comes.

We do go through a bit of a grieving process as we begin to find our "new" normal. Do not discount how important this process is, and allow yourself time to get to a place of acceptance. And remember that we cycle back through the stages of grief periodically, usually coming to a place of deeper acceptance once we are through thrashing around and being really bummed out about whatever new development we are  experiencing.

Just remember you have company through all of this; in the end that's the one thing you can count on - we are all going through life and whatever it brings us together. You are on the right track by trying to stay positive in whatever small way you can through the worst times. Just remember it is OK to be totally sad sometimes too.

Take care and remember we are here for you.

Genko

[irish]

The others gave you good advice. I really think that the best thing to do is to accept it the best we can. This does not mean that we won't grieve and cry, get angry and holler, etc but if we spend all our energy denying the existence of our problems I think that it weakens our health status and our souls.

We don't want to be ill and hate it with a passion but what really is the alternative. Being dead and I ain't ready to give up the ghost yet. So, I have to accept and keep on keeping on --- which should be the Sjogrens motto. Irish

[Joe S.]

If the extreme dryness was my first symptom of SjS then I have had it for much longer than I have been Dx'd. I have not had the extreme dry eyes for about 4 or 5 years now. The dry mouth as well as the other symptoms come and go. You may be able to find some in various degrees depending on the progression of your case of SjS. As you management gets betteryou can become more comfortable.

[Cheryl]

Hi Kcoffiner,
   I have times (lasting several weeks) when all of my symptoms are milder.   My eyes are still just as dry then, but they don't hurt as much.  I have more energy and less discomfort all over.  Don't know whether those times are considered remissions, or just breaks between flares, but either way I'm grateful for them!  I hope you get a reprieve, too.
Cheryl

[navydad]

I can honestly say I;m still in denial ,, and probably grieving at the same time,, its just all the symptoms that seem to crop up,, yesterday I actually felt like a human,, for a few hours,, but ocnce I got home from work and did a bit around the house,, I had to sit down and relax and of course by 8PM,, I was tottaly wiped out,, today is a different story,, its been a shaky day all day,, little bit of tremors to go along with the other symptoms,, but whats a person to do,, try to get on as best we can,,