Is this a dry mouth??

[harrigan]

I was diagnosed last month through blood tests, red eyes, aching & swollen hands, wrists feet etc but hadn't really noticed the dry mouth. For as long as I can remember I took a glass of water to bed to sip and needed water in the classroom with me.  Now though, I have a feeling like big cotton wool balls under my tongue, dry and lumpy. As soon as I swallow water I need more in my mouth.  I can't decide if it's because I'm more aware of it or if it's a symptom that is getting worse.

Where are the parotid glands?  I have a stabbing, shooting pain where my ears meet my face and painful lumps that come and go under my chin sort of in line with my eyes.  It's bank holiday weekend and I won't be able to see a dr till Tuesday - is this just par for the course or do I need to get treatment?

[lynnmarie219]

Hi Harrigan,

Its hard to say about your dry mouth symptoms...it could be that you are noticing it more now that you are aware. For me I never thought I had dry eyes and mouth....I always thought that it was normal for me to be thirsty and sip water and to use eye drops on a regular basis. And when I realized that these were all clues to dry eyes and mouth...I finally put 2 and 2 together.

It could also be that these symptoms are getting worse like you said.....or it could be a temporary worsening of symptoms that will get better again with time....it all gets so confusing because there is no rhyme or reason to what many of us experience. If it is becoming a problem I would check in with your doc as there are medications available to give you more saliva and help with the dry mouth (Evoxac and Salagen) not to mention many over the counter products (gels, toothpastes, mouth rinses and spray) that  may be helpful to you.

[Chickpea]

Hi Ailsa

As you know, we can't diagnose but just make suggestions based on our own experiences.  This sounds like a flare, especially the dry mouth and gland involvement at the same time. The the timing would make sense because these things have a habit of happening in holiday time when our stress levels dip/change.  Try to get as much rest as you can, even if it's just little cat naps or an hour with your feet up.

Even though it's the weekend you could get to see a doctor through the emergency GP scheme or you could phone NHS Direct to discuss your symptoms and meds.  As Lynn says, you could also think about medications or OTC dry mouth sprays or mouth washes. 

Hope you get some relief soon.  Post lots and tell us how you are doing.

Thinking of you - Chickpea

[dbab]

I didn't know I was dry either.  My rheumy sent me to an ophthalmologist for my baseline exam when I started Plaquenil.  They did a Schirmer's test that day and sure enough dry eye.  I then faced the fact that I indeed had dry eyes and admitted to myself that using wetting drops several times a day is not something "normal" people did.  Ok, so dry eyes but mouth is okay.  Not so fast... rheumy put a tongue depressor on the side of my mouth and gently pulled my mouth open.  She told me that people normally pool saliva and I wasn't.

It's weird when you don't associate what you go through as abnormal because you only have yourself.  If I could live in a healthy person's shoes for one day, I could tell you everything I suffer with but until then I will continue to accidentally find out that what I go through at times is just not normal. 

[harrigan]

Thanks - Chickpea you are spot on!  I always get something in the hols but hadn't thought of it as linked to changing stress levels. However I have trekked all round Manchester shopping with the girls on Thursday, done loads of cleaning, sorting, planting etc in house and garden and today doing Sunday lunch for 9 so I'm not surprised to be tired really!  The sore glands seem to have settled again but I will mention it when I see the Rheumy on 22nd. 

Hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend with lots of sunshine and chance to relax    xx Ailsa

[wednesday mc haggis]

ailsa

yup your parotid lies at your cheeks and ends just at the ear , sorry your having problems, one thing i have learned is just when i think i ll have a symptoms for life, it goes, things seem to come then vanish, strange hawk is SJS cant seem to make up its darn mind, so try not to think it will always be this way, things as far as my expereince goes , go as fast as they came sometimes, hope you get relief soon

T x