SJOGREN

Dear All,

I have a simple question to ask and hope to can answer me: Does Sjogren cause Vaginal Dryness? Can it affect the vaginal wetness and secretionary glands, like it affects tear and slyva glands?

Thanks and Have a nice day,
Mony21

[joycekatherine]

In a word...Yes!!  google Sjogren's Syndrome symptoms and it is there, along with many others...there are several products on the market for vaginal dryness...in contrast to a lubricant, these products are long lasting and are called vaginal moisturizers, keeping the vagina moist for up to 4 days...hope this helps!  ;)

[mony21]

thanks alot dear.

[joycekatherine]

You're very welcome!!  ;)

[Cindee56]

Yes, I have Sjogren's and I have terrible vaginal dryness. I  use the REPLENS, but it is still bad.  

[pietiangel]

I have Sjogrens too and I get this problem as well. I am dry everywhere! My skin, eyes, even kidneys which cause me to have horrible kidney infections. Over the counter lubrication is the only way I know how to resolve this issue, but it only helps me a little. Hope this helps. Take care!

[Lori707]

Need some help. I have been sick for 1 3/4 yrs. I have inflammatory arthritis of some kind and it seems to have inflammed my veins and sometimes my skin. Went to several Rhuemys. A couple said I have RA and 3 said I don't. I also have whole body parathesia which I'm taking Neurontin for. I took xrays and MRI's of my joints and the doc said it's not characteristic of RA but he feels I am systemic.
My RA Factor is 140 High a few months ago. Just retook it a couple days ago and we'll see. For several years I had on and off dryness in my mouth and eyes. Had an eye exam recently and doc said their a bit dry so I'm taking eye drops. At one point last year, I had EXTREME dryness of the mouth and esphogus for 3 months. Food kept getting stuck going down. My teeth are rotting away and I have to have them pulled one at a time. Dentist says that's due to mouth dryness. I take very good care of my teeth. I'm 58 and became very dry "down there". I know one can say it's due to my age, but I know of many women who are not dry. My skin got very thin as per the doc and very dry. My hair also got very dry.

I took blood tests for Sjogrens and they came out negative.

Question: Is it possible that I may have Sjogrens and it's just taking it's time to show itself? At this moment my mouth is not dry. Comes and goes. Oh..also my nails became dry and they have vertical ridges. I also lost up to 10.2% of my bone mass and became osteoporosis this year.

My Total Compliment blood test is a tad high but my Sed rate,CRP is normal.
I also lost 50lbs in a few months without trying.

[mony21]

Sjogren does cause driness in mouth, eyes, vagina and skin. It caused me hair driness too for sometimes. It is considered type of Rhemutoid desease so it causes pain in joints. However, it doesnt cause weight loss and I dont think it causes bone mass loss.
My Sjogren tests also showed negative at first but a Schimer's test or test for mouth driness can prove it is Sjogren. In my case it was the schimer's test tht proved it.

[AireScottie]

The absolute definitive for Sjogren's is a lip biopsy.  They take a salivary gland from inside your lower lip and look for lymphocyte penetration.  My bloodwork is normal, but the lip biopsy showed Sjogren's.  In this case it's also sometimes called Sicca Syndrome

[pietiangel]

I had a negative test for Sjogrens for almost 4 years and then one day after it had already been way too long, I was told my my new rheumy that my test came back showing that I have RA and Sjogrens. I have dry mouth which has caused horrible taste and smell in my mouth along with gum disease and cavities, dry eyes prevent me from wearing my contacts much, and my hair is very dry. Did the eye doc do a test on your eyes with strips that check tear production? I have had my fair share of bad experiences with the docs in my area. It took all my life to be diagnosed with RA and now I have the Sjogrens. My health has rapidly declined and i am only 29. I am young to have Sjogrens according to the facts about Sjogrens and being 40 or over when you get it. I still think there is alot of stuff they don't know about these diseases and I have little faith left in doctors because of being told for so long that I was crazy before my tests showed anything. Please don't give up. I never did and I am still fighting for treatments that are better. Take care and I hope you feel better.

[mony21]

Hi Pietiangel,

I m 29 too and I had Sjogren since I was 27 and again I was and still is too young for Sjogren. However, I read that Sjogren doesnt have a deffinet age. I have little faith tht medication will help but I hve hope tht they would be able to find a cure for it someday.
Hope if u found a medication for it, tell me, as I m ready to try anthg to get rid of it.

[AireScottie]

I started having salivary swelling at age 19.  They need to change it from "average onset at age 40" to "we finally get around to diagnosing you at age 40".  I think by 40, the symptoms are finally bad enough they can't blow you off and say it's in your head any longer :P  

[mony21]

I agree 100% with that. :)

[Lori707]

Thank you for your kind words. Still waiting for my test results I took last week.

[pietiangel]

I just wanted to write and see how you guys are doing? Lori have you heard anything about test results yet? I finally went off the Arava since it almost killed me and put me in the ER twice. I would not give that to my worse enemy! I am now on Medrol and Diclofenac together and hope this works. So far so good. Let me know how you are doing.

[mony21]

Hi Dear,

Thanks alot for ur concern regarding me. I m the same, still on steroids. still feeling dryness in every gland. It moves fm gland to another, now it is in vaginal gland. Dont know, but i also noticed tht vagina stimes gets dry when cycle approaches.

Anyway, otherwise, I m fine.

Thanks once more,
Take care