I have developed Sjögren's Syndrome early in life and need some advice?

Question

My main problems are making enough tears and saliva. I don't have the other associated problems yet. The worst is the saliva problem. It is very hard to describe, but I sometimes wake in the middle of the night feeling a strange sensation of tightness in my throat. This leads to the feeling that I can't breathe or swallow. It's causing me to have anxiety. My doctor says it is dryness from the Sjögren's, and to just drink water. I do this but it doesn't help.

What I need to know if is there is something other than water which will help. My doctor is not sympathetic about this and acts like this is all in my head. For my eyes, the eye doctor gives me special drops which help a great deal. Is there some medicine from my throat dryness/tightness that my doctor does not know about?

Thank you for any help. I am dreading going to sleep tonight and have vowed to go to another doctor if no one here can offer suggestions which worked for them.

Answer 1

Has your doctor tested you for Celiac Disease?  This very common condition -  caused by an allergic reaction to the proteins in wheat, rye and barley (called glutens/gliadins) - has been associated with Sjogrens, and it may be contributing to your symptoms!

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 2

i think u should go to another doctor asap.Doctors should care more and check for any other causes and he is careless. i also think that it might be caused by stenosis.

the scaring tissues after operation might compress the trachea.

Answer 3

There are other options ranging from artificial saliva products to medications- the most common being pilocarpine- sometimes the eyedrops are used orally but there is a product in tablet form also that will help stimulate the production of saliva.

see: http://arthritis.about.com/od/sjogrensme...