I have developed Sj枚gren's Syndrome early in life and need some advice?

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 Sj枚gren'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.I have developed Sj枚gren's Syndrome early in life and need some advice?
For dry mouth sip fluids throughout the day.


Use sugar-free gum or candies to stimulate saliva production.


Try saliva substitutes or mouth coating products. They may be useful in some people, and are available without a prescription.





For dry eyes use artificial tears or eyedrops to help relieve the discomfort of dry eyes. Use preservative-free products, if you apply the drops more than four times per day.


Try lubricating ointments or small, long-acting pellets for overnight or long-lasting relief.


Your ophthalmologist may recommend a punctual occlusion. This is a simple operation that blocks tear drainage from your eye.





The sites below will give you information about your disease.


The first should be able to help with support, the second gives in-depth information on the disease, and the third site is Patient Information.





I sincerely hope that these are of help to you.





Take care, and God bless!I have developed Sj枚gren's Syndrome early in life and need some advice?
Thank you. I was in the hospital and didn't get to pick a best answer. All the answers were great. Thank you again. Report Abuse

Unfortunately your doctor is, for the most part, correct because the symptoms are progressive. Instead of water, though, I would drink Gatorade instead because it keeps important ions and nutrients in your system. Too much water drinking will deplete them. Use skin moisturizers that are not petroleum based and keep your eyes moist with saline solution (not artificial tears). If there is any kind of experimental treatment out there, then I would try it. I don't know of any offhand, unfortunately. I wish you the best with this.
You can try mouthwashes that do not contain alcohol, which is drying, such as Biotene, sold over the counter. But if your doctor does not care about your problems, you need to find a new doctor. There are other medications that can ease your anxiety and you can try non-medicinal remedies as well.
How much water do you drink? You might just need to add more.





Chewing things also activates salivation. You might want to start chewing sugar-free gum.