Dry mucous membranes caused by Sjögren’s syndrome elicits descriptions from patients like, “food tastes like paper” and “eyes feel gritty.” Sjögren’s syndrome can occur by itself or along with autoimmune conditions, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Just as joints and connective tissues can be attacked as part of the autoimmune condition, the moisture-producing glands also can be attacked.
The prescription medications available to treat dry eyes and dry mouth are listed in the Sjögren’s syndrome chart. The oral drugs listed here work internally to help your body produce more moisture in the mouth. The dry-eye treatments add moisture to the eye or suppress eye inflammation. A surgical procedure to block the tear ducts (punctal occlusion) is an option for severe cases of dry eyes. Other prescription medications, such as the DMARD hydroxychloroquine sulfate (Plaquenil), may be used to treat other manifestations.
Over-the-counter treatments are available, too. Sugar-free chewing gum and candies, mouth sprays and rinses can help moisten the mouth and lessen discomfort. Available in sprays, liquids and pretreated swabs, artificial saliva products are sold under a number of brand names, including Glandosane, Moi-Stir, MouthKote, Optimoist, Oralube, Salivart and Xero-Lube. These products should be applied directly to the tongue, gums and roof of the mouth, according to package directions. Although these products do not stimulate saliva production, they do provide temporary moisture and can be reapplied as needed.
Eye drops can be used as needed (up to four times per day if bottles contain preservatives) and are available without prescription. Artificial tears (hydroxypropyl cellulose drops) are also sold under a number of brand names, including Artificial Tears, Bion Tears, Gonak, Isopto Tears, Lacril, Nature’s Tears and Ocucoat. To use the tears, place one drop in each lower eyelid and then close eyes one or two minutes, so tears can absorb. As with artificial salivas, the benefits of artificial tears are temporary. They can be applied three or four times daily. Be sure to check specific directions on the product’s packaging.
Other measures you can take on your own include sipping water throughout the day, avoiding smoking and caffeine and talking with your doctor about any medications you may be taking that could be drying your mucous membranes.
Drug Guide: Sjögren’s Syndrome Medications
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Leigh Ann
03 Aug 2010, 10:29
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| I have been treated for 6 years for Sjogren's and trial and error and balance is the best advice I can give and best I received. Evoxac is wonderful and I suggest it if you have not tried it, it takes about a month to adjust to. I also like the Imuran as I tried Methotrexate for a year and could not tolerate it and have a normal life. I have found that diet is helpful. Low sugar or low carb yogurt daily will be a lifesaver against yeast infections both female and mouth. Lots of watery fruits - cantelope etc help as snacks and avoiding anything breaded and bread helps. Basically all naturals nothing perserved and you will feel 50% better. I did not really buy into this until after 5 years and now I am so much better and feel good. Excercise - Yoga twice a week helps and a massage once or twice a month will aleviate join stiffness. Just my experience and make sure you have a great rhemotolgist. I never go more than 90 days without a visit and she can keep your levels consistent without you crashing. |
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Jody
20 Jul 2010, 15:01
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| I have only been diagnosed with Sjogren's for 2 years, but have actually been suffering for more than 20 years. Please don't let people forget that even with primary sjogren's that your symptoms are more than just dryness. I also have sore joints and fatigue that are awful. Besides salagen, plaquenil, restasis, singular (for the sinusitis that I also get due to sjogren's) I also have been trying Imuran. I feel ALMOST "normal" now, with periodic flareups. My rhuematologist is wonderful and I am so grateful for her persistance in me feeling better rather than accepting the fatigue as normal. Please keep searching when you don't feel well! |
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Barb
04 Jul 2010, 23:39
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| About a month ago my tongue felt like it was thicker than usual. I then
started having jaw pain. I realized that I was throwing my lower jaw
forward, not sure why. But now my tongue gets really sore on the sides and
seems to get larger after I eat. Is this something to do with sjogrens
disease. I also have been diagnosed 26 years ago with celiac disease and
last year with RA. |
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yolanda
22 Jun 2010, 23:09
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| hi i also have sjogrens and lupus and arthritis i have short of breath
does anybody have that trouble also please let me know if u do so i can
tell the dr. to check for it also thank you |
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connie tackett
09 Jun 2010, 19:33
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| I believe I have the worse case of sjogrens. my blood work is how they
found that i had it. and i also have MS. but this sjogrens by far worse on
me. I had my tear ducts plugged .which couldnt tell if helped but i will
try anything. the dr has me on restasis,thera tears drops . i also take
Doxycycline 5omg capsules 1 x day and i just started taking evening
primrose capsules which i think are helping. i have tried evoxac and seem
to make me so thirsty.i tried plaquenil and didnt see any help with it. i
put a humidifier cool mist by honeywell and made a big difference. i can
now open my eyes in morning without them being stuck together. and they are
very quiet. find them on amazon very cheap.best thing i ever bought. have
one in my living room to. i going to read up more on those bio tears. it
gets overwhelming at times that I want to give up. it helps to read im not
the only one who suffers with this. my dry mouth no help in site.. my mouth sloughs off the roof and sides and my tongue will bleed. cant eat anything acidic, ketchup, mustard, hot sause, salad dressings,lemons will tear my mouth up. the lemons has made my tongue bleed.i go to dentist constanly because my fillings keep coming out because my mouth so dry. i will try some of the suggestions for the saliva sure and mouth sprays see if it helps. the corner of my mouth crack and i constantly keep vaseline lip therapy on them. it gets hard to talk sometime my mouth gets so dry. its so embarrassing. sometime i feel doomed. I hope some of this info helps someone else who having these issues and doesnt understand. also my glands swell up in my cheeks and i look like a chipmunk. and they are painfull. |
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Daisy
04 Jun 2010, 11:20
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| I had the lip test for sorjens and was put on meds. One had so many side
effects that I had to stop it but I do use the evoxac and it seems to help with the dry eyes and also the mouth. Mouth is very dry at night. I use hard tack candy at night. |
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sheila caldwell
01 Jun 2010, 11:30
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| thank you all for your hints on helping, my dryness still here, been here for about 3-4 years now. i do not smoke anymore, but have hard candy to compensate for cigs. that helps some, but my tongue is so coated, i have to scrape it 4 or 5 times every morn. and my nose keeps building up dry mucous all day long. if anyone can help, would appreciate it, the drs. don't seem too interested. thank you |
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Virginia
10 May 2010, 14:42
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| To Sheila C. I would definately have a lip biopsy done to determine it you have SS. Good Luck |
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Ann Z
28 Mar 2010, 22:52
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| Has anyone else with Sjogrens had the problem of sloughing of the mucosa
inside the cheeks (both sides). I have Fibromyalgia and my DR thinks that
with the dry eyes and mouth, I very likely have Sjogrens as well. He isn't sure if the cheek sloughing is part of it. I haven't read that anyone else has that. I would appreciate any comments. |
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Carol Grady
17 Feb 2010, 13:34
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| There is a warning which I discovered for Salagen users....it's not for use if you have asthma and I do. My Doctor never checked that out....good thing I did. I also use a new oral spray called Rain to moisten my mouth especially at night. During the day sugar free gum works best. I've tried different lubricant eye drops but always return to my favorite "Refresh Plus" for sensitive eyes. Saline spray works great for keeping nostrils moist. I've been doing all this for about 27 years and have become use to the regimen. |
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gloria
02 Feb 2010, 12:09
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| To: Sheila Caldwell in reponse to your non dignosis please have a lip biopsy if you haven't already to detect sjogrens S. I had no antibodies show up twice in my blood tests but had slighly elevated crp and sed rate so we did the biopsy and it showed mild inflammation of the salivary gland the dr said it pointed to sjogrens so I could now get a prescription for plaquenil which hopefully will help. You have the same symptoms i have, i originally was diagnosed with burning mouth syndrome through an oral medicine specialist because of the burning i had too. You don't have the burning so.... Maybe you should check that out. Hope you find relief. I chew gum, drink water, eye drops, nose spray, and now plaquencil too soon to say if it will help. i used evoxac b4 the SS diagnosis but it didn't help me. All the best, Gloria |
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lois George
17 Nov 2009, 14:11
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| Have any of you had your B3 levels checked. Simple to add this test when
you are having blood work done. But if you have never had it done, I would
go now to get it checked. Your blood level should be in the 50's. Check out
The Vitamin D Council. Google can find it for you. Extremely important |
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Shari
16 Nov 2009, 18:28
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| Salagen has helped both my eyes and mouth. I rinse w/Biotene, occasionally chew sugar-free gum. Salagen is very expensive even in generic (Evoxac $225 for 90 capsules, 3 per day). I have also had punctal occlusion for my lower tear ducts and that helped. Every day includes eye drops. It helps to drink water and I find that summer heat causes more dryness. |
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SHEILA CALDWELL
20 Oct 2009, 19:59
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| I HAVE DRY EYES, DRY MOUTH, AND DRY NOSE. I WAS TESTED FOR SJOGREN'S AND WAS TOLD I DON'T HAVE IT, BUT CAN'T SEEM TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT I DO HAVE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS, AND IS DRIVING ME CRAZY, ESPECIALLY MY MOUTH. IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT IT MIGHT B OR HOW OR WHO TO SEE TO REMEDY IT, WOULD B GREATLY APPRECIATED, THANK YOU |
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K Wittal
23 Aug 2009, 13:56
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| I use Bio Tears, very good product. |
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mary
20 Aug 2009, 09:55
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| I tried Salagen for years and it worked for me. I know it was expensive but my pharmacist has informed me that it now has a generic. |
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Ariviste
25 Jul 2009, 18:33
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| A good mouth lubricant that can be carried in the purse is a spray called Oasis. It temporarily moistens the mouth and can be quietly used without anyone knowing. An ointment that is very good for night use is Muro 128 which goes in the eyes at bedtime. It can be found sometimes on the drug counter with the eye drops and sometimes you have to ask the pharmacist for it, but it doesn't require a prescription. It was suggested by my ophthalmologist and keeps you from having to get up in the night to use drops. |
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Tiffany
12 Jul 2009, 21:58
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| Dear B. Mckibbin, YES...I use Salivasure. My pharmacy carries it. It is about $8.50 a packett. If that is a better price let me know and perhaps we can work out something where I can help you get it. I know the horror of dry mouth. Also....the Salagen is a waste of money, huh? I was going to look into that drug. |
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B. McKibbin
21 May 2009, 13:35
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| In cooperation with my dentist, I was diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome
several years ago and was prescribed a very expensive drug called Salagen.
Later looking for an alternative I found a supplement (lozenges)
manufactured by Scandinavian Formulas Inc. called SalivaSure. I have only
been able to find it on the internet and a company called VitaCost seems to
have the best price. The primary active ingredient is xylitol. Cost is
about 1/10th that of Salagen. A product for Dry Eye called Thera Tears Nutrition an Omega 3 supplement seems to help. I have been able to find it at Walgreen's, or by going direct to the company. |
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anil karn
11 May 2009, 00:10
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| i require details of drug today magzine |
