Hi:

Are you able to supplement with taking the dry form of Vitamin A to help with the dry eyes and the dry mouth? How about the Vitamin B Complex and the Omegas such as Flaxseed oil and if you can tolerate a bit of fish oil too?

Here's a link:
http://www.visionworksusa.com/dryeyes.htm

{{{hugs}}} :-)

I was diagnosed with secondary Sjogren's 2 months ago; however, I have had it much longer I'm sure. I, too, have RA and have had it for many years. Dry mouth and dry eyes have been the worst problem for me also, but I also have rash, dry skin and many of the other symptoms that you will find online. It is so miserable and so I understand what you are saying. My tongue, cheeks and lips became so bad that I was unable to eat much and have lost 45 pounds in the past 5 months. Not a recommended diet plan! I have learned that spicy foods need to be avoided. Sugar also bothers me and makes my mouth and throat more like "cotton". So I watch for sugarless foods. (Anyone else with problems eating sugar in food?) I drink lots and lots and lots of water! I use Biotene products such as Dry Mouth toothpaste and mouthwash. They also make a gel that helps during the worst of times. I have oral yeast infections regularly and have prescriptions for Nystatin and Diflucan when needed. Vaseline for lips and around eyes are also part of my routine. My opthomologist recommended using it around my eyes since dry eye calls for lots of eye drops as well as Restasis. I have also used kukui oil around my eyes which helps relieve some of the discomfort. I am very careful not to get these vaseline and oil into the eye, however. I use Refresh eye drops, gel at night when needed. Fish Oil and Flaxseed has also been recommended.

Probably one of the most helpful things that I might suggest is to use a humidifier especially at night. That really helps me since I live in a desert but cold climate.

I have also been on Evoxac for over a month. The side affects are terrible but if you can get past those, I think it does have it's benefits. Evoxac was prescribed for me to take 3 times daily. However, profuse sweating at night became unbearable so I take it only during the day and before 3 o'clock in the afternoon after discussing it with my rheumatologist. That has worked better for me.

I might recommend joining the Sjogren's Syndrome Group to join in discussion with many others who can help you understand and deal with the symptoms of Sjogren's that you are dealing with.

Different things work for different people so I think we each have to find what might be what is right for the individual. I hope some of these suggestions help you in some way. Good luck in finding what is right for you and I hope you feel better soon. Please let us know how you are dealing with this terrible disease.

Do you mean Sjogrens? I have it as well. I use Restasis, a great OTC eyedrop called Oasis, and Biotene oral products. I opted to have Silicone plugs put in my tear ducts to hold in tears. I have not heard of the Exovac before, what is it for? Good luck, Sjogrens is a difficult disease to treat, not to mention uncomfortable.

Heather

I take Pilocarpine which is the generic for Salagen another pill for helping add moisture. I suffer from dry everything, lol. I carry ice chips with me wherever I go because my mouth only feels moist while the water I sip in in my mouth. The minute I swallow my mouth is dry again. There isn't enough water in the universe to banish my dryness and after awhile I feel like my eyeballs are floating, LOL

I use an OTC eyedrop - Soothe XP by Baush & Lomb. It has a bit of oil in it which works even better that the straight liquid eye drops. My GP and rheumy both say that if my eyes get worse I'll need to see an Opthamologist before using Restasis since it's a steroid. So far the eyes are hanging in there.

Good luck with this and I would definitely join the SS board, this is just one of the autoimmune diseases that like to hang out with RA.

hugs jilly

I like using Evoxac just as needed (not 3 times a day as prescribed), and I have used Oasis mouth spray with good results. I also feel like the Biotene products are helpful, and I agree about the Oasis eye drops. I've almost totally lost my appetite for sugary foods, as well as my much beloved spicy Mexican food, and even salty things are out of my diet these days. Chips and crackers have to have some greasiness to go down well also. Since I've also developed an allergy to dairy, and I feel like carbs add to my fatigue, I think I need to quit eating altogether! Good luck with this. I think I'm simply getting used to it, so it doesn't enter my thoughts as much as before.

I also have Sjogrens. I am on an array of meds, but have found that OTC products from Biotene are very helpful (toothpaste, mouthwash, gum).

Heather

Yes, same for me, with some or all of the above. Really hard to treat with meds, I think, but the other things help.