Can a periodontist suspect you have Sjogren's?
Posted , 8 users are following.
So I have seen 2 rheumatologists so far who don't agree with em that I might have Sjogren's Syndrome. Today I've seen a periodontist who was sure I have Sjogren's. I have also elevated blood markers for Sjogren's.
Another question has anyone dealt with bone infection as a result of dry moth? I have a bone infection in my jaw above one of the front tooth.
I've been suffering for a year from different symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, bone and joint pain, extreme weakness.
0 likes, 12 replies
amkoffee ebvreactivated
Posted
I was in the same boat as you for couple of years. I was pretty unhappy because I told my dentist I had dry mouth and I told my eye doctor I had dry eyes. Well the eye doctor gave me Restasis and that was the end of that. Nobody told me about sjogren syndrome. Then on another website someone told me it sounded like I had this disease so I Google it and sure enough I have every single symptom (well almost). So I told my rheumatologist and she did the blood test and it came back negative so then she recommends I go to an oral surgeon get a biopsy and it came back inconclusive. I never heard of anybody getting results like that but they're a horrible lab. Finally my GI did a CBC and also added an autoimmune panel and finally it came back positive for sjogren. But the way I felt about it before my diagnosis was it really doesn't matter if it's sjogren or not I have an extremely dry mouth and extremely dry eyes.
ebvreactivated amkoffee
Posted
are your results positive for primary or secondary Sjogren? Mine were for secondary and she said it's not enough for a diagnosis. Besides I don't have dry eye, or at least I don't feel them as too dry. I have dry mouth, dry throat, dry nose dry ears, dry skin, hair loss and what not. I'm still in so much pain yet no diagnosis
Thanks for your reply
Chiku29 ebvreactivated
Posted
ebvreactivated Chiku29
Posted
Interesting to know, thank you for your post. I actually have had dry mouth since I was a teenager, now I'm in my 30s. I actually have never had a blood test done for any autoimmune diseases. SO last year I had blood test done twice which showed only elevated markers for Sjogren's.My doctor explained to me that Sjogren's levels can go up with other diseases too. But the thing is that they are reluctant to do further checking, and here I am suffering for almost a year and still no diagnosis.
diane03050 ebvreactivated
Posted
Well My mouth has been painful. My bottom plate hurts now. I have false teeth. I have had dry mouth since December Then in March developed pain in jaw.. My plate fee to big nd rubs. I then developed thick white mucus feeling my mouth was swollen inside. I wake up every day and my face is swollen It does go down later So by time I would go to a Dr the swelling is down I now have left eye trouble which is my good eye So my Rheumo Dr dropped me because she doesn't take my ins this yr I have been to 6 diff Dr;s about this and blood work is negative tt even says my POLYMYOSITIS is in remission right now. I am weak my legs don't work stairs are difficult and I am so weak I hate it. I know how suffering and things neg for me so frustrating
ebvreactivated diane03050
Posted
I am so sorry you are having a hard time...
Chiku29 ebvreactivated
Posted
Periodontist can diagnose autoimmune Sjogren's Syndrome and pass on details of it to your GP whom will send you for more blood work plus refer you to the hospital's Rheumatologist department.
Chiku29
Posted
Megheart ebvreactivated
Posted
Christine, I just want to make one comment.
You said that you don't think you have dry eye. I didn't either. In fact I thought I had rather moist eyes as they would often stream when outside. However when I went to an Ophthalmologist and had the Schirmers test done, it showed minimal tears were being produced in both eyes. On the basis of how bad they were and the 'story' of my other symptoms, he was brave enough to venture that I most probably had Sjögrens Syndrome.
It took another six years before a Rheumatologist confirmed SS.
ebvreactivated Megheart
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply, Megheart. I always think why my eyes aren't dry because with Sjogren's one must have dry eyes on the first place.
But Since my symptoms started last year I notices that my eyes are kind of swollen when looking inside. Maybe they're dry but don't give me s much discomfort.
Instead I have swollen lymph nodes and lingual tonsils which hurt so much. My ENT doctor said she had never seen such kind of big tonsils before. I really hope to get answers as I suffer on a daily basis.
diane03050 ebvreactivated
Posted
I went to my eye doctor today He did a Schirmer rest the results were bad My left eye was a 5 and my right eye was 3. He said normal is 15 and higher. Mine was very dry He also said Sjogren's syndrome. I only told him the symptoms I had and he gave this diagnosis
lily65668 diane03050
Posted
Same here, Diane - only my Schirmer came out zero on both eyes when done 10 days ago. I too have now been given a firm diagnosis of Sjogren's by two ophthalmologists in the past couple of months - one of whom didn't even do the Schirmer, just looked at my eyes.
In fact, these are the only two occasions I've ever been given a formal diagnosis of SS. I got a probable diagnosis 13 years ago, on the basis of bloodwork, but the rheumatologist I saw at that time said she could only formalise this if I got a positive lip biopsy. I refused the biopsy because by that time I'd read up on it, realised they're not always positive even if the patient clearly has SS, and also knew it could cause permanent nerve damage in some people. In addition, I wasn't even suffering from a dry mouth at that particular time (though I had at other times) so felt this would be a pointless exercise.
My eyes are now a bit of a worry though. The latest ophthalmologist said the cataract on my left eye is ready for surgery. This is something I'm aware of myself, as the glare I'm experiencing in that eye is getting so bad I have to go out wearing dark glasses even when the sun isn't shining these days.
Although this last one was thorough in his examination, he did rather leave me hanging. He said he would never do a cataract op on an eye with zero tears as the outcome wouldn't be good. Apparently cataract surgery dries the eye out further. When I asked him what the solution to this might be he just shrugged and told me to continue getting my eyes checked once a year. It was only when I pushed him that he agreed it might be a good idea for me to see his colleague, who's an eye surface specialist. I'll wait another few months before I do this, as I've seen two different ophthalmologists in less than three months, and I don't think the insurance will cover another one right now.
I do feel a bit in limbo over this cataract business. I couldn't get anything definite from him, but felt the subtext of what he was saying was that I just have to wait till the cataract has practically blinded me before anyone will risk surgery. Fortunately the cataract on the other eye isn't advancing at all, but I'm still not very happy with the situation.