Hello i am joseph from philippines am 18 years old and i am a college student . I have dry eyes,back pain and nasal dryness. this pain is so baddddddd... this sickness make me stop go to school because the pain is so bad ((( i could take this anymore. everytime i woke up in the morning the joint pain is so bad i cry sometimes because of this..i dont know what to my family didn't understand me ..only god and myself know what i've been through with this pain..can you give advice ...(( i need your help..i am new here and i dont want this disease rule my life forever..( i need to go in school as soon as possible (
Hi Joseph
I am really sorry to hear you having such a bad time with pain in your joints, do you take any type of medication, and do you see any medical people at any time, maybe your collage has some type of health personnel that you could visit.
i also have a lot of pain in my joints but I have Rheumatoid arthritis you did not say if you also have this, I do have the most awfull discomfort with my sinuses (nose) I use a saline spray to relieve the discomfort with dry nasal passages and if possible try an eye drop for your eyes such as a natural tears. I hope you get some help with your symptoms so you can manage your studies.
Dear Joseph,
This must be terrible for you, I'm so sorry. This might be a stupid question but... have you actually been able to see a doctor and get a diagnosis? You're very young to have Sjogren's syndrome (though it's not impossible) so I'm wondering whether your doctor has looked at alternative diagnoses.
Hi Joseph ~
I too and sorry you're suffering so much with this awful disease. Sjogrens in the eyes alone is enough to make one go mad but the added inflammation of the joints from this can really suck! Have you seen a Rheumatologist? They perscribe usually a steroid for eyes and for the joints to help with the pain and dryness. Plus for the eyes you can get an eye drop with a gel in it. Be sure it has that gel in it because that's what's going to help the drops to stick around for a while. It's a bit more expensive but you'll use it less and less. Also, at night, you can get an eye ointment to put in your eyes so you won't wake up with that pain and dryness that hurts so much. If you eyes become so dry (as mine did) you can injure your cornea. For me that cause temporary blindness in my left eye. That's why the ointment is so very and desperately needed.
For your joint pain, I suspect that the Rheumi will give you something for that until you go into remission, and hopefully you will do just that.
I wish you good luck and again, I'm sorry you are suffering like you are and at such an early age. Please do not stop until you see a Rheumi and they dx you with this disease and give you meds to take care of it. Meantime, get those drops and help yourself before you have worse effects.
Warm regards,
Frustrated
I apologize for the repeating of my messages. It's a glich in the system and I've asked the MOD to remove all but the initial one. Again, not my fault but sorry you had to read and read lol
Warmly,
Frustrated
Hello Joseph, im sorry what a horrible hard time your having at the moment with this disease. Try to rest if /when you need to!! This is the only way to replenish any energy your lacking when fatigued. i know it can be frustrating & worrying missing things like school, i have the same not being able to get on with things i would like to in life. Can you have some work sent home, so you can do some when your feeling up to it? Are you taking any painkillers for your pain? Keep your faith and talk to God to make some peace in your life. I will be thinking of you & praying you have relief in the near future.
Just another small thing, you need to see someone to get the right help with drops. But in the morning I wake up not wanting to open my eyes they are so uncomfortable. My Rhuemtoligist gave me little tip that helps a little. Warm a flannel or cloth & hold it over you eyes in the morning.
i take drops and it doesnt work ( i go Rhuemtologist he tell us to i should go through blood test but my family didnt take it...i wait for my mom because she is the one who understand me ( i been experience this in two years..i need more advice what should i do .. im not being diagnose but some of the symptoms i experience it ( please help me
Joseph, there's no way round this. You have to convince your family to let you have the blood tests. They won't be much help in diagnosing Sjogren's itself but could help a lot if it turns out that you're suffering from something else. My own Sjogren's was in fact diagnosed from a blood test, as they found anti-salivary gland antibodies, but that's quite unusual.
However, a blood test is essential to get a general picture of your health, especially as Sjogren's syndrome in a young man your age is practically unknown. It might well be that you're suffering from something else altogether, that could be treated.
I don't know how the health care system works in the Philippines, but I see you've been to see a rheumatologist, which would be much more expensive than a blood test (where I live anyway) so I'm guessing money isn't a problem. And a blood test is very simple - doesn't hurt at all.
I hope you can sort this one out.
thank you for reply (( may god help you in your problems...i will wait my mom and i promise that i will be a good boy at the last of my life ( i want to change the whole of me..consequences are killing me
Joseph - Would you like to tell me what you mean about "waiting for my mum"? I'm not sure I understand. It doesn't matter if you'd rather not say. It's just that you sound rather sad and troubled.
Joseph, you are to young to start talking or thinking of the end of your life!! I'm sure your a good fellow now, but you have to look after yourself. Who told you the symptoms your suffering are to do with sjogrens? You say you want to change the whole of you? Do you mean being fed up with whole of you over the joint pain? Or something else Joseph? Seems there is more to say to be understood better, take care
oww its not about suicide ) i am a child of god .. i am a fighter in this world.. sorry for misunderstand my words... "i will be a good boy at the last of my life" it means i'll be a good boy until i become old...i will make my mother proud ... my mother is working in hongkong she will save money to cure this sickness..... this sickness cannot defeat me... filipinos are stronger thats why i am strong...
I didn't mean suicide but glad how strong you are keep figjting it!! Well done
Very relieved to hear that, Joseph! I see now that you meant "for the rest of my life". I'm also glad to hear that your mother is working in HK and not in a more dangerous part of the world.
But please don't get too dependent on the idea that you're going to cure Sjogren's with money - if that is indeed what you have. Unfortunately, it can't be cured, only managed. This is done by treating the symptoms (drops for dry eyes, mouth gels etc.) and maintaining a positive attitude. A fighter like you shouldn't have any trouble with the latter. As I'm sure you'll know, a good diet is also very important - no sodas or smoothies, small amounts of fresh fruit, lots of green vegetables and a lot of oily fish. If fish is too expensive, fish oil capsules can work out cheaper. But whichever way you do it, this has to be for life.
And like all auto-immune conditions, Sjogren's often goes into remission, or even disappears altogether for no apparent reason. This is more likely to happen if you don't obsess over your symptoms or let them get you down. And please get that blood test! I'm still not convinced you really have Sjogren's.
Good luck!
Lily
oww thanks for the reply and giving your little time to me all of you ( i stop go to school right now.. i have 5 months of vacation ..please give some advice i need get rid of this dry eyes,joint pain.nasal dryness.. in my times (especially in highschool) i take marijuana and i smoke ciggaretes..this the most regret of my life why i do that thing -___- well i am just teenager and i didn't the right path..but right now sadly to say i need to be cure..please give some advice..my mom will come home in march it takes 5 months to take a blood test..my family cannot understand me (( only god and me knows what i've been through with this pain...
i have 5 months vacation what should i do ??? this dry eyes and joint pain is sucks//and nasal dryness too.. my mom will come here in philippines in march .. i need some advice
Joseph, can you get to a pharmacy to ask about eye and nasal drops? You should be able to get over-the-counter products that don't cost too much. That will at least help with the dry eyes and nose. As far as the joint pains are concerned, if only your Mum can take you for blood tests at a private clinic, is there some kind of free public clinic you could attend on your own? It really does sound as if you need to see a doctor, even if it means hanging around for hours in a crowded waiting room. You're old enough now to start taking responsibility for your own health.
As for the cigarettes and grass in high-school, I wouldn't worry too much about that. It wouldn't have caused your present symptoms and this isn't Divine punishment either. On the other hand, smoking anything at all isn't a good idea if you have a dry mouth, as it will only make things worse.
Unfortunately, all anyone on this site can give you is general advice, not concrete help. You need to see a doctor to get that.
i stop smoking..its been two years i stop..and one thing i should know what foods,exercise or anything else that can help through (but there no cure) i want to know from a elderly like you what should i do with pain i experience..i have drops... if i have a money i will go to the doctor... my family cannot understand me..(
That's right - you've provided the answer yourself. Go and see a doctor about the joint pains. That's the only advice I can give you, as you may well need prescription medications. Even if you don't have much money, I'm sure there'll be a free or low-cost public clinic somewhere near you. Whatever you do, don't try to self-medicate by ordering medications over the internet. There's no way of knowing what's in them - at best you'd just be wasting your money, at worst you could poison yourself.