Sjögren's Syndrome - Disease Overview | Johns Hopkins

Sjögren's Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that is found primarily in women, where inflammation at the salivary and lacrimal glands causes dryness of the eyes and mouth. However, it’s also a systemic disease that affects the entire body, producing joint pain and fatigue, and damaging internal organs. As many as four million Americans suffer from Sjögren's Syndrome, which often overlaps with other rheumatic diseases making it very common to misdiagnose or overlook. Unfortunately, many patients are not diagnosed on time, which makes it much more difficult to treat. In this video, the Director of the Jerome L. Greene Sjögren's Syndrome Center, Dr. Alan Baer, discusses the symptoms and problems that many patients with Sjögren's Syndrome face.

[beverlymcgee]

I have Sjogrens and it also affects my autonomic system. I’ve been tested for orthostatic hypotension and it has come back positive many times. It was thought that my weakness and drops of blood pressure was due to something like MS or even Parkinson’s but all of my testing was negative for those and I was told that my Sjorgrens is affecting my autonomic system. I really wish you could go deeper in your explanation of this disorder because many people believe that it is just dry eyes and mouth, and that part can be very bad, but I also have a lot of very painful muscle spasms and blood pressure problems. Thank you!

[nativeveteran]

I have RA and Sjogren's. It's beem a rollercoaster. I initially thought I developed the SjS symptoms from other things like medication side effects. I learned I have RA and SjS 2 weeks apart and it was overwhelming.

[MonchoDeLaMota]

what RA + Sjögren’s feels like to me: suddenly one day you are old (RA) and miserable (Sjögren’s)