WTF is Sjögren's Syndrome?

07/09/2025

📖💔 Sjögren’s and Me: My Diagnosis Journey 💔📖

I want to share something personal…
It took 1 1/2 years for me to get diagnosed with Sjögren’s.

I was told it was “just stress.”
Or “just getting older.”
Doctors brushed it off as anxiety, dehydration, or “maybe hormonal.”

But I knew something was wrong.

It started with:
👁️ Dry, burning eyes
👄 A sticky, dry mouth that made eating hard
🛏️ Crushing fatigue that felt like I was moving through wet cement
🧠 Brain fog that made simple things feel impossible

It wasn’t in my head.
It was Sjögren’s.

Getting diagnosed gave me relief—but also grief.
Because this is a lifelong condition. One I have to manage every single day.

But I share this to say: If you're still searching for answers, don't give up.
You’re not imagining it. You are your own best advocate. 🧡

07/08/2025

Hydration = Cough’s Kryptonite 💧🦸‍♀️”

Your cough isn’t just being dramatic—it’s thirsty. 👅
When your airways are drier than your ex’s apologies, your body tries to compensate… by coughing. A lot.

Try this:
✅ Sip water every 20–30 minutes
✅ Add electrolytes for bonus moisture magic
✅ Warm herbal teas > cold drinks for soothing action

07/08/2025

Story of attack coughing
🥺 Oof, yeah—coughing and Sjögren’s syndrome can absolutely be a thing, and it’s more common (and more annoying) than people realize. Let’s talk about what’s going on under the hood.

💡 First: What Even Is Sjögren’s?

Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system basically gets confused and attacks your body’s moisture-producing glands—most notably your salivary and lacrimal (tear) glands. So: dry mouth, dry eyes… and for many folks, dry everything else too.

⸻

🫁 So Where’s the Cough Coming From?

If you’re coughing and you have Sjögren’s, here are the top culprits:

1. Dry Airways (aka Desert Throat Vibes)
• Your airways need moisture to stay happy.
• Sjögren’s dries up secretions in your trachea and bronchi, leading to chronic dry cough.
• It’s a constant throat tickle—irritating and unproductive (the worst kind of cough).

2. Laryngopharyngeal Dryness
• Dryness can irritate the larynx and upper throat, triggering cough reflexes.
• Talking for long periods or breathing dry air makes it worse.

3. Postnasal Drip / Sinus Issues
• Sjögren’s can mess with your sinuses too—chronic inflammation and nonallergic rhinitis can cause mucus dripping down your throat, especially at night.
• That tickle leads to you guessed it—coughing.

4. Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
• Sjögren’s folks often have GERD too (probably due to reduced saliva, which normally neutralizes acid).
• That reflux can irritate your esophagus and trigger a cough, especially lying down.

5. Lung Involvement (Interstitial Lung Disease)
• Rare, but serious. Some people with Sjögren’s develop inflammation in the lungs.
• If you’ve got coughing plus shortness of breath or chest pain, see a doc ASAP.

⸻

🛠️ What Can You Do About It?

Depending on what’s causing your cough:

✅ General Relief Tips:
• Hydration is key: Water, herbal teas, lozenges.
• Use a humidifier, especially while sleeping.
• Try saline nasal spray or nasal rinses if sinuses are part of the problem.
• Avoid irritants: smoking, scented products, dry/cold air.
• Honey (if you’re not diabetic) can help coat your throat and suppress cough.

💊 Medical Treatments Might Include:
• Pilocarpine or Cevimeline (for stimulating moisture production)
• Inhalers or nebulizers (if lung involvement or airway inflammation is suspected)
• PPIs or antacids if GERD is a trigger
• Steroid nasal sprays or antihistamines (for sinus inflammation)
• Immunosuppressants (for more severe cases)

⸻

🚩 When to Call in the Pros:

If your cough:
• Is worsening, constant, or interfering with sleep
• Comes with fever, wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Produces colored or bloody phlegm
…it’s time to let your rheumatologist or primary doc know. You might need imaging or a pulmonary consult.

07/07/2025

Sjögren’s Syndrome: Letter by Letter

S – Silent struggle — most won’t see what you fight daily.
J – Joints ache like you’ve aged 40 years overnight.
Ö – Över it some days… but pushing forward anyway.
G – Grit — because chronic pain requires it.
R – Relentless dryness — eyes, mouth, skin, soul.
E – Energy crashes out of nowhere. Fatigue that steals life.
N – No cure, but not without hope.
’S – Still standing. Still showing up. Still fighting.

S – Saliva? A distant memory some days.
Y – You don’t “look sick.” But it’s there. Always.
N – Naps become survival tools.
D – Doctors missed it for years.
R – Resilience isn’t a choice — it’s the only option.
O – Overloaded bag: meds, eyedrops, lip balm, tissues, grit.
M – Moisture = gold. Never leave home without it.
E – Empathy grows when your body turns on itself.

07/07/2025

💋 Lip Care That Doesn’t Quit (Even When My Saliva Does)

If you’re battling cracked lips from autoimmune issues like Sjögren’s, regular lip balm is like bringing a butter knife to a sword fight. Here’s my list of MVPs that actually do the job:

🔥 For serious dryness & healing:
• Lansinoh Lanolin Cream (not just for babies!)
• Dr. Dan’s CortiBalm — has hydrocortisone for inflammation
• Aquaphor Healing Ointment — the GOAT
• FixMySkin balm — 1% hydrocortisone + shea = yes please
• Vanicream Lip Protectant — for sensitive skin warriors

💄 For daytime wear:
• Jack Black Intense Therapy Balm (SPF + hydration = love)
• Burt’s Bees Rescue Stick (not their regular one!)
• Glossier Balm Dotcom (unscented version FTW)

🌙 For overnight repair:
• Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
• Nuxe Rêve de Miel Balm (smells like you’re healing in a citrus grove)

Exfoliate gently if needed with a soft toothbrush or honey + sugar scrub — but don’t overdo it. Your lips are sensitive, not drywall.

Let’s normalize being high-maintenance when your body gives you high-maintenance problems. 💁‍♀️

07/07/2025

💦 Dry Mouth, No Chill: My Saliva Survival Kit

Sjögren’s doesn’t just come for your lips — it shows up uninvited to your entire face. Dry mouth is one of the worst parts. Imagine trying to eat a cracker with zero moisture in your mouth and then trying to talk without sounding like you swallowed sand.

I’ve learned to fight back with a personal moisture arsenal — and it actually helps:

✅ My Go-To Saliva Helpers:
• XyliMelts (cheek discs — lifesavers at night!)
• Biotène mouth spray or gel for quick daytime relief
• Sugar-free gum with xylitol to stimulate saliva naturally
• Lozenges like ACT Dry Mouth or TheraBreath
• Coconut oil rinses for a soothing coat (weird, but it works)
• Prescription pilocarpine when things get next-level dry
• Water on water on water. I basically live with a cup in hand.

If you have tricks, hacks, or holy grail products — share the goods. Nobody talks about this stuff, but wow, it matters.

07/07/2025

Dry Lips, Cracked Truths & Sjögren’s Syndrome

Okay, real talk: I thought I just had “chronic chapped lips” for the longest time. Cue the endless chapstick collection, constant lip licking (which makes it worse, btw), and enough Vaseline to grease a bowling alley.

Turns out? It’s Sjögren’s syndrome — an autoimmune condition that messes with your moisture-producing glands. Think dry eyes, dry mouth, and yep… lips that crack if you look at a breeze the wrong way.

It’s more than annoying — it’s painful, constant, and kind of isolating when no one gets why you’re always reapplying balm like it’s your full-time job. 🧴💄

If you’re struggling with dry lips that never seem to heal, or dry mouth/eyes that just won’t quit, talk to your doctor. It might not be “just winter skin.”

💬 Have any of you dealt with this? Got any miracle lip products or hacks? I’m always on the lookout for something that actually works.

Let’s keep talking about the “invisible” stuff. You never know who needs to hear it. 💛



⸻

✅ What’s helped me:
• Lanolin-based balms (like Lansinoh — yep, the ni**le cream! Game-changer.)
• Hydration tablets + sipping water constantly
• Humidifier in my bedroom
• Prescription pilocarpine for saliva production
• Avoiding mint, alcohol-based products, and salty snacks (sad, I know)

07/04/2025

📖💔 Sjögren’s and Me: My Diagnosis Journey 💔📖

I want to share something personal…
It took [insert # of years here] years for me to get diagnosed with Sjögren’s.

I was told it was “just stress.”
Or “just getting older.”
Doctors brushed it off as anxiety, dehydration, or “maybe hormonal.”

But I knew something was wrong.

It started with:
👁️ Dry, burning eyes
👄 A sticky, dry mouth that made eating hard
🛏️ Crushing fatigue that felt like I was moving through wet cement
🧠 Brain fog that made simple things feel impossible

It wasn’t in my head.
It was Sjögren’s.

Getting diagnosed gave me relief—but also grief.
Because this is a lifelong condition. One I have to manage every single day.

But I share this to say: If you're still searching for answers, don't give up.
You’re not imagining it. You are your own best advocate. 🧡

07/04/2025

07/04/2025

🔥100 Degrees & Counting — But for Those with Sjögren’s, It Hits DIFFERENT🔥

If you’re out here complaining about the heat, imagine battling chronic dryness on top of it.

For those with Sjögren’s Syndrome, triple-digit temps aren’t just uncomfortable — they’re debilitating.

💧 No, it’s not “just being thirsty.”
🧠 It’s autoimmune. It attacks moisture-producing glands — mouth, eyes, skin — everything.
🌬️ And in extreme heat? That dryness multiplies. Breathing gets harder. Vision gets blurrier. Energy drains faster.

This isn’t a “tough it out” condition. It’s an everyday battle — one the heat makes ten times harder.

So before you make fun of someone for “carrying 3 water bottles,”
or “skipping the summer BBQ,”
or “needing shade all the time” —

👉 Remember: invisible illnesses don’t take the summer off.

💙 Advocate. Hydrate. Check on your friends with chronic illness.
They may look fine, but they’re surviving a storm you can’t see.

07/01/2025

🛁💧 Managing Sjögren’s: Tips That Actually Help 💧🛁

There’s no cure (yet), but small changes can make BIG differences.

Here’s what’s helping me manage Sjögren’s every day:

🫧 Humidifier – Keeps my air moist and my skin less irritated
👁️ Preservative-free eyedrops – A must every few hours
👄 Mouth sprays & sugar-free lozenges – Because dry mouth is real
🪥 Xylitol toothpaste & rinse – Fights cavities caused by lack of saliva
🌱 Anti-inflammatory foods – Turmeric, ginger, and leafy greens are my go-tos
🛌 Rest without guilt – Fatigue isn’t laziness; it’s part of the disease
🧘🏽‍♀️ Gentle stretching & warm baths – Relieves pain and boosts mood

No, it’s not a cure. But these tools help me get through each day with more ease, and a little more peace. 💛

06/30/2025

🧠✨ What Is Sjögren’s Syndrome? ✨🧠

Sjögren’s (SHOW-grins) Syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own moisture-producing glands. This leads to common symptoms like:

👁️ Dry eyes
👄 Dry mouth
💤 Fatigue
🦴 Joint pain

It’s often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed—especially because symptoms can look like other conditions. Some people go years before getting a diagnosis. 😞

It’s not just dryness. It’s a systemic condition that can affect the lungs, kidneys, nervous system, and more.

👉🏽 Help spread awareness. Learn. Share. Support.