u/Prettygirl3321

Did hydroxychloroquine make your Sjögren’s symptoms milder?

To everyone who responded to my previous post saying their Sjögren's is mild—I have a question.

I'm trying to understand what I can realistically hope for because right now I'm really not okay. I have so many symptoms, and they're affecting every part of my life and almost every part of my body, I feel like this is pure torture.

When you say your Sjögren's is mild, do you mean it has always been that way, or did it improve with medication?

Since my appointment yesterday with my rheumatologist, I haven't been able to stop crying. She told me that hydroxychloroquine may take 6–9 months to start working. I honestly can't imagine living like this for another 6–9 months.

For those who have improved, did your symptoms become much milder after treatment? Is it possible to go from feeling this sick to having only mild symptoms?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences.

I want to understand something. When I Google Sjögren's, it sounds like a relatively mild condition that mainly causes dry eyes and dry mouth.

However, when I watch YouTube videos or read about other people's experiences, they're describing nearly every one of my many debilitating symptoms—neurological issues, autonomic symptoms, and much more.

I haven't started any treatment yet. My rheumatologist is calling me this week because my test results came back positive for Sjögren's.

My question is: Is Sjögren's generally considered a mild condition? Once I start the right treatment, is it realistic to expect to live a normal life again?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people with firsthand experience.

Blood result:

Early Sjogren's Syndrome:

Salivary Protein 1 Ab Result 01:

Abnormal

Positive

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I have my rheumatologist appointment in a month and would like to know if I for sure have Sjogrens.

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Symptoms: Autonamic dysfunction+ years of having dry mouth and eyes and lots of more symptoms.

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Thank you!