I had been very stressed for a year before my symptoms took off. I have had a dry moth and eyes for as long as I remember though.
I wonder about hormones being part of the cause as well.
When I was pregnant with my third baby I instantly had the same symptoms as I do now. They lasted throughout the pregnancy and faded away over the following gotyear. I had no more symptoms until I got the menopause. The other thing that interests me is that my daughter from that pregnancy got type 1 diabetes when she was a child and is now in her early twenties and being tested for ra. My other 3 adult children have no autoimmune illness ss yet.
Hi Mirrie,
It seems that stress can cause just about any negative impact on the body that you can imagine. So it's always good to find a way to shake it off or reason it out if you can.
Here is an interesting article on stress:
Nice post SK - good to hear from you my friend :)
as you know I m scientifically reasonably sure that chronic stress is a major player in a whole range of diseases.
The key paragraph in that reference is hidden away and is somewhat putative but I believe is central to the whole devastating range of stress effects. It is this =
"Inflammatory Response. Some evidence suggests that chronic stress triggers an over-production of certain immune factors called cytokines. Such findings may partly explain the association between chronic stress and numerous diseases, including heart disease and asthma."
The undeline is my input.
Thanks assybish, I know that you and Kaz, and probably joshed, use this term. I know that I have searched out the definition before, but it's difficult to get it to stick in my mind. Glad I have you scientists and med professionals to keep us on track.
I sought out the definition of 'cytokines', is this a good explanation for the average person?
Yes SK that's a pretty good reference start point if people are interested.
Cytokines are so ubiquitous and we still do not understand their whole role.
It is not clear whether they are the primary causators of immune response and malfunction or are "merely the messangers" they alos have some very profound effects of the brain and may be implicated in most cases of depression hence my comments previously that depression is not "all in the mind and get over it" but is in fact a biochemical misfunction and anti depressant drugs are not that effective for many as they are targetting the wrong thing!
Hence Sjogrens depression IS NOT JUST A RESPONSE TO FEELING S**** BUT IS AN AUTO IMMUNE RESPONSE.
My neuropsych friend believes much depression actually an A.I. disease possibly triggered by prolonged chronic stress?
PTSD for example? Much of the time my symptoms are very like PTSD hyper arousal, anger , sudden flare ups of extreme rage, nightmares, flashbacks alternating with fatigue, brain fog and totally flat depression and the swings can be instant.
ANY ONE ELSE FEEL LIKE THIS ? or is it just a loony Brit? :)
It makes sense to me, I think prolonged stress can manifest in every single way imaginable and unimaginable!
You are certainly describing PTSD as I understand it, as the wife of a combat veteran! Many of these Vietnam vets have been diagnosed with autoimmune, but was it all from the chemical exposure or has the stress/PTSD been considered as a cause?
Seems every answer always involves more than one single factor.
Thanks sk for the link. It was very interesting. I was diagnosed with ptsd way back in my 20 s.
Take care xx
I was diagnosed with it after the last car accident, but hopefully have worked through it!
Wonder how many others were also diagnosed with it and even more importantly, how many were never diagnosed?
Itās great that you have worked through it sk. I have been under the mental health team for the ptsd and a couple of other mental health issues for the past 30 years and iām finally being discharged by them next month. Iāve been lucky to get all the help that iāve had. Iām not sure if this is just my area or the whole of the uk but it is practically impossible to get help on the nhs here now and very expensive to pay for private treatment.
I would imagine that ptsd is really underdiagnosed in the uk.
Take care 
xx
It certainly isnāt fool proof, but I swear certain supplements have greatly helped me with depression: B 12, B 6, D3 and Fish Oil. Getting a MS in counseling probably didnāt hurt.
And like Iāve said (probably a little too much/sorry) I think getting rid of junk food and eating super healthy has helped a little with energy and body aches.
SK
So, are you all saying that this is a dormant trait we have until triggered by stress or a virus ? I know I had mono in high school and later in my 20ās was told I had chronic fatigue syndrome, but donāt recall the fatigue lasting like it is now. Seemed like then,with adequate rest and nutrition it was under control.
I can not stop myself from trying to find out why I have Sjogrenās. I had shingles in my 30s. I also got very sick for over a year. I had fevers and rashes, one day a lymph node in my groin area got as big as a tennis ball. Had to get IV antibiotics. it wouldnāt go away. I had surgery to have the lymph node removed. I have not been the same since. I have brain fog so bad. I just keep thinking how did this happen.
My extreme cough started in February with an upper respiratory infection. Now, I cough from dryness in my throat that feels like someone just stuffed cotten balls in my throat. I didnāt know that chicken pox is from the herpes virus. I had chicken pox as a kid. They are also trying to link the herpes virus to fibromyalgia now, too.
This is a question I have also had. When did I get this and from what. I had mono in high school and chronic fatigue many years ago. This showed up in the last 9-10 months and seems like symptoms are worsening after diagnosis and started on medications ? Is this dormant for years, then we become symptomatic ?
That is pretty much how the docs have explained it to me. Its here and possibly genetic then something triggers it. I wonder too, if having chronic fatigue is a trigger or a symptom that we have an AI brewing.
I had issues at 19 with chronic fatigue. They were never sure if it was that or Epstein-barr but the onset was beyond scary.
And yes, stress is a biggie. I changed jobs into a much higher stress position and it took a serious toll on me. The rheumy was to the point of telling me to get out of the job or it was going to kill me.
I am much better now. LOL.