Dry eyes dry mouth PLEASE HELP!!!!

[sunnylau]

Hello!
Is anybody missdiagnossed with sjogre's syndrome or just have episodes of dryness in mouth eyes and very dry hair?
I'm also have a big list of symptoms but I'm corious if lyme could be mimicking sjogren¡s syndrome.
Afetr more than 2 years suffering different kind of symptoms now i have dryness and the rheumatologist thinks could be sjogren's even when i tested negative.
Thanks

[JackieCalifornia]

PS -- I just now searched online for

                          -- lyme disease argentina --

and found a number of articles.  You may wish to contact some of those authors or hospitals/universities and see what suggestions they may have for someone in your situation, such as where to find a good physician to treat you.

[JackieCalifornia]

Hello again --

Are you still seeing ophthalmologist you mentioned earlier?  He or she may be a good source to help you find an MD near you who understands Lyme overall.  And the retina specialist may be a good source as well, to help you find an MD who understands how to treat Lyme overall.

The rheumatologist sounds like he may not keep up with current medical views about Lyme, which is not uncommon in the US as well:  for some reason, rheumatologists don't tend to see the bigger picture of how the Lyme patient is doing overall.  I would consult with a Lyme specialist before agreeing to take corticosteroids.

Here is a link to a 1993 article about Lyme in Argentina.  If you have not been in contact with the author of that article, it may be help you to find an MD who really does understand Lyme.

Rev Saude Publica. 1993 Aug; 27(4):305-7.
Lyme disease: antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in farm workers in Argentina.

                     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8209163

I searched online for that link, and found information about the researchers and other writing by him/them.  

Part of their publication at the link above:  "Because we have no previous report of Lyme disease in human inhabitants in Argentina, a study was designed as a seroepidemiologic investigation of the immune response to B. burgdorferi in farm workers of Argentina with arthritis symptoms. Three out of 28 sera were positive (#1, 5 and 9). Serum #1 was positive for Immunoglobulin G at dilution 1:320, serum #5 and #9 both to dilution 1:160; while for Immunoglobulin M all (#1, 5 and 9) were positive at low dilution (1:40) using IF.    

--->>>  "The results showed that antibodies against B. burgdorferi are present in an Argentinian population. Thus caution should be exercised in the clinical interpretation of arthritis until the presence of B. burgdorferi be confirmed by culture in specific media."

Even in 1993, there was some awareness of Lyme in Argentina, so you may find other MDs and researchers who can guide you a knowledgeable MD for assistance.

Also, you might contact ILADS [dot] com and ask for any of their member MDs are in Argentina.

Let us know how we can help -- and don't give up!  We look forward to hearing from you again --

[sunnylau]

So the dryness could be lyme,because i was researching and didn't find it as a symptom. And the rheumatologist wants to give me corticoids and i know if i had lyme could be bad.

[mojogal]

My retina specialist was Lyme aware and very open to it. He helped me. I forgot that I was seeing dark spots too. All helped by the plugs, and drops

[JackieCalifornia]

Have you seen an ophthalmologist since you became ill?  That is an MD who specializes in eyes, not just someone who makes glasses.

I was surprised to learn not long after I was diagnosed with Lyme that ophthalmologists are very open-minded and aware of Lyme and its effects.  Just a thought.

Also, if you were infected with Lyme somewhere other than where you live now, the tests may not be looking for the local strain of Lyme, and so they could come back negative.  You might bring that up with the MD.  Just a thought.

[sunnylau]

Thanks sooo much you are ver kind.
Im not being treated because theblood test says negative.
So if my igg has a titter means i could have been infected?
I was bitten in 2012 in Uk
Interesting to find people having lyme and dryness too.
The method of the test i had is Ifa. It tests only iggg and igm

[sunnylau]

Thanks sooo much you are ver kind.
Im not being treated because theblood test says negative.
So if my igg has a titter means i could have been infected?
I was bitten in 2012 in Uk
Interesting to find people having lyme and dryness too.
The method of the test i had is Ifa. It tests only iggg and igm

[JackieCalifornia]

IgG means 'immunoglobulin G' and
IgM means 'immunoglobulin M'

Both IgG and IgM are made by your body to fight infection.

Early in an infection, your body makes IgM
Later in an infection, your body stops making IgM and starts making IgG

Both are useful, and an MD can tell about how long you have been infected by how much IgG and IgM are each being made.  That can sometimes help the MD decide what medicines to give you.

Because your body seems to be making more IgG now, it may mean that it is not a new infection, so the MD knows better how to treat your illness.

It's a good question, but your MD can tell you better what the test results mean for you.  Sending you good wishes!

[Ephedra]

Your testing may be a bit different from ours, are there reference ranges? Negative doesn't mean anything. I was ELISA negative also western blot negative. It took an IGenex western blot to pick up on my infection, it's a specialty lab.  I have dry eyes and mouth.  I find it interesting that your doctor thinks sjogren's even though you were negative. I thought I had that, despite the Lyme. Tested negative, so figured I must not have it.
You can treat yourself. Sometimes that's the only option.

[sunnylau]

I also have erythromelalgya that it's found in bartonella infection,red burning feet and hands and it's painfull

[sunnylau]

My elisa came back negative
igg 1/10
igm negative

what that means?
why one have a nuiber and the other just negative?

[mojogal]

I had to see a retina specialist for my very dry eyes which is from the co-infection Bartonella. The Doctor put plugs in my eyes and gave me special drops which has helped.

[JackieCalifornia]

If you search online for

          --     lyme disease argentina   --

you will find quite a few references and links that may be helpful.  The newspapers in Argentina may not have been publishing on this topic, but the medical personnel appear to be paying attention.

Let us know how your search goes, okay?  Best wishes --

[sunnylau]

Yes.my problem is i live in Argentina and no Lyme here so no doctors knowing anything.
i tested negative for everything during 2 years and lyme was my last option (i was bitten by mosquitoes in UK before getting sick)
I'm really desperate in a country with no resources to treat or test lyme

[JackieCalifornia]

Welcome to the Lyme page --

The rheumatologist may not know much about Lyme disease and is just reaching for the nearest thing he is comfortable diagnosing.

Rheumatologists are often not very aware of Lyme or don't take it seriously, so that may be the reason for the doc's reaction.

You might consider a second opinion from an ILADS-member MD -- it's what I would do.