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I had two recent appointments:
1. with my opthamologist (today) and she basically said if you  
present w/ all the classic symptoms & you are already dx'd as Celiac  
(or another auto immune disease), then you probably have it. My eyes  
were inflamed today too and I'm back on Restasis.
2. with my dentist (last week)- he said to see a medical doctor, but  
in the meantime, there are toothpastes and mouth washes sold over the  
counter that help decrease dry mouth.  I have tried them, it has  
helped.  He also warned do NOT suck on hard candy- the sugar combined  
with the dry mouth = tooth decay accelerated.  Avoid Listerine or any  
mouth wash with alcohol in it.  Avoid alcohol in general.

I'll try to sum up as best I can without being repetitive- I had ~ 40  
responses.  Thank you all!

THis was my original email- responses are written below it:
Yvonne:  "My grandmother had it.

I have been recently diagnosed with Celiac and have been having
problems with dry eyes for a few years. I went to an eye doctor way
back and was told that my tears are abundant but the cell that
lubricates them is missing.  I'm only 44, that happened when I was
41.  I was told I would need to use Restatsis for the rest of my
life.  Hello glasses, goodbye contacts.  My eyes were inflamed, which
is why I made the appointment.

    My mouth is also very dry and drinking more doesn't seem to help.
My blood test was negative for Sjogrens.  Should I pursue finding
another cause, or is it possible to test negative but have it?  Are
there any other definitive tests?"


RESPONSES (most I summarize, especially if more than one person  
posted it, some I directly quoted):
*  Website:
www.Sjogren’s.org
* See a Rhumentologist.
*  Side affect of certain medications will dry both your eyes and  
mouth- Allegra/ Allegra D is one culprit.
*  Some were tested several times for Sjogrens before they finally  
got a positive result through a blood test.
*  A longer amount of time on a GF diet may be all I need, many  
stated that these symptoms disappeared (and were part of being Celiac  
and not necessarily Sjogrens) after they maintained a GF diet.
* For women, these symptoms could also be the result of hormonal  
changes, peri menopause or menopause.
* Same as dentist's suggested, suck on sugar free hard candy, chew  
sugar free gum, increase fluids, rinse with mouthwash without alcohol  
in it, use specialized toothpastes that help prevent dry mouth.
*"...dry, itchy, irritated eyes are a sign of vitamin B 2 deficiency.  
I was tested for nutritional levels and we discovered I am low in  
vitamin B12, B 2, E, C and selenium."
* " A lip biopsy would give you a definitive diagnosis, but before  
doing that, diabetes can cause thirst and fatigue also."
* "Antinuclear antibody or ANA, SSA, SSB, Rheumatoid factor (RF),  
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate), serum protein  
electrophoresis, Shirmer test, staining, slit lamp exam, lip biopsy,  
salivary gland flow, salivary scintigraphy and sialography.....I am  
being treated with pluga, restasis and plaquenil.
* ".... magnesium deficiency"
* "When it comes to the dry eyes and mouth though... you're looking  
at restasis, humidifying your home, wearing glasses in the slightest  
wind etc.  You can take a drug called evoxac, it increases the  
production of saliva etc."
* "I saw an article that said Omega 3 oils (taking flaxseed or Omega  
3 fish oils) can help with dry eyes.....I should have added that  
increasing potassim might help hold more water in your system...I've  
found that taking potassium citrate really helps me. I been taking 99  
mg potassium citrate tablets, 3 in the morning along with a 500 mg  
time-release Vitamin C for over a year now. ....Potassium citrate can  
be hard to find.  I order it online from www.iherb.com "
*  "I swear by the "holy trinity of digestion":  probiotics (but not  
from sugary yogurt), stomach acid (hydrochloric acid or vinegar w/  
meals) and digestive enzymes.  Celiacs are almost always deficient in  
all of these and so end up with yeast over growth which then  leads  
to a multitude of other food allergies.  I'd go low on sugar and make  
sure you rehabilitate gut using the three above mentioned items as  
well as L-glutamine and a good multivitamin that will keep you full  
of the B's and D (an AMAZING restorative vitamin which we're usually  
deficient in, and which is also very important for intestinal/immune  
health. "
* "One girl wrote in that she takes WalMart's brand (Equate) of  
Claritin (not D, just plain) with excellent results.  I have been  
taking it every other day and have not had a relapse in weeks. "

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Yvonne Yaar
"Never go to a Doctor whose office plants have died" Erma Bombeck



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