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Old 06-27-2017, 10:00 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
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en bloc en bloc is offline
Senior Member
en bloc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Shenandoah Mountains, VA
Posts: 1,250
10 yr Member
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There are MANY rheumatologists out there that WILL treat sero-negative Sjogren's (those with negative SSA/SSB). Most will require a lip biopsy to confirm the Sjogren's...which is a good idea to have done anyway. It will confirm/deny the Sjogren's whether you are sero-negative or positive.

However, make sure you have the biopsy done by someone with experience (often not enough glands are taken, or handling isn't careful), and also that the pathologist reading the biopsy is also experience and uses one of the reputable scales for grading the sample.

I suggest you seek out a place like Johns Hopkins Sjogren's Center or another teaching hospital with a Sjogren's Center.

You could have sero-negative Sjogren's, so treatment protocol could be the same as anyone else with sero-positive Sjogren's...which includes Plaquenil, steroids, and use of biologics at times.

Those with just symptoms of dry mouth/eyes and a negative biopsy would typically require only symptomatic relief for eyes and mouth. But it sounds as if your Sjogren's goes deeper and may even be responsible for your neuropathy and other health issues. So best to get the lip biopsy and confirm the Sjogren's and determine exactly where you are at in the disease process.
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Idiopathic PN (06-28-2017), mrsD (06-28-2017)