How has Sjögren's affected your life (either physically, emotionally, financially)?:
Sjögrens has affected my life physically in many ways. From being more limited in what I can do physically and managing pain and symptoms, it’s part of my life every single day. Emotionally having a chronic illness takes a toll on your mental health and can cause feelings of guilt, loss and sometimes even anger.
How has connecting with the Sjögren's community or others living with Sjögren's Disease affected your journey with SjD?:
Connecting with others that understand how Sjögrens impacts your life has been incredibly impactful and important to me. Not only does it validate your symptoms but I’ve been able to better understand my own illness better through hearing the experiences of others. It’s nice to feel solidarity with those that truly understand what you are going through.
Where/who do you go to for support with Sjögren's?:
I am fortunate that my family, friends and co-workers are supportive of my illness and my needs. Sometimes it’s unpredictable and it’s helpful to have a support system to help you through the hard times and celebrate the good days. I have also found a lot of support through online Sjögren's groups.
Please finish the following sentence: "Sjögren's has taught me...":
To persevere. It took me many years to get a diagnosis and I had to learn how to research and advocate for myself in order to get there. I’ve also learned so much about my body and how it responds to different food, medication, movement and stress.
What do you wish people knew about your Sjögren’s?:
That flares happen sometimes out of nowhere. I can be feeling great one day and terrible the next. When I get sick it takes me longer than the average to recover. That I am always happy to answer questions and educate others about my disease.
What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed?:
Do lots of research! Connect with others who have Sjögren's or other autoimmune diseases. It really helps to hear how others manage their symptoms. Don’t be scared to advocate for yourself and get a second opinion or different doctor if you don’t feel heard.
What does it mean to "thrive" while living with Sjögren's?:
It means understanding your limits and setting boundaries. It means that knowing that Sjögrens doesn’t have to always rule your life. You can learn how to manage your symptoms and find ways to improve your quality of life.
How do you incorporate self-care with managing Sjögren's?:
Self-care is not always easy but it’s incredibly when you have a chronic illness. I ensure I make time each week to prepare my medications, attend doctors appointments and connect with others in online Sjögren's groups. I also ensure I am strict with daily routines like eye drops, stretching and taking my supplements to manage symptoms.
What inspires you to keep going on hard days?:
My kids inspire me to keep going every single day. I also think about others who have chronic illness and how important it is for all of us to keep fighting, advocating and pushing for more research and trials to find ways to help improve our quality of life.
What’s your best Sjögren’s tip?:
Rest when your body tells you to. Do your research, trust your body and your gut and advocate for yourself always.
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Click Here to Learn More About Sjögren's Awareness Month
How has Sjögren's affected your life (either physically, emotionally, financially)?:
Sjögrens has affected my life physically in many ways. From being more limited in what I can do physically and managing pain and symptoms, it’s part of my life every single day. Emotionally having a chronic illness takes a toll on your mental health and can cause feelings of guilt, loss and sometimes even anger.
How has connecting with the Sjögren's community or others living with Sjögren's Disease affected your journey with SjD?:
Connecting with others that understand how Sjögrens impacts your life has been incredibly impactful and important to me. Not only does it validate your symptoms but I’ve been able to better understand my own illness better through hearing the experiences of others. It’s nice to feel solidarity with those that truly understand what you are going through.
Where/who do you go to for support with Sjögren's?:
I am fortunate that my family, friends and co-workers are supportive of my illness and my needs. Sometimes it’s unpredictable and it’s helpful to have a support system to help you through the hard times and celebrate the good days. I have also found a lot of support through online Sjögren's groups.
Please finish the following sentence: "Sjögren's has taught me...":
To persevere. It took me many years to get a diagnosis and I had to learn how to research and advocate for myself in order to get there. I’ve also learned so much about my body and how it responds to different food, medication, movement and stress.
What do you wish people knew about your Sjögren’s?:
That flares happen sometimes out of nowhere. I can be feeling great one day and terrible the next. When I get sick it takes me longer than the average to recover. That I am always happy to answer questions and educate others about my disease.
What advice would you give to someone newly diagnosed?:
Do lots of research! Connect with others who have Sjögren's or other autoimmune diseases. It really helps to hear how others manage their symptoms. Don’t be scared to advocate for yourself and get a second opinion or different doctor if you don’t feel heard.
What does it mean to "thrive" while living with Sjögren's?:
It means understanding your limits and setting boundaries. It means that knowing that Sjögrens doesn’t have to always rule your life. You can learn how to manage your symptoms and find ways to improve your quality of life.
How do you incorporate self-care with managing Sjögren's?:
Self-care is not always easy but it’s incredibly when you have a chronic illness. I ensure I make time each week to prepare my medications, attend doctors appointments and connect with others in online Sjögren's groups. I also ensure I am strict with daily routines like eye drops, stretching and taking my supplements to manage symptoms.
What inspires you to keep going on hard days?:
My kids inspire me to keep going every single day. I also think about others who have chronic illness and how important it is for all of us to keep fighting, advocating and pushing for more research and trials to find ways to help improve our quality of life.
What’s your best Sjögren’s tip?:
Rest when your body tells you to. Do your research, trust your body and your gut and advocate for yourself always.
Click Here to Return to Stories
Click Here to Learn More About Sjögren's Awareness Month