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Peky: Sjogren's and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Italy

I am a twenty-six year-old girl. In 2004 I had several problems of dryness: in my eyes, vaginal infections (with a candidiasis that lasted for almost five months), dryness in my mouth and intense, if short lasting, pain in my hands and ankles.

I went to my pphthalmologist, who, after my second visit in less than a month, thought about sending me to a rheumatologist. In about an hour he gave a precise answer to every symptom I had during 2004: Sjogren's Syndrome. I had some analysis afterwards and there I discovered I also had an autoimmune thyroid gland.

Just like that, I started therapy on cortisone and Plaquenil. Since January 2005, and until the end of April, I followed this therapy, which included artificial tears and gels, but I did not have any positive results. I decided to stop the cortisone since all it had achieved was to make me really swollen and damage my teeth.

This year, after continuing to be sick, I visited the rheumatologist again. He sent me for analysis yet another time and started a new therapy with Methotrexate. I get a shot every week. I have just begun, and must wait patiently for at least a month before seeing any results.

I am confident! My eyes and my bones will thank me! I hope I can stop these antibodies that will give me trouble during the warmer months.

If you would like to contact me, do so to the e-mail you find here.

To Contact the Author

ISN Artist: Sherrill Knaggs (In Loving Memory)

Sherrill Knaggs, ISN Artist, created the digital photo to illustrate the story on this page. Sherrill lived in New Zealand. Her story was featured in ISN's book, Voices of Scleroderma Volume 2.

ISN Translator and Editor: Alba León

Alba León is the ISN Translator for this page. She is studying international relations in Mexico City.

ISN Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin

Judith Thompson Devlin is the ISN Story Editor for this story. She is also lead editor of the ISN's wonderful Voices of Scleroderma book series!

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