Anyone try cholinergic agonist meds? Names and info included.

[CalmerThanTheDude]

The meds below are used to help with increasing tears and salival production in Sjorgens patients. I'm curious if any of you have ever taken them?

“Salagen” (Pilocarpine HCl); Prescription required Cholinergic agonist MGI Pharma, Inc.
“Evoxac” (Cevimeline HCl); Prescription required Cholinergic agonist Daiichi Parmaceutical Co. Ltd.

This is listed under Salagen's and Evoxac's side-effects:

"This medication may cause an increase in tears. This can be helpful if you have dry eyes (such as with Sjogren's syndrome). Tell your doctor if runny eyes become a problem."

http://www.dry.org/evoxachomepage.html

"As with pilocarpine, a lot of individual variation is seen from patient to patient; what is effective for one person may not be effective for another. Some patients report Evoxac is effective for dry mouth, dry eyes, dry airways, stuffy eustachian tubes, and dry vagina. In other patients, Evoxac appears to be an inert substance."

[Guest]

Do a forum search for those meds and you'll see a bunch of threads come up.

I used Salagen for a few years, and it helped... although it seems that most people either don't tolerate it well due to side effects or they don't notice anything in regards to increased tearing. As for you, no way of knowing how you'll respond unless you give it a try... who knows, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!

[spmcc]

Yes, as SAAG says, a search will show a bunch of threads/posts on Salagen... fewer on Evoxac. I have used/tried Salagen quite a few times. I can't handle that tiny pill! It makes me flush almost instantly. That's bad for my facial rosacea. I would also get the hiccups because I'd produce so much saliva. But it didn't help produce any tears .

As for Evoxac, no doctor has agreed to prescribe it to me. The ophthalmologists I've seen say they've never prescribed it before and aren't going to start with me. It could be that it makes asthma worse (IMO every pill has some side effect that can create a problem worse than what it's trying to treat!!). Anyway, I just found Evoxac difficult/impossible to get. Salagen was easy.

So, it's always something to put on your list of things to try. No real harm with Salagen... it wears off quite quickly.

[CalmerThanTheDude]

Do a forum search for those meds and you'll see a bunch of threads come up.

I used Salagen for a few years, and it helped... although it seems that most people either don't tolerate it well due to side effects or they don't notice anything in regards to increased tearing. As for you, no way of knowing how you'll respond unless you give it a try... who knows, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones!

Did the benefits stop after you discontinued it? Or do you feel you retained some of the positive things it did for you?

[CalmerThanTheDude]

Yes, as SAAG says, a search will show a bunch of threads/posts on Salagen... fewer on Evoxac. I have used/tried Salagen quite a few times. I can't handle that tiny pill! It makes me flush almost instantly. That's bad for my facial rosacea. I would also get the hiccups because I'd produce so much saliva. But it didn't help produce any tears .

As for Evoxac, no doctor has agreed to prescribe it to me. The ophthalmologists I've seen say they've never prescribed it before and aren't going to start with me. It could be that it makes asthma worse (IMO every pill has some side effect that can create a problem worse than what it's trying to treat!!). Anyway, I just found Evoxac difficult/impossible to get. Salagen was easy.

So, it's always something to put on your list of things to try. No real harm with Salagen... it wears off quite quickly.

I have multiple chemical sensitivity and I can't tolerate perfumes and smoke here either, I get an instant headache. I know exactly what you mean when you say pills create side effects that are worse than what they treat. I got in a real bind and long story short even though for years I was against using SSRIs, I somehow became desperate enough to try them. It's been months since I discontinued their use, but the dry eye due to their anti cholinergic effect still remains. I wish it were as easy as taking some Salagen to reverse it.

I still can't believe the FDA allows the marketing and use of drugs without warning of permanent side effects that can occur long after discontinuation. Every doc I spoke to while I experienced the side effects, blindly assured me they would go away the longer I took them or that if I stopped it would go away entirely, but this was clearly just a reassuring lie to get me off their back.

[Guest]

It only increases tear production when you take it... the effects wear off very quickly, in as little as 3-4 hours.

However, in theory, if the increase in tear production from taking Salagen lowered overall ocular inflammation and that led to the lacrimal glands becoming less inflamed and being able to work better, then perhaps there would be some indirect long-term benefits due to improved lacrimal gland function resulting from a break in inflammation... but this is merely speculation on my part...

[CalmerThanTheDude]

It only increases tear production when you take it... the effects wear off very quickly, in as little as 3-4 hours.

However, in theory, if the increase in tear production from taking Salagen lowered overall ocular inflammation and that led to the lacrimal glands becoming less inflamed and being able to work better, then perhaps there would be some indirect long-term benefits due to improved lacrimal gland function resulting from a break in inflammation... but this is merely speculation on my part...

That's very interesting, thanks for sharing that info.