I had dry Eye Now I'm extremly tired.

[Rdm]

I'm going through some major problems in my life and i have no idea what's going on. First it was extreme dry eye, and now i'm very tired every day when i wake up. I was adderall and its an extreme stimulate and that doesnt even help. I also know it has nothing to do with my meds because i was like this before i was on them. My wrist was flared up 2 weeks ago as-well. I was thinking maybe i have an auto immune disease. I was tested yesterday for sjorgen. What do you guys think?

[shoebox]

Rdm,
I am so sorry you're experiencing these symptoms - my heart goes out to you.
There are so many things that could be happening in your body -- vitamin/mineral deficiencies, FMS, Sjogren's, CFS, and probably a lot of other things that I know nothing about (not a doctor).
What kind of doctor are you seeing? They put you on adderall -- was there a specific reason or for the exhaustion? Did they do some diagnostic testing first?
Do you still have the dry eye?
Lots of questions, I know.
Hang in there.

[Rdm]

Rdm,
.
There are so many things that could be happening in your body -- vitamin/mineral deficiencies, FMS, Sjogren's, CFS, and probably a lot of other things that I know nothing about (not a doctor).
What kind of doctor are you seeing? They put you on adderall -- was there a specific reason or for the exhaustion? Did they do some diagnostic testing first?
Do you still have the dry eye?
Lots of questions, I know.
Hang in there.

I'm AdHd but i have been taking meds for 4 years and nothing has happened to me before. For my eyes i seen many eye doctors. My dry eye symptoms are in check or my tolerance to my chronic pain has gone up. I'm seriously going through so many medical issues lately and im only 24 and it was like a blink of an eye all these symptoms came. After my move from N. cal to S cal. The move was all so stressful. The most stress i have ever been under. I think this is the result.
Do you guys think this sounds like an auto immune disease?

[rhad]

Similar situation as you

Hi, I am only 20 years old. I have similar symptoms as you....constantly tired, wake up tired every morning, wrists and arms, have aches once and a while, actually quite frequently, and in legs. I think it might be acidosis, or maybe vitamin deficiency, organs not working efficiently....?

[Rojzen]

fibromyalgia and dry eye: consider subacute inflammation

For those getting tested for autoimmune disorders, I urge reminding relevant doctors that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are considered by many scientists to be classifiable as autoimmune disorders, at least to the same extent as Sjogren's and related syndromes may me. . .I have had several good eye doctors, moreover, tell me that they encounter patients often who have both fibromyalgia and dry eye, and that some association between these may emerge.

That said, there are good scientists who believe that all the so-called autoimmune illnesses are not precisely that. . .and that they are, instead, subtle immune deficiency syndromes. . .This, I believe, underlies LDN (low-dose naltrexone) therapy, which is used widely for multiple sclerosis, and also in lupus, Sjogren's, and fibromyalgia.

Given the infancy-state of understanding in this area, I personally avoid labeling syndromes as autoimmune or not autoimmune, and simply seek out therapies that work without doing too much harm...It may, for example, be possible to state that the fatigue, body ache, and dry eye syndromes all seem to involve some degree of systemic inflammation. . .From that understanding, approaches may emerge. . .Many, many things reduce inflammation. . .Food choices, exercise, posture, medications. . .Among the medications, there are the more and the less safe. . . .Please also consider that improved sleep can reduce systemic inflammation. . .This is why sleep assistance (in the form of amitriptyline or doxepin) is often the first line of attack in fibromyalgia. . .

To clarify: muscles affected by fibromyalgia do not test positive for inflammation, on biopsy. . .But the disorder may nonetheless be inflammatory, because inflamed nerve pathways may underlie muscular pain. . .

Hence: when there is pain, it is not a bad idea to assume inflammation of some kind, and to treat accordingly.. . .If only there were highly safe and effective inflammation solutions out there for severe cases, many of us would feel better faster. . .Alas, today, the most effective solutions (steroids and immune-suppressants) also come with a potential huge price to long-term health, if dose is too high or too prolonged...

[shoebox]

Yep yep yep

Rojzen makes excellent points! I talked to *my* rheumatologist (I have FMS) about dry eye (and dry mouth, actually) and I kind of felt brushed off when they said "Yeah, it comes with the Fibro". Proceeded to test me for every auto-I thing they could consider, and all negative. I also have neuropathy in both arms (longer than widespread body pain) and I believe my nervous system over reacts to most stimuli, interpreting it as pain. There are several theories about FMS.
Also had an eye dr prescribe Restasis for me, knowing about the FMS, hoping it would help any existing "eye inflammation" affected by the FMS.
BTW I've had the neuropathy since age 22. I'm now 31 with full-blown (but not as bad as it *could*get) FMS.
My husband has ADD...and he *used* to have tons of body aches and constant exhaustion -- turns out he has a mineral deficiency and his body needs extra supplementation of that particular mineral to feel normal.
Stress is a big factor in many of our lives, and many people believe that a major stressful event can trigger a condition that we were only predisposed to getting.
Just some of my (somewhat) random thoughts on these subjects, in hopes they lead you in a helpful direction. I know it is VERY hard to try to get things diagnosed, much less correctly, and I find that some of the more holistic things (I say that describing vitamin and mineral issues, etc) are even more difficult to get diagnosed.
Please keep us updated as to what has helped, and if there is anything I can do let me know.

[Rojzen]

missing minerals, yes!

Shoey's reference to her spouse's mineral deficiency is tremendously insightful in this context, I think! It reminds me to mention that there is a whole line of thinking (from Drs. Alan Gaby and Jonathan Wright, 2 holistic MDs who publish through the Townsend Newsletter) to the effect that deficiency in Lithium, which used to be present in most soils throughout the U.S., but is now depleted, can cause some of the syndromes we now call FMS, CFS, etc. . .I have noted in other posts that when I take 10 mg of Lithium Aspartate 3 times daily, in accordance with Dr. Wright's guidelines, my fibro pain is reduced, and depression is greatly relieved. . .Worth a try, I think, keeping in mind that the very high doses of Lithium CARBONATE used to treat bipolar disorder are potentially toxic, and metabolize differently from the way in which near-microdoses of Aspartate and Orotate of Lithium are handled by the body. . .