My immune system is deteriorating what does this mean?

I have an autoimmune disease sjogrens syndrome, and have now been told by my Dr that my immune system is deteriorating. There is no known cause and no cure for this disease so has anyone any suggestions please?

i do not have aids thankyou for your suggestions.

Researchers think Sj枚gren's syndrome is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Several different genes appear to be involved, but scientists are not certain exactly which ones are linked to the disease since different genes seem to play a role in different people. For example, there is one gene that predisposes Caucasians to the disease. Other genes are linked to Sj枚gren's in people of Japanese, Chinese, and African American descent. Simply having one of these genes will not cause a person to develop the disease, however. Some sort of trigger must activate the immune system.

Scientists think that the trigger may be a viral or bacterial infection. It might work like this: A person who has a Sj枚gren's-associated gene gets a viral infection. The virus stimulates the immune system to act, but the gene alters the attack, sending fighter cells (lymphocytes) to the eye and mouth glands. Once there, the lymphocytes attack healthy cells, causing the inflammation that damages the glands and keeps them from working properly. These fighter cells are supposed to die after their attack in a natural process called apoptosis, but in people with Sj枚gren's syndrome, they continue to attack, causing further damage. Scientists think that resistance to apoptosis may be genetic.

The possibility that the endocrine and nervous systems play a role is also under investigation.

Treatment is different for each person, depending on what parts of the body are affected. But in all cases, the doctor will help relieve your symptoms, especially dryness. For example, you can use artificial tears to help with dry eyes and saliva stimulants and mouth lubricants for dry mouth. Treatment for dryness is described in more detail below.

If you have extraglandular involvement, your doctor--or the appropriate specialist--will also treat those problems. Treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for joint or muscle pain, saliva- and mucus-stimulating drugs for nose and throat dryness, and corticosteroids or drugs that suppress the immune system for lung, kidney, blood vessel, or nervous system problems. Hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide are examples of such immunosuppressants (drugs that suppress the immune system). {I am on Plaquenil for Lupus & APS.}

Through basic research on the immune system, autoimmunity, genetics, and connective tissue diseases, researchers continue to learn more about Sj枚gren's syndrome. As they get a better understanding of the genes involved and which environmental factors trigger disease and how, they'll be able to develop more effective treatments. For example, gene therapy studies suggest that we may someday be able to insert molecules into salivary glands that will control inflammation and prevent their destruction. Other research focuses on how the immune and hormonal systems work in people who have Sj枚gren's and on the natural history of the disease (learning how it affects people by following those who have it).

Researchers are also looking into the use of the salivary stimulant pilocarpine for dry eyes. Other researchers are testing immune modulating drugs to treat the glandular inflammation. A drug called cevimeline has recently been approved for treating dry mouth. Work on developing an artificial salivary gland is in progress.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is conducting several studies on Sj枚gren's syndrome designed to help scientists better understand, manage, and treat the disease. Some focus on the disease's natural history, while others test potential new treatments. Talk to your doctor if you'd like more information about these clinical trials.

What organs is this effecting for you?

It means your dying. If your Doc didn't tell you this you might look for a new Doc.

I work with one of the top AIDS doctors in the world, Dr.DuBois and will ask for his opinion, if you are genuinely interested. Are you open? apuzyr@Y!

this sort of problem is often due to the overuse of medication , including antibiotics.
A homeopathic solution would be to use
Homeopathic Natrum Mur
Day 1 single dose of Nat Mur 30c
Day 2 single dose of Nat Mur 1M
Day 3 single dose of Nat Mur 10M
Wait at least 4 weeks to judge result.

Sj枚gren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture producing glands. Sj枚gren's is one of the most prevalent autoimmune disorders, striking as many as 4,000,000 Americans. Nine out of ten patients are women. The average age of onset is late 40s although Sj枚gren's occurs in all age groups in both women and men.

About 50% of the time Sj枚gren's syndrome occurs alone, and 50% of the time it occurs in the presence of another connective tissue disease. The four most common diagnoses that co-exsist with Sj枚gren's syndrome are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus, Systemic Sclerosis (scleroderma) and Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis. Sometimes researchers refer to the first type as "Primary Sj枚gren's" and the second as "Secondary Sj枚gren's." All instances of Sj枚gren's syndrome are systemic, affecting the entire body.

The hallmark symptoms are dry eyes and dry mouth. Sj枚gren's may also cause dryness of other organs, affecting the kidneys, GI tract, blood vessels, lung, liver, pancreas, and the central nervous system. Many patients experience debilitating fatigue and joint pain. Symptoms can plateau, worsen, or go into remission.

Just to clarify, Sjogren's syndrome is not caused by an overuse of medication or antibiotics.

When you have an autoimmune disease your immune system works overtime on the wrong thing and suppresses your normal immune system. In addition, you are usually treated with immunesuppressive drugs like steroids or prednisone. This helps control the autoimmune disease but knocks out your immune system even more. This means that you need to be careful around sick people because you will get sick easier and viral infections like a cold might take longer for you to get over. We are lucky that our immune system is multifunctional and we all have more than one way to protect ourselves. We have antibodies and white blood cells to protect us. Follow the advice of your doctor and avoid places that are teeming with sick people - I hope you are not a daycare provider! Little kids are the worst for spreading germs!