The Dr. Brighten Show Sjogrens Syndrome and Treatment: What Women Need to Know | Dr. Kara Wada
In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten and quadruple–board-certified allergist & immunologist Dr. Kara Wada unpack why sjogren's disease is widely under-recognized, how “perfectionist” health habits can backfire into autoimmune flares, and exactly how to think about sjogren's treatment, testing, microbiome/barrier health, dysautonomia, POTS, MCAS, and smarter allergy therapies.
A sjogren’s test typically includes autoantibodies (SSA/SSB), but these are only ~60–70% positive, so diagnosis relies on the full picture: history, eye/dental findings, sometimes biopsy. Importantly, Sjögren’s carries a 5–10% lifetime risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, so persistent lymph nodes deserve prompt evaluation. Because labs can be “normal” while life isn’t, bring concrete examples of how symptoms limit your day, and ask for a plan that fits your stage of life (puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause).
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Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Sjögren’s Foundation (patient education & resources): https://www.sjogrens.org
- Gut Hormone Connection Episode: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/gut-health-probiotics/
- Therapies discussed: Allergy shots; Sublingual immunotherapy (tablets/drops) and Intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT)
- Medications referenced (discuss with your clinician): Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil); H1 antihistamines (e.g., loratadine, cetirizine); H2 blocker (famotidine); caution with diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Research context named in the episode: LEAP trial (early oral peanut introduction): https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850
Follow Dr. Kara Wada:
💻 Website: https://drkarawada.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immuneconfidentmd/
⭕ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drkarawada
👩🏻⚕️Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten:
💻 Website: https://www.drbrighten.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten
🧵Threads: https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten
🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/
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