had a sudden relapse of my recurring lyme. this episode brought sjorgren's like syndrome symptoms. dry eyes, mouth, nose. went to opthalmalogist today couldn't stand it anymore.
he put plugs in my tear duct to prevent drainage of the tears. this helped almost immediately. no more dry eyes, no more squinting. se how tommorow goes
docdave
Posted by Jellybelly (Member # 7142) on :
Glad your eyes are feeling better. I have had the plugs for about 2 1/2 years now and just had my second set put in about a month ago. They do fall out. I was told they last about a year.
A year isn't very long in my book, considering I am paying about 750 bucks for top and bottom plugs. I was told this time that I can have them lasered shut, so that is definetly going to be a consideration when these plugs fall out.
My mouth isn't really dry, but my nose is. I was wondering if there is a link between dry eyes and a dry nose. My nose stopped producing many years ago.....just a recent thought since having my new plugs put in and nothing is draining down in to my sinuses.
Posted by richtersl (Member # 2554) on :
I had them put in and they did not help me whatsoever. Hope you have better luck with yours.
I put Lacrilube in my eyes at bedtime and during the day use Refresh Liquigel when I don't have my contacts in and Refresh Plus when I do have my contacts in.
My problem is that I sleep with my eyes partially open and this is particularly hard on me whenever the heat is on.
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Dave said..
"he put plugs in my tear duct to prevent drainage of the tears"
Ouuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeee didn't that hurt? I am wiggling and squiggling just thinking about that! OU! OU! OU!
That REALLY doesn't sound fun!!
Tell me it didn't hurt!
And in there for a year or more!!! OU! OU! OU!
I guess you now know exactly what DOES bother me!!! I can do some nasty stuff.. but THAT makes me REAL squirmish!!
Ou.. ou!!
I'd write more but I've got my eyes shut tight!!!
OU OU!!!
Posted by Jellybelly (Member # 7142) on :
Gesh Tinny, nooo it doesn't hurt at all. They can use numbing drops and the plugs look like a hair. They go in then expand like a tampon as my doc explained, and you can't even feel them, even if you rub your eyes.
I think they are gel, because they spuished 2 with the tweezers.
It's ok, you can open your eyes now, the worst part is you have to keep your eyes open while they do it and look up Posted by stymielymie (Member # 10044) on :
jelly is right no pain whatsoever. took 2 minutes for both eyes.
docdave
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
My daughter has horrible dry eys and mouth. She uses refresh drops for eyes, and Oasis spray, mouth rinse, and sugarless mints for her mouth.
I see you all have the problem. Has anyone had improvement with treatment? Or, is this a done deal?
Posted by stymielymie (Member # 10044) on :
restsis really worked for me until i got this secondary sjorgren's which seems stronger than the lyme version. restsis is a cyclosporin, and in large quanitites effect the immune system. my great eye dos says it does not go systemic.
plugs also seem to work. docdave Posted by richtersl (Member # 2554) on :
Glad to see the plugs are holding up for you! Will keep my fingers crossed for you!!
Regarding the questions on inserting them -- it does not hurt at all. The plugs themselves are pliable. The doc puts numbing drops in your eyes and that's really all you need. One of the office assistants was in the room watching the procedure being done on me and her comment was, "this was really cool!"
Posted by Corinne E (Member # 4670) on :
Hi Linda,
Re, "I put Lacrilube in my eyes at bedtime and during the day use Refresh Liquigel when I don't have my contacts in and Refresh Plus when I do have my contacts in.
My problem is that I sleep with my eyes partially open [Eek!] and this is particularly hard on me whenever the heat is on."
I had the same problem as you "sleeping with eyes partially open". Before bed I use a product by Refresh (it a liquid thick gel made for just before bed),it stops your eyes from drying out. I don't have the name of it here right as I leftmy medicine bag (red pencil case) at daughter's place last night. Will let you know tomorrow name of product.
Hi Tincup,
Remember me,Corinne,the one with all the eye problems. You more than anyone else were responsible for saving my eye sight. I will never forget that. I can see, just a little truly cockeyed now, right eye operations for advanced glaucoma and 2 cataracts, left also has glaucoma and a small cataract. Right eye is for distance with new lens put in, left eye is up sorta close (not too close though). Have special reading glasses (both with prisms). All caused by lyme and incompetent doctors.
Anyways, I have been on second round of abx(amoxy and tinidazole) for the last 12 months. My vision was blurred the whole time,just finished and am taking a break to cleanse and a rest. My eyes and eyesight are much better or so it seems this week. Haven't had to use my reading glasses.
I have found an optomologist here that is up on lyme, etc., an will be seeing her soon, as my glacoma specialist is tired of me coming in when I can't see and lots of pain, and then finding eye pressure and optic nerves are fine. He believes in lyme,it's just not his specialty. He will be real happy when he finds out about this new optomologist.
Anybody with eye problems, please pay attention. What I have gone through the last 3 years with eye problems is a lot worse than what I have experienced with lyme, rocky mountain spotted fever and bartonella.
take care
corinne
Posted by richtersl (Member # 2554) on :
Hi Corinne,
Thanks! I'm familiar with the really thick product by Refresh for use at bedtime. My eye doc advised me against it because it had preservatives in it.
The Lacrilube actually works OK. At times.
But I always have a bottle of the Liquigel on my nightstand in case I wake up in the middle of the night with irritated eyes. It gives me instant relief. The Lacrilube is stored in my bathroom and I don't feel comfortable putting it in my eyes when I'm still half asleep because the nozzle is made of metal. Posted by Corinne E (Member # 4670) on :
Hi Linda,
The stuff I use has no preservatives in it. It comes in separate little vials. I still have not picked up my medicine bag, perhaps this product is made by another company.
I don't use anything in my eyes that has preservatives it in it, my eye specialist is fully aware of how preservatives affect my eyes. That's another reason why perfume/scents bother me and my eyes. Perfume contains petroleum, the petroleum sticks to my eyes, sinuses, and tongue and causes all (well most of my blood to go to my brain, my head actualy swells, I have measured it), I end up with supreme fog and supreme migraines.
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Hope you have better luck with yours.![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
and this is particularly hard on me whenever the heat is on.
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Will keep my fingers crossed for you!!![[dizzy]](graemlins/dizzy.gif)