Serum Infection Question

[Cali]

Haven't been on here for awhile because I've been doing GREAT. Had a setback. Got a very bad eye infection. I think my autologous serum drops got too warm. I started living my life again and bought a Medicool Dia-Pak Daymate. It's a travel case for insulin, to keep it cool. Has a mini frozen ice pack. I don't think it works great. I live in Southern California and think my drops got warm and well, 2 weeks later I just now got over my infection.

My question is:

1. I'm back on my drops, 3 days now, and am starting to get some relief but I keep getting this haze across my eyes. What is that? Is it mucus or some type of dry eye haze?

2. I want to LIVE AGAIN!! What is out there that will allow me to get out in the world but keep my drops cool? I found this portable Medi-Fridge IIx Micro Refrigerator that you can plug into your car AC adaptor. Another tool for diabetics. There is another portable mini insulin fridge out there but got bad reviews on Amazon. Any ideas?

And I do just want to make sure everyone knows, these drops have been a lifesaver for me. They truly work. I follow Dr. Pedram Hamrah, M.D's protocol (Boston Ear and Eye) and drop every 2 hrs., 8x/day. I also take 1tsp-1tbsp of Nordic Natural fish oil per day. That's it. This may be for life but at least I now have one!

[Faith1989]

I have 100 percent serum drops and they have helped me out a lot as well. I still do use Restasis as my dry eye is severe and feel I kinda need it for now. I have accidentally left my drops out to long and have thrown them away..so sad as they are like liquid gold. Lol I only take them with me in a cooler with three large ice packs when I know I won't be gone to long before being able to put them back in the fridge. How has it helped you with surface inflammation? Or do you have any? Just curious..my conjunctiva is still inflamed a little and it's annoying!

[Cali]

They have been amazing. It took a few weeks but then my corneas were no longer inflamed and my dry eye felt "almost" normal. A few months later I was great. When I first was diagnosed I had zero tears and I mean absolute zero. Schirmer's, thread, and TearLab tests all registered no tears. They had to retest me because they had never seen that. I now have two lower punctal plugs and use my "liquid gold" every two hours. I started at 100% as well, dropped to 75% and now am at 50%. I think I will drop to 20% soon. I read that it takes about 3 months for the ocular surface to heal. That's about right for me. I was hoping to find an option easier than packing a cooler. What do you think about these portable mini fridges for insulin? On Amazon, I read that a cheaper version is really LOUD and that it froze someone's very expensive insulin. I understood - my drops are just as precious.

[Faith1989]

Did you have obvious redness? Did the serum help? I feel like my eyes aren't that red naturally (for lack of a better word) but ever since Restasis they have gotten more red lookin... It sucks. Being a 24 year old girl I care about the vanity aspect! Lol

[Cali]

Oh gosh! I used to be a HUGE NYC and LA fashionista. I really understand. This came about because I got LASIK because I was VAIN and didn't want to wear glasses. My contacts hurt. I didn't know I had dry eye and meiobian gland disease (prior to LASIK). My eyes were never red but now yes, look bloodshot. After a few months on the serum drops, I felt and looked completely normal. I could not tolerate Restasis at all. Burned so bad - I lasted just a few days and was done.

For me, the serum drops are the only way to go. I think it takes the ocular surface about 3 months to have epithileal growth. Plz excuse my spelling right now. As mentioned, I was doing great but then got a horrible eye infection because my drops got warm and grew bacteria. Let that be a lesson to everyone. I woke up and my eyes were SEALED shut. Like an envelope. Scared me. Had to run warm water over them just to get them open - open to teeny, tiny slits. I just restarted drops about 3 days ago after two weeks on different antibiotics. Infection was difficult to treat. Had my drops tested for sterility at my compounding pharmacy and they tested fine. So therefore, I was the culprit. Zooming around with my drops, albeit next to a little freezer pack, like a normal person. Which CLEARLY I am not.

I am very red, very obvious. Never really noticed red eyes until I got them. I would read up on the % drops you are taking. I think with the higher serum doses, 75%, 100%, you can run into trouble. I have to re-research it myself. I thought 20% was too low so went higher (extra insurance). But I'm not sure if the higher serum is safe over a long term. Tommyboy has access to Pedram Hamrah, M.D. (I think one of our best specialists in the country). I wonder if Tommyboy could find out?

[Faith1989]

Funny how we want to change our looks then make it worse. MY dry eye began because I used visine for YEARS just to make my eyes look whiter. After I stopped two years ago , BAM they were beat red for about six months, then started to go back to normal a little but I still have obvious inflammation on the outer white area of both my eyes. My corneal specialist said he only prescribes 100 percent because he "wants it to actually work" his words not mine.. I am considering dropping the Restasis to once a day to see what happens, I'm still using Alrex once every second day it helps me alot. I just got my eyes checked so I am fine with using it for now.

So with using only serum, your eyes look normal now for the most part? I would do anything for bright white eyes. My confidence is just shot.. But I am pretty hard on myself I guess. Glad you understand.

[Cali]

Yep. I just use my serum drops. Nothing else. Oh, fish oil and warm compresses. But that's it. I try to eat an anti inflammation diet, usually I am all organic fruits and vegetables - all the way. Yeah, I even eat KALE!!!

It took a few months but my eyes turned normal, bright white.

[Faith1989]

That is really exciting. I am going to try to rely more on serum. I have also been bad with my diet, going to head to the grocery tore in the morning. Thera life vitamins have helped me alot too. They actually work in my opinion. I'm going to keep on them, when I stopped there was a huge difference.

So glad to hear you got your whites back! I pray one day I will too.

[MartyM1985]

I need to get serum I swear. My doc says it is a last resort... so annoying.

I'm 31, work in television. It'd be nice to get my life back sooner rather than later. Good to hear you guys are doing well.

[Cali]

Well, I love resorts!!! You can relax, laugh, have a few cocktails. It will be great. It's something to look forward to. When it's time, here's the scoop. There are only 2 compounding pharmacies that I know of in California that make the serum drops. Leitner's in San Jose and California Compounding Pharmacy in Newport beach. If you are in SoCal, you'd go to Irvine to get your blood drawn then have the drops made by Glen Olshein and CA Compounding pharmacy.

Hang in there. I had to jump thru many hoops first as well before landing in the last resort where everything turned out OK. It's a journey.

[24yrold Male]

Are the serum drops a "cure" like Restasis, or just very effective drops that last a short while - like OTC drops, but much more powerful?

[Cali]

Are the serum drops a "cure" like Restasis, or just very effective drops that last a short while - like OTC drops, but much more powerful?

I’m not an expert but I don’t believe Restasis is a “cure.” Restasis helps curb “inflammation.” Curbing inflammation helps to increase tear production. The autologous serum drops come close to replicating your own tears (they contain human growth factors, Vit A, anti-proteases, etc.). The serum helps your corneal epithelial cells regrow and for those of us who have had LASIK, also encourages your nerves to regrow (which are severed during LASIK).

Neither is really a “cure” but a management tool. Note, Restasis only has a 15% success rate. If you read a number of clinical studies on the serum, it has a great success rate in healing the corneal surface AND if used soon after LASIK encourages nerve regrowth which in that case, is a “cure.” I think you have to use each forever along with a maintenance plan of fish oil, warm compresses, anti-inflammation diet.

Serum, unlike OTC drops, do mimic your own tears causing the epithelial cells regrow. OTC drops just temporarily lubricate the eyes.

Here’s a good link for serum info: http://kenes.com/iser2012/abstractcd/pdf/O320.pdf

There is a ton of good info on this forum on the serum tears.

[MartyM1985]

Well, I love resorts!!! You can relax, laugh, have a few cocktails. It will be great. It's something to look forward to.

Took me a minute to get that joke. Nicely done.

[PotatoCakes]

Re: insulin coolers
I have a battery operated one that I use for travel, on occasion. The thing to realize about them is that insulin does not need to be as cold as serum drops so while an insulin cooler is better than nothing, it is really not suitable for serum drops over the long haul. Serum drops should be kept right around 32F degrees, give or take. Insulin can be fine up to 40-46 F degrees. Serum can be frozen and insulin should not be.

When I travel, I pack my serum in a Thermos that I keep in the fridge until I use it and I line it with small ice packs. If I'm going on a long plane trip, I bring along my insulin cooler and use that once my Thermos has thawed. I also have been known to ask the airline staff for ice. I carry a large Ziploc baggie with a small one inside, for this purpose. The large one gets filled with ice and the small one holds my eyedrops, so they don't get wet. The small one probably isn't necessary but, I don't care for my drop container getting too damp when the ice melts.

Depending on your day, you are probably safer using an ice-filled cooler than you are an insulin fridge. Another thing that I do when I use my insulin fridge, I place it in my regular refrigerator the night before I use it, so that it is plenty cold when I start out. I also place a small ice pack inside to help it stay cool once I begin to use it. The cooler it starts out, the less energy it will use to get it to a cool temperature and with the ice pack inside, it stays cooler longer. Still, I use the insulin fridge as back up and not a first option because it is designed NOT to get as cold as I need it to be for my serum drops because you don't want insulin to freeze.