So glad I can post this

[wissen1]

Now this post probably isn't really fitting to my initial topic, but since it continues my story, I hope I can still write it here. Don't read it if you're easily triggered by a negative post.

Alright so I was at a checkup at the clinic and I did a new Schirmer's test. 1-2mm on both eyes... Just 1 year ago I scored 8/5mm. Before the appointment I was even contemplating if I should go to the clinic or not, because my eyes felt pretty good the last weeks, except some minor incidents. I had days where I used lubricating drops just twice throughout the whole day.
Now I am miserable again. I cried like all the time during my drive home and smoked like half a pack of cigarettes despite although I managed to quit just 2 weeks ago. And now that I collected myself, I'm starting to analyze. Is it really possible to have such a decline in tear production despite the fact, that I felt so good the last weeks? Also other tests didn't reveal any worsening of my condition. In fact the BUT went up! Corneal staining is still present, but very minimal, just like a year ago, just like 2 years ago.
All this leads me to the following thoughts. How much can your central nervous system intervene in your tear production when you're nervous? Not only was I nervous because of the outcome of the Schirmer's test, but I also got social anxiety and everything that involves having to deal with other people puts a varying amount of stress on me.
I think anyone experienced a dry mouth at some point of his life when being really nervous, for example before a presentation in school. So I wonder if my catastrophic Schirmer test is actually due to me being nervous and stress as hell.

How to pull myself out of the abyss again?

[MGD1701]

Hi wissen1
Thanks for sharing the great news!

Drop every 1-2 hours seems a lot. Does it make you feel better?
If not, maybe good to try other brands? I have read that if over 6 times a day is not good - wash away our natur tears? Just something to share too!

[Hokucat]

Yeah, good idea to be stable a long time before changing anything. After the probing and lemon/tea helped me, I was so scared to stop any of the many other things I was doing! But am glad I did (although slowly and methodically), cause I was able to greatly simplify my regimen, and save money :-). But important to feel good first, I am truly so happy for you!

I have been adding back goji berries into my green tea, how I used to drink it for several years. Before doing the probing and lemon/tea, my acupuncturist had given me chrysanthemum tea, the actual dried flower, so I would steep it. I used it for a half year but it didn't help me, maybe I will give it a try again, I am always looking to get even better, especially with diet. I understand it can be helpful for eyes in some cases. Thanks for mentioning it!

[wissen1]

Thanks Hokucat. :-)
I want to be stable for a least 6 months before I change anything.
BTW if you're into tea. Try chrysantemum/goji tea. Traditional chinese medicine has this tea especially against dryness. Drink 2-3 times a day for a few weeks.

[Hokucat]

Wissen, am so glad you are doing better, thanks for sharing what worked for you. You certainly took on a lot of different things since you first posted. I guess after you have been stable for a longer period, you can start taking one thing away at a time, to see if it made a difference or not. The snake venom in interesting, first time I ever heard of that!

[wissen1]

Hi all,

so it's been about 1 month now since my eyes are getting better. In June-August 2017 I had my worst time so far with dry eye. Burning from waking up until going to sleep. I don't know what's helping me at the moment, but I'm back to working again and my eyes are usually only burning for about 1 hour a day. So I got my regular 8 hour office day and some time at home at the screen. So this is as much strain as eyes could possibly get. I've been using Restasis for 1 month but I'm not sure if this actually helped. Now I'm off it for 3 weeks I think and the eyes kept getting better.

My current treatment plan is:

- acupuncture once a week
- some alternative medicine involving snake venom. I don't know the exact formula, it's individual for any person anyway, but it should help the liver to deliver more moisture to the connective tissue since mine is pretty bad
- fish oil & 1 spoon of flaxseed oil a day
- running/biking 6 times a week
- washing my lids with "Navi Blef" 2-3 times a day
- cleaning lids with "Ilast gel" once a day
- lubricating drops every 1-2 hours
- thick gel at night. my gf noticed that I don't close my eyes fully at night sometimes. and I think I'm a partial blinker at day
- healthier food, more veggies
- hypnotherapy to deal with the eye symptoms

Since I started acupuncture my mouth got so much better in terms of dryness. I was very afraid of having an autoimmune disorder and my mouth kept getting drier and drier. Probably because of the massive stress and anxiety. Now I'm back to normal saliva flow. I don't know if acupuncture helps on the eyes yet, but I'm just 2 sessions in it so far. 5 should be made at least.

I don't know if this will last. But I was so desperate just a few weeks ago and was afraid that this status will last forever. And if I ever get worse again, I will open up this thread and see that there is hope everytime even when times look as dark as they could possibly get.

For me sports are a huge factor. It's probably to get stress out of my body. The nervous system regulates every gland function in the body and if you're stressed you WILL produce less moisture.