Azasite obtaining in UK & usage?

[stella]

Hi Elmitcho + UK sufferers
PLEASE try chloramphenicol eye ointment before going to all the expense of flying to the US
You have nothing to loose and it is available OTC
Azasite is an antibiotic (albeit a new one ) so is chloramphenicol so why not try that since it is very easily available here
It has really helped me along with clinitas ultra 3 - which i have persevered with and am seeing results
I use chloramphenicol once at night along the lid margins applied with a q tip after eyelid hygiene before bed
Good luck
Stella

[irish eyes]

Hi Stella

I tried chloramphenicol but my eyes were so sensitive that I couldn't use it after more than a few applications. It made my eyes burn even more than usual. It's a treatment that has been around for a good few years - probably post war.

If I recall correctly, chloramphenicol wasn't easy to obtain over the counter without getting the `third degree' from the shop assistant in Boots the Chemist.

I'm pleased that it works for you though!

[stella]

Irish eyes
sorry it does'nt work for you - Just shows how different we all are

[jlg_uk]

Yeah didn't work for me either - plus I too got hassle from Boots when trying to get it. They were saying they could only give it OTC for short term eye infections, so had to bend the truth to get it

Still, worth trying.

[stella]

Am I the only person who has found chloramphenicol ointment to help i wonder?
just 2 last observations --

be sure the medium in which the drug is carried is not the irritant
I cant use it if it is in mineral oil - It has to be in liquid parrafin/soft white parrafin(vasaline)This is only supplied to NHS by "medicom" - My Dr co-operates with me (probably relieved to get rid of me!!) anyway she has given me a repeat Rx for it and after much hassle the chemist next door to the surgery has a note of the brand i use

My Dr only gives this to me in this fashion 'cos an opthalmo told her it had zero effective on infections
Upshot is she believes(i'm not so sure) that the bennifit to me is purely cos of it's emmolient effect

So why dont i just use vasaline ?
My thinking is that vasaline is not specifically for eyes and so much thicker and may clog the glands whereas the ointment is for the eyes and does dissolve pretty quickly
I do put a smear of vasaline on my outer lids as they are always sooo dry

[EllMitcho]

Hi - thanks again for the various insight. I did try chlorofenicol but not the parrafin based type. I am not sure how to get it OTC do I need to pretend I have an eye infection!?

EllMitcho

[irish eyes]

Yes you do - in a roundabout way.

If your eyes look OK, then they might not believe you.

If both your eyes look red, they may advise you to see a doctor.

Could you invent a relative who has been advised by a doctor to buy it OTC because it is cheaper than a prescription?

Look up chloramphenicol and its uses - and make sure you get the the symptoms right for blepharitis. Some of these assistants can be quite menacing.

[jlg_uk]

I went in my Wiley's

Although I got it, a week later I got it rx'd by am ophth anyway.

[stella]

Elmitcho and Irisheyes - why dont you get an appointment with your GP and explain that you want to try this, as it has helped me, but you think you are Intolerant to the mineral oil which the OTC brand has, and the NHS brand is produced by medicom and the drug in that brand is dissolved in liquid parrafin/soft white parrafin - so please could she/he request chloramphenical eye ointment 1% - the medicom brand(its in a green and white box)
Then it requires patient explanation to your pharmacy about why it must be this brand --- its an absolute pain --- having to do all this ,but may be worth it -- good luck
I was originally prescribes the medicom brand for a chalazion (mebomian cyst) I was very skeptical - as at that time nothing i put in my eyes agreed with me -- then to my amazement it actually felt soothing and whats more it got rid of the cyst ,along with me squeezing it, within a week

[clairvoyant]

My 2 cents: azasite rocks but you should be able to get just as good of an alternative in the UK... gotta find a doc understanding to the situation though..

[irish eyes]

Elmitcho and Irisheyes - why dont you get an appointment with your GP and explain that you want to try this, as it has helped me, but you think you are Intolerant to the mineral oil which the OTC brand has, and the NHS brand is produced by medicom and the drug in that brand is dissolved in liquid parrafin/soft white parrafin - so please could she/he request chloramphenical eye ointment 1% - the medicom brand(its in a green and white box)
Then it requires patient explanation to your pharmacy about why it must be this brand --- its an absolute pain --- having to do all this ,but may be worth it -- good luck
I was originally prescribes the medicom brand for a chalazion (mebomian cyst) I was very skeptical - as at that time nothing i put in my eyes agreed with me -- then to my amazement it actually felt soothing and whats more it got rid of the cyst ,along with me squeezing it, within a week

Hi Stella

Thanks for that but my eyes are even sensitive to the liquid paraffin! Besides which, I find out now that I am not producing any tears at all. My GP is trying to put a case forward for autologous serum because my eyes have not been able to tolerate any drops so far. The NHS hospital were very dismissive of me and now the problem is more serious.

All this is like a full time job isn't it?