triumphs with allergies

[browneyes]

For people whose dry eyes or eye pain was due to allergies, how long did it take between when you eliminated (or controlled) the allergen and when you were certain your eyes were better?

The reason I ask is that I'm currently exploring the allergy angle... based on Dr Latkany's advice... even though I don't have the standard signs of an allergy sufferer. I've made my apartment allergy proof but have not noticed benefits yet. I'm also awaiting my allergy blood test results.

[skygoddess]

Browneyes,
Did you get tested for contact allergies?
They are my main problem.
I feel better as soon as I get the episode under control, AND eliminate contact sources.

For example, I tried a new conditioner yesterday, supposedly one without allergens, but by this morning, I had reacted to something in it.
My eyes started acting up, so I put in some Tobradex and washed my hair, gave my $12 conditioner to my Mom and now I am fine again.

It is incredibly difficult to find out what triggers are yours.
You almost have to assume everything is until proven otherwise.
Reactions can occur up to three days after contact, and contact can be transferred, for example , pillowcases , towels, hands.
When I go to the hairdresser, I react violently and immediately to their towels, so now I bring my own.
I am allergic to black rubber mix, and I am constantly picking up items like pen grips made from rubber without realizing it.
Then I transfer the allergen to my eyes.

I had a bad week a couple of months ago, I felt so frustrated because I thought I had it beat , and it was back.
Then I realized , the travel coffee mug I stole from my husband , and had been constantly drinking from, had a rubber handle . DUH!
Used Azasite , gave my husband back his mug, and a day later, I was fine again.

It is difficult, but at least if the problem is allergies, you have some hope.
Once you find and eliminate the sources, your eyes feel normal again.
Even though I now live with frizzy hair , and no nail polish , I look and feel 1000% better.

[calli66]

An old-fashioned alternative to hair conditioner is a rinse with vinegar. I used to use it when I was a child in the 1950's before conditioner came on the market. I think we used to mix 1/4 cup in a cup of warm water and pour that over the hair while bending over at the sink (after the final rinse to get the soap out). Be VERY careful not to get it in your eyes, 'cause it stings. Hold a towel over your eyes. It smooths down the hair's cuticles. Leave it on for a minute or two and then rinse out.

Maybe that will help the frizzies.

Calli

[mclaire66]

skygoddess did you wind up being allergic to one of the common contact allergies they tested you for or others? i tested positive for dust mite allergy on the scratch test and am going back today for my final evaluation on the contact allergies (so far no reaction), this allergist said my inflamed eyelids could be from dust mite allergy but it's not common to have that without the itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion which i don't have--i'm just wondering if i'm not allergic to the common contact allergens they test for what if i'm allergic to one they're not testing for, how would i ever find out which it was?? also have allergy eyedrops worked for anyone, i seem to have a reaction to all of them, not sure if it's the preservative...

[skygoddess]

Mclaire66,
Do you have patches on your back?
Contact allergies are normally diagnosed by a dermatologist who specializes in contact allergies. Not the same test as dust mites.
They are usually only one or two per state. and they do more extensive testing than the standard patch test.

( Apparently it is a expensive practice to maintain and not a high profit area)
I just want to check we are talking about the same thing.

[mclaire66]

oh i'm sorry i was talking about two separate things, i tested positive for dust mite allergy on the scratch test, then did the patch test as well to rule out contact allergies which came out negative, seems like it must be the dust mite allergy, just odd it's not presenting like a "normal" dust mite allergy with itchiness and congestion but maybe i'm not normal, lol...

anyone else had dust mite allergy that caused blepharitis (with no classic allergy symptoms?) any allergy pill or drop that made it better? dr gave me singulair to try to help with the inflammation, and i'm probably going to start allergy shots as well (anyone else had any luck with shots for this?)

dr. also said i had ocular rosacea which apparently is complicating things...

[Meebo]

For people whose dry eyes or eye pain was due to allergies, how long did it take between when you eliminated (or controlled) the allergen and when you were certain your eyes were better?

The reason I ask is that I'm currently exploring the allergy angle... based on Dr Latkany's advice... even though I don't have the standard signs of an allergy sufferer. I've made my apartment allergy proof but have not noticed benefits yet. I'm also awaiting my allergy blood test results.

i was diagnosed with ocular rosacea by Dr latkany, however, I am beginning to believe that i have allergies, or at least allergies that exacerbate the symptoms of ocular rosacea.

i stopped using irish spring soap and my symptoms drastically improved. I bgan using pataday, which is used for ocular allergies, and my eyes become extremely white and seems to increase TBUT drastically.

i am going to get alergy testing soon and finally figure out what the hell is goin on with my eyeballs

[Meebo]

Browneyes,
Did you get tested for contact allergies?
They are my main problem.
I feel better as soon as I get the episode under control, AND eliminate contact sources.

For example, I tried a new conditioner yesterday, supposedly one without allergens, but by this morning, I had reacted to something in it.
My eyes started acting up, so I put in some Tobradex and washed my hair, gave my $12 conditioner to my Mom and now I am fine again.

It is incredibly difficult to find out what triggers are yours.
You almost have to assume everything is until proven otherwise.
Reactions can occur up to three days after contact, and contact can be transferred, for example , pillowcases , towels, hands.
When I go to the hairdresser, I react violently and immediately to their towels, so now I bring my own.
I am allergic to black rubber mix, and I am constantly picking up items like pen grips made from rubber without realizing it.
Then I transfer the allergen to my eyes.

I had a bad week a couple of months ago, I felt so frustrated because I thought I had it beat , and it was back.
Then I realized , the travel coffee mug I stole from my husband , and had been constantly drinking from, had a rubber handle . DUH!
Used Azasite , gave my husband back his mug, and a day later, I was fine again.

It is difficult, but at least if the problem is allergies, you have some hope.
Once you find and eliminate the sources, your eyes feel normal again.
Even though I now live with frizzy hair , and no nail polish , I look and feel 1000% better.

Interesting enough, I used azasite and for the first 2 weeks I thought i was cured. So, i believe the azithromycin acts as an anti-inflammatory. Ater the 2 week period all it did was irritate my eyes even more.

I stopped azasite, elminated using bar soap and shampoo, switched to cetaphil, and then started using pataday and im feeling a lotttttt better.

Like i said in my other reply i cannot wait until i get allergy testing done.

[mclaire66]

meebo how long did it take pataday to work for you and does it irritate your eyes at all? i could only use it for a couple of days because they irritated me so much, dr thinks i may have a problem with preservatives because all prescription eye drops bother me, the only thing that doesn't is preservative free artificial tears...

[skygoddess]

Mclaire,
The standard patch test only tests for 25 or so items. I had that one first, but my Dr. did not think it caught my main problem, so I was referred to a specialist.
The 2nd set was over 200 patches, and many of them were custom made from my cosmetics, soaps etc.
It picked up on my main offender, a substance made from coconut.
That Dr told me there were 6,000 or so possible tests he could perform.
So just because the standard patch test did not identify anything, you might not want to discount the possibility that you may still have a contact allergy.

[mclaire66]

thanks skygoddess, that's what i was thinking, what if i'm allergic to a substance not on the patch test, it could be anything, but that's cool that you can have them test the specific products you use, i think my allergist mentioned they could do that if the dust mite thing doesn't pan out (the thing that stinks is once i start the shots i have to wait 6-12 months to find out if it's going to work) i keep thinking contact allergies make more sense since i don't have the classic itchy, sneezy allergy symptoms, only the eyelid inflammation...

[skygoddess]

Mclaire,
My doc even tested my eye drops. Funny thing was I used to think Genteal felt the most soothing, but I tested allergic to it.
I can only use refresh.

I am thinking of going back for another round of patch testing.
I think I have found most things, but I still have reactions now and then I cant explain.