Struggling to cope?? (U.K), Had enough,?? There is help!..

[Colin P]

O.K. cards on the table. I hope my experiences can help at least 1 person.
After spending 6 months gradually getting more and more depressed over my dry-eyes, (lack of tears) i had had enough, had stopped eating for over a week, and was on the verge of you know what.
My opthamolagist had unbeknown to me wrote to my G.P expressing her concern about my state of mind . G.P wrote to me asking to come and see him. I did!.
To which he advised me "i was overreacting"!...
The downward spiral continued, when my wife by chance had an appointment with her seperate G.P, and mentioned my visit to my own G.P.
G.P #2 hit the roof and wrote a short letter/refferel for me to go straight to A+E to see the 24hr 'crisis team' i went straight from work scratching my head "who's this crisis team?" within the hour i was admitted to hospital (voluntarily-NOT sectioned!) and spent 5 weeks there.
Once here you find yourself under the care of a designated doctor dealing with your specific case. They found an anti-depressent that aside from glaucoma sufferers does not otherwise affect the eyes; it's name VENLAFLAXINE.
I was started on 35mg tablets-once a day 9am. week 2, 75mg. week 3, 150mg. The dosage has to be gradual and the full benefits took 4 weeks to happen, this is normal, only slight affects in first 3 weeks. Alongside 2x Codine pain killers twice a day (derivitive of morphine(without paracetemol) if you require paracetemol then it's 'co-codomol'. The world now looks a different place and im having great success living alongside 'dry-eyes' something i thought was impossible . The doctors claim was, that sitting alone with your eyes shut was magnifying the problem, something i dismissed to him as ridiculous "have you any idea what this feels like!!??".
The anti-depressents act as a bandage if you will, a bandage wont heal your problem; but it will help 'YOU' heal your problem. I am on the Venlaflaxine for at least 9 months, then if all is well the graduall withdrawl, and the codine i can stay on for as long as i want, and just take them as-and-when-neccassery.
My doctor liased with the hospital opthamolagist and surprise-surprise i got an appointment and went straight in, no-queing!; Oh and got a thurough examination .. My doctor had told me a story of a chap in screaming in agony after he stood on a nail that went straight through his boot; upon removel of said nail and boot- it had gone between his toes and not broke the skin! I asked him could you for example ignore tooth-ache?? reply " i have done!".
According to doctor most of pain anywhere in the body is mostly in the mind and accentuated by worry/fear or depressive state of mind.
As iv'e said i scoffed at this suggestion!................
5 weeks later, assisted by anti-depressents my dry-eye pain is nowhere near as bad it was, and ive thrown away my night mask to keep eyes moist, i sleep all night! and first morning only after going 'mask free' i felt a little gritty; bathing my eyelids before opening them for the first time now works for me.. I have not felt the 'eyelash' in the eye sensation for over a month! my left eye only requires drops at bedtime now; and my Right i'm on twice a day with drops, which for the first time ive stayed with 1 brand (Celluvisc 1%) and they actually work!! take away my deep in the eye pain. Ive not touched the pain killers for days!.. Which leaves me asking...
................... "How much of actual pain we suffer is real??"...........................

PS, If anyone is in real trouble, and would like some additional information- please feel free to pm me, i'd be only to glad to help.........

[littlemermaid]

Wow, fantastic and helpful post. So happy you're doing great again. Really good team you've got there, wife, GP no.2, lady ophth, 24hr crisis. Good news about huge improvement, and that you like Celluvisc 1% - no probs NHS on GP repeat prescription. Such an important post to help UK people and everyone else on depression. Mermaid and I wish you the best.

[magoo]

Thank you so much for this uplifting and helpful post. I have bookmarked it so I can return and read it over a few times to 'digest' it. I tend to shut down and isolate and I know in my head this is bad, but reading this has reinforced my will to get 'out there' no matter what.

[Colin P]

Why thankyou!. Re-the celluvisc, if progress continues? i'm gonna revert to the 0.5%.
All i'm saying at top of page is dont give up and become a recluse like i had.
If someone offerd you a capsule that would make you feel 10x times better how much would you pay for it?..
However! as soon as you were advised it was an anti-depressent would you run a mile?..
I should have mentioned, that Venlafaxine has a list of side effects as long as your arm and you (as i did) can expect to feel a fair share of them; for 3-4 days none of them are serious and cause minimal (less than that) discomfort, and as i said they pass.
One of the side effects i can confirm was 'dry mouth' and yep i asked the question to the doctor "moisture secreting glands-mouth and eyes?" he was correct in saying non-eye related; throat side effect, and again it passed after maybe 4 days. Did my eyes feel any different?? YES- BETTER!!........
All of this you can read for yourself on the leaflet that comes in the actual box.
On a lighter note one of the 3x day side effects was not dis-similair to Viagara!! fortunatly for my wife this was week 3, and not week 5 when i came home...
The Venlafaxine is working for me, but what went under the radar, is the rest and respite i got-priceless.

[chattabob]

I know this is an old post but in my own post someone mentioned to look at your posts... I know what you mean about Venlafaxine being like viagra, unfortunatly this has never worn off on me and I do not have much sensitivity now days Good for porn stars but not good for me