DES learning curve/coping

[kitty]

I was just wondering how long it has taken you to become comfortable with having DES. What I mean by this is, at what point did you stop freaking out or being obsessed with every little change in your eyes or vision? When did you stop feeling like you had to call your doctor for every little thing? I realize that much of learning to cope with DES is learning everything you can about it and I feel as though I have done and am doing that. I'm just getting to the point where when new things come up, I really hesitate to call my eye doctor out of fear of being labled. How do you know what symptoms to report right away and which ones to take a wait and see attitude about?

[neil0502]

I'm not a big drinker, Kitty, but I tend to look at this as they might: One Day at a Time.

I don't really have a handle on it. I just manage it ... the best I can.

[Jessica Adams]

Hi, Kitti

In my case I just started to manage the emotional roller coster 2 months ago (I started suffering from DES in Dec. of 2003). I had to visit a psycologist. What basically helped was acceptance!!! I was in such a huge denial that I suffered so much. Now I know I have a condition that I have to live with for a while and just that different mind set has made a big difference for me.

[Montgumski]

My Answers

"I was just wondering how long it has taken you to become comfortable with having DES."

Let's just say I am comfortable with the fact that my eyes will never be comfortable.

"What I mean by this is, at what point did you stop freaking out or being obsessed with every little change in your eyes or vision? "

When I realized nothing could be done for them.

"When did you stop feeling like you had to call your doctor for every little thing?"

See above.

"How do you know what symptoms to report right away and which ones to take a wait and see attitude about?"

You don't.

Good luck