serum drops diary

[homes]

Sorry about that, Holmes. I had no idea that you would take my comment in that vein (I thought you had a sense of humor). However, your admission is very important as it does confound the results. I can make any eye look and feel better with enough steroids.

However, what is important is that YOU can tell the difference, and I don't think that anybody will be dissuaded to try autologous serum drops, nor should they, because of this.

DrG

no, it's just that i've seen you do it before with other members. i think it's a "doctors" thing, most of you have a "dry" (no pun intended) sense of humor and are quick to judge based on your expertise. i apologize, im just a little sensitive.. especially when it is related to my condition. it's just frustrating when physicians "stick to the book".. anything that is non-medical is completely disregarded.

yes steroid drops certainly helped before using serum drops, but it was when i started the serum therapy that i could really feel the difference. however, i never discontinued the use of steroids so i thought it was necessary to mention it anyway. my doctor is going to get me off them next week, so ill see how it goes from there.

[DrG]

no, it's just that i've seen you do it before with other members. i think it's a "doctors" thing, most of you have a "dry" (no pun intended) sense of humor and are quick to judge based on your expertise. i apologize, im just a little sensitive.. especially when it is related to my condition. it's just frustrating when physicians "stick to the book".. anything that is non-medical is completely disregarded..

Hey, that's OK. I've been accused of worse. Insofar as "sticking to the book" goes, we doctors pretty much have to. It's a medico-legal type of thing. Insofar as having a total disregard for anything non-medical, I disagree. Usually, I will only comment about things of which I am quite certain. If it involves something that isn't scientifically proven, but won't do any harm to try it, I generally abstain from comment. If it involves something that isn't scientifically proven, and may cause harm, I always speak out. To tell you a dirty little secret, I am a frequent visitor to the Vitamin Shoppe, where I stock up on things like Vitamin C, gingko, salmon oil, and various other antioxidants. You see, I want to have a young-looking corpse.

yes steroid drops certainly helped before using serum drops, but it was when i started the serum therapy that i could really feel the difference. however, i never discontinued the use of steroids so i thought it was necessary to mention it anyway. my doctor is going to get me off them next week, so ill see how it goes from there.

I don't think that any intelligent reader expects that autologous serum drops are some magical overnight cure, but that the long-term use will possibly have a healing effect. Using steroids for short-term benefits is totally valid. It has been suggested that we jump-start our Restasis patients with steroids until the Restasis effects kick-in.

Anyhow, time will tell, my friend. Keep posting.

DrG

[homes]

I don't think that any intelligent reader expects that autologous serum drops are some magical overnight cure

they aren't. im talking in relative terms here.. any person in my condition right now would probably go insane from the pain. but compared to a week ago my eyes definitely feel better.. i even went a whole day without any pain, something i haven't experienced in quite a while. i firmly believe its the serum drops doing their magic; i never got the same results with steroids.

[DrG]

I just hope that not everybody has the attitude that "the medical profession has failed me, they got me into this, my doctors don't understand, and they don't know what they are doing. Therefore, I must treat myself, by myself, with the help of other people who think like me." If that is indeed the prevailing attitude here, then I am clearly an interloper.

I seem to get that impression from time-to-time. Now I am going to duck -- actually go out for a long bike ride, until the dust settles. I may or may not return....

DrG

[Rebecca Petris]

I just hope that not everybody has the attitude that "the medical profession has failed me, they got me into this, my doctors don't understand, and they don't know what they are doing. Therefore, I must treat myself, by myself, with the help of other people who think like me." ...

I seem to get that impression from time-to-time. Now I am going to duck -- actually go out for a long bike ride, until the dust settles. I may or may not return....

DrG

I see nothing in Homes post, nor in the attitude of "everybody", nor yet in that of the forum hosts (who make a very clear point of encouraging and urging patients to be under proper medical care at all times) to in any way justify this sort of comment.

These are community forums for patients to exchange viewpoints and experiences and support each other. Patients are welcome to express their feelings here, and as far as I can tell, have amply demonstrated good judgment and taste in doing so.

[homes]

I just hope that not everybody has the attitude that "the medical profession has failed me, they got me into this, my doctors don't understand, and they don't know what they are doing. Therefore, I must treat myself, by myself, with the help of other people who think like me." If that is indeed the prevailing attitude here, then I am clearly an interloper.

I seem to get that impression from time-to-time. Now I am going to duck -- actually go out for a long bike ride, until the dust settles. I may or may not return....

DrG

ok now you're just putting words in my mouth. im done.

don't go though, im sure alot people here benefit from your advice. don't mind a negligent uninformed patient like me.

[Cindy]

by Homes:

don't mind a negligent uninformed patient like me.

Homes, you are an EXPERT on how your own eyes feel and are uniquely qualified to discuss how your current treatment(s) for dry eye are affecting you personally. I want to hear what your personal experience is with serum drops and am thrilled you are sharing it. You are not negligent nor uninformed. You are living and learning as you go. Just like the rest of us. I'm learning something from all of your posts that I would not have otherwise known. The weed thing is making me cringe (only because I'm a mom of a 24 yr old) but I'll deal with it . At this point you are the resident expert on serum drops and I'm hanging on every word.

[homes]

by Homes:

Homes, you are an EXPERT on how your own eyes feel and are uniquely qualified to discuss how your current treatment(s) for dry eye are affecting you personally. I want to hear what your personal experience is with serum drops and am thrilled you are sharing it. You are not negligent nor uninformed. You are living and learning as you go. Just like the rest of us. I'm learning something from all of your posts that I would not have otherwise known. The weed thing is making me cringe (only because I'm a mom of a 24 yr old) but I'll deal with it . At this point you are the resident expert on serum drops and I'm hanging on every word.

you know, you're right cindy.. it's just that time and again i've been told that i've been exaggerating or jumping to my own conclusions by my doctors.. and because of that it took my opthalmologist eight months after the surgery to finally diagnose dry eye because i never questioned him - "oh the pain is normal, it will go away" - well it never did.

i strongly believe to follow your own instinct and gut feeling.. and mine tells me that im doing what's right for my eyes.

thanks for the support and your trust.

ps> i completely understand the reaction regarding the weed suggestion. i know it's portrayed as satan himself. for me though, i see it as having a glass of wine.

[homes]

19/07/2005, 7:49PM

my eyes feel ultra comfortable today.. no foreign body sensation, burning, red eye or any of my chonic symptoms.

the doctor told me to taper off the dosage to a single drop a day. for severe cases of dry eye it's four drops then down to two after a 1-2 week period.

i still have another 2 weeks to go before i decide to continue or discontinue the therapy.

[Dotanne]

I'm so pleased that you feel so much better and I hope your comfort continues. Thank you for giving us the details in your diary. Please keep it up. It is so good to hear positive news about dry eye!
Cheers
Dotanne

[homes]

20/07/2005, 19:00PM

my eyes were very sore this morning unforunately. im doing much better now, but my condition has relapsed a little. im also getting an odd stringy discharge in the corner of my eye, which i will get checked tomorrow. still, when i inserted the drops it provided a long lasting film of lubrication that made my eyes manageably comfortable.

[jcorbett]

That's one of the things with dry eyes. Good one day, not so good the next, then better again. And who knows why. But if your bad days are still better than before, you are still ahead of the game. That's my thinking, anyway.

[homes]

That's one of the things with dry eyes. Good one day, not so good the next, then better again. And who knows why. But if your bad days are still better than before, you are still ahead of the game. That's my thinking, anyway.

well yes, in comparative terms, my eyes are still better during my "bad days."

[homes]

22/07/2005, 8:47 PM.

happy birthday to me... NOT!

ugh, my eyes feel horrible today and had to postpone my birthday party till tomorrow in hopes i feel better.

my eyes are stinging, pink and watery.. i couldn't get ahold of my doctor yet, i called him and his wife told me he's on a 2 week vacation. oh joy.

im sorry for the bad news people.. hopefully this is unrelated to my recovery, and just an allergy reaction to pollutants and dust (i live in Cairo, the most polluted city in the world, aren't i proud?).

[jcorbett]

Awww.....Homes....so sorry about your birthday party!
Your eyes....is this typical of the way your eyes were before, or is this something new? I wonder if you can have an allergic reaction to the drops themselves? Seems unlikely if they are made from your own blood, but then I wonder what else they add to the drops.
Happy Birthday!