meibomian gland dysfunction PROBLEM!!

[TRiBaL]

I have try everything and I know for a fact I have this. But I have try everything and I don't know what esle to do. Basiclly the only thing I haven't try was Doxycycline.

Is Doxycycline over the counter?

If anyone has any tips or ideas please help me out, thank you

[Natalie06]

Doxycycline

Is not available OTC. You must have a prescription. Are you seeing a corneal specialist? They can diagnose based on whether your glands are secreting anything...that can range from poor flow to totally blocked.

Also, just a tip but I have been on Tetracycline, Doxycylcine and now minocycline. (all various forms of the same antibiotic) but the minocycline has been much more effective.

I am also now doing lid scrubs with just a q-tip and "hottish" water...not too hot as to irritate the eylids but warm enough to feel good. That has also been more effective for me than using OTC lid scrubs and much cheaper!

Good luck!

Natalie

[Eli]

Tribal,
Although most people are prescribed tetracycline derivatives (minocycline, doxycycline, etc..) there has been some evidence in Rosacea (I know you don't have it) circles that macrolide antibiotics can work pretty well too. These include clarithromycin, azithromycin and erythromycin. If you don't respond to tetracyclines, maybe ask your doctor about these. Also, I reccomend that you give flax oil a shot. The current reccomendation is 1 tablespoon for every 100lbs. of body weight daily. I doubt you'll have some miraculous breakthrough with it, but it might help some. My doctor at Mass Eye and Ear said to use the oil in the bottle, not the capsules.

Good Luck

[TRiBaL]

Thanks guys... any more tips will be well welcomed

So I should goto a special doctor like a corneal specialist, or any normal doctor would be fine?

[TRiBaL]

I think i am just one those people where it takes much more then warm compresses, flawseed oil, finger messages to clear my problem up. Oh well...

or maybe other way around alot people seem to have this problem as well.

[Eli]

Well that makes two of us, my man. Some people apparently respond quickly to antibiotics, some slowly, and some not at all. I think I would have to put myself in the "slow" category. I took minocycline for maybe 6 months and was not amazed at the results. I do think it helped a little though. One thing that gives me hope is to remember that this disorder didn't develop overnight-in fact it took years-so it will take a while to reverse. Hang in there.

[TRiBaL]

Yea true, well I'm running out of ideas. You would think at such a young age im at 21 I wouldn't of got this problem and i got it when i was 17. Just sucks, I wish there was more treatments

[Kathel]

I've been doing lots of things for my MGD: Doxycycline, eyelid hygeine, allergy drops, Omega 3's, Borage oil, etc, and I'm getting slow but sure improvement. But, for the past few weeks, since breaking a toe, I've been taking ibuprofen, which has improved my eye symptoms remarkably. I guess it makes sense, as it is an anti-inflammatory, but I had never thought to try it for this. Just wanted to pass it along as something worth trying.

Kathel

[Eli]

Hey Tribal,
Didn't realize you have been dealing with this since 17. That really does suck man. Sorry to hear that. Oh by the way, long term use of Advil (ibuprofen) can cause stomach bleeding, so ask your doc if its okay to do.

[nick]

Hey Tribal,

Out of curiosity, do you have any idea what caused your dry eyes? Were you taking any drugs at the time?

Good luck with the doxy. For what it's worth, I've had pretty good luck with it.

Nick

[Isis]

Man, I feel ya. My opthomologost prescribed me Minocycline which I took for 3 weeks and then had a horrible allergic reaction. I have considered taking Doxy but I have heard that it has some nasty side effects. It seems not worth it to deal with something that isn't life threatening. I have a severe case of meibomitis too but I do the hot compresses, lid scrubs, lubricating drops and flaxseed oil. Just a quick question for you all: Just because I am allergic to minocycline, does that mean I will be allergic to doxycycline too? If I decide to take it, I don't want to go through what I went through before.

[TRiBaL]

I just am one those people have thick oil production and which leads to dry eyes. Its not anything to do with drug medication, allergies, contacts, I just have that bad luck bad genes of some sort or something. only thing aggravates my dryness is using computer and playing video games.

The point is a do warm compresses, take flax seed oil, wash my face all the time, use eye scrub stuff, do finger massages and nothing really makes it go away completely, sure it sooth it and kinda helps but I still get white bumps on my eyes and it just doesn't go away. My eyes constantly burn AHHHH

[nick]

I'm sorry to hear that Tribal. I was wondering whether it was due to accutane, given your age (Accutane caused my problems and I'm always eager to hear about other people's problems).

Best of luck to you!

[Kathel]

Isis,

Doxycycline and Minocycline are in the same drug class, so you are likely to have an allergic reaction to the doxy if you are allergic to the Minocycline. Are you sure it was an allergic reaction, ie rash, etc, and not just a side effect, ie nausea?

Kathel

[TRiBaL]

Can a persons diet effect their MGD?