Has anyone tried Restasis?

[Delilah]

Hello everyone, I had just posted that I was feeling alot better, it must have been a good day, I have noticed some change but my eyes are still extremely dry and the mucus has become so thick and like elastic, that it is sticking to the inside of my eyes and I have to pry it out. I just seen a commercial for this new eye drop called Restasis, has anyone tried it? I am still on the NAC and doxy combo, I haven't been on it too long and I will give it 2 months as Bmore had said it took around that much time before they saw a difference. In two months if I don't find relief with the NAC and doxy I will try the compounded method of an eye drop from the doxy. Also I am having trouble trying to see my replies??? Anyway, thank you everyone and have a good night. Delilah

[Cindy]

Hi Delilah,

Dry eye has a lot of ups and downs, huh? Yes, a lot of us have tried Restasis and like everything else, some do well with it and some don't.

I didn't do very well with it. It stung my eyes pretty badly so I just decided not to deal with it. Poke around some of the forums (this one included) and you'll find a number of posts about it.

I am still taking the NAC supplement and while it's hard to know whether it is specifically helping me (as opposed to perhaps any improvement I see is due to one or another or a combination of the many other things I do & take) I will continue to take it. I think it's a keeper.

Please do keep us posted on how you are progressing with the NAC/doxy combo and the doxy eyedrops (not sure I know what those are). I learn a lot from what other people are trying out.

[Gaye]

To Delilah re: Restasis

A year ago, I had tried the Restasis but found that the burning was unbearable. Not only did it burn when I first put the drops in, it burned all day. It was way worse than any eye pain I already had from the dry eye. Then by the end of the day, as the burning seemed to settle down, I had to start all over again. My eyes burned even when I tried to sleep at night. Needless to say, after 1 and 1/2 month, I had had it and quit using it. My doctor says that some people react that way to it. He tried it on himself to see how it felt and even he had a lot of burning with it. I just never bothered with it again.

[omy]

tried Restasis

Hi Gaye, I noticed you are logged on now...I have been battling this 'flare-up' of ocular rosacae (I think it is actually m.b. dysfunction since Dec. I think I am doing everything possible....Just this week my internist gave me Lortab....I would get rid of this eye if I could be assured it wouldn't occur in the other....also, what if people have "phantom eye pain"??? I am 51 so it must all be tied a bit to the hormone changes....My entire life has changed dramatically. No reading (thankful for audible.com), painting, quilting , knitting, entertaining etc. But when I read these posts from young Moms and kids trying to go to school , it breaks my heart for them.....Are you "new to this misery"? Susan

[Gaye]

To Susan from Gaye

Hi - I have been going through this for the last 2 1/2 years or so. It just started suddenly. For about 6 months, I didn't know what it was. I had horrible eye and face pain (mostly my right eye, like you) and my vision was terrible. I was sure it was something fatal - like a tumor behind my eye. No one understood what I was trying to tell them about what I was feeling. My family doctor did not have a clue (he wanted to put me on anti-depressants). My eye doctor was an idiot and told me there was nothing wrong. He refered me to an neurologist who finally figured out the dry eye problem, but she didn't treat it. So then they sent me to an ophthalmologist/neurologist who told me about the link between dry eye and trigeminal neuralgia, which was the major part of my eye pain. But he really didn't know why it started. I am sure most of it is due to my age and the menopause thing (I am 53). The medication he gave me has tamed the eye pain down considerably (Trileptal 300mg 1 hour before bed). I still have the rest of the dry eye problems, but they are managable with drops, gel, hot compresses, etc. I wonder where I will be at 60? It scares me to think and I always have these fears of ending up in the hospital and no one knows about my dry eye problem. Hate to be in a coma and my eyes have turned into raisins! I think we need those medical bracelets the identifies us as having a dry eye problem - just in case!

Hope you find some relief in some of the things you read about here. So many of these people have it much worse than me and they all have some great suggestions.

Good Luck and don't let it get you down.

Gaye

[Annie]

Hello everyone, I had just posted that I was feeling alot better, it must have been a good day, I have noticed some change but my eyes are still extremely dry and the mucus has become so thick and like elastic, that it is sticking to the inside of my eyes and I have to pry it out. I just seen a commercial for this new eye drop called Restasis, has anyone tried it? I am still on the NAC and doxy combo, I haven't been on it too long and I will give it 2 months as Bmore had said it took around that much time before they saw a difference. In two months if I don't find relief with the NAC and doxy I will try the compounded method of an eye drop from the doxy. Also I am having trouble trying to see my replies??? Anyway, thank you everyone and have a good night. Delilah

I have tried Restasis 3 times and could not tolerate the burning. If you have any other questions let me know.

[Amy09]

Restasis is effective for me

Unlike some of the other replies you have gotten, I love Restasis. I had tried MANY eyedrop and MANY perscriptions, and Restasis has helped me the most. I have to take twice the recommended dosage (two drops in each eye in the morning, and two drops in each eye at night) and unlike what many people say about the burning, it doesn't burn my eyes at all. In fact, it helps temporarily stop the burning that frequently exists in my eyes. The few times that it has burned my eyes, it has only been for a couple minutes before settling down. It usually makes them feel cool and refreshed, and it clears out the mucus in my eyes like crazy! Without a doubt, it is the best eye drop I have tried so far.

[Delilah]

Thank you everyone for replying about Restasis

Hello everyone, I just wanted to thank you all so much for putting in the time and effort to replying to my questions. I just read every single reply about the Restasis and I guess I should just try it and see. I just ordered those free samples of the Darkina and Dwella eye drops. I have seen a lot of people on this site needing GenTeal, we have a lot of it here in Idaho, I got a bottle and like I had said it only made matters worse for me, its too thick and causes me more blurry vision. If any of you need GenTeal let me know, its around 13 to 15 a bottle, there are 3 different kinds, mild, to moderate to severe. Any of you can e-mail me to lcky296@cableone.net All of you have been so helpful, I am so happy to be a part of this site and I wish all of you the best of luck as well, Cindy and Bmore, Diane, Rebecca, Dr. G, everyone who has replied to me a big thank you because I really appreciate it. No one understands what it is like to live with eye problems, it effects a persons life really bad, today is a good eye day lol, its not so bad, but I know that later on it will get worse, always gets worse at the end of the night. Anyway's let me know if you need GenTeal and I will find away to get all of you some. Take care Delilah

[DrG]

Allergan is actually promoting a "study" among certain doctors in my area. I imagine that they are doing the same in other parts of the country. The patient gets a one month free supply, but must agree to purchase 3 additional months. In return, the patient must submit to a questionaire at regular intervals. A shrewd patient might be able to work this to their benefit.

Ironically, the samples from the dryeyezone.com arrived at the very same time. The Allergan rep suggested that I do a study....

DrG

[Annie]

A year ago, I had tried the Restasis but found that the burning was unbearable. Not only did it burn when I first put the drops in, it burned all day. It was way worse than any eye pain I already had from the dry eye. Then by the end of the day, as the burning seemed to settle down, I had to start all over again. My eyes burned even when I tried to sleep at night. Needless to say, after 1 and 1/2 month, I had had it and quit using it. My doctor says that some people react that way to it. He tried it on himself to see how it felt and even he had a lot of burning with it. I just never bothered with it again.

Hi Gaye, I tried Restasis 3 times and could not tolerate the burning either. I already had burning, why would I want it again. It was bad!!!!!! I am now trying to qualify for a Dry Eye Clinical Trial with Novartis. The product is the equivalent to Restasis without the burning. I have had this dry eye for 4 years and have severe pain and burning. I must wear sunglasses outside even on a cloudy day. Well the qualifying first 30 days is already successful in my eyes. I must useRefresh Plus only in addition to some drops every 12 hours that are unmarked. Again this is only for the first 30 days to see if I qualify. It is very interesting. There will be 500 patients in the study for a period of 6 months. Well got to go for now. Let me know more of your experiences. thanks, Annie

[Annie]

Allergan is actually promoting a "study" among certain doctors in my area. I imagine that they are doing the same in other parts of the country. The patient gets a one month free supply, but must agree to purchase 3 additional months. In return, the patient must submit to a questionaire at regular intervals. A shrewd patient might be able to work this to their benefit.

Ironically, the samples from the dryeyezone.com arrived at the very same time. The Allergan rep suggested that I do a study....

DrG

Hi, I am going to try to go into a clinical 6 month trial with Novartis, with a product that is the equivalent of Restasis. I hope I qualify, it is very interesting. Annie

[Rebecca Petris]

A shrewd patient might be able to work this to their benefit.

I hope so. Funnily enough among the miscellany of calls to The Zone today was one from a patient asking if WE sell Restasis and if so if it's any cheaper than their pharmacy. Dry eye is indeed very, very hard on uninsured patients, between punctal plugs, drops, prescription drugs, special eyewear, etc.

Ironically, the samples from the dryeyezone.com arrived at the very same time. The Allergan rep suggested that I do a study....

Ooooh. Can you saaaay... double-blind clinical trial? I'd like nothing better.

[DrG]

I'm sure that can be arranged. But, first you will have to figure out a way to make your drops burn.

DrG

[Gaye]

To Annie From Gaye

It would be great to have a Restasis type drop without the burn. Every once in a while, I pull out the vials and try again, just to see if it still burns. Sure enough, I can't handle it. I had hoped in time that my eyes would settle down and tolerate it, but no go. I have had good luck with Dwelle and seem to be having a pretty decent time right now without too much discomfort. And of course, as soon as those words escape my mouth, I will have a bad day tomorrow. Strangely, last week I had a massage and you know how you spend some of the time on your stomach with your face in that little circle thing. Well the pressing of it on my eyes caused me so much trouble through the whole weekend, and I ended up with a major flare up. Amazing that such a small thing can cause a problem. Let's keep our fingers crossed for something new and better!

Gaye

[Jensmunk]

Restasis

I have used Restasis for the past 3 months and really did not notice any difference in my eyes. Sometimes, there was a burning sensation and I just discontinued for a few days. But, now I have noticed that my eyes do not "itch" as much as before I took the medicine. Went to the eye doctor and he said that the eyes are doing fine, so I guess, that perhaps, Restasis did work a little.