Restasis users 4xs a day?

[Keymaker]

...sorry I meant NAC not NAAC...must not be as well off as I thought!

[03CobraDryEye]

Cobra it sounds like you are moving just like I did . I had dry eye due to PRK and started Restasis 8 months after procedure. Within 1 month I was able to stop all artificial tears. I was not cured for sure but I felt better not using them. If you respond well as I did (and not everyone does) at 12 weeks you will feel a big difference. At month 6 I was able to cut to 1 drop per day each eye with no change and at month 7 I started 1 drop every other day. My eyes seem to be over the hump and hopefully will return to normal as I had no dry eye at all before PRK. I know a chronic condition usually requires permanent use but it sounds like you may be starting well. I found a NAAC supplement as well as Vit C helped also. Good luck.

I hope I have such good results as you, but your story gives me tremendous hope, along with whatever future treatment I'm going to receive at Wilmer. Right now I go through a box of Optive artificial tear vials (30 in a box) per day. Its an obscene amount. I started using the NAC supplement (1200mg a day) just yesterday.

I'm so glad I found this website. So many people on here have really become my heroes and have really been an inspiration and given me a new found belief that I can overcome this. Thank you all for being so strong and for enduring your conditions. All of you folks are incredibly courageous in my book! I hope soon I will be able to post encouraging news about my condition.

[Keymaker]

You will get there Cobra. I say this because I will never forget May 6 2009. I sat in my den at 3 am and decided that I could not take it and would take my life. Thank God I finally feel asleep and my wife came down the next morning, saw a pistol in my hand and slipped out and called my father. He came over, slid the gun from me, woke me up and then held onto me while I cried for what was happening to me. (I am 48, he is 74). They then realized how bad off I was and with their support and with the help of a good doctor I am now stable. Surround yourself with those you love and hang in there.

[Guest]

You will get there Cobra. I say this because I will never forget May 6 2009. I sat in my den at 3 am and decided that I could not take it and would take my life. Thank God I finally feel asleep and my wife came down the next morning, saw a pistol in my hand and slipped out and called my father. He came over, slid the gun from me, woke me up and then held onto me while I cried for what was happening to me. (I am 48, he is 74). They then realized how bad off I was and with their support and with the help of a good doctor I am now stable. Surround yourself with those you love and hang in there.

I teared up reading that... I can totally relate to how you felt... it's a constant struggle to keep up hope when in a situation like this! I hope so badly that I won't have to struggle with my eyes for the rest of my life... but hearing about successes like yours helps me to remain hopeful!

[Rebecca Petris]

Keymaker, that gave me shivers in retrospect! I am so thankful you fell asleep and that caring people are helping you through. What's so tragic is that it's at those very moments when the anguish is peaking that it can be the very hardest to even try to reach out for help.

I feel so grateful every time I hear of the successes here... whether it's how & why someone's still alive to fight another day or the good day, week or month someone's having. You never know what posting your experience may do for unseen, unknown readers who need to be propped up with fresh hope.

[Keymaker]

SAAG reading your posts have given me alot of strength. I cannot imagine the trials you have had and I have followed your story from the begining. You are truly a person who is beautiful inside and out to be so strong of character. And Rebecca what can I say about you that has not been said already. Thanks for all you do.

I was lucky in that my PRK doc has been very supportive. When he could tell I was in trouble he gave me his personal cellphone number and email and told me to contact him no matter what day or time it was. I never called but I did send emails which he always answered within an hour or two. After my breakdown, he came to his office the next morning (Sunday) to meet with me and my wife to help. When I contact him, he always sees me very quickly and has never charged me any additional. I know it's a good situation compared to a lot of other docs.

I am much better now. But I have stared the dragon in the eye and I will never be the same. Hopefully there will be relief for all of us not too far down the road.

[03CobraDryEye]

I am sorry to hear you are having so much trouble, hang in there, it will get better. I use Restasis 4x per day and I think that it helps. Actually I have tried 3x and 4x per day and I find that there is not all that much difference between them. However, I did find quite a bit of difference between 3x or 4x per day and just 2x per day. So for me the increase in dosage did help quite a bit. Also, one thing that might help you save a little money is when I use Restasis, 1 vial usually lasts me an entire day. When I was using Restasis 2x a day, 1 vial would last me about 2 days, so try to squeeze as much out of the vials as you can. I hope this helps.

I like the idea of saturating both eyes with the contents each vial contains. I understand your approach as far as attempting to save money but my concern is that by just using one drop in each eye to make a vial last the entire day, won't saturate the eye with enough medicine.

[Guest]

I think the best way to get more effect from it would be to use one drop per eye, then close you eyes for 2-3 minutes while putting gentle pressure on the inside corners of your eyes to prevent the drops from draining away.

This will allow more time for the Restasis to absorb and do it's thing.

[Lucy]

Keymaker, your post is very touching. I'm glad you are doing better. Lucy

[03CobraDryEye]

I think the best way to get more effect from it would be to use one drop per eye, then close you eyes for 2-3 minutes while putting gentle pressure on the inside corners of your eyes to prevent the drops from draining away.

This will allow more time for the Restasis to absorb and do it's thing.

Oh man I haven't been doing right. I've been laying down in bed and putting 4 drops on each eye and then standing up and letting my eye absorb the medication. I'm so pissed at myself after also finding another site that gives identical instructions to yours.

[Guest]

Well, on the bright side, now your vials will last longer! Better late than never, right?

[03CobraDryEye]

Well I'm still sticking to using 4 vials a day, but I'm going to follow your suggestion of pinching the inner eyelids after putting a drop in each eye and I'm going to repeat the procedure until the vial is empty. Better late than never is right.

[ringo]

Cobra,
I am so glad you are doing better! Please keep us posted, especially regarding your progresss with the doctors at the Wilmer institute...

Keymaker,

it makes me so utterly sad to read about what you have gone through; I have contemplated suicide on occasion, and then have resigned to the fact that i will just spend the rest of my life waiting for the day when it will all end and the pain will stop. I am so glad you have a loving supportive family who are helping you to get through.

I owe everything to my husband who has taken care of me and has provided the best treatments I could get.

[03CobraDryEye]

Cobra,
I am so glad you are doing better! Please keep us posted, especially regarding your progresss with the doctors at the Wilmer institute...

Keymaker,

it makes me so utterly sad to read about what you have gone through; I have contemplated suicide on occasion, and then have resigned to the fact that i will just spend the rest of my life waiting for the day when it will all end and the pain will stop. I am so glad you have a loving supportive family who are helping you to get through.

I owe everything to my husband who has taken care of me and has provided the best treatments I could get.

Will do. Going to Wilmer in 2 days and I'm hoping to God that it will be encouraging news that I'm coming back with.

[Keymaker]

Thanks Ringo. I have just (with Doc's permission) stopped the use of Restasis. He seems to think after 8 months it's a good time to try. I went 1 drop 2x per day for 6 months, to 1 each per day 1 month, 1 drop every other day for 1 month. I have now been 7 days with no Restasis and so far I feel no bad effects or regression. I realize it could all come back however. He stated he may try a set of permanent plugs if I need a little boost, but I can do all activities so far and feel about 95% with the occasional dry period that lasts a few minutes.