Stopping Restasis

[lboogie]

I keep wondering if Restasis has done much for me .... it doesn't burn neccesarily, but it doesn't feel great either. Has anyone stopped to see what happens? And then restarted if things got worse? Just curious.

[Lucy]

Restasis really needs a six month trial if you're going for broke. How long have you been on it?

Usually, it's not good to stop if you THINK it has helped you some. It takes a long time to get back to where you were. But, if you're thinking of stopping Restasis because you think it isn't doing any good...well you can always try stopping it. You may or may not feel a difference.

Lucy

[Jen72]

Have you noticed any change? I did read somewhere that if you stop, then it is like starting from square one when you do re-start (maybe from Dr. Latkany's book, not sure). I'm on Restasis 10 weeks with no change for what its worth, my Dr. says keep on.

[lboogie]

Hmmm, I have been on it for 9 months. I'm post-lasik by 10 months , so who knows how much is just healing, or the restasis. I can't be sure I guess. But I'd hate to start over at square one that's for sure. I might also ask about serum next time I go in.........I just want something to help me heal and feel more normal!

[clairvoyant]

I got worse almost immediately but I have plugs in.

[cleareyed]

Restasis - soldier on

I have been on it for 4.5-5 months. I have dry eye, with RCEs in the left only, -7.5 Rx but no lasik, ever, and most likely some EBMD as the most likely cause.

At about 3 months, when I had two severe erosions within 3 weeks of each other, and I had to get another refill and I noticed the price again, that made me question what it is actually doing for me. But I read some more here and decided to keep doing it. I am erosion free for 4 weeks and on my strict disciplined daily routine which I have come to look forward to rather than loathe the abnormality of being this way.

So my experience has been: I think it helps me overall, as part of my broader routine, and without it I feel my eyes would go dryer and an erosion may crop up. I do not take it to feel immediately better, like a Theratears or Nutritear. It is dropped only 5 minutes after a moisture drop. I view it as medicine rather than a wet feel good drop.

[chickenlittle]

Laura, try the serum. Are you using the doxy for oil glands or do you just need more aqueous tears? I don't have an answer for aqueous, I'm in the same place. I haven't used serum since back in April, I thought I was healing, but lateley my eyes are very dry and now painful - I feel them more if that makes any sense. So now I'm going back to the serum and see if will help me. Plus, I wasn't using any drops, just letting the plugs take care of my dryness, which seemed to work for me in May,June,July. So now I've got to do serum and add some Holly drops because I am waking up at night because of the dryness and it's really bad in the morning until around noon - I guess all my blinking in the morning kicks in tear production, but obviously I have none at night. Are you doing anything altermative for help? I've started seeing an accupuncturist - only positive change is I have oil production now - so that is something - as of last month I had none. So if I could just get aqueous tears.....

[lboogie]

Thanks! Yes, I just wrote my opth. (not my lasik doc) to talk about serum and upper plugs. He is part of the Kaiser health system, and that is my only insurance, so hopefully he'll be open and able to assist me with that idea. My oil glands are supposedly not 100%, but not too bad either. I did a 3-month course course of doxy back in Februrary, nothing since.

I'm doing omegas, but that's about it. I don't have coverage for natropathic medicine.

Sounds like you've had periods of relief -- that is something to hold onto for sure!