Success Story -- Knock on Wood

[Justpeachythx]

Hello, all

I just popped into the site because I need to order a new sleeping mask, and it occurred to me that I probably haven't been on the site for 10 months or so.

After the hellish August-December I had last year, I'm so happy to report that I have not had to use one single drop in my eye since end of January this year. My success story is partly due to my finally being able to find an eye doctor who deals with dry eye, and part due to .... (wait for it...) ... chewing gum.

I know that probably sounds crazy, but I first noticed the connection between chewing and eye-comfort in February this year. I'm a crazy fiend for cinnamon hearts and can eat a whole bag of them in one sitting (good thing they are only around in February/March). Once I could no longer find them in the stores, I started to notice a relapse with my eyes ... and turned to sugarless chewing gum, thinking what the heck.

Nowadays, when I first start to notice my eyes bugging me, I pop in a stick of gum ... and voila ... the dryness disappears immediately. I've had to explain to my coworkers why I'm always chomping on gum in meetings, but they understand!

Notwithstanding the gum, a lot of the credit also goes to the doctor I was finally referred to (4th one) who took the whole thing seriously and put me on the standard regime of steroid drops for 4 weeks, a steroid cream for 4 weeks and doxy for 6 months.

Winter is once again approaching (low low humidity), but my symptoms that started in August last year have yet to show up. Knock on wood.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my story and wish you all well.

Debbi

[irish eyes]

Wow Debbi

It was a good job I read on after you mentioned the chewing gum because my brain went into overdrive thinking of how it possibly helped you.....!

I think it was the US architect, Frank Lloyd Wright described TV as being:

"......chewing gum for the eyes"

(You will know that this refers to a tv programme, film or even a book which is easy to understand and hasn't got a difficult plot.)

You didn't mean this of course.....but how extraordinary? As you say, credit to your doctor too.

[ringo]

Debbi,

thank you for your post! from my experience with sjogren's it looks like when you stimulate the saliva flow with a medication, it also stimulates the tear flow...so there must be a connection between the chewing gum stimulating salivation and relieving your eyes as well....That is the first time though I have ever heard of something like this! Thank you for sharing...

I also got better on the steroid drops and steroid cream and the doxy. After trying all other sorts of palliative symptomatic treatment. Looks like for some of us, the underlying reason for dry eye is the inflammation, and when you target that the eyes improve.

I hope that you have been cured forever! That would give all sufferes immense hope...