My "breakthrough" day...

[curlygrl31]

Finally, the posting I have been waiting for... a positive one...

I've had issues with eye redness, dryness, burning & inflammation for the past year. I had been to see 8 opthamologists, two allergists, two dermatologists, a gastroenterologist and two primary care physicians. I have literally tried every anti-inflammatory, dry eye technique, drop and medicine that is on the market. One doctor I saw said, "We don't know what is happening with you, but it is only going to get worse."

I had been diagnosed differently by the eye docs, but mainly the consensus was ocular rosacea (I have mild facial rosacea). However, I never responded to doxy, lid hygine techniques, (I did not really have lid involvement), etc. I have never had contacts, Lasik.

Two major changes occurred just before my downward spiral at a healthy 31-years old... 1.) Switched birth control pill to Yasmin for hormonal acne. 2.) Went thru the stress of divorce and currently a stressed-out single mother. In the past year, I have felt very stressed (like that "fight or flight" feeling all the time), and have lost weight and cannot gain.

Here's my breakthough... finally, a very empathetic primary care doctor ran an array of bloodwork and hit on what I feel might be the "right test." It was just discovered my cortisol levels are through the roof. I'm now being referred to an endocrinologist. After a year of worry and anxiety, not knowing what/why this was happening, I feel I finally found some direction. Proof that something is REALLY wrong. I felt I had been walking around with a blindfold on, looking for direction and someone finally took the blindfold off and pointed me right where I need to go.

To all who are at the end of their rope. Hang on. Fight for your health. Be your own advocate. Learn all you can and press your doctors if you know something is not right.

HOPE feels better than winning the lottery. Today, I have hope.

Curlygrl

[NYer]

OMG, Curly, I was just diagnosed with the same thing this week! High cortisol levels and adrenal fatigue!! And I read that there is a definite correlation between those issues and mucous-related body functions...like production of tears!!!

[acarol]

Thats great that ye got a proper diagonises - it really must make the world of difference. I know i was diagnoised with MGD but at times i feel there is other stuff going on aswell. I never really FEEL 100% over all.

[curlygrl31]

Nyer,

How am I not surprised? You are like my long lost twin with our similarities. My jaw did really drop when I read that, though. Doesn't it make you wonder if Yasmin BC pills altered the hormones for us??? I am still suspicious.

I don't have an endocrinologist appointment until late Oct/early Nov., but my friend who has a hubby doctor said I should probably be in there soon to get a CT of my adrenals to rule out anything really urgent (i.e. tumor).

I know you are great with the research, so anything you find out about the correlation to the eyes, please post. I am sure we are not the only ones in this point.

Meanwhile, you should see what I am able to eat and still not gain a single ounce. That scares me. I'm down to a size 2 and am normally a 6-8.

Keep in touch!! Always happy to hear from ya, Nyer!

Carrie

[alisonW]

Congrats on finally....

getting a diagnoses to work with! I have the same issues as I mentioned in a reply to you before and had pretty much accepted that there "was nothing else" going on. I have had thyroid issues in the past (not to mention anxiety disorder too) and am now going to make an appointment with my PCP and/or endocrinologist to check my cortisol levels, etc.

I still remember the first time I woke up to red eyes - it was the day before a very anxiety-filled vacation (sounds strange doesn't it) at an especially stressful time in my life. I've seen 5 different eye docs,a corneal specialist, an allergist, and three derms also - with no imrpovement.

Thank you SO much for sharing this curlygrl31 (you too NYer) because otherwise I would never had thought there was any correlation. This gives me some hope.

Keep us posted.

[curlygrl31]

One more coincidence from today -- on the website medhelp.org, I typed in Yasmin & Cortisol and clicked search. Another person mentioned a correlation between the two in her case. Even my primary care said, "this pill is still new enough that they are learning more about the effects."

Allison -- I am happy to share!! If I can help one other person find a clue to what is happening with them, I will be singing my story on the hilltops. We are not alone, even though it often feels as if we are. We'll get better together.

Primary care ordered a CT of my adrenal gland in the coming weeks to rule out the scary stuff. I'm anxious to get to the bottom of everything and feel like my chipper self again!

curly

[NYer]

Well, to be fair to Yasmin, I was on other birth control pills prior to Yasmin and had the dry eyes then, too. Of course, I have no idea what my Cortisol level was at that time. Going off Yasmin for 7 months, my eyes got worse, and for the past three weeks, I'm back on the pill but I'm on Mircette. Face looks a bit better, eyes are still dry. But now that I think of it, the Cortisol/DHEA saliva test was done about a week before I went back on the pill. So that was when I was in my 7th month of no pills. Hmm. I should get another Cortisol test done after I'm on the new pills for awhile.

[Lucy]

Meanwhile, you should see what I am able to eat and still not gain a single ounce. That scares me. I'm down to a size 2 and am normally a 6-8.

This might be a sign of diabetes. My daughter was that very same example and was dx with diabetes. Your GP could check your blood sugar very simply as a precaution. I hope that's not what you have, but those signs are awfully familiar to me. Lucy

[NYer]

Good point, Lucy. It could also be thyroid-related. Curly, did your doctor do a full (fasting) blood test?

[Kathel]

Curlygrl and all,

You might want to read "Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome" by James Wilson. I found it interesting and it is certainly not a subject that most physicians are familiar with. Good luck!

BTW, I too have had a hormonal component to my dry eyes: menopause. I recently started using a testosterone drop (testosterone .05% in a 1% carboxymethylcellulose base) twice daily, and I feel good, even approaching "normal" some days! I get by most days without using any drops until late evening. Also, I got off all estrogens.

Kathel

[calli66]

Is the testosterone drop an oral drop? And you're saying that now your eyes are better, and you don't need (eye)drops as much?

I am confused---is the testosterone drop an eyedrop, too? I have not heard of this before.

I have tried the testosterone gel applied to the skin, and also the bio-identical cream that's a blend of testosterone/estriol (I think). Neither of them helped me, and especially not the one with the estrogen-type hormone in it.

C

[curlygrl31]

Lucy, I thought perhaps diabetes too, but I want to say I had bloodwork checked on that and it was fine. The endo I am seeing in late Oct. will run a full panel of everything, so I am sure they will catch it if that is what is going on.

Nyer, I thought Yasmin only because of the way that this drug is completely different than all other BC pills. Like you, I was on the pill for years before switching to Yasmin. I have been off of it a while now, but I still have the feeling that that might have tipped the hormonal balance for me.

Curly

[NYer]

Hey Curly,
Yeah, I know what you mean because Yasmin has the additional hormone in it that blocks testosterone. It also had a very diuretic "quality" to it which certainly doesn't help dry eyes. It could certainly be part of what caused our hormonal imbalances though. No question that the dry eyes aren't distinct from all other problems in our bodies. Something else somewhere is causing it, I'm sure.
-NYer

[Kathel]

Calli66,

Yes, the testosterone eye drops are used in the eyes twice daily. The pharmacist said the testosterone is derived from yams. And yes, my eyes are feeling better with them. I don't think many ophthalmologists are familiar with this treatment. Mine trained in New York.

Yasmin and Yaz both contain drospirenone as their progesterone component, which has less androgenic activity than other progestins. That's why we frequently recommend them to our patients with acne. (I practice dermatology). That could also be why they may be triggering or exacerbating dry eye, as the meibomian glands need androgen stimulation to work.

Just my musing.

Kathel

[NYer]

Kathel, thank you for that very helpful post.