IPL yee

[moni]

OK so I have the next IPL on friday, dr yee says my secretions are still coming out crappy and said cholesterol levels can cause it? (haha but im a skinny healthy girl) He basically lets me pick a treatment, and said for added comfort I can try lacriserts or something.

Another thing... Im really annoyed at the way dry eye patients are treated, I know this is gonna be edited out but I was treated really badly today. I rather not say names but there were a bunch of student doctors and other drs commenting on how annoying dry eye patients were and were being really sarcastic about my problem. Somehow they imply that we have a problem because we dont put effort into treatment, one said to his student sarcastically (ugh youre gonna "love" these kinds of patients) My dad was very offended and wanted to get up and leave, but because IPL is so hard to get here I cant afford that.

Dr Yee let me know theres no cure, that Im screwed, but that I could maintain it to a comfortable level until someone found a cure. After being yelled at by my dermatologist yesterday that I dont have rosacea, dr yee says I do...(What's up with doctors, for that kind of money I would at least pretend to be nice) I had the hopes it could be allergy related since im having so many allergic symptoms, I mentioned this to him, and he just said get rid of your dog, which kinda broke my heart..

WHen you think about it,, is just eyelid inflammation....how hard could it be to do a little more research so we could all stop being a pain in the butt for them..

One more thing, my heart goes out to everyone here, (Rebecca you're an angel). We really don't deserve this kind of treatment.

Thank you

[Guest]

Regarding your dog, I've had that reaction from doctors too... it seems like if you have a dog, and have symptoms that might be allergy related, many of them just assume it MUST be the dog... Needless to say, I was very relieved when my allergy tests came back negative to pet dander etc. Have you been allergy tested yet?

As for the lack of compassion you were getting from those students and other doctors etc... I guess that's just one more example of people thinking dry eye couldn't possibly be the big deal we make it out to be... it's too bad... I mean really... for MOST people, dry eye isn't a big deal... but that certainly doesn't mean that WE are a bunch of hypochondriacs/complainers/wimps or whatever...

[painless]

Sorry you had such a negative experience. I just have a couple of peripheral responses --

- You can be skinny and apparently healthy and still have high cholesterol. People who are significantly overweight often have high cholesterol, but one does not have to be overweight at all in order to have it. (I am not overweight, I exercise a lot, eat healthfully, and have high cholesterol due to genetics.) It is worth getting tested for it regardless of dry eyes because it is really bad for you. However, my dry eye symptoms did not start until long after I had already gotten my cholesterol level down, so the association your doctor mentioned does not exist for me.

- I developed dry eye a few years after I got my dog. A couple of years after I developed dry eye, my dog died (a few months ago - still heartbroken). My symptoms have not improved one bit since he died. I am sure allergies to pet dander exacerbate dry eye for some people, but not for me. Moreover, my dog benefited my well-being in a million different ways. When my eye doctor first asked if I had pets, I told him I would not discuss it -- my dog was non-negotiable. But if you are allergic to pet dander, you could at least not let your dog in your bedroom. That could help significantly.

[spmcc]

Another thing... Im really annoyed at the way dry eye patients are treated, there were a bunch of student doctors and other drs commenting on how annoying dry eye patients were and were being really sarcastic about my problem. Somehow they imply that we have a problem because we dont put effort into treatment, one said to his student sarcastically (ugh youre gonna "love" these kinds of patients) My dad was very offended and wanted to get up and leave, but because IPL is so hard to get here I cant afford that.

I remember hearing a story about psychiatrists constantly complaining about their patients... things along the lines of "Why do all these patients stop taking their med?" "Why don't patients learn that they have to comply with my prescribed meds?" "What's so hard for them to just do as I say?" and on and on.

The story goes that one day the psychiatrists decided they'd try some of the meds... one dose of lithium for example. They all called in sick for 3 days and never complained about their patients again.

I guess it's not exactly our situation... but I do wish there was some drop that could CAUSE dryness for a couple of days. Let them try it and find out how they'd like it for that short of time!

[moni]

Yup

A doctors attitude makes all the difference, My GI doctor is very nice and the eye doctors Ive seen...well... Haha I honestly was about to blurt out "well just think of the money you're gonna make" when the doctor made a comment to his student about annoying patients.

The thing is that I rather suck it up and get my IPL treatment and leave than pay a bunch of money to go to Memphis again. One thing dr yee said was that exercise was very very important because of anti-inflammatory processes or something. Ill let you all know what happens.

I postponed my IPL a couple of weeks because I got the results from my biopsy today and I have H pylori infection and microscopic colitis. I guess it wasn't all in my head or caused by stress. . (Gee so much inflammatory craziness at the same time).

You guys rock!

[moni]

thanks for your response, I thought so too! But the GI doc explained to me that mine was a rare type of colitis caused by an allergic reaction. Which kinda explains why when my eyelids swells my tummy starts hurting and my voice gets hoarse.

He thinks the overactive immune system is being triggered by the bacteria. Who knows, maybe rosacea/blepharitis is an allergic reaction gone wrong..after all docs dont know much about rosacea mechanism.

[irish eyes]

I developed dry eye a few years after I got my dog. A couple of years after I developed dry eye, my dog died (a few months ago - still heartbroken). My symptoms have not improved one bit since he died. I am sure allergies to pet dander exacerbate dry eye for some people, but not for me. Moreover, my dog benefited my well-being in a million different ways.
When my eye doctor first asked if I had pets, I told him I would not discuss it -- my dog was non-negotiable. But if you are allergic to pet dander, you could at least not let your dog in your bedroom. That could help significantly.

Painless

Heartbreak doesn't come close enough to describing how it feels.

I got a dog a few years after the really bad dry eye problems kicked in. He was an incredibly glamorous border collie - an absolute darling who was always my side during the very dark times. I would never discuss the issue of my dog either; my problems preceded him and it made no difference to my eyes when the poor love died.

Another beautiful canine creature found her way to my heart and what a source of joy she is. I'm sure my eyes would be a greater problem if I didn't have her.

[painless]

Agreed, Irish Eyes -- heartbreak is a massive understatement. Mine was a beautiful, gentle, velcro Australian Shepherd (cousin to the Border Collie!) who was my heart and soul.

I'm so glad a new pup found her way to you and I understand that joy. I think one will eventually find me and I truly look forward to that. I won't rush it - I need time. (And my sweet boy found me when I was not even considering getting a dog, and we were a perfect match in every way. I feel like that will be the right way for me.)

While I appreciate that eye doctors need to address the issue of potential allergies with dry eye patients, only someone who has never loved a pet could consider getting rid of one to be a reasonable option. And if someone is terribly allergic to a pet, there so many ways of managing it that can be explored. Aside from the responsibility we have not to abandon our pets, the benefits of having one can be enormous, especially to those of us who are suffering!