Debbi

[Debbi]

Hello,
I have been reading this site for months and learned so much. I am so grateful to Rebecca and those on this site who have openly shared experiences.

My severe eye burning/pain has practically been cut in half in just over 2 weeks from what I have learned. Hope this will continue!

I am realistic in that I know fluctuations will occur with my issues, but going from a 10 for burning eye pain, to around 6, sometimes 7, sometimes 5 is making a huge difference in the quality of my life. I'm new to blogging, so I will make the assumption that if my medical info may help others I'd be happy to share. I don't have blogging manners yet....! So feel free to ask away and I will hopefully figure out how to respond.

Debbi

[presh]

Debbie I am glad you are feeling better

What have you done for this improvment to happen???

[Debbi]

What I have done that has helped me with severe burning/pain

Hello, I hope I'm responding the correct way because I've never used a bulletin board forum before.
My brief history
I have Sjogren's (and positive for Lupus), on steroids and Plaquenil for past year and a half. Hashimoto's, 2 early melanomas.
4 tear ducts cauterized and lots of PF drops.

Got a viral infection (no idea where I got it) that in a "normal" person would have been gone in a week or two last Thanksgiving. That's when the eye trouble went out of control. In the last 6 months, I have seen the opthalmologist almost every week, many weeks 2 - 3 times because of awful complications and my vision went to 20/200, not correctable w/my glasses. I had an auto-immune response to the virus and it caused corneal scarring in both eyes. Terrifying to say the least, thought I was losing my vision in both eyes and awful burning, like acid in my eyes. I've been on every RX drop, doxy,corneal bandages, etc. that is available. Being desperate for relief I have been researching like crazy, have had all the eye tests. Been to Bascum Palmer in Miami and Wills Eye in Phila in past 6 weeks.
I was lucky enough to find this web site and Rebecca has been my Angel...I don't mean to sound dramatic, I'm just more grateful than words can say.
What has helped me is a combination of things, 1.OASIS TEARS PLUS, in combination with the 2.Spa Heating Pad for eyes on this web site, using an 3. ice gel pak made for the eyes during the day on really bad eye days, and 4. Moisture Chamber Glasses from the Dry Eye Store on this website that I have had customized with more foam to better fit my face and my prescription lenses added.
I think the two things made the difference are the Oasis Tears Plus and the Spa heat pad which doesn't burn the lids but stays warm long enough to be effective for severe MGD. I have tried every single brand of PF tears available (along w/ointments at night which make it worse for me). Nothing helped.

I have gone from a 10 on the pain scale to about a 5 or 6 with some fluctuation in 2 1/2 weeks! I certainly will never not have severe dry eye problems, but am thrilled and grateful to get quality of life back. I truly hope this combination may help others. I have spent a lot of money for sure, but when the pain is that bad I'll do anything for relief. I hope not to need to get the serum drops because the process to spin the blood down is not available anywhere near where I live.

Feel free to e-mail me if I can help in any way.

Sorry this is so long, just trying to be specific and hopefully help someone else.....

Have a nice evening! Debbi

[indrep]

Debbi,
I'm so glad to hear about the improvement.