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Looking for a link to all my problems
Well, how can I start… I have a number of health conditions (unbelievable for someone my age, I am 34 yrs old) that have been driving me crazy in the last few years. I have been formerly diagnosed with:
1. Severe Dry Eyes (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca) (for over 10 yrs.)
2. Keratoconus (diagnosed recently)
3. Chronic Sinusitis (for 5 years)
4. Asthma (for over 25 years)
5. Seasonal Allergies (all my life)
6. Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) (for 5 years or so)
And I must add to that that I was born with strabismus, for which I have had 3 surgeries, and I still have residual strabismus, a lazy eye and a dropping eye lid.
I have been told that the center of my problems is allergies, which have given me dry eyes, allergic sinusitis and asthma, and that IBS is just an addition to my bad luck. I have researched a bit and found out that Keratoconus may be a consequence of the severe dry eyes, and have found out documents in internet that seems to make a link between severe dry eyes causing abrasion and scarring in the cornea surface that seems to mimic Keratoconus like corneas. Cornea specialists have denied any link.
I have been in immunotherapy for my allergies for over 3 years, and the results are almost nothing: I still have severe seasonal allergies, dry eyes, and terrible sinus headaches, especially in spring time.
I have tried to find out another possible links to my problems. I have asked my doctor if all these problems could be related with autoimmune diseases, like Sjögren's syndrome, and I recently had an ANA test (Anti-nuclear antibodies), which was negative, then my doctor ruled out the possibility of any autoimmune disease. I am not sure if that test was enough to rule out the possibility.
For my dry eyes, I use Restasis and Systane ultra lubricant. I use GenTeal gel overnight and Tears Natural II when I use contact lenses. I am now testing temporary punctual plugs.
For Keratoconus, I used to use some rigid contact lenses that have a soft skirt, but have to discontinue the use since the redness in my eyes and growing veins that concerned my ophthalmologist. Now I am shopping for new contacts. Want to try the Sclera, not sure where to get them in Canada.
For sinusitis, I use Nasonex and irrigation, with some antibiotics. However I was told that antibiotics do nothing, since allergic sinusitis is caused by fungi, and was advised to use Sporanox (topic antifungal), however my ENT specialist doesn’t want to use it *yet*.
My asthma is recently controlled with QVar, I haven’t had to use Salbutamol for over 10 years, but in allergy season I still get those chest pains and breath shortness.
In addition to my misery I have to deal with the terrible Canadian Health Care system, which is not as good as many Americans believe… it is universal, but there is a shortness of doctors and nurses.
I feel I have been misdiagnosed many times, and I feel my family doctor is not using all his resources to help me finding a solution to my problems. So I have taken control myself, by doing my own research about the problems I have. My goal is to hit the jackpot and find one source for all my problems (or most of them) to attack my problems from the root. At this point I am not totally convinced allergies is the main problem.
Any advice will be very much appreciated.
Rick
1. Severe Dry Eyes (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca) (for over 10 yrs.)
2. Keratoconus (diagnosed recently)
3. Chronic Sinusitis (for 5 years)
4. Asthma (for over 25 years)
5. Seasonal Allergies (all my life)
6. Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) (for 5 years or so)
And I must add to that that I was born with strabismus, for which I have had 3 surgeries, and I still have residual strabismus, a lazy eye and a dropping eye lid.
I have been told that the center of my problems is allergies, which have given me dry eyes, allergic sinusitis and asthma, and that IBS is just an addition to my bad luck. I have researched a bit and found out that Keratoconus may be a consequence of the severe dry eyes, and have found out documents in internet that seems to make a link between severe dry eyes causing abrasion and scarring in the cornea surface that seems to mimic Keratoconus like corneas. Cornea specialists have denied any link.
I have been in immunotherapy for my allergies for over 3 years, and the results are almost nothing: I still have severe seasonal allergies, dry eyes, and terrible sinus headaches, especially in spring time.
I have tried to find out another possible links to my problems. I have asked my doctor if all these problems could be related with autoimmune diseases, like Sjögren's syndrome, and I recently had an ANA test (Anti-nuclear antibodies), which was negative, then my doctor ruled out the possibility of any autoimmune disease. I am not sure if that test was enough to rule out the possibility.
For my dry eyes, I use Restasis and Systane ultra lubricant. I use GenTeal gel overnight and Tears Natural II when I use contact lenses. I am now testing temporary punctual plugs.
For Keratoconus, I used to use some rigid contact lenses that have a soft skirt, but have to discontinue the use since the redness in my eyes and growing veins that concerned my ophthalmologist. Now I am shopping for new contacts. Want to try the Sclera, not sure where to get them in Canada.
For sinusitis, I use Nasonex and irrigation, with some antibiotics. However I was told that antibiotics do nothing, since allergic sinusitis is caused by fungi, and was advised to use Sporanox (topic antifungal), however my ENT specialist doesn’t want to use it *yet*.
My asthma is recently controlled with QVar, I haven’t had to use Salbutamol for over 10 years, but in allergy season I still get those chest pains and breath shortness.
In addition to my misery I have to deal with the terrible Canadian Health Care system, which is not as good as many Americans believe… it is universal, but there is a shortness of doctors and nurses.
I feel I have been misdiagnosed many times, and I feel my family doctor is not using all his resources to help me finding a solution to my problems. So I have taken control myself, by doing my own research about the problems I have. My goal is to hit the jackpot and find one source for all my problems (or most of them) to attack my problems from the root. At this point I am not totally convinced allergies is the main problem.
Any advice will be very much appreciated.
Rick
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