A bit of a set-back

[Cindy]

Hi,

It's been awhile since my eyes have felt really bad. I don't know what's happened - I eat well, exercise, have found a job I enjoy, will soon be moving to a new home, I'm happy...but my eyes have felt awful for the past week. Really, really awful. I thought I'd found relief from the everyday grind of dry eye discomfort. What shocks me most is that I lived in this kind of discomfort for years - I hate that it's back and hope it leaves as quickly and mysteriously as it reappeared.

I wish I had a clue about why my eye comfort has gone downhill but I just don't. My vision is affected also. I'm so frustrated I could eat a whole bag of Cheetos.

[dianat]

Aw, Cindy. I'm sorry about your setback. You've been so consistently manageable, I know it must be hard to suddenly be struggling again...and to have no explanation for it.

First off, don't eat those darned Cheetos. You'll feel worse in the longrun. Secondly, have you switched from argyle socks to solids? (If I didn't ask, Lucy would have.)

Hang in there and keep the faith. If you could find livable comfort before, you can find it again. Be good to yourself.

Diana

[stella]

So sorry Cindy
I wonder if this is not just a case of it flaring up -
Everything i have read about blepharitis indicates that it does relapse,----comes and goes,waxes and wanes, there are good and bad times --- All these are descriptions i have read under blepharitis
So i suppose the good news is that it quietened down before so it will do so again -- Maybe that is just the nature of this disease - like exacerbations and remissions
I suppose the trick is to keep it constantly in a state of remission and
if it does flare up to have some treatment in reserve for bad times eg a course of doxycillen or a short course of steroid drops
Hope this bout goes away VERY quickly

[Rebecca Petris]

I am so sorry to hear that . Your long-term improvement's been such an encouragement over the last year or so... Hope it goes back to "the new normal" just as soon as possible!!!!

[steadystrain]

Linear

Feel your pain !
Don't you just wish that like many other "conditions" the healing of dry eyes could be linear; feeling better at a constant rate of change..... today was pretty good, tomorrow should only be better.... but no
Its like a roller coaster ride and you just hang on until its over.

But do hang in there.... you know what "better" feels like and if you could get there before....you can get there again.
Steadystrain

[liz56]

Hi, Cindy.

I, too, am sorry to hear of your recent setback. I have one of your posts printed up and use it as inspiration when I am down, so I feel badly that you are having a rough patch-- especially hearing that your vision is affected. (That part made me start to tear up.) I know that things will improve for you again.

Please let me know what you do to cope, because I know that I can benefit again from your example. You have helped me a great deal, and I really hope that you quickly move past this one.

--Liz

[shells]

Hi Cindy,

So sorry to hear you are having a rough time. When I go through those spells, I just try to think about how I eventually got through the last one and this one will pass too. I do know how hard it is though since it is such a mystery why they come and go. I like to look back in my journal and I'll see how awful my eyes were one month, but then the next month they were manageable, and then it helps me believe that I will come out on the other side again. I hope it passes real soon for you though. Keep doing what you are doing, and don't eat the cheetos! Hopefully you will be back to "normal" soon.

-Shells

[Guest]

I'm stealing Lucy's line but just out of curosity have you bought any new socks lately?

Sorry to hear you are having a rough patch, I had a really rough day yesterday but today things are back to their new normal.

Take care and I'm sure this will pass very soon.

Cheers
Ian

[IanJ]

Cindy, I know how you feel, you are not alone!

A few weeks ago I had a bad run, a really bad couple of weeks and where I started to think I'd suddenly got worse!

However, this week I am much better, better than I have been in a long, long while. So what's changed?..........I caught a cold last week, a really nasty one. I've been stuffed up something terrible for about a week. The usual cough, sore throat and a stuffy nose......but my eyes have been great!

I've been taking a Vicks Sinex nasal spray (Oxymetazoline) once or twice a day. Coincidence? Or is it something to do with my cold?

It really is frustrating the ups & downs of all this!

Ian.

[Lucy]

The usual cough, sore throat and a stuffy nose......but my eyes have been great!

Hi IanJ--
It's a well known "fact" between old-timers on the dry eye scene that during colds, sinus etc. your tissues/glands are swollen (blocked maybe) and this helps holds the tears in the eyes. It's not unusual for the eyes to feel great during a cold. Not a fair trade off, huh?

Lucy

[Cindy]

I'm doing much better now and wish to thank everyone who posted to this thread and contacted me privately with support.

I am one of those people who just cannot spend time on the computer without paying for it with super dry eyes and discomfort (aching behind the eyes) that I cannot manage. My computer has become a treat that I use once or twice a week for a short time.

[Lucy]

Glad you stopped by and let us know how you're doing! Sounds much better.
Luce

[dianat]

Thanks for the update, Cindy! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[liz56]

Glad to hear that you've located the problem and are getting things back under control, Cindy. Take care!

[Judy]

Cindy, Glad you are doing better! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, May many blessings come your way!