Sudden Severe Dry Eye Symptoms Due To An Acute Infammation Of The Tear Glands

[Sangye]

The diuretic for the intracranial pressure is Diamox-- a potassium-sparing diuretic that isn't used for many conditions. It's not nearly as strong as lasix. I do take 20mg Lasix once or twice a week to help with general fluid retention, and I make sure I eat more potassium on those days.

I just looked up Diamox on Wikipedia to remind myself of its mechanism of action. I learned something new--that it predisposes you to kidney stones. I had one kidney stone in 2008 and have had countless stones since. Ever since the first one (which was indescribable pain if you've never had one) I can tell when one is starting. I take a liquid phosphorus supplement and it dissolves the stone very quickly, before the pain escalates. I am never without that supplement. I don't even go to the doctor or tell them it's happening. Thanks for asking, Elephant! I've always wondered why on earth I started getting kidney stones!

[katwoman]

Beinformed, I strongly suggest you see an ophthalmologist, preferably one who is aware of WG, I had the same thing happening and it turned into cellulitus in the tearduct, believe me if you think its painful now if it turns into cellulitus (which is swollen so much i can hardly open the eye which becomes even redder and more teary) you will really know about it, a number of times i ended up in hospital on intravenous antibiotics and having to go into surgery to have it cleaned and packed (if left the skin would actually burst open as the tear duct is full of puss).
The ophthalmologist I would see would put me on specific antiobitcs and got me to hot pack it (even just using a facewasher with water as hot as u can stand) as often as I could while I was experiencing the same symptoms as you (it did help), but sadly once it progressed to cellulitus it always turned to cellulitus. The solution for me was having a DCR done to both eyes (one was done internal through the nose and the other external), I still have watery eyes but no inflammation or cellulitus thankfully.

[beeinformed]

Hi Katwoman!

Thank you so much for replying to my story about how I lost seventy to eight percent of my tear glands within a period of twenty-four hours due to an acute inflammation of the lacrimal/tear glands.

Besides the symptoms of pain, swollen upper eyelids tearing, photosensitvity, did you also develop extreme dry eyes as a result of this acute inflammation, like me within a very short period of time?

I have been under the care of a ocular immunologist (eye doctor who specializes in inflammatory eye disorders) since Nov. 2008 and currently the doctor has prescribed durezol steroid eyedrops, which are the same as the Pred Forte drops except that they are much more concentrated, are preservative-free and does not have to be shaken.

If the Durezol eyedrops are successful, my doctor wants to put me on Cellcept medication.

Thank so much for sharing your story with me and I look forward to your response to the above question I asked you!

[katwoman]

Hi Beinformed,

I hope my comments are helpful to you, I know how terrible it is to suffer problems with your eyes, especially when they are swollen an painful, I hope your doctor can ease the problem.

I found my eye problem could just turn overnight, my eyes would feel gritty and my eye would water more (presume this is probably dry eye causing more tears to be created) and become red and also find that when I wake up in the mornings it was like conjunctivitis but not, as the eyelids would be stuck together with a yellowish mucous, my ophthalmologist had me on an antibiotic eye drops as well tablet form but know he just has been on regular ones from the chemist for dry eye.

As mentioned even after the DCR one eye continues to water and also I still find some morning the eyelid is crusted together and I am very careful with that eye as it has a tendency for some reason or another to become inflamed (but as previously mentioned does not become cellulitus).

Please keep me updated on the progress you have with your doctor.

[elephant]

It is all Wegeners, I had those symptoms really bad 5 years ago it started and I am telling you that restasis worked. It lowers your immune system it is a cyclosporine drops and helps with dry eyes. So the funny thing is that I was not diagnosed with WG until 2008, and I think those drops calmed my WG in my eye. I had eye pain too with it. I saw so many eye doctors because they could not figure it out and never did. So one eye doctor said, " use restasis and if does not get better let me know." I used it and it improved within a month.

[beeinformed]

It is all Wegeners, I had those symptoms really bad 5 years ago it started and I am telling you that restasis worked. It lowers your immune system it is a cyclosporine drops and helps with dry eyes. So the funny thing is that I was not diagnosed with WG until 2008, and I think those drops calmed my WG in my eye. I had eye pain too with it. I saw so many eye doctors because they could not figure it out and never did. So one eye doctor said, " use restasis and if does not get better let me know." I used it and it improved within a month.

Hi!
So do you think that all of the symptoms that I have described above can be attributed to wegener's?

I used the restasis eye drops for about four months and unfortunately it did not help me. Recently, my doctor decided to try Durezol steroid eyedrops and see if that will help me. I am awaiting approval from my HMO plan to pay for this medication and hopefully I will be able to try it soon.

I think it is wonderful that the restasis eyedrops are giving you significant relief from your eye symptoms and wished it would have helped me a little!

[katwoman]

[QUOTE=beeinformed;11486]Hi!
So do you think that all of the symptoms that I have described above can be attributed to wegener's?

Yes it definitely is linked to WG - the watery eye and constant nose bleeds were my first symptoms that I had for over a year before the other symptoms developed and they are all linked to WG!

[Jack]

This is starting to sound like the usual case of symptoms being treated instead of the root disease. I too was treated with steroid eye drops in the days before I was diagnosed, while all the time the Wegener's was silently eating me!

beeinformed - do you have a positive diagnosis of having Wegener's? What medication are you taking?

[elephant]

Sorry beeinformed that the restasis didn't work. Yes your wegeners is active. Hope your insurance approves it soon. I take Cellcept and like it. You need to be on something to calm this down.