[panic].....ignored my health and went for eye check....have had an eye infection that was left and now caused perminant damage...[sad]

[Psychomum5]

I went for an eye test today. I am waiting for CBT to kick off for my driving phobic issues and I know that I have an astigmatism in my right eye, so wanted to ensure that y vision wasn;t going to cause issues for my driving IYGWIM.

anyhoo......I toddle off and have all those different tests at the beginning before you even have your vision tested, and to start with I have different pressures in my eyes.....

I then go into the room and he starts looking into my eyes with a special doogamywhatsit (??) and then goes hmm, arr, hmm a few times (me getting panicking by this stage).

he then sayd about this 'optomap' test that they also did, and says that altho it is an extra £20, he thinks I need it as he has seen something concerning him.....

well.......I say ok, he then turns to the PC to show me my eyes. I see the left first, and he goes thro things with me, pointing out that I have allergies as my eye veins are enlarged (I do!!) and that I have had some trauma causing an episode with blood pressure as he can see that (the car accident....wow....he is better than a psychic)...and then goes and shows me my iris.....all lovely and black.

he then shows me my right eye, much the same as my left until we get to my iris. I have not a nice happy black one, but a black one with pretty white spots.....

I have had it seems an episode of iritis (which altho dormant has not been treated as I had no idea I had had it and so could recur...). now, I remember last november having a day where I had almost no vision from my right eye.......BUT....I thought it to do with all the medication I was on after my car accident (strong stuff....volterol, pure codeine, morphine...) so ignored it.

seems that then was the probable infection, and as I ignored it it has caused damage!

I also have astigmatism in both eyes, and contrasting difficulties....I need glasses full time to the sum of £226 for the glasses plus £50 already today....

am so feeling bad tho for ignoring my eyes to this detrimental affect. I pick up on everything else to do with the kiddies and DH yet for me.....nope....I'll live/cope/manage etc!

well....tis me sorted for something then tomorrow....am off to the docs!

have just done the dancing run and now think I should also be asking for sunglasses with prescription lenses too.

I do however have my old frames from specsavers so will use them if DH agree's to the £120 (not sure if sunglass lenses will be more tho??) extra.

Don't panic or worry about the Auto-immune thing yet. I've had a few episodes of iritis so the Opthamology dept sent me for tests (chest Xray and various blood tests) to check but I was clear so you might not have an AI problem

With the first bout of iritis I went to the GPs who gave me drops for conjunctivitis which is what I thought it was too. It was only when it didn't start clearing up that I went back and was sent straight to the nearest Opthamology dept

How did you get on psychomum?

Im sorry you've had a rough time, I've just had my contact lenses and galsses replaced at once, to a toal of £300 - and see, I still can't see to type!

Mine is just natural sadly, but I'm sorry that yours has been caused possibly by an infection - thats not nice. Hope that there are no more problems.

Hi all

went to the docs and they are taking it seriously...

am to have bloods to check for signs of inflammation and then am to go back one week after the bloods (they cant do bloods till may 8th) to have a full physical exam.

I do have markers for something as I am in a lot of pain but then, how much of that is the car accident??

I have lost a lot of weight too, and altho eating less, not enough to account for 1.5st! also, I have been having heart issues too, but those I passed off as allergy related. plus exhaustion, altho what mum isn;t often exhausted.

I also have been having bowel issues, but again, passed them off as other stuff.......like ya do!!!!

anyhoo.....maybe nothing / maybe something, but they are looking and seeing and making sure which is great.

major headache now so girls are forgetting dancing tonight now, thankfully.

I was also recently told during an eye test that I have considerable damage to my right eye.

Tbh though I was pretty scepticle, as I have been having regular eye tests since the age of 13 and no other optician has ever mentioned it before.

I do find that this eye does get quite dry though.

That is a long time to wait for bloods! We don't have ours done at the gp's surgery anymore-you are given the form and attend a walk-in centre, so can usually get it done the next day. Much better!
I hope it all gets sorted for you-it is horrible having something like this hangning over you isn't it?

I know tiggie...I thought that too!!

doc tho wasnt forthcoming on giving me a blood form to take to the hosital but she couldn't have thought I would have to wait long as she said she would see me next friday, not the 3rd week from now.

I couldn;t even ask the receptionist for one, as I don;t know what the bloods will be until they do them as the doc said she would write it up on the screen instead!

in some ways tho, I am having lots to deal with regarding the kiddies, so for me to wait isn;t too big a deal.....wasn;t until the eye test that it arose so another week (or three) won;t be bad for me.....except my stress maybe that is!!.

ah well.....wine will help

cracker.....I also have dry eyes, worse on my right. the eye man also pointed out the dry patches as my eyes are showing signs of patches irritated by dryness.

arghhhh

Pleased that at least something is being done for you PM5 - just a bit that you have to wait so long...

With respect to the glasses - is it possible to get your old glasses/lenses dipped/coated so that they can be used as sunglasses - may be a bit cheaper...

I did wonder that re-sunglasses....

will ring and see what they say as am not looking forward to driving without anything, even tho I am having 'anti-glare' coating put on!

You sound like me psychomum-we always have lots going on healthwise too. Two of my DSs have coeliac disease; two have Asperger's; and loads of other stuff as well!
On the subject of eyes, one of my adult DSs was discovered to have lost almost all the sight in one of his eyes when we went for a routine eye test. We went to Moorfields and were told he had wet macular degeneration, but they could not establish any cause. Apparently it can sometimes just come on for no reason. (It can be caused by a hard blow but he could not recall having any; also infection but blood test ruled that one out). It was too late to treat it-the damage was already done. His other eye had compensated so he did not notice it coming on . Thus was several years ago now but it upsets me still.

about your son.....must have been a huge shock!!! how is he now?

yes we too have health issues with all mine.

DD1 is suffering anxiety stemming from the car accident (we finally got to the root cause of her panic attacks)...she is being referred for counselling!

DD2 has dyslexia plus eye issues of her own. not major problems, but still, things to be kept on top of and ahead of regarding exams etc.

DD3 has health issues and is being investigated for a blood disorder....also suffers migrianes and allergies.

DS1 is also dyslexic, but otherwise an utterly normal 7yo boy (going on 17 at times)

DS2 has bowel issues and was thought to be ceoliac too for a few years. now they say it is allergies and bowel dismobility disorder/chronic constipation and IBS....plus school issues and he is also going to be referred to a psychologist for medical issues and hopefully the school issues too!!!

never runs smooth does it???

hey ho, like I say, wine helps wonderfully

It really knocked his confidence. He has passed his driving test, but does not want to drive (although leagally you are allowed to with sight in just one eye.) It cannot be easy-if you cover one eye you get an idea of what it must be like I suppose. As I say, it really does upset me but there is nothing to be done. I keep hoping they will come up with some miraculous surgery to cure it, or at least improve his sight in that eye. The worst thing about it is that they could not promise it will not eventually affect the other eye, which is very short-sighted anyway.
How did they rule out coeliac disease in your DS? My DS1 was in his early twenties when he was diagnosed 4 years ago, DS5 was diagnosed about 4 months age at age 8. I am sure all the Asperger's, coeliac. and auto-immune stuff is connected!
Anyway, as you say, you just have to get on with it! I fund a rather dark sense of humour helps!

your poor son, how awful re his confidence with driving.

regarding the coeliac.....infact they haven't ruled it out. they say he has the signs and symptoms, but as he won;t eat otherwise and he needs to they say let him go on for now until we get a bloodtest saying positive.

they were going to do a biopsy last year, but he was in hosptial for 2wks with them treating his constipation and then when we went back he freaked out and so they said to leave it until he is older and they get clearer signs etc.

his tummy is always so bloated tho...he looks like a little etheopian child a lot of the time with the thins arms contrasting to the swollen tummy. he has foul wind too, and the smelly horrid yellow poo (sorry TMI). in fact, right now, he is grotty but he is back on senna as since we had a car accident last october his belly has gone rigid and bad again and all backed up!

ho hum.....interesting tho about the links re ceoliac and auto-immune and AS....

I was really worried about the gluten free diet with DS5 (he is one of the DSs with Asperger's too). His diet was entirely made up of cereal, milk and often very little else. However, he was dx with coeliac after being referred with occasional episodes of bleeding-blood test was positive and biopsy confirmed it.
We introduced the diet and the difference was almost instant. His appetite improved (still very limited diet though); his energy levels went up, his colour improved and he has had a massive growth spurt since December when we started the diet!
Luckily there are still some cereals he can eat-cocopops are gf, as are own brand Sainsburys honey nut cornflakes.
My DS suffered more with constipation than with loose bowels too by the way. It certainly does sound as if your DS has all the signs-what a shame you can't get a diagnosis yet.