Too many steroids?

[John Smith]

Well, the endothelial layer of the grafted cornea has had its fair share of knocks. Back in December my consultant pronounced that the graft was dying, and there was nothing left that could save it.

Then it healed itself

Medical opinion now is that my graft is "hanging on in there", but I've been advised that I'll probably never come off the FML to keep the graft safe.

As for the plan now, I'll be able to discuss that with my consultant on Thursday away from the pressures of an A&E environment. The plan was to wait a couple of weeks until my chest had been given the all-clear, and then go on the short waiting list for a DALK graft privately.

Whether this will still be the plan after Thursday... your guess is as good as mine

Still, 24 hours on, the vision is a little better and the pressure doesn't feel as high (but that could just by psycho-sematic ) so the future's not so bleak as it was yesterday

[GarethB]

John,

I work with several people whose asthma is linked to their medical condition. Not quite like KC, exzema and asthm appear to be linked.

When ever their medical problem is playing up so their asthema gets worse and the asthema also gets worse when they are stressed. It was thought to be work related, but when one girl had bad asthma attackes it was prenuptual as the big day approached.

Last time we met you were relaxed and happy but the chest problem was there. The links are not always conceaous. It could be that you go on the op list and post op the asthema clears up.

Starnger things have happend.

[Anne B]

Hi John,

How did you get on at the hospital yesterday?
Hope all went well.

Anne

[John Smith]

Thanks again to all the well-wishers on here - it is nice when you can talk to people and they understand what you're going through isn't it!

Well I saw the consultant yesterday and she was very pleased. The combined doses of the twice-daily drops and the injection managed to lower my eye pressure to 12 - the lowest it's been since before the op .

Can't stay on the Iopidine though long term, but will be on it for 3 weeks and then review the pressure again in 4. She did comment on how the junior doctor was a bit silly giving me the injection whilst sitting down - she would never give it to anyone unless they were already flat on their backs

Of course, my chest prescription has also now changed, I'm now on a weird purple powder puffer which doesn't puff! But the jury is still out on how that will affect the eye

But hey, fingers crossed!

[GarethB]

John,

More details on the powder puffer that does not puff.

It might be a dry powder inhaler (DPI) which relies on you breathing in and pulling the powder in to your lungs.

A presurised meterd dose in haler (pMDI) have the same propellant that is in your car aircon and fridge/freezer and when you push the can down it fires out the medicine under pressure.

Then again, it could eb down to the propeelant use, most use p134a which gives a louder puff than p227 which is also used.

Regards

Gareth

[Andrew MacLean]

John

Powder puffer that doesn't puff, eh? All the best with that one.

I did a little fat dance around my room when I read that your IOP was down to 12. It is a really good thing that my study is not overlooked by anyone!

All the best

Andrew

[Anne B]

Good news john

I have a powder puffer that doesn't puff, but mines white. Its very good and works really well.

While we are talking about steroid drops. When i saw john Dart last we decided to take me of the Cyclosporin. I was prescribed some Dexamethasone incase my eyes flared up.
Well they have and i have been using the drops but my eyes are getting no better.Saw my Gp and he has given my lots of antihistamines to stop my general itchiness
But eyes are no better.
When i used dexamethasone before i used the minims(individual drops) these seemed to work well.
My point is i only have one bottle this time. Is there a difference and could this be why my eyes are not improving.

Thanks Anne

[Michael P]

John, great to see smiley or very happy faces at the end of each paragraph of your update post. Keep 'em coming mate.

[Sweet]

Am glad that things are getting better for you! The pressure is much better so i know that you are more than pleased with that. Take it easy, waiting longer for an answer for getting the DALK done is not the end of the world! It is better to get this one problem sorted out first, though i see your point in saying that you need good vision in one eye. It will all work out.

Take care, Sweet X x X

[John Smith]

It might be a dry powder inhaler (DPI) which relies on you breathing in and pulling the powder in to your lungs.

Yes, that's the one. Apparently, it has 60 "blisters" inside it each one being opened by a little lever on the outside of the flying saucer-shaped inhaler.

At 4 inhalations per day though it's only going to last a couple of weeks a go. Hope I'm not on it long term