Prostrap & dry eye

[CrochetCrayola]

Hello,

I’m on month 5 of prostrap with tibolone whilst I await excision surgery for endometriosis.

I’m experiencing the worst dry eye / blepharis. In having to cleanse my eyelids, hot flannel massage, eye rinse, and drops and then eyelid cream multiple times a day and it’s really getting me down. People are noticing and commenting and the symptoms are barely improving with all the eye care and drops I’ve been doing for weeks.

is this a side effect of prostrap? I was considering hysterectomy for endo and Pmdd but now I’m scared my eyes would be like this forever if I have a total hysterectomy with ovary removal?

Any advice / experiences?

[pennyannie]

Just please ensure that whatever lotion, potions, gels and drops you may use on /in your eyes to ease the pain that all are Preservative Free- even those prescribed.

I'm not on this site - but Thyroid uk - so can't help with anything else.

[nanomyous]

Hi! Sorry I don't have any experience of Prostap but my optician recommended Blephaclean wipes (Boots, Amazon) which work better for me than the hot compresses and are much less effort.

As to whether the blepharitis is permanent, I had both ovaries removed two months ago, no HRT, and haven't noticed any difference/worsening in my eyes but I now take an eye supplement just in case (Vitabiotics bilberry, lutein, zeaxanthin).

I hope you get your surgery soon.

[Starry1977]

hi I can’t comment on prostrap, but I suffer from fry eye anyway. I use hylo forte eye drops ( prescription) but I find taking 3000 mg of omega 3 daily also really help

[Sunset-lady]

Hi, this is due to the lack of estrogen. Everything goes dry without estrogen - hair, eyes, ears and down there lol x Tibolone is very low HRT so not much estrogen and the prostap has put your body into medical menopause. Hopefully after you come off it your ovaries will fire up again or you can take a higher dosage with HRT. Good luck x

[Lothead01]

Hi not sure if it’s helpful but I’m on week 4 of Prostap and no hrt and the last week my eyes have been sooo dry to the point I can’t always wear my lenses and I have assumed it’s the Prostap because it’s never been an issue before. I’ve had other side effects as well so putting it all under the Prostap umbrella.

Hope it resolves soon for you

[EndoViking]

I was on Prostap for 9 months and I was worried that the meno symptoms I had whilst taking it would be the same as I would have with a hysterectomy. However I found this was not the case, maybe because it's something to do with the medication itself. My main symptom was insomnia but I've had no issues with it post op and I'm no longer taking HRT. I do have hot flushes which I didn't have with Prostap. It's hard to say for sure as our bodies react differently, but from my experience prostap symptoms were different from post hysterectomy. I had my op for endo and Adenomyosis, everything out including ovaries

[CrochetCrayola in reply to EndoViking]

oooo thank you! This is what I’m scared of so nice to read someone had different symptoms to chemical menopause to surgical menopause! I’m wondering if I can use estrogen patch (low dose) with utrogestan post surgery x

[endocystah]

Hello,

I'm really sorry you're going through this and I truly hope you can get some relief.

I can't comment on what might happen if you move forward with surgical intervention but I'm curious if you've ever tried any non-surgical interventions?

There's a book called "Heal Endo" by Katie Edmonds that offers quite an extensive review of the current research on Endo as well as steps you can take to go into endo remission. It's available on Kindle, if you have the app/device. It might have some insights that might help you to manage the hormonal fluctuations, which might also benefit your other symptoms.

If you can afford it, it might be a good place to start looking into alternative options while you weigh the pros and cons of surgical intervention.

[CrochetCrayola in reply to endocystah]

Thanks for your reply. I’ve been seeing a private specialist and on many supplements along with bio-identical progesterone which improved my mood symptoms of Pmdd - but not the endometriosis. I’ve since started some different supplements recommended by Lara Briden and gone gluten free and alcohol free (significantly reduced caffeine and diary too). But I will have a look at Katie Edmonds thanks.

[endocystah]

Wishing you well on your journey. I really hope you can find something that gives you the relief you're looking for.