I'm just back from another unplanned visit to eye casualty as my eyes are struggling to cope with the onslaught of all the drops. Lucky I did as there was a date for my pre op and surgery on the system(trab and lens replacement), which they'd forgotten to tell me about 😂
Anyway I am due to go away for a weekend 5 days post op. Really don't want to cancel unless I have to, so just wondering if those of you who have had surgery could tell me if it's a feasible option? And what some of the pitfalls might be? I am off to an all inclusive hotel in Devon with a host who will ensure I'm looked after. There will be no lifting or strenuous excerise (It's a knitting hotel 😊) Many thanks lovely people
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They will want to see you frequently in hospital following the trab as it is normal for adjustments to be made in clinic (bleb massage, suture adjustment/removal). I would be very cautious of delaying any post op appointments in the days following the surgery. Also, you'll be on a regime of multiple drops, and in my instance some of those drops needed to be kept refrigerated. Just a few things to bear in mind. Good luck for the op.
Thank you so much for this. I guess it will depend on what day they have their follow up clinics? I think I will ring and see if they can advise what day I'm likely to be called back in. I'm sure the refrigeration of drops isn't going to be a problem so that's one less worry. Thanks again and all best wishes back
Very fortuitous your eyes were struggling with the drops or you may have completely missed your trab surgery altogether!!! Hopefully though once the surgery is over and your trab has successfully lowered your pressure you will no longer require drops at all 🤞.After trab surgery I saw the surgeon the following day and then every week for a month. The consultant needs to check your pressure isn't too high or low and make adjustments accordingly and to examine your eye to check how well it's healing. I had to carry out ocular massage after the first trab as I was healing too quickly. As Alfred said you will be on a whole regimen of eye drops, for me it was 3 drops 4 times a day for the first 2 weeks and then 2 drops 4 times a day for the next two weeks. One set of drops definitely needs to be kept refrigerated.
As your holiday is at the weekend it hopefully shouldn't impact your follow up appointments.
Thank you so much. I need to check what day they are likely to call me in but refrigerating drops will be fine. Its more like an extension of her home than a classic hotel. In fact it is her home outside of her knitting retreats 😊 Thanks also for the good wishes. This week has been super tough as my eyes are so sore, puffy, itchy and my vision is so blurry. Hosp didn't have preservative free antihistamine drops in stock so got wait for them to order them in and another another few days to cope before we can see if they help? Had started to feel frustrated about lack of a date for surgery then to find out I had one was so unexpected it took a while to assimilate. Anyway nothing has been simple in this glaucoma journey, but onwards and upwards x
Fingers crossed when you do finally get your drops they will help, your eyes do do sound very uncomfortable. Nothing does unfortunately seem to be easy with glaucoma especially at the moment. But as you say onwards and upwards from now on. I totally understand your feelings when you got your trab date,I was the same the first time,you do know it's your best option but at the same time actually getting the date is a shock to the system. Honestly the actual op is nowhere as bad as you will be imagining ,fear of the unknown is the worst part. Having your knitting retreat to look forward to is a positive. I hope the hospital can accommodate you with the date of your second follow up appointment. X
I shoukd have had a trab back in August 2016, long story why I didn't, at the time I had break booked in Birmingham in October, asked at the hospital if I'd be OK to go, yes they said, we can arrange for you to be seen in Birmingham if necessary
Thank you Jenny Mary that's definitely an option to consider if clinic days overlap.
I am just about to have the same.... as far as I am aware they will need to see you at least once a week for a while to check on things so a holiday immediately after might not be best. perhaps you can discuss it with the department.
Oh all the best to you for the op. I've been on the priority list for a few months and was starting to feel a bit frustrated as hadn't heard anything. Timing isn't great as this weekend was booked and moved x 2 because of COVID. It was too expensive to take out travel insurance as I was on a wait list so will lose a lot of money if I forgo. Mostly though I want to go because this glaucoma journey has been a pretty tricky one (diagnosed late due to COVID shutting down the NHS, drops not getting my pressure down enough, oral meds work but risk damaging liver and kidneys etc,). So having things to look forward to and having fun helps. But you are right that being available for treatment and follow ups needs to take priority many thanks and all the best to you
Good luck to you too. The fact that the drops weren't working well was missed because all my appointments were cancelled the first pandemic year, like you. Just praying I don't get covid now at the most inappropriate time and have to reschedule.
Not looking forward to this but there's no alternative now and I've booked a holiday for mid July hoping it's all over by then, and they haven't yet scheduled me for the other eye!
Oh sorry to hear that. COVID has a lot to answer for! Truth is glaucoma shouldn't have been left to go untreated COVID or no COVID, but is essence it is what it is and we can't go back. Yes fingers crossed you don't get COVID and get to have your holiday too. There will be life post surgery so a necessary evil me thinks. I need the other eye done too and no idea when that will be. In my case it could have been worse and impacted on my ability to attend my sons wedding party, delayed from last year
Hello. I went away for a week during my trab recovery. I had mine done 12 years ago now and I can’t remember now how long it was after the trab was done (not helpful!). I do know it wasn’t 5 days post op. It was certainly during the regular once a week checking phase though as my consultant in Moorfields contacted a Doctor in Glasgow and asked them to see me. I told my Consultant in advance though that I had this little trip booked. It worked out fine. To be honest, I don’t think I would have been up to going anywhere 5 days after the op. Everyone heals differently though and has different experiences but I had a little issue with stitches scratching my eyelid and I know I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere but home.
Thank you. That's a really good point which I hadn't considered. Easy to think one will feel normal but I suspect it may knock the stuffing out of me. I am fairly resilient but just now my eyes are so sore and uncomfortable it's flattening me. I do have another trip to Edinburgh a couple of weeks later for my sons wedding party which is probably more of a priority. Thanks again
I don’t want to put you off your trip but if you’ve not had a trab before then it’s hard to foresee how you might feel. I was only 29 when I had mine and although it was the best thing for that eye and I’ve had no problems with the bleb in 12 years, it took me a good few months for that eye to feel normal again. In the first few days after, it hurt to look in any direction. If you do go away, it’s worth checking what’s available if you were to have a problem or how long it would take you to get back. Hope your op goes well!
You haven't put me off. In fact I really appreciated your comments and taking all things into account. on balance I don't think it would be sensible to go so soon after surgery as much as in an ideal world I would like to. There are so many unpredictable factors, which in essence will probably add to my anxiety, trying to make it all work. I am super grateful to have the opportunity to ask others who understand the condition for their views and for the support offered. Makes a massive difference particularly to those folk like me who are still on a steep learning curve with this disease. So thank you for being there
My eyes were also very red and sore before surgery( due to Simbrinza). A few weeks before surgery the consultant said he preferred not to operate if they were inflammed and swapped the drops for Dorzolamide, not so effective but no side effects.
If your eyes remain inflammed perhaps it would be good to check with your surgeon a few weeks pre op so they have the opportunity to change anything if necessary.
Thank you that's great advice.. I did wonder if they would go ahead if they remain as inflamed as they are. I did attend eye casualty who prescribed antihistamine drops. However, they didn't have the preservative free drops in stock, so I'm having to wait for a delivery. In my case it was the brimonidine triggered a reaction. This was switched to iopidine and I had steroid drops which cleared it up, but as soon as they stopped my eyes started to itch and got gradually worse. They have said to go back if no benefit from antihistamine drops and hopefully there is time to let them settle before surgery date. It has to be said I never expected that this glaucoma journey was going to be so challenging, but things can only get better . So grateful to be able to connect with others on this site as it helps immensely. Thanks again
I remember that I was advised to only change the drops in the eye due for the operation. The other eye remained on Simbrinza until a few weeks before that one also had the op.
It was sometimes difficult to remember that both eyes had different drops, so I used to put brightly coloured tape on the lids. Insulating tape works very well. I found the night time drops were the ones most difficult to remember to instill correctly...especially after years of dosing both eyes the same.
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