Dorzolomide tablets

[DaisyDoolittle]

I was prescribed dorzolomide tablets to lower the pressure in my eyes I take 3 halves over a day 375 mg and have been on these for at least 5 months,I have recently been hospitalized with pancreatitis and inflamed gall bladder, it was said that it was caused by taking these pills! I have not had an appointment with my glaucoma consultant since November,who said I urgently needed a stent in my one eye but said because of the dryness in my eye he couldn't operate until it was sorted which I have been seeing a corneal specialist for,my pressure has risen but I am afraid to stop taking the pills I am trying to get to see the glaucoma consultant hopefully and explain what has been said I think he should have been monitoring me

[Alprof]

Hi .sorry to read about your experience. What about using drops instead of tablets

[PBX142]

Hi Daisy, I'm sorry to read this....It sounds like the specialist should have checked on your progress before now but you could certainly write an email to the specialist's secretary to be forwarded on saying how much these pills have disagreed with you! Forgive me for asking, but are you sure they're dorzolamide and not diamox? I can't find any reference for dorzolamide as pills - it's generally an eye drop - but diamox is what I had for 'bridging the gap' before they were able to do surgery on my eye.

[DaisyDoolittle in reply to PBX142]

Hi excuse my Woolley head meant acetazolamide !

[Hidden]

I was told that I had glaucoma on 21st April last year but I am unable to put drops in myself and I knew there were tablets so thank you for confirming that and I dont know why they can not give me pills although I can not swallow tablets and any tablets which I take I chew or suck away so you can imagine the state of the few teeth I have remaining

[frankthebank in reply to Hidden]

Hi, Sorry to dash your hopes, but you really don't want to be taking those as a long term treatment,.they are only really supposed to be used as an emergency treatment, to quickly reduce the pressure or while you are waiting for surgery and the pressure is uncontrollable. I was on them on and off for about 6 months,.they have so many bad side effects and for me in the end even they wouldn't reduce the pressure, a couple of weeks after that happened I had surgery thank God. What are your pressures and if you can't take drops why are the not getting you in for surgery?

[PBX142]

Aha - I thought you did! It's difficult to tolerate, I was warned by my ophtho and yours should have warned you too. It alters your potassium/sodium levels - not sure exactly how that works?! - but it gave me severe pins and needles in my hands and feet, which apparently is common. I was told to counteract this by eating a banana whenever it happened, and that helped a lot. It's supposed to be a temporary gap until your eyes are settled enough for surgery. However I recently read on this forum that one lady takes this permanently to keep her pressures down and seems fine on it. You should be more monitored though.

[DaisyDoolittle in reply to PBX142]

Hi they gave me a large bag of potassium on a drip while I was in hospital! I have managed to get an appointment with my glaucoma specialist this afternoon so let's see the outcome of that,

[PBX142]

No surprise there! Glad you have got an appt. Diamox is def not the treatment for you! Let us know the outcome

[frankthebank in reply to PBX142]

Diamox is nasty stuff, I was on it on and off for about 6 months, there are so many side effects and long term health risks!

[Trish_GlaucomaUK Partner]

I'm glad you have managed to get an appointment with your consultant. I hope it went well for you.

Dorzolamide is an eyedrop and is not available in tablet form .

However Acetazolamide (Diamox) is normally used for short term use and comes in tablet form. It helps in reducing eye pressure.

This is a form of diuretic, basically a water tablet, so it is important to keep well hydrated when using it.

[DaisyDoolittle in reply to Trish_GlaucomaUK]

Hi saw consultant and he said opposite to what emergency eye doctor said about acezolomide tablets he said that they hadn't caused my pancreatitis and keep taking them! My eye pressure has rise to 30 and he is going to arrange a stent put behind my iris,and given me pilocarpine eye drops in meantime beside monopost and trusopt very confused with it all now

[PBX142 in reply to DaisyDoolittle]

Good that the Diamox hasn't caused the pancreatitis. Hopefully the stent will bring the pressure down and enable you to stop taking the Diamox and reduce the number of eye drops.