Has anyone had an iodine drop instilled 20... - Macular Society

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Has anyone had an iodine drop instilled 20 minutes before actual injection?

Ayayay80 profile image
19 Replies

I had my third eylea injection yesterday. Each one was done by a different person and each injection and aftermath was a different experience. This time, to my surprise, I was given an idodine drop (the nurse told me so) after the 2 aenestetic drops. I then had to sit in the waiting room as 2 other patients were before me in the queue. I could feel my eye getting more and more sore and runny. After 20 min, finally in the sterile room, I was given more aenestetic drops and it took the soreness temporarily away and my eye was washed. But when I got home and the aenestetic had worn off, my face became extremely hot. Every bone around the eye (cheek bones and above my eybrows) became extremely painful, my nose was running and the lower part of my eyeball was very red. It was very much like severe sinusitis. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

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Ayayay80
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19 Replies
Hollyg profile image
Hollyg

yup I did after my first imjection.

Hollyg profile image
Hollyg

some of us are more sensitive to that stuff. I ask for a lot of rinsing each injection...never had that reaction again

I have iodine in the preoperative room after anaesthetic then again in the clean room with more anaesthetic - not a 20 min gap though.

My last inj they said they were out of the usual anaesthetic so it was one I hadn't had before - the actual anaesthetic stung like hell which I've never had happen before and the iodine did too which it usually doesn't ! my eye has been sore around for over a week now - I will check next time and ask them to give it more time to work.

Yes, get a different team every time now. I don't think they appreciate how much it helps seeing the same person.

yotboy profile image
yotboy

I have had more than 25 injections. If my eye is not extremely well flushed after the injection I am in trouble when the anaesthetic wears off. I have been told to remind the injectors every time that I need AN EXTREMELY GOOD FLUSH BECAUSE I REACT BADLY TO RESIDUAL IODINE. They use a full 10ml bottle of sterile flush 'in all corners'. The eye should be rolled from side to side as they flush - and tell them you don't care how much runs down your face!

I have no adverse conditions after at all PROVIDING I remind them EVERY time.

Beldie profile image
Beldie

Sorry you had this nasty experience; it must have been worrying. If you tell the eye clinic about your reaction they will surely exchange the iodine for something else, as they've done for me. All the best for the next time.

squinty profile image
squinty

Hi ayayay80 this sounds an absolute nitemare, I would have been terrified if that happened to me! Nothing like that has happened just a horrible gritty feeling or black dots. Would it have been possible to take a photo? I'm sure I would gone back to a and e! Are you ok now ? You must tell them what happened? Is your next one in 2 months time? That seems to be the standard treatment? Hugs and please keep me posted 💜 Love from squinty xx

Ayayay80 profile image
Ayayay80

Thank you. Will do!

Bobbie915 profile image
Bobbie915

I have also had bad reactions from the iodine. It took a while for me to realise why I was having such a bad after effects. When I suggested it was the iodine the doctor, not the injecting one, seemed very reluctant to agree that it was possible. However, I now tell the person injecting to go easy on the iodine, and it really has made a big difference. I also didn't like having someone different every visit. Always anxious about who I was going to get. Thank goodness the hospital has changed the routine and the last two visits I have had a wonderful nurse. She assured me that she is going to be permanent. This has taken a load off my mind. Thanks to amazing Amanda. X X

Ayayay80 profile image
Ayayay80

Thank you all for your kind and helpful replies. I am sure it was the 20 minute wait that allowed the iodine to do its sinister work. You should have heard me moan and groan at home; or perhaps better not! I was ready to tell them at the clinic that I didn't want anymore injections. I took two painkillers, went to bed and slept on and off, another painkiller mid afternoon and two more before I settled down for the night; 5 in one day when I hardly ever take any at all. The next morning my eye was still very red at the point of the iodine placement, but the awful pain had gone and very little soreness. I am fine now.

I am due for first check-up and review with the consultant on January 4th when I will get the chance to ask more questions. My next injection is booked for 2nd February.

Meanwhile I will be celebrationg my big Eight O with family and friends. I wish you all a lovely Christmas and good luck in the New Year. ayayay80 x

kalahuchi profile image
kalahuchi

I always have an iodine drop before an injection too and so far haven't had a reaction such as you have described. It sounds pretty awful and I would definitely mention it to the doctors. I have my next Lucentis tomorrow and will be glad to get it over with x

Ayayay80 profile image
Ayayay80 in reply to kalahuchi

Thanks kalahuchi. It probably was the long gap between the first iodine drop and the eye wash that did the damage. Good luck for tomorrow! It never seems to get any easier, does it.

kalahuchi profile image
kalahuchi in reply to Ayayay80

Had my seventh Lucentis this morning and I hve to say that I didn't panic this time so m aye it does get a little less traumatic eventually; I like to think so anyway. I felt the injection more this time but the doctor was lovely and as gentle as she could be so I have no complaints and she gave it a good wash to remove the iodine and I have no real discomfort now. Apparently there was a little scratch from the clamp but I'm not aware of any soreness at all and think it was very honest of the doctor to tell me that. Hope you are well Ayayay. Are you all finished with the injections now until the new year - I do hope so. Have a lovely Christmas and please excuse the typing as I can't see much with my good eye out of action for a few more hours yet It's a good job I learned to touch type isn't it x

Ayayay80 profile image
Ayayay80 in reply to kalahuchi

Thanks kalahuchi. There is hope yet then that things will get better. All the best for 2017!

Rosalyn-helpline profile image
Rosalyn-helplinePartner

Dear Ayayay80,

I am sorry to read of your discomfort.

It is important that you feed your experience back to the eye clinic, if you haven't done so already. This will give them the chance to potentially address the issue when you have your next injection.

I am copying a link to our Pain After Injections factsheet:

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further help. Our helpline is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 3030 111.

Kind regards,

Macular Society Helpline

rxtrxt profile image
rxtrxt

I have had similar experiences and I got great improvement by having them give me an extra good wash after the injection. I think that sometimes they don't remove all of the iodine if they don't wash it very thoroughly. Just ask for extra washing because of the discomfort you are experiencing.

Tessa83 profile image
Tessa83

It would b helpful if we new what part of the world subscribers came from as treatment varies all this flushing out I have never heard of or been offered.

Ayayay80 profile image
Ayayay80 in reply to Tessa83

Hi Tessa

Perhaps you've got a point, but from what I have learned over the past year is that there are very good injectors and very poor ones even within the same hospital. They all seem to have their own method of procedure. A thorough eyewash after an injection should be done automatically no matter where you are having your treatment, though some people are more sensitive to iodine than others. For my 4th injection I was given something different instead of iodine. I think that in my case it was the fact that I had the iodine in my eye for over 20 minutes that caused the horrific pain afterwrds.

exDancer profile image
exDancer

I've just had my 3rd eyelea injection. The first two left me in writhing agony for 3 days and acute discomfort for the rest of the week but I got a letter from my GP's surgery asking them to substitute the iodine for something called chloro-something (can't remember the actual name) and it was more or less pain free!!

OK the actual injection hurt for a couple of seconds, and the following 5 or 6 hrs were fairly pain filled although nothing I couldn't cope with. The nurse also flushed out the eye very thoroughly afterwards and gave me the half-empty phial of anesthetic drops to take home (I'm not sure she was supposed to do this) which I didn't have to use as it happened.

Do discuss the iodine problem with your doctor and hopefully your problems, like mine, will be over.

IvyRose2 profile image
IvyRose2 in reply to exDancer

Pleased to hear you got sorted out and not in so much pain ExDancer.

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