Bear with me if you've heard this saga already: you won't have heard the end. I had suffered severe post injection pain the whole day after; (it was almost OK the next day mercifully). I was given a tiny vial of anaesthetic drops to take home, and these worked magnificently. However on one subsequent occasion the nurse gave me Systane drops in a small bottle instead, and refused to give me the anaesthetic drops. Useless!! They didn't help at all. I then explained all the above to both the consultants I see in clinic: both assured me I could have the drops.
Even so I subsequently had a battle with a nurse who shouted at me that, in front of the consultant, "The hospital doesn't give out anaesthetic drops to take home". Why she said this is unknown and has never been explained, as they do give them out and had done so. I stood my ground and was, thank God, allowed to have the drops. Phew, was I glad!
So I took it to PALS explaining everything as above, though I did stress I didn't want to get anyone into trouble, and that all I wanted was to take the drops home in peace and quiet without a song and dance, so I didn't suffer. Eventually I had a short letter back saying that the Drs. said I could have the drops. Well I knew that. Not feeling very reassured I wrote back saying "Let us hope the message has got back to the nurses!"
I am very glad to report ALL WAS WELL at my last injection! When I saw the consultant before I mentioned the drops and she said OK YES! I replied "Please don't let the nurses bully me"; and she took this point on board. I am so glad PALS have resolved this!! (They call themselves Customer Care now apparently). Sorry this post is so long, but at least it's jolly good news, especially as I went to see Orpheus in the Underworld (Buxton Festival) the afternoon after my injection, and all was well!
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Wow that takes a while to plough through! Interesting that only one in second study had pain from an Avastin injection. I would worry that an underlying problem like badly administered injection or not cleaning iodine etc were covered up by painkilling drops.
Do you mean the thing that keeps your eye open? I hate them. One nurse applied a material plaster thing over my eye then she pulled it apart which seemed to hold my eyes open but far more gently. She has stopped doing that now and uses clips so must ask why next time I go.
The eye is beginning to become anaesthetized when the clip is put in, so you can't feel if it scratches the cornea. I think it is then, and when I have moved when I've felt a sharp prick because the anaesthetic hadn't worked fully, that I've had a really sore eye afterwards. A few times the soreness has been very minimal, so I don't think iodine is too much my problem.
I must take more notice of that. Think you are right as they tell me to look up, down etc while administering the drops. However I always feel the clip. The only scratchiness I’ve had has come from the iodine crystallising if not thoroughly washed out so I use loads of moisturising eye drops like last time when I had both eyes done. Often however I’ve had no need of drops at all.
Hi, firstly consultants have a habit of not working within the guidelines and will say and do things that can compromise other staff members (in this case the nurses).
The paper's highlighted by iron brain are well known, and indeed are confusing.
The tiny vial you were just given is NOT legal, all medications you take with you need to have a pharmacy label with your name etc, so they need to do that in the future. Even lubricants should be prescribed or on PGD.
I myself would not advocate post anaesthesia, and is not part of our protocol for any eye condition.
Maybe you are sensitive to iodine, you have dry eyes made worse by all the injection drops or the injectors technique is compromising your cornea.
I hope all stays well for you and you do not have any potential problems.
Thanks wheezy that explains a great deal. I wish people, (consultants and nurses) would put me in the picture like you have. Are you in the trade as they say.....how doyou get to know all this? I did stress to the consultants asking can I have the anaesthetic drops prescribed please. and they agreed, so as far s I know they are now. I have 3 lots of things given out to me now.....Systane, (no name), antibiotic definitely named, and the vial, now in its own package, but no name I must admit,
I shall now read the 2 links Ironbrain has given us above.
Yes there are 2 solutions:- I can change from iodine to another antiseptic, or as Rosie??, did who posted before, see if my GP will prescribe the vials......or maybe just go on hoping I can get them post injection.
I think I'll ask change from iodine. Thanks for all your help and the explanation...…..Why are we just shouted at and not told properly??!!
That’s what happened to me,I got them to stop iodine
and everything is good now,
Very dry eyes, then add iodine, injection = pain
No iodine no pain 💕
FED3 It is outrageous that you should have such an issue particularly with a nurse “doing her own thing.”
Do you mind if I quote your story on the OcuMel UK Group? We have many members who have discomfort post injection and I am not aware of any who have been allowed to take anaesthetic drops home.
• in reply to
Hi Rennatk, I feel it was more a case of the Drs doing their own thing and the nurse trying to follow the departmental guidelines rather than “doing her own thing".
I don't know of any uk department that advocates the use of take home anaesthesia.
• in reply to
I can understand the potential issues with anaesthetic drops being passed out willy nilly but there are instances where it can be entirely appropriate. I am a great admirer of many dedicated nurses but there are just a very few that assume just a little too much authority without checking the background.
Congratulations of obtaining those drops. I asked for them as my eye pain is severe up to 24 hours post injection. I was told absolutely not. They are a controlled substance and not for my use. I did request additional flushing of my eye before leaving the doctor's office and it seemed to ease the pain a minor amount. In the Nevada they are very strict about providing any additional medication for the pain.
Hi spotteddog, try using sterile drops for dry eye after the inj too. I use mine every few hours and it has made a huge difference. I recommend Hylotear as it has a thicker solution than hypromellose plus a special dosing system which means it lasts 6 months after opening so no waste ( though I do open a new bottle after inj just to be safe).
Rennatk, you may by all means quote my story, but do also include all the above comments, especially wheezyl's. It all started when the team gave me the vial to take home; and it solved all my post injection pain problems. When subsequently I was refused the drops I felt like something out of the Christina Rossetti poem Goblin Market. I was understandably upset when I was refused the drops, and was desperate to get hold of them again!!
What I'd be most interested to hear is what the macular Society think.
However I think Bceek's comments are worth following. Ask for change from iodine. Thanks.
My only worry would be that painkilling drops mask the cause of the pain. Do you also use copious drops to clean out the slightest bit of grittiness from iodine crystals and eye matter so nothing scratches you? When I had Thyroid Eye Disease I was prone to getting scratches so was prescribed pain killing drops.
Iodine is the best solution to clean out the eye - ( there is an alternative which can be used).
Iodine is also an abrasive. Ask the staff to wash out your eye thoroughly after the injection. Ordinary eyedrops can also help as a lubricant, make sure they are new or the little individual phials.
Ask the Macular Society - they have a leaflet on this subject.
Just come across your post. Wish I had seen it sooner. Had agonising pain after first five injections and felt really terrified of going back. Sussed our like one of the others who responded that dry eye, plus Anathesetic which they kept increasing, plus injection equalled agony. My optician contacted hospital And I saw a consultant. Don’t know what he changed but he did the injection himself. Just as painful but no agonising 24 hours after it. Will ask what changed if review in a couple of weeks still on. Everything being cancelled is very scary.
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