Eye inj app

[JJnan]

Hi everyone, just letting you know, I had my monthly eye inj yesterday, only 4 people allowed in waiting room at a time, 1 in each corner, staff wore masks and gloves, and had shields on scanning machines so no face to face , so all good there, ....as you all know there are good and bad injectors ( had my share )...today was bad 😥....consultant said when we are back to normal it will be rare for consultants or doctors to inject ...they are training nurses to do it, ..as clinics are so busy...I live in hope they have a gentle touch 👍....stay safe xxxxxx

[TwasBrillig]

The worse injections I ever had was from the senior consultant. A nurse said it’s because consultants do it so rarely.

[JJnan in reply to TwasBrillig]

Aww no!...I'm sorry ....I've had no problem with consultants....but they train the rest 😏...my eye was so bad yesterday just went to bed...easier today but very bloodshot ...They all need to be more gentle!...

[Bobbie915 in reply to TwasBrillig]

Too true. The only bad taking blood for test at our GP surgery, was done by the doctor, very large bruise. Every nurse and health care worker are really excellent. They are doing it all the time, practical experience is what counts.

[Hidden]

Glad you got your shot in what sounds a very safe environment but sad it's been sore xxx hope you feel better soon x

[JJnan in reply to Hidden]

Thank you xx

[springcross]

I have mine next Thursday. It was changed from my usual outreach place to the actual Eye Hospital. I was told that there will no no eye chart checks or scans, it will just be the injection and that I will have to wait eight weeks for my next one after that. It should be four or five weeks because I leak fluid if it goes on longer than that. They apoogised and said there was nothing they could do about it.

[Shimano in reply to springcross]

That’s really scary springcross. Hope you get it sorted out.

[springcross in reply to Shimano]

Thank you. x

[JJnan]

I had eye test and scan..and at the moment have to have monthly inj to keep fluid down .....I'd get in touch with consultant's sec and explain

Good luck x

[springcross in reply to JJnan]

Yes, I will. Sorry you had a bad time. x

[Bobbie915]

I can sympathise with you. Same for me yesterday but I did have my favourite nurse and never had a problem with her injections before.

[JJnan in reply to Bobbie915]

Aww an off day perhaps, hopefully.

This one squirted a load of iodine after the clamp was in, the nurse had already put iodine drops in ...and usually ask you to look up and then down to ease clamp in..she did neither just struggled with it...part of ne wants to tell them what their doing wrong but no sure it would go down well.😏

[Bobbie915 in reply to JJnan]

Yes, that is a tricky problem.

[tallyho]

I was so nervous when I heard nurses were gonna be trained and to me they are very good all sorts of people inject in my eye clinic now even my orthoptist who is brilliant at injections the consultants and drs are excellent too I am very fortunate in my hospital

[Shimano]

Thanks jjan. Sorry to hear you had a bad jag. Deep sympathy but good that safety precautions in place. Appt with consultant for review next Thursday and worried about precautions. Interesting to hear everyone’s experience of painful, or not, injections. Mine are very painful but after effects worse. Like barbed wire. They changed something last time and still painful but no awful after effects. Suspect am allergic to iodine. By the way, can someone explain the difference between Lucentis and Eylea injections and if one is more suitable for different conditions than others.

[springcross in reply to Shimano]

Macular Society may be able to help you with that - Telephone Advice and Information Service 0300 3030 111

[JJnan in reply to springcross]

Thank you, but I'm not very good at complaining, I did chat to consultant about my fear ( I've had bad experiences) ..and lo and behold it happened again, I was told by a doctor ( when I was having 8 weekly inj) I must insist on 8 weeks not 10 or more ..it went on for months so I rang concern team to help about appointments..next time I went in was in a different clinic!

At least this new consultant started me on monthly inj to help keep fluid down ...he said not 5 but 4 weekly..and they have kept to it ..

I dont want to come across as someone who complains...but at same time I dont want to be in pain ....I wish they had a meeting fir patients and injectors so we could air our concerns ..x

[Hidden in reply to Shimano]

Hi shimano, as I understand it they are both antivegf so work same way for same conditions but with eyelea can typically go longer between inj.

Re your inj pain, you ought to flag it up again, the inj itself should not be very painful, suggests poor technique with clamp/ insufficient anaesthesia/ not waiting for anaesthetic drops to take effect. My consultant said some folk have v sensitive eyes so can feel a bit of sharpness (I did) but to get extra drops to reduce it. I always ask!

Good to hear they've improved the after effects for you probably by changing from iodine to chlorhexidine and/ or extra thorough wash out.

Sterile preservative free soothing drops can help too - always ask your eye clinic for their advice first - and always open a new bottle.

Best wishes going forwards.

[Shimano in reply to Hidden]

Thanks eyesright. I have flagged up the pain and they kept increasing the anaesthetic drops which made after effects worse. Got my optician to contact hospital because I had had five Injections and never seen a consultant. I find the lack of Information very frustrating. Until prior to my last injection after seeing the consultant it felt like an overcrowded cattle run. Not the fault of the staff but traumatic just the same. Obviously others do not find the injection so pAinful. Wonder if it is age related as my first catAract op was not painful and the second one was awful. Thanks for explaining re Eylea. Who decides wether you get it and on what basis? My consultation is changed to phone call so your info really helps as to when next injection due. Six weeks since last one and haven’t got another one yet. Thank the lord am retired as trying to haNg onto your eyesight gets pretty time consuming. Sun shining so off to do some gArdening. Cheers and thanks.

[Gutfeelings]

Hi JJnan

Thank you for your post I will mention this to my mum who is worrying about attending her appointment but equally worrying if she delays it. We have delayed it by 1 week but she is scared about going out at the moment which is understandable as she has many underlying disorders and is 80 in 3 mths. As a nurse now non practising due to illhealth, I am also worried for her and am myself at higher risk.

I am so sorry you had a difficult injection and hope you are feeling better now? Our consultant said when mum first started with lucentis it will be the specialist nurses who do your injections as they have been trained to do them and are the experts as they do them at each clinic. We have a few different ones and fortunately all are good.

Thanks again for taking the time to let us know about the safety measures being taken.

Take care and stay well

[JJnan in reply to Gutfeelings]

Please assure your Mum she'll be fine, so glad you have good injectors xxxx

[Beldie]

Hello JJnan. My next (40th) injection is in a week and I'm glad to hear of the hygiene measures in your area, which sound OK, because I've been a little concerned about what to expect As a vulnerable 'hermit' aged 88 I'm two hours away and we plan to drive there directly (with a flask and a sandwich) and come straight back - no post-injection shopping this time. I've been waiting for a cataract operation, because of deterioration from having had endophthalmitis, but expect it will be postponed, maybe for months.

Hope you continue to be well.

[JJnan in reply to Beldie]

Please dont worry, they are taking all precautions, I felt quite safe ...not sure, but cataract ops ( depending how bad I would think) are being postponed for now ..good luck xxx

[Beldie in reply to JJnan]

It's good to know about all the precautions - I had been wondering. Best wishes, JJnan.

[Hidden in reply to Beldie]

Hi Beldie, good to hear you've got an appt.

Lots of handwashing is the key - when you get to the hospital, when you get to the clinic, and on your way out, and when you get home. Soap and water best with good technique for min 20 seconds ( the rinsing makes a difference and leaves nothing on your hands).

Fingers crossed your cataract op gets scheduled before too long.

Sending hugs x

[Beldie in reply to Hidden]

Nice to hear from you, eyesright. Yes, I'll do all that, and I'd be glad to have the cataract done soon because currently I can't see well or read except via the Kindle with giant font - a sentence or two per page. I'd need that during self-isolation for weeks/months on end! It does mean, though, that I can do all sorts of household things that have been put off for years. Silver linings, eh? Keep yourself safe.

[Hidden in reply to Beldie]

Yep, no excuses now, actually cleaned out the cupboard under the sink the other day lol