Am looking for answers to repeat RA, every 10 months?

[sandybrown]

Would appreciate your help in finding answers to repeat RA, every 10 months. Visit to eye casualty resolve the problem, hourly eye drop, 4 hourly eye drop and the daily eye drop for weeks.

Any way of preventing this repeat problem. Thanks.

[Hidden]

I don't understand your question Bala. Are you getting 'flare ups' of your RA every 10 months? Can you say more so we can reply to you?

[sandybrown in reply to Hidden]

It started 4 years ago!, every 10 months or so RA in the eye comes back and a visit to eye casualty to get drops and the problem goes away. Blood tests did not give any answers!

A week ago it has come back and am on eye drops again, difficult to drive, difficult to read.

Thanks for your response.

[Hidden in reply to sandybrown]

Thanks for making your question clearer. I've never had RA affecting my eyes, though I know it can happen. Hopefully now others will come along with some thoughts.

I have PsA actually, which is similar to RA but not exactly the same. I think others with PsA get eye problems very frequently, although I've been lucky so far. So in a way, every 10 months doesn't sound too bad. I bet it's horrible when it happens, but at least the eye drops work. It will be interesting to hear what others think.

[Hidden in reply to sandybrown]

Do you have RA in other parts or just in your eyes I wonder you take a disease modifying anti rheumatic drug for it or any other type of medicine apart from the eye drops?

Is this Euveitis or Sclerits perhaps? Do they tell you any more at the eye clinic?

Sorry so many questions when it probably hurts you to read or write this just now. I only suffer from chronically dry eyes but I do have a friend who's daughter gets RA in her eyes rather than joints and I know she mainly gets treatment at a specialist eye clinic too. Much sympathy it sounds awful for you. X

[allanah]

I get loads of iritis and uveitis , indeed it was my very first symptoms of RA before I proceeded to joint pain and it's horrid and very distressing. My dad also suffered with it due to his RA.

Best thing i do is to tell the Rheumy as sometimes it shows your RA isn't controlled and also get your blood sugars checked as this to can upset my eyes.

my eye unit give me a " fast pass" so as soon as I get symptoms I bypass the gp and go straight to the hospital. Drops do indeed work but just check that your RA is controlled and blood sugars , always the main culprit to me. Good luck x

[Hidden]

Hi Bala, could you please explain the problems you are having with your eyes. I suffer uveitis and would be interested to know other peoples symptoms, problems and treatments. Lynda xx

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

Hi Linda I can tell you mine. I as you will regularly get red inflamed eyes and loss of vision with my uveitis. They say the underlying cause is RA that is not controlled and your eyes do the same as the rest of your body and become autoimmune and inflamed.

I now just go straight to my iritis clinic ( part of our a and E ) and get seen by my eye consultant. I get steroid drops Which always help. It generally lasts between seven and 10 do use and then with the drop it eventually improves when my RA improves my eyes improve and also I have to keep my blood sugars within a normal level are it will come back.

[allanah in reply to allanah]

Also be awRe that the inflamed eye fluid becomes " sticky" so can very occasionally block the angle of the drainage and raise pressure in the eye, called secondary glaucoma, so if u get headache, severe pain around the eye, feeling ill it is a 999 senario to get to a and e to let them reduce the eye pressure quickly . Xx

[Hidden in reply to allanah]

Thank you Allanah for passing this info. On, it's really helpful to me.

I have had a really bad week with my eyes culminating in bad headache and feeling of pressure in my head, Bit like sinusitis pains when it hurts in your head when you bend forward etc. it's interesting what you say about sugar levels as well. I am type 1 diabetic and mostly have good control, but I have been taking antihistamines for itchy skin and I know that this drug has affected my sugar levels, so they have been running higher than normal and I have had to increase insulin accordingly. I am seeing my GP this morning so will ask about this weird head pressure etc.

I have to wear very dark prescription lenses now all day which are also polarised because I just can't tolerate much light. I have been told I can continue to drive, but not after dusk or sunset when the light is very low and bright. I think my driving days are coming to an end though, and as we live in very rural area think we shall have to move house very soon.

At the moment I am only on weekly MTX shot, Are you on anti TNF ?

Do you get floaters Allanah ? I get them quite a lot now. If I have been in the light without my specs I get large brown cloud looking things passing over my vision, and it's taking longer and longer to clear them lately. I was also diagnosed with macular odeama , so I suppose I will lose my sight sooner than later, a horrendous thought!!

Hope your personal situation has improved for you Allanah, and that there is better news about your poorly daughter. When do you begin your radiography treatment ? Another ordeal for you !!

We auto immune sufferers have a lot to put up with don't we ?

Take care, Lynda xx