Doctors, for me, are like one-night stands, only not at night and not fun. I meet them to scratch an itch, to see if maybe this person, with their unique knowledge and background might offer me something different… Trying not to have expectations, but, always, this dim hope flickering in the back of my mind that maybe this will be The One.
I didn’t see the neuro-opthalmalogist for 16 months after I was first given his name. I knew it was a silly referral and would be a waste of time, but I kept having niggling thoughts: What if they find something? You have neurological symptoms, after all. What if the problems with your eyes shouldn’t be dismissed just because there are bigger problems? What if this is thyroid eye disease? You won’t have good insurance forever. Maybe there was a reason you were referred to this doctor. Maybe it’s meant to be. Leave no stone unturned.
So, I finally made the appointment and waited 3 months to be seen.
I was in the clinic for 2 full hours. He was with me for 9 full minutes and spoke 5 full sentences. He thinks I have dry eyes.
Although I’ve been given the yellow ophthalmology eye drops twice before, this time I had a reaction to them, my throat and sinuses swelled up while I blew and coughed neon yellow all over a paper towel.
The doctor had never heard of that happening.
Of course not.
The doctor thinks, if I’m having a reaction, I should go to the emergency room.
Of course he does.
6 full hours later, I still can’t see properly from the drops they used to dilate my pupils and I feel like I was hit by a truck for no good reason.
——————————–
3 months waiting for an appointment with the fancy gastroenterologist at the University of Washington Medical Center Digestive Diseases Clinic, an hour waiting in the exam room and another hour telling my sordid bowel history and what was the recommendation?
… Wait for it…
Eat prunes and papayas and take Miralax.
Are you kidding me? Another one bites the dust.
Will someone please stop me from continuing this relentless search?
I should just stop and smell the flowers, instead.
New in the garden. Finally!
Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart 
AHEM–I “HAVE” TRIED TO STOP U, ELIZEBETH!! LOL. GUESS I’M JUST TOO OLD TO PUT MYSELF THRU ALL THAT. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH EYE DROPS–THEY NEVER USE THEM, CAUSE I WON’T LET THEM. I’VE RECENTLY FOUND A PROBIOTIC THAT FROM THE 1ST USE SEEMS TO HAVE SOLVED MY LIFELONG CONSTIPATION PROBLEMS–NEVER MANAGED BEGFORE WITHOUT LAXATIVES! I’M BEYOND AMAZED. A PRODUCT THAT DELIVERED WHAT IT PROMISED.
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BJ, you have tried, I’ll give you that. 😉
What probiotic did you get? I’m looking for a new one and have horrific constipation.
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NEWPORT NATURAL HEALTH–DR. ERIN CONNEALY. IT’S CALLED ”COMPLETE PROBIOTIC SOLUTION”. AT LEAST U DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CUSTOMS DUTY! GOOD LUCK! AND PRUNES WON’T HURT, OR GROUND FLAX SEED, OR BRAN–LOTS OF FRUITS & VEGGIES, OF COURSE–ALL WHICH I SUCK AT. 5-8 SERVINGS/DAY? NOT LIKELY. LOL. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, NOTHING HAS WORKED FOR ME LIKE THIS PRODUCT. U MAY NEED AN ENEMA TO GET STARTED, I’D THINK. I WAS USING A LAXATIVE, SO WASN’T LIKELY AS BACKED UP AS U R. TALK AMONG FRIENDS, EH|?
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BJ, I’ve tried enemas, diet, laxatives, supplements, massage, breathing exercises, biofeedback… literally, everything that has been suggested. I think I have to go on a new elimination diet and it really upsets me. I like my food!!
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I recently read somebody else’s acquired philosophy about medical care.
To paraphrase: ” When you feel sick, you should go out into the woods and eat grass and hope you get better. My dog used this strategy successfully for many years until a trip to the vet killed him.”
No business or profession improves unless there is real accountability. You were given shabby treatment, poor advice and quite possibly tainted medication but yet the doctors will be paid in full their normal high fee (highest in the world if that qualifies for high) and go home thinking they are providing a real service. Do they know otherwise? Who tells them? Do they ever inquire? Seldom the patient, as they fear being labeled as troublesome and possibly denied help later. Have you ever seen an anonymous suggestion box in a waiting room? A broken system for the patient – the one this “system” should be designed to help.
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EXCELLENT REPLY.
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suggestion box, accountability…Yes, they are under various websites under patient reviews of doctors or clinics…vitals.com, healthgrades.com etc. patients should avail themselves so other patients can be warned.
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Yes! You said a mouthful there. The comment about the dog is perfect. Soon, I’ll stop seeing doctors and just eat my greens. 🙂
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I’m with Bonnie – I’ve tried to stop you too lol! Having said all that, I’m the pot calling the kettle black because it took me 6 years to stop seeing doctors in the hope that one would help, so if you’re still making doctors appts in another couple years time *then* I’ll chain you to the bed 😉
I have dry eyes too, but reacted to the eye drops the Optician gave me to treat them *sigh* so it’s yet another thing I just put up with.
Having been constipated my whole life I empathse with the poop situation! I don’t even think about it any more and even if I’ve waited 5 days reckon it’s got to come out at some stage – well, either that or I’ll just explode 😉
Sorry neither consult was even remotely helpful. It’s soul destroying – you just want one tiny thing to stop and it would help you manage *everything* else.
Hugs
Jak x
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Well, exactly. Who cares about dry eyes and vision problems when your mitochondria don’t work? But, I thought maybe he’d say, “Aha! Thyroid Eye Disease!” and then I’d realise this was all because of my thyroid ablation and I can take a different drug and we all live happily ever after. 🙂
Regarding the constipation, I hate that all these gut issues are new in the last year. I want to go back to the ME of a year ago when I had normal cholesterol and could eat any amount and wear clothes comfortably and not work my days around pooping!
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HAD TO LOL. OH, THIS WONDERFUL CFS–NEVER KNOW WHAT THE NEXT DAY, WEEK OR YEAR WILL BRING!
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Oh gosh – this is why I don’t go to the doctors! So disappointing to go through all that hassle and get advice we could either figure out ourselves or find via Dr Google.
On PR there was a thread about severe constipation issues – I think someone recommended magnesium citrate. Perhaps you’ve tried that already. I get impactions if I don’t keep on top of it – I rely on movicol, fybogel, magnesium, vitamin C. I had the prune advice from a doc too (bangs head against wall).
What I’m wondering is – perhaps these poop issues are more of a motility issue possibly related to autonomic dysfunction. TMI but it seems to me that I can take masses of movicol and fybogel and it just doesn’t translate at the other end. Then suddenly one day (many days later) I’ll go quite a bit as if the mass of ‘solution’ I drank has finally reached the other end.
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Yes, I’ve tried the American versions of Movicol and Fybogel and have taken boatloads of vitamin C and magnesium (the latter was contributing to some severe reactions I was having earlier this year).
I think you are absolutely right that it’s related to autonomic dysfunction. And it doesn’t help that I don’t move very much. Imagine if I could jog up and down stairs? That would get things moving/settling.
Turns out, I actually have anatomical problems contributing to this, which I’ll write a post about soon. Stay tuned.
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Elizabeth,
I have never posted on your blog before but have read it cover to cover. I don’t know if you read my post on PR about yellow food dye, but a few weeks ago I had a severe allergic reaction to Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) which nearly sent me to the ER.
Since the eye drops were yellow and I know you have talked about having histamine issues, do you think the eye drops could have had Tartrazine in them?
Thank you for posting this so I can avoid those drops at future eye doctor visits. Your blog is a lifesaver for many people and I hope you know how valuable it is. Best wishes!
Ginger
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Gingergrrl!!! I think I owe you a few replies on PR. I don’t get on there often enough. I am so happy you commented and very flattered and grateful that you would choose to read my story from cover to cover. And you honestly don’t know what it means to hear that it helps people. I often wonder if anyone reads it besides my family and a few friends. Wow, I’m all aglow. 🙂
Regarding yellow #5, did this reaction come out of the blue? As in, you’d been eating it at various times your whole life and then suddenly had a severe reaction? Was it a histamine reaction? That’s terrifying. I’m so sorry.
I’m tempted to call the doctor’s office and see if perhaps there is an ingredient list on the yellow eye drop bottle. I’ll let you know if I do. As far as reactions go, it certainly wasn’t a severe one, but just scary when I’ve had those drops multiple times before. X
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Ha!! I have SO been there! I’ve been up all night, so I am in a very silly mood, and that made me laugh and laugh! It’s a circus!!! I keep tellingeople that my life is one big long months python sketch! Sounds like we are all living it! ‘You have dry eyes.’ Prunes. Right. That is going to solve it. Seriously??? Good God. I’ve met some really wonderful physicians, but I have also met more than my fair share of bozos. I have learned more from a week in the Facebook group than in three years of doctors visits.
I too find that magnesium helps, but I take Magnesium malate, which is what my pain doc recommended…I honestly have no idea of the chemistry difference. I managed to find a brand of vitamins that uses vegetarian capsules, so I don’t even have to pour the powder out.
I am still doctor seeking, but I unfortunately still need to get an ‘official’ diagnosis, and a prescription for cromolyn, ketotifen and hydroxyzine. Once I I have the diagnosis, my GP will do me just fine. I’m fortunate to have a lovely GP, who listens, believes me, and U.S. is actually willing to say ‘I don’t know’. I have to respect her saying that she isn’t comfortable diagnosing this, nor prescribing drugs she has never prescribed before without some guidance. A lot of people should jut write the script to get rid of me, but she needs more info. I am really lucky to have her in my corner. She is far too rare.
I wish I could offer more concrete support. Hang in there, and try to enjoy some cherry trees this weekend!
Karen
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Karen, my GP was the exact same way. She listened and trusted me. She knew me before I got sick, which I liked. But recently she retired even though she’s my age — her daughter was having health problems, I think. Makes me very sad. I wish I could send you my prescriptions for those drugs since I can’t take them (or don’t have the balls)!
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[…] hasn’t stopped, but is better than last year. Or the short, choppy cut disguises it more. My eyes are their usual nightmare of blurriness and sore extraocular muscles, even though I am regimented […]
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[…] on my third gastrointestinal doctor. The first said: Miralax, papaya, probiotics. Huh? Did you actually hear what I said about dead bowels? On a […]
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