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Mis-diagnosis of Bleptharitis ?

Posted , 5 users are following.

david24522
david24522

With the recent disclosure that some blepth group members have found great relief of their symptoms by the use of antihistimines , is it possible that many posterior blepth cases could have been wrongly diagnosed and in fact the sufferers in fact had/have a chronic dry eye problem   MGD? How or why could an antihistimine stop blepth if blepth is a nasty bacterial infection ? It's great that it is giving so much and near instant relief to some sufferers , but could it be that they are in fact allegy sufferers and if so could allegy testing help prove the point ?

What do you think ? Should posterior blepth sufferers have allegy tests to help dtermine their course of treatment ?

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • over40
    over40 david24522

    Posted

    I agree. Doctors do not even mention allergies. They make it seem like it is a hygiene issue. I believe it is allergies or an antibacterial ointment is needed or it is due to dry eyes or sinus but no caused by so called blepharitis. Asked my family doctor to refer me to an allergist but it took a lot of convincing. Family doctor is weird like that. I am telling him what i think should be done
  • pamela48771
    pamela48771 david24522

    Posted

    In my case I took ceterazine for years for chronic rhinitis. Blepharitis was diagnosed at Moorfields two years ago. It look 7 months for it to be bought under control. Generally, in between episodes of blepharitis, I have MGD and dry eye. I take fenafexadine, a stronger antihistamine than ceterazine which helps. Allergy tests are useless in my case as I react to the control, water, the most. I take your point that antihistamines may aggravate dry eye especially over long term use but I  try to contain the condition rather than over analyse it as I now accept it is something I have to live with and duck and dive between treatments depending on how my eyes behave. This blog has made me realise how lucky I am as others are suffering more than I am at the moment. 
    • david24522
      david24522 pamela48771

      Posted

      For sure pamela , some of the people's lives must be living hell ! What to you think about the gland probing and gland expression "treatments " ? I'd be willing to try a course of this . My GP is interested to hear how we all get on with our eye problems as feedback is rare and he has only the NHS advice to go by .
    • pamela48771
      pamela48771 david24522

      Posted

      It's not a procedure which appeals to me. I get yellow lumps at the base of some eyelashes which look swollen but after a while of particularly careful heating and scrape cleansing they diminish after some deposits from them are expelled. Sounds disgusting but that's the way it is. Initially I was worried about the lumps as I've had a Basel cell carcinoma cut from my temple and there is a risk it may develop anywhere on face or neck (sun cause) so I am vigilant. If I have to have surgery to remove one from my eyelid then disfigurement is certain. I'll continue managing as I am rather than resort to my eyelids being pulled about. I'd be concerned it might cause me another problem.
  • Carol_V
    Carol_V david24522

    Posted

    I absolutely agree with you.  I have noticed that if I take antihistimines that my blepth is not cured,  but certainly not quite so bad!!
  • fiona51388
    fiona51388 david24522

    Posted

    Personally I am certain I have blepharitis but just assume that the antihistamine, for whatever, provides relief for this conditon as well as it does for allergies. If you look at asprin, it is also used to thin the blood, and a drug I was on called sodium valproate is mainly used for ..crips I forget as a while since i was on it, but it was used for anohter medical condition aside from the one I was taking it for so its not unheard of for medicines to have multiple uses.
    • david24522
      david24522 fiona51388

      Posted

      Forgive me if I'm wrong but antihistimines work by combating the sensation of our bodies immune system " sending out an endless army trying to fight a problem that they can't reach , they battle away calling for more re-enforcement , the result being an over re-action ". ( not a medical diagnosis , but how my doctor put it to me in simplified terms )
    • fiona51388
      fiona51388 david24522

      Posted

      Yes, I'm aware of that but I'm just saying as medicines have uses to cure multiple conditions then it could well be that antihistamines have a positive effect on blepharitis as well as allergies.
    • fiona51388
      fiona51388

      Posted

      It says on the packet that antihistamines have all sorts of uses so I imagine treatment of blepharitis is included in this
  • over40
    over40 david24522

    Posted

    I cannot sleep on my side anymore. I feel head pressure. Anyonr else experience this?
    • david24522
      david24522 over40

      Posted

      Hi , i know what you mean .Especially my right eye doesn't like me being on that side . Try a different type of pillow . Actually we need a new type of pillow where one can rest the sides of the face into but with "cavities" where the eye would rest . ( a bit like the cheap black eye masks that you'd use to rest your eyes and have a kip . They have cavities moulded in so that there's no pressure on the eyeball .)
    • over40
      over40 david24522

      Posted

      Where do i find this pillow? Does it have a certian name? Doctors never tell you howto treat things. Give you a diagnosis and leave you out in the cold.
    • david24522
      david24522 over40

      Posted

      As far as I know there isn't one yet . I have the memory foam type of pillow and if the laying on your side pressure on the eyeball is a problem DON'T buy this type of  pillow ! i intend to try and modify a cushion to see how practical the manufacture and usage would be .
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