Punctal Plugs: continuation

[Sharon]

So after experiencing no relief with plugs in my lower tear ducts
I got the upper ducts plugged today, and what a difference indeed!
Suddenly I'm overwhelmed by an abundance of tears!
It's as though I went from 0% to 100%!
BUT...it's way too much...my vision is blurry from the constant tearing and social interactions
are awkward as there are tears continually streaming down my face! 

SunshineDaydream wrote that when this happens they need to replace the upper plugs with ones with holes,
but what I don't understand is: Do they make holes in the existing ones or do you need new ones?
I had to order my original plugs and they are expensive! 

Another question: I can't get back to the eye doctor who put the plugs in anytime soon as it was through a hospital eye clinic
and they can't give me an another appointment for a month!
Any ideas on how to stop this extreme tear flow in the meantime? I can't imagine continuing this way...
From one extreme to another!

[SunshineDaydream]

Glad to hear the addition of upper plugs has provided relief, Sharon! Such a huge difference. I have found that the overflow of tears has calmed down a bit after I adjusted to having the plugs. Pooling or overflow increases after I take Evoxac which is funny because before the plugs I never noticed the Evoxac helping with eye moisture at all. I try to keep a tissue in my pocket when I leave home so I can dab or mop up if necessary. Not ideal, but so much better than the alternative of constantly using eye drops, even when driving. I'm so grateful the plugs work. What a life changer!

That being said, I poked around a bit and found mention of Eagle "Flow Controller" plug and FCI "Perforated" plug, designed for people who experience overflow (epiphora) if fully occluded. I think that's what my eye doctor was talking about. http://www.dryeyezone.com/encyclopedia/plugs.html

Another positive is I don't notice the stabby feeling as much as I initially did. Are you getting along better with that, too?

[Sharon]

So they don't just puncture a hole in the existing plugs?
You have to get a new type?
I don't get the stabby feeling anymore either
and it's good to hear the overflow may calm down after awhile.
How long till your calmed down?
Unfortunately my overflow is constant and I can't function:
my vision is blurry from tears and eyes ache from the constant tearing.
It's also impossible to work like this. Go explain to everybody why tears won't stop streaming
down your face....
I really need to get them out!
The eye clinic I went to won't give an SOS appointment and told me to go to the ER to have them taken out
which I think is ridiculous!

[SunshineDaydream]

The overflow may calm down in a few days. Maybe need time to adjust like the stabby feeling. I still use eye drops once in a while, but definitely not to the extent I used to, so I'm not extreme waterworks all the time.

If I were you, I'd request a call back from the doctor so you can describe the situation and ask about perforated plugs. If your doctor recommends them, you can find out if you need to order and what size. That way, you will be ahead of the game instead of waiting a month to get that information and then having to wait to go back again after ordering. I'd also tell the doctor that you can't function like this and ask if you can have SOS visit after your new plugs arrive if new plugs are the plan.

Good luck and keep us posted about how things are going.

[Sharon]

Good idea Sunshine, I'm dependant on secretatries to pass on my message to the doctor so we'll see
if he ever gets back to me....
In the meantime I had the upper plugs removed by a different eye doctor who agreed to see me.
So back to ZERO tears. Amazing how those tiny plugs (smaller than a grain) can make such a huge difference!
I'll try to inquire about the partial ones.
The eye doc also diagnosed me with an eyelid infection and wants to put me on Doxycycline therapy....
I'd like to try that but my gastro condition is sensitive as is right now even without adding antibiotics.
We'll see.

[SunshineDaydream]

Yup, need to get through the gatekeepers.

Good thing you found a doctor to take the tops out. Did you ask about the perforated plugs?

Bummer about the eyelid infection. Antibiotics suck. I always get secondary lady infection within 45 minutes of taking them. I hope your gastro system is handling them better than you expected.

[Sharon]

The doc I got in with said he knew nothing about plugs (other than how to remove them)
so he couldn't answer that question.
I don't believe all those tears were just a result of the tears not draining due to plugging the upper ducts.
If that were the case I would have tears streaming down the outer side of my eye if I tilt my head sideways without them.
But that isn't the case.
I believe all those tears were a reaction to the plugs themselves: Like my body was desperately trying to flush them out
of my eye. Don't know what can be done about that. 

[SunshineDaydream]

Huh, well at least he knew how to take them out so that was good.

I definitely didn't have tears streaming down the outer side of my eye when I tilted my head sideways but didn't have upper plugs. Dry eyes without plugs and with only lower plugs. I do have some overflow now with both upper and lower.

Is the infection in both eyes? Did you start antibiotics yet? If so, how is your gastro holding up?

[Sharon]

Yes, the infection is in both eyes.
I haven't begun the oral antibiotics yet because my stomach is in an awful state right now
and I don't think I could handle it. I also read it causes increased sun sensitivity and I'm super sun sensitive
as it is!
In the meantime I'm on antibiotic eye drops which may buy me some time.