11 years ago I gained 18 kilos (39.6 pounds) of fluid in 2 weeks. Killer. I couldn’t walk, sleep, anything. Turned out it was my kidneys. I went on a roller coaster for the next 5 years. Relapsed 12 times in 5 years. Up about 16 – 18 kilos each time in a fortnight, about a fortnight to come back down. I’ve taken MASSIVE doses of cortisone (at some times intravenously), did a couple of years on immuno suppressants (cyclosporine) and did a chemo drug (cyclophosphamide). The thing is, it wasn’t until I started researching everything for myself did I start to really find some answers. My continued questions about what can I do to help, is there anything in my diet I can change etc etc at my doctor resulted in nothing. I tried everything, Chinese medicine, every nephrologists I could find, alternative healing, I was up for anything. Wasn’t until I started researched autoimmune disease and the links between gluten intolerance that I found I might have found something that might help me. Long story short, I kicked the drugs, went gluten free and not only helped me, I have never been sick again. (on that note, I am NOT telling anyone to stop their medication, I just want MY story to be out there) Its now 6 years later. So I am no stranger to doctors and drugs.
On and off I have had problems with my skin though. I’ve always suspected that its dairy that has affected me. However it would flare up, go aware, flare up, rinse and repeat. If it got really bad I could take a short sharp shock of cortisone although I am loathe to use that stuff. Sadly it does work tho. As do the cortisone creams. But they are all so evil for you.
Then suddenly my skin completely went crazy, mainly on my face and especially around my eyes. My face was mildly swollen, but my eyelids, one in particular, was horrifying. Red, sore, swollen, tender, wrinkly, ugly. I’d also felt a bit achey, rather tired and irritable. I refuse to use cortisone anymore. I had to work out what this was. I felt like I wanted to scratch my eyes out, but could hardly put my finger to my skin. On a hot day if I got a little sweaty it would sting terribly, and please don’t make me cry because that hurt so much.
So I started writing down everything I suspected it could be, and everything I knew it couldn’t. Had I changed makeup recently? New shampoo? On and on. Then onto foods. Food allergies/intolerances account for so many peoples problems. I had been to a dermatologist who told me I was allergic to copper just before my kidneys went bad when my skin was horrifying bad. I was told to avoid copper, given cortisone cream and wished the best of luck. It wasn’t until I went gluten free and had been doing all my own research that I found I can’t really be allergic to copper. An allergy is a reaction to a protein. Copper a protein? No, gluten was the protein and my kidney disease and eczema were the result. Ditched the gluten and the kidney problem and eczema went too. But there was obviously still something mild that was stirring me up every now and again, and I had just reached the climax.
Back onto my list - If I got through a day and it didn’t seem to be so bad, or actually seemed better, I deemed those foods safe(ish). I was crossing some off one list and adding to another, researching allergies on the net, researching my symptoms. I had changed jobs 4 months prior and that seemed to be when it started getting worse so I was looking at everything at work I might be exposed to as well.
I prepared a list of things I wanted to be tested for at the doctors as well. I’ll get the results next week.
Finally I got there myself anyways… Peanuts. I started my new job and the only 2 items in our food machine that were gluten free were dairy milk chocolate and peanuts. Trying not to eat too much chocolate I was getting into the peanuts. Going on a health mission a month or two into the new job, I was cutting back on the chocolate (sigh) and eating more peanuts if I wanted a snack. Then when my skin started going berserk I decided to finally cut all dairy. None at all (a life without cheese?!). Therefore I wasn’t eating anymore chocolate AT ALL and yes, alas, only eating the peanuts as my sneaky snack… And that’s when my skin went crazy. I was waking to hardly recognize myself.
The point of this massive post is that, it is amazing how much you can work out for yourself. I have gone peanut free and I am all good now. I am ok with tree nuts, just not peanuts. I get my test results back next week and I know what they will tell me. The number of times I have had to force doctors to do tests I want done etc is amazing. I’ve met so many who had told me I shouldn’t try to self diagnose. I call it research. I will listen to any doctor, but I want them to listen to me too. Try food elimination. If you have a serious problem, you have nothing to lose by cutting something out of your diet to work out if you’re feeling better. Research allergies. See a doctor who deals in allergies. They are gold. You need a doctor who thinks outside the square. I have moved state now, but the doctor that I found AFTER I went gluten free (ironic yes), confirmed everything that I had worked out for myself. I broke down in tears, I was so overwhelmed getting the confirmation. Now I try to only deal with these kinds of doctors. We did all kinds of tests to determine if my body was deficient in any areas etc. obviously my peanut allergy has developed since.
Don’t just think you had to use creams because your doctor told you to, and that’s the only choice you have. The last doctor I went to gave me another script for cortisone. I DON’T WANT IT! I want to find out the cause. Give me these tests please. If you see a dermatologist or eye doctor, they will typically give you a cream or drops or tell you to stay away from something. Personally I see it as a waste of time. Yes I might make some people angry here, but I would rather see someone who deals with allergies etc who can actually get to the root of the problem. These are my symptoms, now lets find out what is causing it. Do some research and present yourself and your list of possible suspects to the doctor. Don’t feel foolish for trying to work it out yourself. As a minimum RAST testing is good, testing for dust, mould, seafood, nuts etc etc. I would much rather cut something out of my life than try and smother the symptoms with a cream or tablet.
I hope this makes sense. Apologies for the long windedness, but I get rather passionate about it. I have often wondered if I kept doing things the ‘doctors way’ when my kidneys weren’t behaving, if I would be alive today.
On and off I have had problems with my skin though. I’ve always suspected that its dairy that has affected me. However it would flare up, go aware, flare up, rinse and repeat. If it got really bad I could take a short sharp shock of cortisone although I am loathe to use that stuff. Sadly it does work tho. As do the cortisone creams. But they are all so evil for you.
Then suddenly my skin completely went crazy, mainly on my face and especially around my eyes. My face was mildly swollen, but my eyelids, one in particular, was horrifying. Red, sore, swollen, tender, wrinkly, ugly. I’d also felt a bit achey, rather tired and irritable. I refuse to use cortisone anymore. I had to work out what this was. I felt like I wanted to scratch my eyes out, but could hardly put my finger to my skin. On a hot day if I got a little sweaty it would sting terribly, and please don’t make me cry because that hurt so much.
So I started writing down everything I suspected it could be, and everything I knew it couldn’t. Had I changed makeup recently? New shampoo? On and on. Then onto foods. Food allergies/intolerances account for so many peoples problems. I had been to a dermatologist who told me I was allergic to copper just before my kidneys went bad when my skin was horrifying bad. I was told to avoid copper, given cortisone cream and wished the best of luck. It wasn’t until I went gluten free and had been doing all my own research that I found I can’t really be allergic to copper. An allergy is a reaction to a protein. Copper a protein? No, gluten was the protein and my kidney disease and eczema were the result. Ditched the gluten and the kidney problem and eczema went too. But there was obviously still something mild that was stirring me up every now and again, and I had just reached the climax.
Back onto my list - If I got through a day and it didn’t seem to be so bad, or actually seemed better, I deemed those foods safe(ish). I was crossing some off one list and adding to another, researching allergies on the net, researching my symptoms. I had changed jobs 4 months prior and that seemed to be when it started getting worse so I was looking at everything at work I might be exposed to as well.
I prepared a list of things I wanted to be tested for at the doctors as well. I’ll get the results next week.
Finally I got there myself anyways… Peanuts. I started my new job and the only 2 items in our food machine that were gluten free were dairy milk chocolate and peanuts. Trying not to eat too much chocolate I was getting into the peanuts. Going on a health mission a month or two into the new job, I was cutting back on the chocolate (sigh) and eating more peanuts if I wanted a snack. Then when my skin started going berserk I decided to finally cut all dairy. None at all (a life without cheese?!). Therefore I wasn’t eating anymore chocolate AT ALL and yes, alas, only eating the peanuts as my sneaky snack… And that’s when my skin went crazy. I was waking to hardly recognize myself.
The point of this massive post is that, it is amazing how much you can work out for yourself. I have gone peanut free and I am all good now. I am ok with tree nuts, just not peanuts. I get my test results back next week and I know what they will tell me. The number of times I have had to force doctors to do tests I want done etc is amazing. I’ve met so many who had told me I shouldn’t try to self diagnose. I call it research. I will listen to any doctor, but I want them to listen to me too. Try food elimination. If you have a serious problem, you have nothing to lose by cutting something out of your diet to work out if you’re feeling better. Research allergies. See a doctor who deals in allergies. They are gold. You need a doctor who thinks outside the square. I have moved state now, but the doctor that I found AFTER I went gluten free (ironic yes), confirmed everything that I had worked out for myself. I broke down in tears, I was so overwhelmed getting the confirmation. Now I try to only deal with these kinds of doctors. We did all kinds of tests to determine if my body was deficient in any areas etc. obviously my peanut allergy has developed since.
Don’t just think you had to use creams because your doctor told you to, and that’s the only choice you have. The last doctor I went to gave me another script for cortisone. I DON’T WANT IT! I want to find out the cause. Give me these tests please. If you see a dermatologist or eye doctor, they will typically give you a cream or drops or tell you to stay away from something. Personally I see it as a waste of time. Yes I might make some people angry here, but I would rather see someone who deals with allergies etc who can actually get to the root of the problem. These are my symptoms, now lets find out what is causing it. Do some research and present yourself and your list of possible suspects to the doctor. Don’t feel foolish for trying to work it out yourself. As a minimum RAST testing is good, testing for dust, mould, seafood, nuts etc etc. I would much rather cut something out of my life than try and smother the symptoms with a cream or tablet.
I hope this makes sense. Apologies for the long windedness, but I get rather passionate about it. I have often wondered if I kept doing things the ‘doctors way’ when my kidneys weren’t behaving, if I would be alive today.
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This is strange I noticed today that my left upper eyelid is sore just in the left corner I just washed my face before bed and I checked it out there is a little white dot like a pimple on the edge of the lid (not where you put eyeliner lower when I blink or close my eye it hurts if I tough my eyelashes it hurts and I noticed the outer part of my upper eyelid is getting a bit puffy and turning a bit red. I find it strange that all of us who seem to have this problem have it in the same eye (left) for any one else who has it what part of our left is it the whole eye or just the left corner like mine?
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I have been researching this swollen, red eye lid episode for the past week. I came across another post like this one. My eye started w/a red dry spot on the eye lid. Left side only. It went on for about a month some days worse than others. I live in Florida and this winter has been pretty cold for here so I thought it may have been from wearing more than the norm of makeup and not really washing my face as I should. In the summer I never get this dry red spot on my eye lid because I thought it was because I didn't wear as much or any makup in those months. I have been getting this dry spot for a few years now, but this year my eye went into this swelling episode especially in the corner of my eye lid towards my nose. The left one wasn't that bad at all, but now I had a little swollen bump under my left eye. I went to the pharmacy and they told me to take Zyrtec (allergy medicine over the counter) After a day my swelling went down a little. I thought it may be a bacteria infection of some sort as well so I steamed my face, and ate a lot of broiled fresh garlic. I was always told by some European old timers that garlic kills bacteria. ...and onions. I took the Zyrtec for 5 days and the swelling was gone. I had already made a doctors appt, but went there when the swelling was gone so they didn't see my eye in it's bad condition. They said they thought it may have been allergies because I didn't have p***y eyes. After 2 days I woke up and the swelling was back after I stopped taking the Zyrtec. I went and got some more as well as a Nasal/Sinus Decongestion. I also called the doctors office and told them to call me in some antibiotics. It has been a week and all my issues are gone. I am wondering if it is some allergy attack since there is a ton of pollen on my car or Sinus Infection. I also got some Cortaid cream and rubbed it on my eye lids which helped heal them right up. It took a few days to get back to normal taking the Antibiotics so I think it was a pretty bad infection. My cheek even swelled up and it felt like I had a tooth ache. I am just so relieved my eyes are back to normal. Even the red is almost gone. If these red spots start again next year, I am not waiting. I am going to start the allergy meds immediately, and if I have to the Antibiotics as well.
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yeah, mine has been like that for about 4 days.
I went to my doctor, and he said he didn't see any infection, but its gotten worse since then so im not sure if maybe an infection has developed. but when i was there he said, it may be my allergies, or i could have gotten somthing in my eye. He told me to get 'fake tears'. their non-medicated eyedrops. he told me they will just clean out the eye, and that a medicated eye drop would make it worse
I went to my doctor, and he said he didn't see any infection, but its gotten worse since then so im not sure if maybe an infection has developed. but when i was there he said, it may be my allergies, or i could have gotten somthing in my eye. He told me to get 'fake tears'. their non-medicated eyedrops. he told me they will just clean out the eye, and that a medicated eye drop would make it worse
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My son, who is 5, woke up yesterday morning with a swollen upper left eye lid. The eye itself is fine. But then it started to go away yesterday, not completly. But then he woke up again this morning to it being badly swollen again?! I thought it was odd yesterday too that he wet the bed and this morning his underwear were damp too. Seems odd to me.
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I've had the same problem and it's been going on for about 8 months now. Both my eyelids swell in the morning after i wake up, and go down slowly during the day. My eyes themselves are perfectly fine, and it's just the upper eyelids that are swelling considerably. This is frustrating for me because I wear a lot of eyeshadow and eyeliner, and wearing that while my eyes are swollen is pretty painful. I've tried benedryl, ice cubes, aloe vera, tea bags, and allergy and cold medicine, but nothing completely solves the problem. Aloe vera straight from the plant seemed to help a bit, it moisturized my skin and felt cold on my inflammed eyelids. Still, i went to the dermatologist to get some professional help, and she said it might either be my makeup or my makeup remover. I use Neutrogena eye makeup remover and Mascara, Manly eyeshadow, and Palladio herbal liquid and pencil eyeliner. This past few months I've started to notice that the skin on my eyelids is becoming slightly dry and a little bumpy. This morning I woke up and my eyelids were almost completely swollen shut. I need help, and fast. My mom won't take me to the dermatologist or the doctor again, so this is basically my only option. please help! :-(
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Hi everyone, I recently woke up with swollen eyelids. They weren't painful or red, it just made me look tired. I went round the doctors and they said it was a mild case of Blepharitis, the symptoms consist of, swollen eyelids, redness and white flaky eyelashes. I was given eye drops and antibiotics to reduce the swelling. Hope that helps!
However I was curious as to whether it is best to bathe my eyelids with warm or cold water?
However I was curious as to whether it is best to bathe my eyelids with warm or cold water?
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I have had left eyelid swelling every month for the past 8 months. I have been to an opthamologist with no answers, and my primary care doctor doesn't have answers either - the first episode was mild, with each episode getting worse and worse with more swelling and lastling a little longer each time - and it is monthly and quite cyclical - it only hurts when the swelling is at its worse due to the pressure on the eyeball from the swelling - the upper lid also gets somewhat red. The last few episodes have also caused swelling into the left cheek bone area too - I had an MRI of my orbit and brain Friday and am awaiting test results - but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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I think you should go to the doctor first.The main reason for this is allergies,eye infections, styes, conjunctivitis and blepharitis.
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quick note on this
i got a re-occuring swelling of the left eye-lid over a period of 9 months
it turned out to be an infection in my sinus that was producing an excuse of i guess a mucus that would vent down a capilary and into the eyelid.
the swelling itself forms from the very tip of the eyelid, where the lashes are and makes its way to the back of the eye lid in a semi circular motion.
another key indicator was i had an extremely runny nose apparently "i thought it was normal" but i could blow a decent amout of clear snot at any time.
the two were directly linked though the swallon eye only occured 3 or 4 times
i got a re-occuring swelling of the left eye-lid over a period of 9 months
it turned out to be an infection in my sinus that was producing an excuse of i guess a mucus that would vent down a capilary and into the eyelid.
the swelling itself forms from the very tip of the eyelid, where the lashes are and makes its way to the back of the eye lid in a semi circular motion.
another key indicator was i had an extremely runny nose apparently "i thought it was normal" but i could blow a decent amout of clear snot at any time.
the two were directly linked though the swallon eye only occured 3 or 4 times
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also what u can do is take a cloth and put some ice in it and keep it on your eye (im typing this while i am doing it and it works) :)
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insandiego wrote:
OMG maybe that explains it before yesterday my sister bought 5 kittens she found in our backyard and now she's taking care of them thats why my left eye is swollen probably I have allergies from cats :D THANK YOU!!
OMG maybe that explains it before yesterday my sister bought 5 kittens she found in our backyard and now she's taking care of them thats why my left eye is swollen probably I have allergies from cats :D THANK YOU!!
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