Posted 4/3/2013 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same problems as you have. I've been seeing eye doctors (Specialists) for 19 years now, starting with pain in my left eye and the left side of my face. They told me for years it was dry eye, not to eat spicy foods, it was the insulation in the building and not to drink hot liquids. These were all results from all different doctors. I continued to see doctors as my eye was pink and burning, stabbing pains and I can't sleep on my left side as my face throbs very painfully. I have had holes lazered through my iris to relieve any pressure (although the pressure tests were fine), I have had my tear ducts sewn, and lazered 4 times to allow the tears to stay in my eyes. I have had punctal plugs inserted in my tear ducts many times. All of this had no effect, in fact my pain worsened. During the past 10 years I have seen every specialist at our eye institute here in Ottawa and not one doctor could come to a conclusion as to what the problem is. They all insist it's dry eye. I've been living on eye drops for 19 years, however they have no effect. Most recently I've had a catscan and they could find nothing, as I thought maybe there was a tumor in my face, but that turned out not to be the case. They then injected steroids into my eye, which again worsened the pain. The last time I saw a doctor, the specialists I had been working with turned me over to a new doctor, who gave me Body Shop Tree Tea facial wash and told me to wash my eye with that. The first instruction on the back of the package said "AVOID ALL CONTACT WITH EYES". I finally gave up on the specialists. I have had accupuncture and that was the only remedy that numbed the pain. However acupuncture is very expensive over a long period of time. I insisted that my doctor refer me to an ENT whom I saw a couple weeks ago because of ear pain due to a flu I had acquired. I told him about the pain in my face and eye and immediately he said it's migraines in my face. I had repeatedly asked the eye institute to refer me to an ENT but they kept saying well we'll look at it again in a couple months. They never did refer me to an ENT. The Ent that my GP referred me to prescribed Lyrica - a medication that relaxes your nervous system. The Ent said the nerves in my face are causing migraines and affecting my eye. Just this past weekend I had to go to emergency as I was having horrific stabbing pains in my right foot, to the point that I was almost passing out. Again once they looked at me at the hospital they said it was nerve endings. They prescribed me Lyrica (as did my ENT) and the pain in my foot has gone, however Lyrica is a very heavy medication. I have not been able to drive as I feel very "woosy" on it, but nevertheless my pain has gone. I have a doctors appointment today to talk about the Lyrica, but I still need to see a neurologist to see what is causing my nerve endings to be so painful. Hopefully some of this will help you with your pain. I have lost all faith in our medical system here in Canada. Surely there must be some doctors out there who could take the time to properly diagnose patients who are living with such extreme pain. I was never offered anything for the pain, only told to take Advil. I am still living with the facial pain, but am working on it with the ENT. If I have any updated changes I will let you know.