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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/15/2009 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
My UC is somewhat under control right now but I am having some other crappy problems. My eyes have dried up since my diagnosis in 8/08. I know Iritis is a symptom of UC but what about dry eyes. My mouth also feels dry at times. Has anyone else had this problem?
Posted 3/15/2009 7:08 AM (GMT 0)
for sure.....I'll be seeing a rheumatologist next week....I'm suspecting I might be on the same path as my sister who has Sjogren's.

Regarding dry mouth, I have found some toothpastes to exacerbate it...



q

Posted 3/15/2009 12:03 PM (GMT 0)
I had a streak last year where my eyes were drying up real bad. Went to Opth. just to get them checked. He said they looked fine. It just disappeared after a couple of months. I used some eye drops for moisture sporadically and it helped somewhat.
Posted 3/15/2009 12:50 PM (GMT 0)

Definitely treat the dry eye with OTC drops made for dry eye.  I used Refresh both the day and the night version when I had a bout of dry eye.  They worked like a charm.

Sue

Posted 3/15/2009 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
Dry eye is an extra manifestation of UC according to the CCFA website. I was diagnosed with Dry eye a few years ago. In the beginning they used to be really bad but I started using Dry Eye drops and now I only use the drops as needed. I personally like Systane or Bausch and Lomb. Go have your eyes checked first though before assuming that it's dry eye. Also ask your doc about the possibility of it being Sjogren's.
Posted 3/15/2009 7:09 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the replies.  I did meet with the eye Dr on 2 occasions.  He stated that my eyes are a dry but did not diagnose them.  He told me to get more sleep (thanks for the help).  Sometimes the dryness turns to pain, grittiness and blury vision.  It is the most annoying part of this disease so far.  It effects my sight along with my concentration.  I thought I might have Sjogren's so I made an appt with a Rheumi in April.  I know Sjogren's is more of a female disease but I can't think of anything else it would be.  I really don't feel like taking on a new disease but I need some answers.

Thanks,

aaron

Posted 3/15/2009 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...men and women can have the same diseases....but for some there is a likelihood for one sex to have more than the other. I had a liver specialist state that because I was female, it was unlikely that I had PSC even though it was suspect. I stated that I don't put stock in those stats because it won't change what's actually happening in my body. Guess what? I have PSC and/or PBC (which affects more females than males).

Regarding Sjogrens...I mentioned it to a few doctors because of my eyes, and they said..just use more moisture drops. So, basically, the treatment will be the same...it more or less just boils down to that knowing gives it a name.

Bauch and Lomb moisure and Systane is what I use, but every morning upon rising I use the Allergy drops to ease the redness and the crepy wrinkled conjunctiva. ugh.

quincy
Posted 3/15/2009 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
No conjunctiva here.  Just the constant grittiness.  I also use Systane and it does help a little bit.  This disease is ever changing!

Posted 3/16/2009 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
Dry eyes/mouth are a common side effect of Colazal!!!!!!!!!! Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout your day + definitely try moisturizing eye drops, such as Tears Naturale.( Do not go for redness reducing drops, though, because those constrict the blood vessels.) / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC; taking Colazal since 2003)
Posted 3/16/2009 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
I am hoping that Colozal is the culprit.  I do take in alot of water. 
Posted 3/16/2009 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
If you have some inflammation in the cecum area (appendix), you should probably be taking Asacol instead of Colazal because Colazal is said to dissolve farther into the colon-- so it's more effective on the left-side. / Old Hat
Posted 3/17/2009 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Asacol screwed with me the first time I took it (leg cramps, frequent urination) so I switched. 

Posted 3/17/2009 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry you had to switch, but the reason for it is interesting. 5ASA meds can definitely impact on the kidneys, which apparently did not impress most doctors 'til recent yrs. / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
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