I've got it again!

[The Arty One]

Hello Mike

Apologies for not being on here I haven't been very well and while I've been run down my Iritis has returned. It was gone from March till June, and it returned with avengence. I had promised myself that I would see a specialist if it came back for a third time. I went to see my GP and took the name of a few specialists off your website, and I am on the list to see DR Philip Murray. Do you know anything about him?

I have become anemic- my ferritin levels plummeted to 8 and so I have been taking iron suipplements for a month. I am waiting for blood test results to see if suppliementation has changed anything. I have noticed a lot of aches and pains which started just before the iritis returned.

I could bore you with more details of my health, but I am boring myself now so I shall stop!

Luckily my left eye is not too bad and doesn't require the dilating drops, therefore I can still read! I am on 4 Maxidex drops a day in my left eye, 8 drops a day in right eye. The right eye is also dilated 2x a day and I have some Maxidex ointment for nighttime. I have never had the ointment before.

I really appreciate the help and advice you have given to date Mike. I shall also post after seeing the specialist to inform others going through this. Hope you are well, and thanks again!

[Mike Bartolatz]

Dr Murray has been the doctor for some of our members from the UK, hopefully he can figure out what is going on and initiate a corticosteroid sparing approach to treatment for you. you have indicated that you have arthritis like symptoms so be sure to mention that to him, hopefully you can get an appointment relatively quickly and can get this bout of inflammation under control.
sorry to learn of the anemia too. hope you can find out why this has accompanied your current bout of uveitis.

keep us posted,
Mike

[The Arty One]

After seeing a Rheumatologist I have been diagnosed as haing Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder (leaning towards Lupus). I am told it is mild and haven't been given any treatment, this concerns me as you said reoccurence is likely. My GP prescribed Ibuprofan three times a day. However as I am on iron supplements another GP said I shouldn't take th Ibuprofan a it will irritate my stomach. I am at a loss, what do I do now?

I have been worrying as Lupus isn't pleasant and I am planning to have children in a couple of years and it seems like a bad idea with my health being the way it is. I am only 27!

Looking on the bright side my referral has gone ahead and I should have a date soon. My Ferritin levels have also shot up and I am no longer anemic. Do you have any suggestions of what I should do? Or shall I just wait till I see Dr Murray?

[Mike Bartolatz]

Wait to see professor Murray. studies on treatment of autoimmune disease indicate the sooner one starts a program to lower inflammation EVERYWHERE in your body, the better the long term outcome for the patient with lower risk of developing severe complications. with the Mixed connnective tissue disease processes there is an elevated risk of developing lymphoma but early intervention with DMARD drugs actually lowers this risk long term (please see my post on safety and effacacy of DMARD drugs)
one drug often used to treat Mixed connective tissue disease processes DOES NOT WORK for uveitis. this is Plaquenil.
a proton pump inhibiting prescription nausea medication can help with the Iron and NSAID GI problems. there are much better choice of NSAID to help with control of uveitis however. the Cox I and II inhibiting drug, Celebrex works very well and has less risk of GI upset. it is expensive but is often covered by insurance.
I feel terrible for you regarding your wanting to have children. this is such an individual thing when autoimmune disease processes are present .
the main thing is to stop the Uveitis soon before you lose vision to this stuff permanently.
try the Celebrex if you can get it and see if that will quell the uveitis. if not then DMARD drugs such as Methotrexate may be in your future or one of the Biological response modifer drugs, Remicade, Humira, Zenepax etc (Engrel doesn't work for uveitis and can actually cause it)

the commitment would be for at least 2 years to retrain your immune system to stop attacking your eyes. then a slow taper off would be needed. the Goal is off all steroids without inflammaton and then the 2 year window begins.

wish you the very best,
Mike

[The Arty One]

Thanks Mike, I will have to prioritise my eyes and everything else will have to come second. I haven't hear of many of the drugs you mention, I will start doing some research!