re-occurence

[kristihart]

Thank you for the information. I have a solid history of back problems. It does tend to hurt after resting and just taking a walk can help to decrease the pain. I do have a rheumatologist appointment in March. He can order more tests and try to determine whether or not there is an underlying condition related the iritis.

They did do a lung x-ray at the same time as the blood work for RH factor, HLA B27, syphilis, lime disease, and a few other things that I can't recall. I am not sure about psoriasis, but both of my parents have that. I do have eczema, which tends to be a problem only in winter. However, last winter I noticed some red patches in my chest area. They never bothered me, but the skin is red. I have it again this year, although less severe and widespread in the same area.

I have thought that I have IBS in the past, but have tried to manage it through diet and probiotic supplements. The probiotics have helped tremendously, and I have never been to a doctor for that issue. However, my 44 year old sister was diagnosed with stage-4 colon cancer in November and the colonoscopy report mentioned spasms associated with IBS.

Thanks again for all of the help and advice!

[Mike Bartolatz]

psoriasis and eczema are now thought to be linked through the IL17 cytokine process of inflammation. both are autoimmune conditions. just about everyone with psoriasis will end up with psoriatic arthritis after about 15 years from what I have read.
this is most likely your link along with your HLA B27 positive status. you can also have IBD in the form of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. lung involvement can occur with this as well. then again many only have uveitis present with the HLA B27 gene. some articles indicate that uveitis can precede symptoms of autoimmune disease by a decade or more. steroids and other immune suppressing drugs will suppress serum markers and can make it difficult to get to an underlying cause. then a decade or more later the markers show up in blood samples when one is off all immune system suppressing medications.

wish you the very best,
Mike

[Mike Bartolatz]

http://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1118210/1118210.pdf

this is an article on the genetics of eczema and psoriasis linking them together

mike

[kristihart]

Thanks for all of that information. I had another re-occurrence in April. It appears that as soon as the Durezol wears off, the Iritis flares back up. My rheumatologist prescribed methotrexate and I took it for 4 weeks, then had severe stomach problems. We're trying to go with Humira now, but waiting for insurance authorization and they'd like me to get immunizations for Shingles and Pneumonia first. I'm still in process of tapering off the Durezol from the April flare.

[Mike Bartolatz]

it could well be that you have a systemic underlying cause or the HLA B27 gene causing your recurrent uveitis,
sometimes adding an NSAID such as Celebrex, Dolobid or Naproxen at Prescription strength UNDER THE CARE OF A MEDICAL DOCTOR, can break the recurrent nature of this type of uveitis. it can take about six months before you will know if this is working. if NSAID therapy doesn't work and pathogens that can cause uveitis are ruled out, then DMARD drugs are used in a corticosteroid sparing approach to treatment. the first one tried is Methotrexate, then Imuran, then Cellcept alone or in combination with other classes of drugs such as a TNF A blocking drug such as Remicade or Humira,

if you have NOT had investigational blood work done, it is time to do so. your ophthalmologist MUST indicate to your primary care physician what tests to do and way as your PCP is clueless as to causes of uveitis.

wishing you the very best,
Mike

[kristihart]

My iritis is back for the 4th time. The last two times I haven't even managed to get off the steroid drops when it returns. I have decided to see another specialist in Chicago and will make that appointment this week. I'm concerned that there may be something else wrong with my eye since a macular exam revealed a thinning retina in the affected eye. Has anyone else experienced that? Do I need to also see a retina specialist. My ophthalmologist didn't comment on the thinning retina, except to ask why (rhetorically).

[vancouver]

Mike has not been around for at least a year. The yuku uveitis forum seems to be more active. Dr foster (72yrsold)answers questions there. I don't know anything about thinning retina. Some iritis patients do have retinal swelling while most don't. The fact that you are posting your experiences will help others, I'm sure. Thanks for updating and hope your luck improves.

http://uveitissupport.yuku.com