[shadowrider]

#1019399

Well Hello after a few months away…
I have finally achieved some level of normal, that is my new endo has been able to get my meds under control so I am now having normal T3T4 test results.Still low tsh, so not in remission really. But more importantly I feel very good. This time last year was just before I was diagnosed and I felt sooooo awful. It was truly the worst time in my life. I did not begin to get any TED symptoms until about Oct ’08. They became worse through the Fall & winter- so I was not able to wear my contacts most of the winter. I was lucky enough to visit some friends in Feb who live in south Florida, and would you believe that for the whole week I was away, my eyes became very near normal. When I returned to New England (truly the land of cold and snow) they did go back to their usual puffy condition. (puffy upper and lower lids, and swelling of the sclera (whites) of the eye) Now that we are in warmer weather- they are becoming close to normal again. I have an appt to see a eye Dr recommended by my Endo at Mass, Eye & Ear Infirmary in 2 weeks. Has anyone else experience this type of remission due to the temperature or season? Thanks Susan

[npatterson]

#1071410

This is interesting, because I would have improvement when I was NOT in Florida, but in cooler climates. I thought I was in heaven when I got to spend a week in the Canadian Rockies one spring. When I was in Arizona last spring, I thought I would just have to stand under a shower to get my eyes to NOT be so dry.

I think the trick is to know what is going on, and know what to do – even when our eyes are changing.

[GDRobM]

#1071411

Hello Susan, there is a couple of discussions on similar issues, search TED and Temperature on this bulletin board. I agree that humid climates relieve the symptoms of TED. I don’t live anywhere that gets really cold, but hot dry weather seriously irritates my eyes. I actually think its the humidity in the air. The less humidity there is the worse the symptoms, but it does sound like there are no strict rules! Maybe you need to move to the tropics! Rob

[azroses2322]

#1071412

The level of humidity has been my guage. I live in Ariz. and was originally diagnosed in June of ’07. My Opth. actually told me if I moved to San Diego or Portland, I would fell better. I had to live over a humidifier in the drier weather — I would rejoice when it was a cloudy day. After 6 eye surgeries and 2 years I am finally able to gain some normalcy. This weekend I was able to go out to the pool and get some sun and exercise for the first time in 2 years and actually see out in the sun (with sunglasses and a hat of course). I still avoid wind and fans. Another thing to consider is the A/C vents both in your home and the car. I had to keep the A/C in the summer and the heat in the winter from drying out my eyes. Cold weather did feel like it was freezing my eyeballs, maybe it was the exposed surface — safety glasses were a must. Also consider that when we read, we do not blink. So I was told to force my eyes to blink. Since I work on the computer, I was concerned about being able to continue to work with severe TED. My doctor told me as long as I look away every 15 to 30 min and force blinking and use lots of lubricant, as well as the humidifier in dry weather it would be OK. I learned to observe where the air/heat source is in any room I walked into and position myself accordingly.

[Author]

Posts