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in reply to: Question When to consider eye surgery for graves #1066529
My opthomologist made me wait about 2 years before he would do orbital decompression. It was a long two years. I checked in with him every 4 to 6 months and he did varying measurements on my eyes. Sometimes I thought that they had not moved and the hot phase was over but his measurements were so microscopic and thorough that I was wrong. I am glad that I waited it out thought because it is so microscopic of a surgery that if I had not waited long enough my eyes would not be as even as they are now. You can barely tell that I had any problems before. If I had not waited out the entire phase I doubt my surgery would have turned out as good as it did. I know that it is frustrating, but it worth the wait.
-I am one month into recovering from the procedure with almost no swelling left and my visions is so much better – it will get better eventually!
in reply to: OD post-op beginning Day 0,1 #1066603That is soo good that you have no numbness!! Glad it went so well!
in reply to: ORBITAL DECOMPRESSION-questions @ post-op #1066858Tell the anastesialogist (sp?) that you get sick after surgery. They can hive you still while you are still under that reduces nausea. I told them I got sick after my hernia surgery and told them so they offered to give me anti nausea stuff while I was still under and I felt so much better this time around. Just be careful with vicodin or whatever pain med they prescribe because if you don’t eat you will feel sick ad you probably know since you are a nurse!!
Good luck tomorrow!!
in reply to: Please help… #1066750I think I choose RAI because it may have took a few years to get where I am now, but I’m stable and will stay this way if I keep up with my current lifestyle. Trying to become balanced in meds is very mentally exhausting. Even if you go into remission for a few years it can come back and then you have to start all over again. I figured with RAI I would get it over with andbget my life back and not worry about future problems, but thus just me everyone has a different opinion about it. I wish there were other options but im pretty satisfied after everything now that I have my life back.
in reply to: Please help… #1066749RAI did kind of suck but I was over trying to become balanced with meds unsuccessfully for almost a year. It has been a long journey, almost 4 years. I had RAI and I was unaware that about 6 months would go by until I could take med again. That is when I gained about 25 pounds. I’m 5’3 and have always been 120lbs I went to about 145 lbs and I did not change anything, it was a result of going from hyper to hypo. After I was able to take meds I went from going For a blood test every 6 weeks to now once every 6 to 8 months and my levels are very consistent when I get tested now. It took almost 2 years to get here but I feel much etter than before Rai. I did nutrisystem too and I weigh 125 and it wasn’t hard to follow at all. I just had orbital decompression on my right eye too. I woud do RAI again if I was more informed. I thought I had asked enough questions but the time frame it took to become "normal" was a long time overall. It is not a quick fix but it’s better than the yo-yoing I was doing before . Good luck!
in reply to: ORBITAL DECOMPRESSION-questions @ post-op #1066856No, I will not be getting my other eye done. My right eye was the wacky one. My left eye is pretty normal. There is still swelling at 3 weeks later but it has been goin away day by day. I still have some numbness but that is going to take 2 – 3 months. My vision is back at where is was before I think it is slightly better since the pressure is gone but I don’t go to the regular eye doctor for another 2 months once eveything has healed.
Good luck!!!
in reply to: Orbital decompression for ‘cosmetic’ reasons #1067494I had orbital decompression surgery 3 weeks ago on my right eye. I am 25 years old. I was diagnosed with graves disease on 2007. After I struggled to reach stability for a year I had RAI. It was fine except for the weight gain which none of my doctors told me about. I am 5"2 and I weighed 120 and i balloned to 145 which looks bad on someone so short!
My eyes went crazy for about 2 years and then stopped. One was much worse then the other. My right eye had proptosis of 11mm. The average eye is 3mm. It is VERY important to find a surgeon who you trust and feel comfortable with. I was lucky to find one (after several consulatations with many) That i liked. He is a pioneer in both the medical mixed with cosmetic results. He was a plastic surgeon who became interested in this disease 30 years ago. I am young so yeah, I care about what i look like and wanted to look great as well as feel better.
I am amazed with my results and would do it again in a heartbeat. I had all three walls of my eye socket carved down (inside under and outside) My eye went back in 6 mm so I am almost at the average now at 5mm. I have the tiniest scar under my bottom eyelashes. He tightened up my lower lid as well. I have to go back in about 2 months to get my upper lid adjusted to match my other eye perfectly. You just have to wait for the swelling to go down and everything to settle to get the last bit done so they can make sure it matches evenly.
From my understanding your eyes can changed after RAI because for several months your body is adjusting to not having a thyroid and it is still producing TSH T3 and T4. Your body tries to send it to your thyroid but thats a no go after RAI so it goes to the next closet part of your body that has similar traits which is your eyes and your knees I heard. So your eyes get wacky and you can have joint problems. This can last for 2 years or so. That is why your eyes get pushed out from this "fat " that has been put there and has attached itself to nerves and blood vessles.
I am not sure what some people meant as to cutting out the fat on your upper eyelids. There are so many nerves that the "fat" that has formed are attached to I did not think you could remove it? What I had done was carve out the bone and then had that "fat" pushed down into the new space that was created. I have a little bit of facial numbness which is coming back. The middle bone under you eye has a nerve that gets bruised during the surgery so facial numbess occurs. My vision was a little wacky the first 2 weeks, slight double vision and watering. My doctor said that would happen, obviously we all freak out a little when you are not 100% better in a week. But so far everything has healed according to the schedule he told me so I am confident in my recovery. I hardly had any brusing and the swelling is almost gone.
Getting surgery is not for "cosmetic" reasons and you should not feel vain. It ruined my self esteem. I was 23 / 24 with wacky eyes! That was horrible mixed with the constant pressure I felt. It is amazing how much better I feel and I want to take photos again! The pressure on my eye is gone too. The week after kind of sucks but oh well, it was worth it! I would get it done sooner than later as long as the "hot" phase is over. I would not have wanted to look or feel like that for another 2 years!
As for the weight, I have always been very active but I tried nutrisystem. The food is boring but I lost 25 pounds and are now back to 125. It took me almost 6 months to do it the "right way".
2010 is going to be my year! I was miserable since I was diagnosed with graves in 2007. It is a crappy disease and it takes a long time to heal and get back on track with your life. I hope everyone stays positive! There can be an end in sight and a "normal" life eventually!
in reply to: Please help… #1066742I had RAI in 2007 and i only had to stay away from people and small animals for 72 hours no biggie i booked a nice hotel room overlook the beach and did my homework for university.
I developed a severe rash on my legs before i was diagnosed. That is an onset symptom of thyriod disorders, mostly graves disease which i have. It is rare but may not be an allergic reaction.
in reply to: ORBITAL DECOMPRESSION-questions @ post-op #1066853I also meant to say that the facial numbenss is still there but has been been going away. My check nose and upper lip have started to feel tingly and itchy so the nerves are coming back. I never used any ice packs. My surgeon wanted to just use the bandage for a few days to push the fat on my eyelid down into the area he created from carving down the bones. I did not use any ice throughout the whole thing. The swelling now really isnt much just directly under the eye.
Good Luck!
in reply to: ORBITAL DECOMPRESSION-questions @ post-op #1066852Snelsen,
It has been 2 full weeks since surgery. I have been back at work for 5 days now. I am AMAZED at how much better i look and feel. My undereye is still a bit swollen. I had all three bones – inside under and outside carved down. I also had the lower lid retraction since my eyelid was so stretched My eye was out 11mm, the average persons is out 3mm. They managed to put it back in 5 mm. It looks like my old self! The pressure i used to feel is gone now too. The double vision is almost gone. It is there when I read small text and that is about it. My doctor said it should be all of the way gone once the rest of the swelling goes away since it has gotten this much better. I did not even really have any bruising, just swelling. As that goes away though my eye has been moving normal again.
I go back for another followup in 3 weeks. I will get my upper lid reatraction done in a few months. I was very nervous about what the outcome would look like since it is your face and all, but I am so happy that I went through with it. I think it is most important to find a surgeon that you are confident with. I was worried my eye would turn etc or not look even but I am so happy with the results. My self confidence is back to where it should be. I avoided being in photos for 2 years and I just turned 25. Now I want to take all sorts of photos with family again.
Hope everyone else has had good results!
in reply to: ORBITAL DECOMPRESSION-questions @ post-op #1066850I just had orbital decompression on my right eye 6 days ago. I am a 24 year old female. So far so good. It was not a painful as I thought it would be, just uncomfortable. I had a full half face bandage from top to bottom not just an eye patch. I had this on for 5 days to control swelling. I was anxious to see the results. My surgeon had to tighten my lower lid too because it was so stretched out. It looks remarkably better and i cannot believe how my eye is in my head now. I do have facial numbness on my upper right lid right nostrel. I have double vision as well whic..h i am worried about but the doctor said should usually last around 2 weeks. i would suggest getting some books on tape though because for 5 days i couldnt see and could only sleep. Good Luck! I will keep you posted on my recovery
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