I too have had episcleritis for about two years now with 2 flare ups a month. I too have been to many doctors telling me that it's and eye problem and the eye people saying it's a medical problem. It scares me to think that it could turn into something worse. I'm researching. I have found a link on using monocycline and a blood pressure medicine to help with symptoms. I will be talking to my doctor in a couple of weeks when I see him next. If he approves this method I'll let you know.

Hello, Rebecca and fed Up.

I'm a 36 year old Australian woman who has had scleritis for about 7 years (well that's what I was told - the benign form???, that is not linked to any specific underlying disease etc).

I lucked out and have been treated here in sydney at a Pulic Hospital by an excellent specialist in this field. My understanding is that the treatment for both conditions (scleritis and episcleritis is essentially the same).

My specialist told me that in 50% - 60% of cases, there is an underlying medical condition (hence the endless rounds of scary tests they make us do).

I too have had the life almost scared out of me by the tests, diagnosis, confusing prognosis and general lack of information about what will/might/could/could not happen.

For me, to manage the pain, headache and redness - an alternative therapist (certified etc.) gives a me a homeopathic medication called Traumeels and does an acupuncture session. This usually works better for me than the anti inflammatory medications the doctors have given me.

But today, is the first time I have ever read online that scleritis can be associated with a menstrual disorder? There might be something in this in my case, as I have had some probelms with irregular periods

Anyway, I would be really interested to hear how things have been going for you both - have you found any help for the terrible pain and symptoms? It is amazingly comforting to know there is someone else oout there who is facing the same thing.

Suzie

I just found out less than a week ago that I have episcleritis. It doesn't really hurt much for me right now, but is annoying. I went to the eye doctor, who told me what it was. He gave me a prescription, but I didn't get it 'cause I had already paid $54 for the exam, and they wanted $76 for the script. So, I got on the internet and started reading, and found this comment about "disorders of menstruation". I just so happened to have started my cycle about 2-3 days before this thing showed up in my eye. It was also the worst and weirdest cycle I have ever had. However, I cannot find anymore information relating the two. Anyone know of a good place for information?

I have had sceleritis, iritis and episcleritis. I have also suffered from chronic myofascial pain and a variety of arthritis-type symptoms. I was told the episcleritis could be a result of inflammatory bowel disease, but a colonoscopy did not result in a diagnosis.

Many of the women in my family have endometriosis, and have travelled to Dr. Redwine's clinic in Oregon. I am beginning to think all of these mysterious, unexplained health problems could be endo.

Hey Can anyone help i have had scleritis for 5 years now, im 23 female. It has only ever effected my right eye now i have it in the left i have seen so many dr's prof's but yet the treatment i have received has never got rid of the scleritis. The only thing that has ever worked was orbital injections to my eye and through the cheek, but after have sooo many it swell's and stores the fat in the lower lid, So not only have red eye's all the time it's huge too. My eye's are up more than they are down in a result makes it almost impossible to go to work. I find i can not cancentrate on anything and Mr Nurofen is my best friend!!!! Advice PLEASE

Hi all, this may sound crazy but I have related my eye flare ups to eating garlic. I love the stuff and add loads to things like curry and bolognese. Whether its when I prepare it or eat it I dont know but since I stopped eating or preparing it my eye has gone from flaming red and very painful with a raised area to mild pink and feeling normal. And continues to improve slowly by the day. Please try it, I know how bad it feels and I hope it works for you. Let me know if it does.

I too have read about the link between menses and scleritis. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks!

I am 27 years old and recently diagnosised with episcleritis. I was miss diagnoised with "pink eye" multiple times over the past 6 months, but I am very worried about my eye, when I have a flare up it is only in my right eye and get terrible headaches with the flare ups. My eye does not hurt the first couple of days of the flare up but then the pain begins in my eye and continues in my head. The vision in my right eye is also terrible with the flare ups. I am on drops right now and they do help, but what are the chances that this will turn into something more serious?

I was diagnosed with nodual scleritis. I went for a series of blood tests & all was ok. Im going thru the beginning of menapuse now & wondering if that might have something to do with it but I cant find anything on that yet. Voltaran eye drops & 800mg of Motrin helped me immensely but the dr has no idea why I got this & if it will return

I'm 59 and was diagnosed with scleritis 4 months ago after a flu/sinus attack - had sinus op thinking it would help, to no avail. I've also been from Opthalmologist to doctor to ENT specialist and eventually a Physician - am waiting to see a specialist Opthalmologist who specialises in inflammatory eye diseas and praying that she will help me - The previous Opthalmologist put me on 60mg or prednisone andf I'm trying to get off that at the moment - hideous side effects - only managed to cut down 10mg so far and losing a bit of sight. It will take me 3 months to get off this dosage -v scary. Anyone found anything useful in the interim? They can't connect mine to any underlying disease and it's really painful and degenerative when I'm not on cortisone.

My mother has suffered for about 5 years with her eyes. At first, she was diagnosed with conjunctivitis by the eye doc. Then, after the palm of her hand started getting pustules on it and she tested negative for Rheumatoid Arthritis, she was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. Today, I believe she does NOT have Psoriatic Arthritis, but Palmopustular Psoriasis. After her hand started to flare, she was then diagnosed with Episceritis...because of the obvious link between the autoimmune disease and her eyes. Not long after this, she started having severe, boring pain in her eyes when they would flare. She nearly poisoned herself with advil at this point, but the docs didn't determine that. They almost let her die from taking too much Advil before I found the symptoms to ibuprofen poisoning online. The docs thought her "new" symptoms of severe back pain, sweating and nausea was to do with her other symptoms. SO, we got her off of the advil, and she had to have something for the pain, so she started taking pain killers. She went from eye docs to family docs to rheumatoid docs to autoimmune specialists...and they ALL said the same thing...PREDNISONE, METHOTREXATE, REMMICADE, etc. She can't take prednisone, except for the eye drop kind...but her eye doc doesn't like her using those long-term. She took the methotrexate for over a year, to no avail. She still continued to have the monthly flares and extreme, debilitating pain. I was almost as frustrated as she was with it all......UNTIL......
I discovered DMSO gel! By eavesdropping on a conversation about health ailments and cures, I learned that DMSO gel can help with many ailments. But mind you, this is an UNCONVENTIONAL treatment in the USA. The FDA does not approve it to treat any medical ailment except for interstitial cystitis. I bought some DMSO for my mom, and she started using it on her palm for the psoriasis. Amazingly, the stuff cleared the pustules and keeps them at bay. After using the gel for several weeks, it is now starting to remove the thick, dry skin from her palm, and new, pink, healthy skin is underneath. Well, with the healing of her hand, her eye redness and pain has substantially subsided. Now, we have also incorporated these other things, so we aren't sure if it one or the other of them or a combination of them all....but we are going to keep doing them all:

1. She stopped taking Nexium on a daily basis. She has been taking this med for 7 years.
2. She stopped taking garlic and ginkgo biloba (both are blood thinners).
3. She started drinking one Activia drink a day.
4. She started taking HEEL TRAUMEEL and HEEL EYE three times a day.
5. She started taking a high-potency fish oil every day.

Now, I'm not going to say that these things will work for anyone else...but, hey, if you are as tired of the run-around with the docs and the expensive meds that can harm you, it may be worth a try to go the natural route. AND, I am in NO WAY recommending that you use DMSO for any medical purpose. You read up on its benefits and dangers and make that decision for yourself. Anyway, I am sorry that all of you are suffering, but MAYBE this will help someone else out there! If it does, PLEASE let me know, OK??

I am a 42 year old Australian male and have finished 2 weeks on 150mg twice a day of ranitidne and 75mg of prednisolone daily. According to the eye surgeon and doctor I have seen, mine is arthritis related. I have only slight pain on these drugs but my eyes are still very bloodshot and my eyesight, 5 months ago was 20/20 is getting worse by the day and the joint pain, sensitive teeth and constipation are lovely side-effects. I have been working as a welder but could not continue because of the fumes and dust and pain when trying to focus up close. I have had bouts of carbunkles on the back of my neck for about 10 years, early outbreaks lasted a month or two but my last bout, on my inner elbow, lasted 6 months with antibiotics and mupirocin cream. My local doctor said this dissorder is not cureable and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life, even if I go blind.

I am a 49 year old with scleritis, now i have just found out i have endometriosis. I have read that both conditions can be caused by an auto immune disease, i feel fatigued so often that it is really getting me down. My doctor said it was the stress of life ( i think thats rubbish, i have no stress) My endometriosis causes me chronic hip and pelvic pain. After having a laparoscopy i am told i need a series of injections that will throw me into the menopause to prove it is endometriosis related ( i guess if it is i will be offered a hysterectomy) i am not having treatment for scleritis at the moment although i keep having a deep boring pain in my eyes. Is there anyone that can give me any advice as to what to do? are both conditions related? many thanks in advance

Hi I am a 50 yr old woman and I was diagnosed with scleritis last year. My right eye is red most days but I was prescribed Froben and Maxidex eyedrops which helped and now it has subsided to episceritis. had all the blood tests and all that should up was a weak positive ANA which means there is a slight infection somewhere.
I had really bad shoulder and neck pain at the same time this started and also fluid in the middle ear for which a grommet has been inserted. Whether this was connected is anyones guess.I read that Chlamydia can cause symptoms of scleritis so Iam thinking of doing a test just in case. At the moment I am not taking the prescribed medicine but an alternative of Bee propolis -search for it on the internet - its supposed to regulate the immune system apart from many other things, its worth a try.