Re:TED comments and questions-

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The first course of steriods were prescribed as the first line of

treatment. My neurologist wanted to see if the swelling/protusion

would go down. Steriods, in my case have been prescribed for the

inflammation but the muscles are so tight from the disease it has had

little effect. Then after I have very intense surgery with the

decompression and later with the exploratory surgery they were started

in the IV drip and later orally. I have never heard anything about

scarring so that's a new one for me.

I hope that your doc it right and you have a mild case that can

reverse itself or with minimal treatment. I'm sure will agreee

that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. I have always had a good

deal of compassion for people so I don't quite buy into the recored

message. Nice thought...though.

Best in health and good luck

Nance

-- In graves_support@y..., mercai@a... wrote:

> Hi, Nance,

>

> I hit the send button by mistake before so I'm going to do this

again. What

> I started to say is that you've been through hell and you've risen

above it

> and hopefully the end of the worst of it is near for you. You,

like

> and others, must be very strong individuals to have taken on this

battle day

> by day.

>

> At this point to look at me you would probably not suspect TED. The

double

> vision comes in when my chin is down and I look upward. When I do

this and

> look up to my right it is fine but to my left it starts doubling up.

The

> other thing is if I stare at my two eyes in the mirror, I think the

one has a

> miniscule sliver of white under it. It's not really noticable, just

when I

> roll my eyes a certain way and inspect them while I'm doing it.

They do not

> look puffy or bulgy but when I cup both eyes, one feels slightly

bigger to

> me. Elaine (who has really been so helpful to me) explained that I

can be

> in one of two catagories which is wax and wane eye problems or less

commonly

> bad to worse (not in her words!) so I am ever hopeful that I am

with the

> majority. But I feel I have to be ahead of this thing so I never

have to

> look back and regret. I am curious about the steroids and at what

point they

> recommend them. As steroids are used to prevent scarring then I

would assume

> they would be most beneficial at the first sign of double vision

before there

> is any scarring. But when I asked my first opth., he just said

they're not

> for you. When I was first diagnosed with Grave's early Oct. my eyes

started

> to get red, sore and very tight when I looked up. After the tap

which I

> started almost 4 weeks ago, those symptoms went away, even the

tightness when

> looking up. The opth. took this as a very good sign so I am praying

he is

> right. The only thing that has me worried is what I saw in the

mirror

> yesterday.

>

> I appreciate yours and 's stories because I think we can learn.

> Unfortunately both of you aren't quite done with your travails (sp?)

but it

> seems as if you on your way. When I called first called the NP I

plan on

> seeing there was a recorded message and at the end it said something

like

> don't see your illness as an obstacle, see it as something that was

given to

> you to help you find your way to greater understanding and power.

Well I'm

> not ready to be pleased yet, that's for sure, but who knows...at

least I'm

> eating better and cutting out the nonsense things in my life that

bring me

> the slightest unnecessary stress. Since stress is such a kick start

to the

> immune system, this has given me the clarity to see what is

important in the

> scheme of things.

>

> I'm hoping you get your share of sunshine in your life soon, Nance.

>

>

>

>