UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi Peeps,
A few weeks back I'd posted about the eczema round my eyes and swollen lids that made me look like a red panda and were driving me up the wall, what with being allergic to most eye drops because of preservatives, and the only thing that worked were the "drowsy" type of antihistamines, which I can only take at night.

Well, I did go to the GP and asked for preservative-free sodium cromoglycate (Thanks for the tip, Janet!) and for the first time ever, the GP wrote the preservative-free ON the prescription AND the new pharmacist NOTICED that it was preservative-free. Progress. Usually either the doc doesn't write it on the script or the pharmacist dispenses the normal type with the preservative after it's been paid for, by which time it's too late.

They did have to order it from Moorfields, (a long way from here in the west of Scotland) and it finally arrived two weeks later. Sods law would dictate, of course, that I went through the worst hell with the eye eczema and swollenness while I was waiting for the drops, and now they've arrived it's moved to my neck...

You have to laugh, though...

So, if anyone else has to wait for preservative-free drops like this, please get down to the pharmacy and BADGER (not panda!) them if they haven't arrived within 3 or 4 days. And badger them again. I'm beginning to wonder whether I was just far too polite at the chemist when they hadn't arrived within a week.

TTFN,

Lyndsey

Lyndsey

Really good to here you finally got the drops!....have the done the trick and settled the problem?

I think your right, in that to a degree we all suffer from "being to polite" when it comes to issues like this....but sometimes it pays to be a little firm.....but that firmness does stem from frustration......oh the joys!

J

Lyndsey

I really think that lots of us live with more discomfort than we need because we are too "polite" to make a fuss. I have family in the United States, and while remaining polite they can be quite abbrasive; I suppose because they have a culture based on the dollar - if they are paying they demand that the goods etc are right and the service is good.

In the UK we have acquired a reserve that is not always in our best intrest.

Andrew

Lyndsey

I hope the drops work well for you.
I to suffer from eczema around my eyes the consultant called it Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis.
I put up with this for years because i was to polite. It ended up getting so bad that i have been taking steriods and another drug called cyclosprin for the last nine months(off of the steriods now.)so keep on pushing.

I hope it works out well for you.

Anne

hey, don't let anyone tell you once you've paid it's too late!
If the pharmacist takes the money and then comes back later with a bag of your stuff, and it's the wrong thing, tell them so and make them correct it!
I always open the bags and check through what I've got then and there. I have on occasions found the wrong thing, and demanded they take it back and correct it - or else give me the money and hte form back and i'll go elsewhere if they don't have the wrong stuff.

If the pharmacist doesn't notice "No preservatives" on the form and gives you something other than what the doc has specified, that's THEIR fault - and not something for you to put up with.

Rosemary