2 years from diagnosis and my eyes still tear

Treecy1106
Treecy1106 Member Posts: 144
in Breast Cancer #1

I am 2 years out from diagnosis and my eyes still are very watery.Does anyone else suffer from this??? ALso I get tired very easily....is this common???

 

Thank you,

Patrice

Comments

  • punkinpie
    punkinpie Member Posts: 18
    #2
    I am also two years from

    I am also two years from diagnosis...The new norm for me is that when I get tired, I try to take a power nap. My energy is not what it was before cancer, but it is gradually getting better than it was during treatment.  

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #3
    Watery Like a Faucet

    Hi Patrice,

    I had 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere. The last was in August 2010. My eyes still water like a faucet. My opthamologist said it is a well known side effect of Taxotere - although it does dissipate for most people. It has not diminished in any way for me. I was referred to an opthamologist who specializes in problems with the tear ducts. This specialty is very narrow and there are probably less than 5 in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. I have  had one visit with this specialist so far. It is certainly an annoying side effect, isn't it? I feel like I should have stock in the Kleenex Company.

    IRENE

  • Treecy1106
    Treecy1106 Member Posts: 144
    #4
    jessiesmom1 said:

    Watery Like a Faucet

    Hi Patrice,

    I had 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere. The last was in August 2010. My eyes still water like a faucet. My opthamologist said it is a well known side effect of Taxotere - although it does dissipate for most people. It has not diminished in any way for me. I was referred to an opthamologist who specializes in problems with the tear ducts. This specialty is very narrow and there are probably less than 5 in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. I have  had one visit with this specialist so far. It is certainly an annoying side effect, isn't it? I feel like I should have stock in the Kleenex Company.

    IRENE

    This is crazy Irene....the

    This is crazy Irene....the other thing is after I am reading something on my phone for a while with my glasses on (czuse I am far sighted) when I stop and take my glasses off it takes me a while before my eyes can focus back to normal. This stuff gets me scared!!!

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #5
    Those Watery Eyes

    I must say that when it comes to my vision I seek medical attention at the first sign of trouble. If a problem is treatable then it is best to get going early. As cancer survivors we have taken a lot of drugs. Some of those can do damage to other organs/parts of the body. Then again, not all issues are cancer-related. Bottom line, go to the opthamologist and let him/her know what is going on with your vision.

    While I am obviously grateful to be alive and dancing with NEaD, the fallout from the treatment can be a pain in the behind. The rims of my eyes are always red. I can't wear any eye makeup since I am always wiping my eyes. The clerk in the grocery store asks me, "Are you OK?" when she sees my eyes puddling up. Oh well, look at the alternative.

    IRENE

     

     

  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #6
    Tear Duct Dilation or a DCR

    I do know from what I read on this board and on other boards that Taxol or Taxotere will give you block tear ducts.  This will make your eye shed countless tears. 

    In 2007, I developed a watery eye and it was treated successfully with antibiotics. Then the following year, in the other eye, the same thing happened. This time, antibiotics didn't touch it. I eventually went to a specialist 3 hours away who after finding the lacrimal sac block due a dacryoliths (stone, same as a kidney stone but in the tear duct). A new tear duct was made in a procedure called Dacryocystorhinostomy aka (DCR). It is out patient surgery and really sounds a lot worst than it is. I healed without a problem and my new tear duct works great. 

    The other eye has had a problem now and then.  I immediately ask for the tear duct to be flushed out.  Another procedure that is painless and sounds a lot worse than it is.  A lot of eye docs don't like to them.  There rusty and that is when the procedure can hurt a little.  It's like snaking a pipe in the sink.  They put a balloon catheter to dilate the tear duct with saline solution to see if you have a blockage.  I did.  Sometimes that is all you will need, is a dilation.  

    The ophthalmologist I saw was a specialist in neuro-ophthalmology  I loved him after spending nearly 6 weeks seeing local eye doctors who didn't seem to want to do anything except give me antibiotics. I did have a strep infection along with the block duct that was why for me it was very painful.

    If you need a new tear duct, don't hesitate. It really is an easy fix.

    When I agreed to recently do Taxol, I had forgotten why until now the reason it was in my "never do" file.  I hope that I won't need another new tear duct.  However, it will solve your problems, I can guarantee it.

    Doris

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