Dry Eyes

Hi WakeyLass, well done in getting through the surgery and treatment afterward, sounds as if your consultant is pleased with your progress and the cancer has gone. I'm afraid i cannot offer any more advice about the running dry eyes. It really sounds as if you have an excellent team around you who are on the ball with the prosthetic nose and then the dentist, it all seems to be coming together nicely. Let's hope somebody can offer advice or some remedies for your mucus and eye problem. All the best , take care .

                                                                                               Chris x

Hi WakeyLass,

I was diagnosed with sinus cancer in January 2020, I did not have an operation to remove my cancer as the tumour was too big as it had filled my nasal area and grew into the frontal sinus, which explained the headaches I was getting for most of 2019. Was given a better explanation to why they didn't operate and I was told I  would not have a good quality of life as it would have meant I would have lost my eyes, so treatment was the only way for me. I have not been given the all clear as they want to keep an eye on the frontal sinus as there seems to be an abnormality, but scans are positive as there has been no change since the scan I had in August 2020. So I am just being monitored by having scans and if anything changes then they will remove the frontal sinus.

I am also suffering with watering eyes and have tried all the drops but nothing seems to relieve it. My consultant told me it is due to the radiotherapy and the area is still swollen, apparently the area has a lot of different tubes what I kind of call it a spaghetti junction. Was told that where the radiotherapy hit would have impacted the tear ducts so they are unable to drain the normal way so the only way they drain is by watering outwards like you are constantly crying. I am 8 months post treatment and still suffering and just put up with it. Some days are better than others but I think the area could still be healing from the radiotherapy. My oncologist consultant has also got me under the ophthalmologist due to how close the radiotherapy was aimed at. I never had any problems with my sight even now, just the constant watering which I am just putting down as it hasn't healed itself as of yet. 

Tanya

Thanks for your reply Tanya, I’m sorry you are going through this too, but it’s great news that your scans are positive.  Looks like I’m about month behind you with my running eyes.  Some days they worse than others, but it looks like a waiting game to see if we have any improvement with the tears.  I pray that your scans stay positive for you.

 Best of luck,

Trish xx

Hi Chris, thank you. Still waiting the teeth as my appointment on the 12th was cancelled due to COVID-19.  I have been without them since  March so I don’t suppose another few weeks will make a lot of difference.  I never realised how difficult it is without them.  It’s been a horrible ride all the way through, but I’m just so relieved to come out the other side   Looks like I will play the waiting game with my eyes and see if they do repair themselves.

Thank you,

Trish xx

Hi all still waiting the teeth!! I’m hoping an appointment comes quickly.  I have my third 3 month visit to my oncologist on the 4 March so little tremors of panic keep rearing their ugly head.  I thinking I have got this but something always comes along and kicks the stool away.   I have had to stop using my prosthetic nose as it keeps slipping down my face with me not having teeth in I think maybe the constant dry eye tears are not  helping with this water based glue on the nose.  Really these lockdowns have done me a favour I have been shielding all the time except for medical appointments  since March 2020.  So I suppose I have really hidden away from the world apart from family of course.   Plus my other half had an op for a detached retina the same day as I had my nose op.  He’s had a few of these but they have always been repaired quickly. This time they put oil in and he has to have it taken out.  So Ive had to do all the driving she last March too.  Fortunatly he has just got a NHS text to say he has to see his consultant on the 4 March.  His appointment is one hour before mine so that’s not too bad.One thing that really made me laugh (when I needed it was a chap that had the same op as me and got his prosthetic nose.  He went shopping with his wife to Asda and whilst packing the items at the checkout his nose fell off into the well,  he said he didn’t know who was affected the most, him, the checkout girl or the long queue of customers  waiting.   He said he just stuck it back on  and carried on packing the shopping?   When I feel down,  it does make me smile and hope it doesn’t happen to me! 

Hi Trish. Your sense of humour is amazing. I had to smile at your supermarket description. We all have to soldier on don’t we 

Hope you get sorted soon. This  pandemic has been a lot to cope with for a lot of us. 
best wishes

Aww bless him, one of those things that isn’t funny at the time but can look back and find it funny. Know how you feel about appointments. I no longer see my oncologist now as all my treatment has finished. Back with a consultant at my main hospital. I have recently just had 2 more scans and have yet to hear from anyone. The next time I see someone isn’t until 23 March. Did call to speak to the secretary on Monday but they have not been dealt with. 

last meeting with a consultant on 2nd February wasn’t what I expected and just felt on edge and overwhelmed. Ended up talking to my GP about it this week, seeing my counsellor tomorrow so will probably blurt everything out. Think I should have seen her before this session. 

Haha yes I have never lost that Dani, I think it helped me though the treatment and what started out as just the removal of my septum and replacing with a bone from my ear to a total Rhinoectomy.  Quite a shock to the system at the time but we have just got to get on with it.  I won’t  mention going to radiotherapy in my slippers haha 

It’s all the waiting times between appointments and scans.  They get the scan results much quicker on tv.  It will do you good to blurt it all out.  No point suffering in silence make everyone suffer like we have.  I hope everything works out ok and the time for your results passes quickly.

I know the waiting times always brings that anxiety as you just want to know things are ok. I hope all goes well at your appointment next week. I’ll probably give it till next week and call the consultant’s secretary to see if the results are back.

Tanya