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Subject:
From:
Mildred Oberkotter <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Mildred Oberkotter <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 4 Nov 2003 03:04:31 -0500
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<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Some of the folk asked what Iritis is, and its symptoms and treatment.
I'll start this summary with an overlook of my personal experience.

PERSONAL:
The eye doctor diagnosed Iritis, based on his examination using a slit
light.  That's an inflammation inside the eye, behind the iris, the color
part.   He prescriped Pred Forte steroid eyedrops once every waking hour.
Later, he prescribed dilation drops as well as the Pred Forte.  It dilates
the eye, and made it much less painful.  I've been taking Advil for the
aches... this is significant because I very rarely take this kind of med
since my CD diagnosis.    It started with a reddening on the white of the
eye on its outer side, and then it became very painful.     I also had some
aches on the temples and sometimes a generalized headache.  It is more
painful with bright lights, such as sunny rooms, etc.  Also painful is when
trying to read the time on my wristwatch or other printed matter unless
it's at least outside of an arm's length.

Where I am now after 3 eye doc visits in three weeks.  I'm feeling better
now, with much less pain and aches.  The vision is foggy, and it's very
difficult to read out of that eye.   I've had some frustrating and/or
depressing moments.  Today I went to my first workout since before the eye
problem, and I'm feeling so much better!

I've done much helpful Internet research on Google.Com and spoken with some
doctors, one of whom is a Celiac specialist.  Iritis is an auto-immune
condition, with its source most likely elsewhere in the body.  There is
documentation in a medical journal of one woman's case being attributed to
Fosamax, the once-a-week doseage of 70mg. This is not proven.  I've ceased
using this.   A rheumatologist is awaiting results of a blood test that
would hopefully reveal the source of this problem. If there's anything
significant, I'll share this info with the List.   The Celiac doc also
indicated no prevalance of CD itself to this condition.

Thank you to many of you who have respnded to my posting.  Here's the
summary:
----------------------------------
SUGGESTED WEBSITES: I hope this list is not compromised with those funny
characters at the end of some lines!  To prevent this, I have purposely
moved some words at the end of the line to the next.  There is no spacing
in those long strings.  Also hope this works!

Search in <www.google.com> with 'Iritis' as a keyword.

<http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/messages>

This link mentions that uveitis can be associated with IBS and Crohn's
<http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/diseasemanagement/gastro/
inflammatory_bowel/inflammatory_bowel.htm>

Celiac disease among IBS patients:
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&
list_uids=12869084&dopt=Abstract>

People with IBS be tested for CD:
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&
list_uids=12655262&dopt=Abstract>

Here is the pubmed search - problem is that most have no abstract:
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=PubMed>

Shingles as a possible etilogy: <http://www.steen-hall.com/zoster.html>
-------------------------------------------
SUGGESTED ETIOLOGIES:

-Persons with CD often have other autoimmune conditon, such as Iritis.
-It is associated with the HLA-B27 haplotype.
-Ankylosing spondolitis suffer bouts of iritis.
-my eye doc. told me that it can be related to crohn's disease.
-ulcerative colitis
-The only thing that worked for my iritis were stopping wearing contacts,
steroid creme and the end of the flare up
-Shingles
-Reiter's Syndrome
- urethritis
-Scleritis
-Fosamax, 70mg once-a-week doseage

-----------------------------------
RECOMMENDATIONS:

-You should make sure that you are seeing a reputable rheumatologist..
-You can consult with papers written by Dr. Peter Green (in NY).
- Ask for a copy of all tests run  and if you see other doctors take them
with you.
-Work with alternative M.D.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------

PERSONAL ANECTODES AND OTHER COMMENTS:
 I have yet to see an ophthalmologist test for celiac disease when a
patient presents with uveitis or any other symptom. It seems that in most
cases of uveitis we do not find a cause. Perhaps we should be looking at
the gut too - if we don't look we will never find.

The eye docs I work with are totally unaware of Celiac dz.

I had iritis approx. 5-6 times, over a number of years, and also had off
and on severe back pain/aching which was dismissed by MD's as stress,
fibromyalgia or plain old don't know.  The opthalmologist actually was the
one who referred
me to a rheumatologist.  Turned out I have an autoimmune condition called
ankylosing spondylitis.  I was not happy to have that, but it helped to
know, and to receive NSAID's that helped.  A blood test for me showed the
HLA B27 marker which is common for folks with AS.

From an undiagnosed CD:   I have had iritis and my brother has had iritis
2x. We also both carry the gene for anklosing spindylosis. He has been
formerly diagnosed with AS but refuses to be tested for CD.

 I have had many bouts with iritis for the past 38+ years (1965).   By 1973
I began having pain in my S.I. joint (lower part of the pelvis where the
leg connects).  I was in college and doctors said I was too young for
arthritis. (I went) to a rheumatologist off campus.  Given my symptoms,
history of iritis, and bloodwork he diagnosed me with ankylosing
spondylitis.  It was a correct diagnosis and continued to get much worse.
A few years later I began experiencing symptoms which later came to be
diagnosed as urethritis (after a number of "bladder infection" episodes
which turned out to be not that but actually urethritis (inflammation of
the urethra).  This diagnosis came from a urologist who sent me to a
rheumatologist to confirm it (I had not seen a rheumatologist for 11 years,
choosing to give up on drugs and go alternative with food supplements,
diet, etc. to treat the spondylitis).
      I have worked with an alternative M.D. since 1982 for my multiple
health problems, some not mentioned but related to the gluten sensitivity
and the auto-immune disease which is what I have.  It is called Reiter's
Disease; 25% of the folks with Reiter's have all three of the problems
which can occur with that problem.  (.I do have a close friend who
occassionally has iritis and also has a couple different arthritic
problems) My understanding is that Reiter's can be genetically passed on.
He has helped me tremendously by diagnosing and treating various underlying
problems, including gluten sensitivity.  This has also helped reduce the
inflammation in the Reiter's Disease.  I no longer have the iritis near as
often (maybe once a year, whereas before I might have it as much as several
times a year or severe cases when I did get it).

------------------------------------
I had scleritis for over a year.  It went away and than I had Iritis for
several months.  Similar course of treatment as you for the iritis.  I
asked
the listserv the same question when I had scleritis as well as two
neurologists that I know quite well.  I couldn't find any connection w/
either eye problems and CD or Restless Legs Syndrome which I also have.  I
did find that all four are autoimmune disorders.  I still find that if I
don't get enough sleep my eye hurts and can easily go from good to bad
quickly.
--------------------------------

I was wondering if iritis was a symptom of Sjogren's Syndrome, an
autoimmune disorder affecting the tear ducts, salivary glands and other
moisture-producing glands in the body.  Because there is less moisture in
the eye, there is more tendency to infection.  According to my Merck
manual, such infections usually are in the cornea.   I had heard of SS and
knew that it  is linked with CD, like a number of other autoimmune
disorders. (My doctor said) it is Sjogren's secondary to mixed connective
tissue disorder.  Like my CD, my SS symptoms have not followed the classic
pattern.
--------------------------------

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