The ACHE and When Eye Pressure Just Won't Stay Down

It was just four weeks ago when I had my tube shunt removal - and some laser zapping of cells that make aqueous fluid.     Day One after surgery - eye pressure was 9.    One week after surgery - eye pressure was 11.   Beautiful! 

Late last week I felt a couple of little twinges on the inner upper quadrant of my eye & eye socket....I'll just call it "the ACHE".    I really didn't think much of it - although I did wonder if perhaps it had to do with sutures from surgery or some other little complication of surgery.   My three-week surgery followup was earlier this week and I mentioned "the ACHE" to the tech and my doctor took notice of the note in my record right away.    Observing the physical condition of my eye - nothing was really out of the ordinary - just my typical corneal edema.   

And then it was time to measure the pressure.   It seemed a little quiet a little longer than normal and then my doc asked the technician to bring in a pen to try to get a different reading.   I'm thinking "uh-oh".   And yes, in fact, in two weeks time my pressure jumped from 11 to 27.    Unexpected and disheartening to me.   27 was essentially the pressure that got me into surgery - and now - just after one month after surgery, I am back to where I started - less one tube shunt in my eye.   A still swollen cornea, high pressure, double "shadow" vision.   Ugh.   I guess I can celebrate that I have just two tube shunts, not three - so my eye just doesn't feel quite as full.  

I then remembered "the ACHE".    In all of my over-zealousness that my pressure might be getting under control, I had forgotten the true meaning of the "the ACHE".   You see, over all the years, "the ACHE" has been the warning signal that my pressure has climbed or spiked.   To what, I never know.    But in this case, my eye was telling me, that the pressure was not staying down.    

If you have ICE, take note of what you're feeling.   KNOW YOUR EYE.    I can always tell when something is not right.    Oh - so many times - I just wish someone would confirm that I am imagining "the ACHE"!   But so far, I have been right most of the time.  

So the plan of attack - drop down to one steroid (Pred Forte) drop per day (I had already tapered down from three to two drops/day) because the steroid drops to control the inflammation & potential rejection of the cornea transplant can cause increased eye pressure.   Add an additional drop daily to my glaucoma medication - in this case Xalatan with my ongoing twice a day Cosopt.    I see the doc again in two weeks.   We'll see.

So in this mystery of a disease & its complications, I'm continuing on through the journey.   So many things to try to correct - and so many variables to deal with.   Honestly, I just need a little break and a little good news for a little bit longer than two weeks. 

Oh well, I have been so busy with life - that I'll just try to push this aside until I have to face it again in two weeks.    In the meantime, I will live life today & tomorrow & the next, & next.........