Tis the season for the dreaded iritis!
So far, I count 3 of us Kickers to come under attack.
I wanted to let you all know that I had a recent
iritis attack that appeared out of no-where...
exactly 7 days after getting a flu shot!
I was nearing the 1-full-year-being-iritis-free mark, when it struck without warning. Usually subtle clues help me with early detection ..but none this time
.
A few yrs ago, I'd heard good advice from my GP's nurse, to consider getting the flu shot in 2 separate (
1/2 dose) shots, spaced one month apart to lessen the intensity of potential response. Since I was feeling so good this year with no hint of iritis,.. I didn't bother. How dumb am I? For 3 months prior, I was taking a preventative 'maintenance' dose of Voltaren (a
non-steroidal drop) *just in case* that I believe served to mask the signals.
I told my Opthalmologist that I thought the flu shot had triggered my attack, and he agreed. He said 7 days would be exactly the right timing for one's body to mount an immune-response, and since AS = a hyper-sensitive immune system... yep.
Tho my right eye was attacked, he's checking both eyes as I feel it starting in the left eye too and it wouldn't be the 1st time that's happened with me. He thinks this is even more likely this time. He said (half muttering to himself) that an external antigen would circulate throughout the blood stream and therefore pass directly through the eyes ... suggesting this was somehow unique from our 'normal' internal immune response??? Does this make any sense? I tried to get him to clarify how this differs from a 'usual' flare, but he kind of fluffed me off as tho I wouldn't understand it.
About 4 days after my eye started, my back went into full flare with muscle spasms, which have since calmed down and I
think may have been caused by the constant tilting backwards to administer drops!?! Just a guess, as my back improved as I weaned from 1 per 1/2 hr ... 1 per 1 hr ... 1 per 2hrs, but I can't really be sure.
Since each country developes unique flu vaccines, I am wondering if any of my fellow
Canadians experienced similiar troubles? Maggie perhaps? So, a warning to all of you with iritis history... to please consider doing the 2 half shots method for flu vaccine and hopefully avoid this trouble!
And wishing a
Merry Christmas and
Happy Holidays to ALL!
mig
