Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Iritis that won't go away

Hello Everyone my name is Christy,

This is my first time posting here. I think this site is great and have found it uplifting.
I have been dianosed with AS since 1998. I haven't had a major flare until recently with my iritis. This episode has lasted 3 weeks now and I don't see the end of it as of right now. The first week they just dialated me eye and gave me pred forte. When that didn't touch it I recieved the shot in my eye and was put on the oral steriod med dose pack along with pred forte, dialator and acular (non steroid).

It looked like it was getting better but as soon as the shot and steroids wore off it flares right back up. My eye doc gave me another shot yesterday and put me on another oral steroid med dose pack and also started me on azulfadine. He says that my is getting worse and he doesn't see how that is possible with all the steroids. He says that the back of my eye is also swollen now and that I have developed a pupillary membrane which he describes as a cobweb looking membrane behind my pupil which has made my vision even worse.

He said we will give the steroids another shot but I can't keep getting shots and taking steroids. He has suggested that if this doesn't work that I should get a procedure done called a victrectomy. If someone could please help me and give me some advice or let me know if they have ever had this procedure before!

Thank You for all your support,

ChristyS

Hi Christy,

I have never had a problem with iritis but I just wanted to say a big welcome to KA. Glad you found the site and posted your question. Sorry to hear you are having such a bad time with your eyes. Someone will be along sooner or later with an answer to your problem. The collective experience and wisdom here is invaluable to anyone with AS. I hope you get a resolution soon!!! The only other suggestion I have for you is type in iritis in the search forum and something will come up that may help you. Just until someone who had experience with this can help you.

Deborah

Thank You for the great welcome. Have you had the chance to go to the womans forum?

Wecome to KickAS!! This is the best AS site in the world.

I've had iritis attacks that lasted for more than 6 months, but have never treated them with anything but predforte (usually every 30 minutes until it settles down) & dilating drops(every 4-6 hours). I have a unique way of weaning off the predforte, but you have to get the inflamation under control first. Most of my iritis attacks last between 6-12 weeks. And I used to have 4-6 iritis flares a year before I started Enbrel. I have been on Enbrel 18 months and have had only one flare since starting it.

You may be going off the predforte too quickly. I found in my earlier attacks, that was the problem. I'd think it was taken care of; the doctor would tell me how many drop to cut it down to; I'd follow his instructions to the letter, then I'd flare up again within a week. If that is what is happening with you, I may be able to help.

There are many of us who have iritis. I hope someone here can give you the info you need. If not, we have some who are great at finding answers.



Hugs,

Cindy

I am only one; but still I am one.
I cannot do everything.
But still I can do something;
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.
Helen Keller

Hi, Christy:

Welcome to kickas. You have certainly come to the right place.

Iritis is just the worst and I REALLY hate it!!

Never had the shot in the eye, but would not have minded it so much--anything to get rid of that hot ice pick sensation. Well, when I say anything I do mean it, although I cannot (should not) exactly post everything. Here is a start:

Recurrent iritis has been shown to diminish in intensity and even totally remit in people taking sulfasalazine. The type that should be taken is enteric-coated, or Azulfidine-EN in the US. This drug has been approved as a DMARD for use in AS, but it is a sulfa drug and some people do react badly to these.

I found Decadron (dexamethasone .1%) drops to be very effective, but there are several other things I have done to quickly get rid of the flare and I am willing to send them to you (or anyone else) upon request: aureq@inreach.com it is an attachment, so PM will not work.

Hopes for speedy recovery, in any event,
John

Hi! Yes the iritis! My first attack was a couple of years ago and it lasted for 3 months. Week after week it just kept getting worse. I too was so lucky to have the shot in eye, wouldnt wish that on anyone. The steroids were causing my blood pressure and blood sugar to go up so doc was worried about having to stop them. But after the shot it started to ease up. I have to say it was the longest 3 months of my life. My second one only lasted a month, so really was glad about that. So far I havent, (knock on wood) had it again. I have been on bextra so maybe that is helping, hope so. Good luck in getting past this Cause I for one knows how horrible this is. Take care>>>Connie

Welcome ! Great to have you on board !!

Iritis is a serious problem. When I had my first attack it damaged my right eye, which is now permanantly short-sighted.

I have been using Rutin for over a year now to control my iritis and enthesitis. Works GREAT for me. Stops the pain and inflammation in its tracks. Not a cure though, I have to take it every day without fail - otherwise my symptoms start to come back.

I will post the notes I have on my PC here.. I warn you it's very long, and full of cut and paste quotes :-)


"So long and thanks for all the fish" - Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy

It is getting late, so I don't have time to clean this up for you. The formatting is just going to be plain ugly :-) I hope you find some of it useful.

#$#% this is darn long. Maybe I will make some kind of record for longest post ever. Whoever manages to read halfway deserves a medal

This is soo long that I am not sure if I should even post it .. forgive me!
z



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IRITIS STOPPERS
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*** Rutin (a bioflavanoid antioxidant)
* try other bioflavanoids / antioxidants (ie: eat heaps of fruit)
* perhaps try: Billberry (blueberry), eyebright, carrot juice. These are well studied regarding their benefits for eye health.
? Alkalisers. eg: Figs, dried apricots, Bicarbonates (baking soda)
? Brahmi plants (Gotu kola and Bacopa monnieri)

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IRITIS STARTERS
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**** Echinacea: DONT take Echinacea if you have a history of iritis! Both me and mig have had iritis set off by this. Echinacea is not recommended for people with Auto Immune Diseases ! ****
** Milk powders (eg: instant chocolate milk, milk chocolate). (In fact many forms of cooked milk have been a problem for me)
** sweet and fluffy foods. Eg: sponge cake
* Deep fried anything
? gluten (anything containing wheat)



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* Rutin for Iritis / Enthesitis *
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* I take about 600mg a day (300mg rutin in the morning, and another 300mg at night.)
* rutin is a water soluble antioxidant, a bioflavanoid, and is also known as vitamin P and rutosid
* Rutin, like other bio-flavanoids, improves the utilisation of vitamin C in the body. So make sure you take some vitamin C, or eat some fruit.
* Rutin is incredibly effective (for me) at alleviating iritis and enthesitis
* Very very safe - Except do not use whilst pregnant. It is possible that Rutin could cause adrenalin levels to rise and bring on labour (ie:abortion).
* improves the resillience of connective tissue
* Rutin helps strengthen capillaries and blood vessels, as well as heal wounds.
* Has a close relationship with quercetin
* well tolerated. And that is no surprise, as rutin is a bioflavanoid, and bioflavanoids are found in copious amounts in vegetables / plants.
* Rutin can be derived from buckwheat and citrus plants.


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Reasons to use Rutin over Prednisolone drops (aka: cortisone, maxidex)
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* Prednisolone drops are the way iritis is treated by opthomologists. Along with a dilator.
* Prednisolone causes cataracts. The more you use it, and the older you are, the greater the risk.
* Rutin and Quercetin are antioxidants which actually improve the health of the eye. Antioxidants actually prevent cell damage.
* Bioflavanoids like Rutin and Quercetin are well known for their anti cancer properties (cataracts included)
* Quercetin has actually been shown to prevent and possibly improve cataracts.


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Buying supplements
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* Buckwheat derived rutin seems to be best.
* Consider taking this with vitamin C.
* Find a supplement that has at leas 300-500mg of rutin. Supplements with only 50mg of rutin are not helpful.


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** Side effects Warnings !! **
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** There is sometimes a small amount of tummy pain for the first day that you take Rutin. This normally disappears by the next day. I recommend you start at a smaller dose of about 300mg and work up to taking around 600-1000mg a day. That should help prevent it.
** Do not take rutin whilst pregnant as it may trigger an abortion (ie: an abortefactant). (However there was a study where pregnant women were given rutin. Obviously the doctors believed it to be very safe otherwise they wouldn't dream of giving them rutin!(5))



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Quotes
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* from buckwheat:
Here I am the "Other" one who tried Rutin!
I am still taking it. 100mg in an eye supplement and a 500mg dosage in its own pill. It did help my achy hands and feet. I am FINALLY tapering the pred drops down and the *iritis seems to be going away*. I am not sure if the rutin helped that or not. I have had this flare since Thanksgiving when I cheated a little too much on my usual LSD. I had my first iritis flare last year and it lasted 5 months so don't know if the rutin shortened the flare or if the LSD just started kicking in. I guess try it and see. It can't hurt!!
Janet

Rutin vs. Iritis
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=starch&Number=100470
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* Duke Phytochemical DB:
The database mentions Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) as being useful for "retinitis" (inflammation of the retina?).
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/ethnobot.pl?Fagopyrum esculentum
(The star (*) on the page indicates that it has been tested)

Rutin is also mentioned as being an Anti inflammatory at dosages of 20mg/kg. So that would mean about 1200 to 1500mg of rutin. Which is a lot more than any of us have been taking. Also: "Antiglaucomic Dosage: 60 mg/day" - correct me if I am wrong, but glaucoma is when pressure builds up in the eye.
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/chemical.pl?RUTIN

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** SOD and rutin were the most efficient suppressors of oxygen radical overproduction by RA neutrophils(2)
** Natural non-toxic bioflavonoid rutin (vitamin P) inhibited oxygen radical overproduction in both RA and FA in an equally efficient manner and therefore may be considered as a useful supporting pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of "free radical" pathologies. (2)
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**** Bioflavonoids are water-soluble antioxidants which consist of a group of natural pigments. Flavones and flavonol glycosides and their aglycones are generally termed flavonoids. Best known flavonoids are rutin, quercitrin, hesperidin, diosmin and naringen.

Bioflavonoids are naturally occurring substances thought to maintain normal conditions in the walls of the small blood vessels. They are absorbed into the bloodstream in the upper part of the small intestine. Excessive amounts are excreted in the urine. Bioflavonoids act synergistically with vitamin C to preserve and protect capillaries, promote circulation and lower cholesterol levels.1,2 Acts as an antioxidant and helps prevent Vitamin C and adrenaline from being oxidized by copper-containing enzymes.(4)
http://www.nutritionfocus.com/nutrition_supplementation/antioxidants/bioflavonoids/Quercetin.html
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**** "Rutin is a natural bioflavonoid which acts synergistically with Vitamin C to help maintain a healthy immune system.
Reduces the eye pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma (symptoms are blind spots, blurred vision, loss of peripheral vision, halos around lights, eye pain, and redness) by 15 percent or more.

For bruising and circulatory disorders, such as varicose veins and phlebitis, try 1000-5000mg of a Bioflavonoid Complex containing Rutin and Hesperidin."
http://herbalhut.com/rutin_bioflavonoid.asp
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Bioflavonoids
""These multitalented pigments also show some promise in *cancer prevention*, according to Dr. Middleton. So far, the evidence comes from animal and laboratory studies in which bioflavonoids were used. "They have some remarkable effects," says Dr. Middleton, "but the one that especially fascinates me is that certain bioflavonoids can convert malignant cells into normal cells. It’s extraordinary."
*Cataract* prevention is another area where bioflavonoids, particularly quercetin, may help.""

** improve the strength of blood vessels and *connective tissue*

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/23/12.cfm
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Reference
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1 Phlogenzym is as efficacious and well tolerated as diclofenac sodium in the management of active osteoarthrosis. Phlogenzym contains rutin, trypsin and bromelain
PMID: 11584936
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11584936&dopt=Abstract

2 Oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis leukocytes: suppression by rutin and other antioxidants and chelators.
PMID: 11551519
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11551519&dopt=Abstract

3 Inhibitory effect of enzyme therapy and combination therapy with cyclosporin A on collagen-induced arthritis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11407084&dopt=Abstract

4 Quercetin
http://www.nutritionfocus.com/nutrition_supplementation/antioxidants/bioflavonoids/Quercetin.html

5 Excellent information about Rutin, and the research that has been done ***
http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/canada/healthinformation/encyclopedias/Rutin.asp


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other links:
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KickAS:
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Alternatives => Rutin
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=Alternatives&Number=93165

As Pharmacy => Rutin
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=drugs&Number=95995

Zark -- Rah, Rah, Rutin!!!
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=starch&Number=114569

I've Done it!! Well Almost!! (Buckwheat)
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=starch&Number=93119


Rutin vs. Iritis
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=starch&Number=100470


See Also:
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**** Iritis foundation forum
http://www.iritis.org
http://pub5.ezboard.com/firitisiritisfaqforum.html

*** Excellent picture describing how Phenols, Bioflavanoid, Anthocyanins are related and categorized
http://www.nwcherries.com/metaIV.html

** see link RE rutin's use in elderly
http://www.aeiveos.com/diet/rutin/rutin/

Lutein-6
Lutein is a yellow carotenoid pigment produced by plants and found in our eyes. Lutein is a light filter and an antioxidant that protects optic nerves and provides us with numerous other health benefits.
http://dreampharm.com/Item/114.htm

Read the UVEITIS GLOSSARY from cover to cover. Then, read it again:
Click, on the left, on GLOSSARY.
http://www.uveitis.org

** Ankylosing spondylitis and Iritis **
http://www.chem.fsu.edu/learn/aau.htm



"So long and thanks for all the fish" - Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy

Edited by zark on 07/28/03 05:41 AM (server time).

Hi Christy,

Welcome to Kickas, the greatest site on the Web for AS. Much to learn here, much support to be received here and many laughs to be had.

Hope you find some answers to your Iritis issue. I have yet to experience, so no suggestions to pass along. I have had AS since 95 when I turned 27. Currently pretty much under control thanks to diet (No/Low Starch Diet). Previously azulfadine kept it under control.

Take care and keep coming back. It is worth the time and effort to visit here often.

Tim

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional

Hi Christy,

Sorry to hear about the iritis thing. Been there! Hated it!


It took me quite a while to get off the steroids. It was about a month and a half or more. When it eventually settled down, I started Vioxx and Sulfazine EC. It hasn't been back...knock on wood. I hope the Sulfazine works for you. Keep us posted!

Trinka