Three Wall Orbital Decompression for Thyroid Eye Disease

[annspinwall4]

The surgery is painful to watch, but I had it 3 years ago due to severe TED. Fortunately, there is very little pain after the surgery. I was 58 years old and my eyes were very bad. There is a huge difference between the slight bulge you can get from Grave's and the severe bulge and complications that are caused by the eye disease...2 separate diseases. At 18 years old, please be sure you actually need this surgery. It isn't something to be taken lightly.

[xiomi78]

OMG, I'm 18 years old, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid 4 years ago, and also with graves disease.

My eyes were the only thing I actually care about. It hurt me emotionally and physically.

I wanted the surgery so bad, but the doctor wouldn't recommend it for me. But I wanted it so bad, it took me 3 years to convince him.

Now I have my surgery Feb 16. Next Thursday. And I was so excited. But now watching this video. This just put be into shock. I couldn't watch the whole thing. I just cried,

[smarteffort]

how much does it cost for one eye?

does insurance cover any of it?

[hiltoable]

ive had this done at moorfields in london, had both eyes done at same time, i had a two and three quarter decompression on right eye and two wall decompression on left eye, no pain at all, the pressure pads are bit uncomfordable after the operation, as for scars you can hardly see the cut in corner of eye , i would say to anyone have it done you wont beleive the difference , like you all say youll be normal again and not think everyone is staring at you. :-)

;

[joanie99ify]

@hiltoable

i am due to have atwo on my right eye and a 1 on my left eye at moorfields london at the end of november 2011 do you have before and after pictures? I can't wait for the surgery but feel a bit scared as i don't want to look worse than i already do.

[hiltoable]

@joanie99ify hello joan , i dont have any pictures sorry , im sure you will be ok , moorfields is one of the best eye hospitals in the world, keep in touch , let me know how you are doing , anything else you want to know get in touch , and good luck , cheers dean.

[tsoko74]

@joanie99ify hi there - how did your surgery go ???

[sad3683]

I have been thinking about having the orbital decompression surgery. I had the Levator eye muscle surgery so I could close my eyes about 5 years ago for Grave's disease. I don't like the bulge all around my eyes that remains and the scary look my face still has. I am grateful they put this on youtube. I can see that orbital decompression would not do enough to change my face and my looks. i do miss my pretty face. I am 65. No more thinking about that surgery now. Thanks.

[MrRandy1971]

I kept my bones

[BigBoss7777777]

Oh God, this is truly painful to even watch, let alone go through.

[lx0lmelanie]

I have Graves Disease and im thinking about getting this surgery i was only 20 when i got diagnosed with this disease and i want my life back so i can finally look normal again! im wondering does this leave any kind of scars?

[ihdfswvduzr]

I have no problems watching a surgery. It`s always interesting, but eye surgery....wow....that really hurts even watching. Respect for all surgeons operating eyes.... :)

[myckmad]

this really looks scary...I mean scary..I have graves disease too..and my doctor will check in 3 mos if it's already operable...i mean if the TED burned out already..it scares the hell out of me but i want my eyes back the way it was...

[lauraneiu1]

I just had this procedure two weeks ago.. and I have heal great.. I had it first on my right eye and now i will be having it on my left eye.. Im so bless to be ok and healing great... I strongly recommend this surgery.. even though it looks scary.. my vision has actually improved so much.. because I was looking a lot of vision.. I also have graves disease and being only 26, my students always used to say that I looked mean.. lets see what will be their reaction when we come back to school...

[agenthelios1]

@lauraneiu1 My wife has hyperthyroidism and uses methimazole to lower hormone production. Her levels have gotten normal, now dr. says radioactive iodine or removal of gland is ONLY options.

Should she be in remission if the levels are normal. Why is Dr. pushing such drastic measures?

[lauraneiu1]

@agenthelios1 I also have hyperthyroidism. I had my thyroid removed back in 2004. The recovery was fast, but the surgeron did mention to me about the risk of loosing my voice during the surgery because the thyroid and the vocal glands are somehow connected or too close, but if the surgery is perform by a good doctor, it should be no problem. I did not loose my voice. If she has thyroid surgery, make sure she has complete thyroid removal.

[lauraneiu1]

@agenthelios1 I only had partial and after years since my surgery, Im still fighting hyperthyroidism. If she wants to do radioactive iodine, she should go for it too. They did mention to me about that treatment, but I decided to go for surgery. I think it is the decision you both make. Either treatment will be fine for her. How long has she been with hyperthyroidism?

[lauraneiu1]

@agenthelios1 I also take methimazole.. If she is normal now.. then she should go for radioactive iodine. Make sure she follows all the instructions given by her endocrinologist. I have been faithful to his instructions since the beginning. I think her dr. is pushing for either treatment because the thyroid continue to become overactive eventually..

[lauraneiu1]

@agenthelios1 some months she will be ok and some months she will be hyper.. That happens to me a lot.. if she goes for either treatment, then she will eventually take only the hormone replacement pill and she will continue her normal life. Another risk with overactive thyroid is developing thyroid cancer.. so maybe that is why the doctor wants to do this procedure now that she is under control.

[agenthelios1]

@lauraneiu1 She has been with hyperthyroid for about a year and been on meds for 8 months. I think the surgery is very risky and the iodine has too many side effects. She doesnt have any nodules so I am hoping it may go into permanent remission.

How old are you. Have you ever tried natural remedies? How long was your throat sweleed after surgery...if you can go into detail about it. I am very curious.

[lauraneiu1]

@agenthelios1 email me at lauraneiu@hotmail.com I will feel more comfortable sharing info with you and your wife about my experience with thyroid disease.

I was 19 when I found out I had hyperthyroidisim and I had surgery 4 months later. The technology is soo advanced now.. Im 27 years old now.. and Im still dealing with hyperthyroidism.. you both need to be patient with this disease because its something that needs lots of patience. Email me and I will answer to your questions..

[Ratsxmouth]

I was fortunate to have this procedure done almost two years ago, and I agree with vsonnt01: This surgery gave me back my life. I had lived with Graves' Eye Disease since age 11 (I'm 62 now!), and FINALLY I can look in the mirror and like what I see. No more kids staring at me in the grocery store because I look different. The aftermath was NOT painful or distressing, and I am SO glad I had it done!

[vsonnt01]

i had this procedure done as well because of Graves.... it gave me back my life. I will also say to people who have yet to go through the surgery that it looks a lot worse than it feels. In only a few weeks no one will even know you had Graves!

[screenscenes4u]

Tanks For sharing this video with me, now I know why my wife looked like (with all my respect) a zombie after the operation. We hope that the second eye muscle correction will be a successful operation because the first results looked like a disaster. Graves is a terrible illness and my wife fights already more than 4 years against the symptoms from this disease. Kind regards, Berry Korpershoek

[chiie019]

aw :((