The Pink Eye Chronicles
It’s been a little while, but I’m back for another episode of the Unreal Results podcast, where this week, you’ll hear me chronicle my viral pink eye infection. If you follow me on social media, you probably already know that I’ve been dealing with viral pink eye, in both eyes nonetheless, for 19 days as of recording this episode. But to me, it feels like it’s been eleventy-billion days. Either way, in this episode, you’ll hear all about how I’ve been dealing with this virus, the different types of pink eye, and a quick mention of one of the biggest sales I do each year for my online products.
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
My Black Friday thru Cyber Monday Sale
Learn the LTAP™ In-Person in one of my upcoming courses
Considering the viscera as a source of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction is a great way to ensure a more true whole body approach to care, however it can be a bit overwhelming on where to start, which is exactly why I created the Visceral Referral Cheat Sheet. This FREE download will help you to learn the most common visceral referral patterns affecting the musculoskeletal system. Download it at www.unrealresultspod.com
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Anna Hartman: Hey there, and welcome. I'm Anna Hartman, and this is Unreal Results, a podcast where I help you get better outcomes and gain the confidence that you can help anyone, even the most complex cases. Join me as I teach about the influence of the visceral organs and the nervous system on movement, pain, and injuries, all while shifting the paradigm of what whole body assessment and treatment really looks like.
I'm glad you're here. Let's dive in.
Hello, hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Unreal Results Podcast. Um, so I've been MIA the last few weeks. And if you follow me on social media, you know why. And if you're watching this on YouTube, maybe you're like, Anna, what's wrong with your eyes? And, uh, yeah, I've had, I am on day, like, 19.
I cannot believe this. Day 19 of severe viral conjunctitis, conjunctivitis, which, ah, if you don't know what that means, it means I have viral pink eye. Uh, it has been the worst experience ever. Zero of 10 recommend. Um, it's been extremely painful and really debilitating because it's affected my vision. And I can't really see, uh, I have super blurry vision, uh, because of the dry eye it is created as well as in the right eye.
I have this thing called a pseudo membrane, um, that, um, also is impairing my vision. So. Yeah, I have not been recording episodes the, well, actually the first week of November I didn't record an episode because I had just taught the San Diego in person LTAP level one course and was just tired and needed a break.
Plus it was election week and there was just a lot of energy, a lot of, and like outside focus that week. So I was like, yeah, it's like a week to take off. And also that week I went to Arizona for a business mastermind. So it was just, yeah, it was just like a busy, busy time. And I was just like, you know, don't force it.
No need to force an episode and I'll be back next week. And then, well, while I was in Arizona, Uh, I got the pinkeye and so the following week I didn't record because my right eye was, that's where it started and it was literally swollen shut and, uh, so I was like, okay, this is not ideal. Um, I didn't know it was that pinkeye at first until I got back to, um, San Diego and was able to go to the ophthalmologist.
So I did see in Arizona, I did see an optometrist. because like it started on a Thursday and the way my eye felt, I was like, wow, this is, I've never felt like this before. And like there's something going on and I better not F around and I, I should go see an eye doctor. And so obviously traveling, I don't have an eye doctor, even though I used to live there.
I mean, also I have got good vision, so I've not like I see eye doctor regular anyways. So the area I was staying in Scottsdale, I had an optometrist office actually right across the street and so I made a appointment with them. Luckily they had something same day and, um, went to see them because like immediately it was itchy feeling and then, um, like, you know, Not only was it itchy feeling and felt like I had something in my eye, but it like instantly swell, swell up, swell, swelled, swelled up.
So anyway, so I got into the optometrist and she took, and by the time I saw her, I had gotten the swelling down a little bit with compressing and Like, um, allergy eyedrops and, and, um, it was a little better and she looked at it and she was like, Oh, maybe having a little allergy response or it looks like maybe a little sty has started.
So she gave me a prescription eyedrop and was like, you know, in a couple of days, if it's not any better, call us back and I'll give you an order. Oral antibiotic because sometimes styes get infected and uh, she's like it's so deep down that it's not gonna The topical is not gonna work. I was like, okay so That was friday afternoon.
I came back saturday saturday. It was worse sunday. It was even worse. So monday morning Again, even worse. I called their office and I was like wow My eye is really bad like Almost completely swollen shut. Can you order me the antibiotics? And they're like, oh, yeah, um, that's not we like You should probably come in and get checked again.
And I was like, well, I don't live there and She's like well go, you know find someone locally, but make sure it's an ophthalmologist Instead of an optometrist since it's more of a medical issue and I was like, okay So I called around In San Diego and found a ophthalmologist that had an appointment that day, thankfully, and went and saw him and he like instantly saw me and he was like, Oh, you have viral pink eye. And then like slowly backed away from me and he's like, you have viral pink eye and it's extremely contagious and there's nothing I can really do.
I'm going to give you these drops, but. They're just to help with symptoms. It doesn't actually take the virus away. You just have to let it run its course. It takes about two to four weeks. And I was like, what? Two to four weeks? Like I'm five days in and this is not okay. And he's like, yeah, sorry, and probably your vision is going to be affected, you know, because you have severe pink eye and it'll be hazy for a while, but it'll, it'll slowly get better.
And I was like, Okay, he's like, you know, and if you get double vision or if things get worse come back in but Sorry, and I was like, okay, that sucked. So by the end of that week Oh, and he was like, oh and by the way, it'll probably be in your other eye soon I was like, oh so by the end of that week as predicted It was in my other eye and then then my vision started being affected and I was like This seems like more than just hazy vision So I went back to see him um the next week and he looked at it and he was like, yeah, it's still really bad.
Severe pink eye. You have the pseudomembrane started. He's like, there's still nothing I can do. And let me check your vision. And he looked at my vision and my pressures and stuff. And he was like, yeah, your visions, he's like, you know, your lens, your eye looks fine from a vision standpoint. He's like, but, um, he's like really dry.
He's like, that's why you're so blurry is because your eyes are so dry from the, pink eye and inflammation. He's like, so like douse your eyes with um, lubricating drops like all the time. He's like, he goes, and I'm sorry, you're still really contagious and it's still really bad. He's like, it's really no better than, he's like, even though it looks better to you because your eyes are open now.
He's like, it's in your eye. He's like, it is no better. So that was depressing. And, um, So yeah, so not only have I've been dealing with this painful pink eye, because it is very painful, um, I've also not really been able to leave the house because one, I'm contagious and I don't want to get anybody sick.
And then two, I can't see. And so it's like, I can't drive, um. Even going on walks is not the most comfortable thing in the world. It makes me feel very uneasy because I don't have like full visual acuity and full peripheral vision. And definitely makes you realize like, how important vision is to your overall brain.
Well, one, it is your brain, but like also to your brain and your sense of safety and sense of like awareness. So fuck, this has sucked. And yeah, so I've gotten a couple IVs. I've done a lot of the drops and been taking the prescription drops, even though it doesn't really seem to help much. And, uh, Um, done, I think I just said I'd been doing IVs and so the IVs do, I do feel like it helps, has helped.
I've also been like mega dosing vitamins and immune supporting supplements and um, yeah, literally doing all the things. My lymph nodes were swollen. they're still kind of on and off swollen. But the interesting thing with the IVs is every time I get an IV, it like feels better. And then I have this, like, almost like flare up.
Uh, my eyes get really swollen and red and hot. My face gets hot, like a very strong histamine response to it. Um, but then it's like better the next day. So that's interesting. I don't know what that means. In my head it's like all those vitamins supporting the immune system and the immune system like, like attacking the virus again.
But, I don't know, that's just I make it up in my head. So anyways, um, I don't have a ton Like I don't have a ton to, like, talk about. Or like planned for the podcast. I have a couple, um, podcast topics I want to do, but you know, still not feeling great. I did last week. I, I felt up for doing the last call of the online, uh, LTAP level one
live training call. Um, it was two hours. It was a great call, but yeah, it was a struggle bus for my eyes. It's just hard to, since it's hard to read, I'm like straining and not blinking a lot and then that further dries the eyes out and blah blah blah. So, pretty uncomfortable. Um, I did want to say, what do I want to say?
You know, I wanted to, one, just give an update to all of you, and like, let you know, like, hey, why there hasn't been episodes. And also, let you know, kind of a longer form update of the viral pink eye. Uh, so, not that I want this whole episode to be about pink eye, but it basically is going to. And I did this whole thing, uh, actually on Instagram and share with people and a lot of people didn't know.
So the biggest thing as I've been sharing about this on Instagram is people are like, Oh, like a little confused of like, why does this seem so bad for you? Like I had pink eye and it was gone in two days or I had pink eye and it was gone in a day and I had pink eye and it wasn't as bad or, or there's people who are like, Oh, I had this and it sucked.
Um, so there is a difference between, So, first of all, pinkeye is kind of a generic term for any conjunctivitis, and conjunctivitis is just an inflammation, swelling of the conjunctiva, which is the soft tissue surrounding your eyeball. Um, you know, it's like the back, backside of your eyelids, upper and lower, and corners and all around your eyes.
Conjunctivitis can be caused by an allergy. So like, when I was a kid, I used to get allergic conjunctivitis all the time. Whenever I was exposed to cats, um, horses, like, I was so allergic. My eyes would swollen, get swollen shut, get like all gross and like, um, mucousy allergy response and itchy and red.
That is Um, technically a form of pink eye. Then there's bacterial pink eye. So bacterial conjunctivitis, probably the most common kind that is the kind that's most associated with like the old, like farting on someone's pillow move, you know, that's caused by bacteria. Bacterial conjunctivitis gets better quickly because you can use an antibiotic and the antibiotic treats it and usually once you start taking the antibiotic, even though your eyes will stay pink for a little bit, you're no longer contagious.
And so you can. Like, live your life. But viral pinkeye is caused most commonly by the adenovirus. Uh, the adenovirus is the same virus that causes the common cold and the, you know, the, the flu, one of the flu viruses. And, um, I think like 60 or 70% of the cases of viral conjunctivitis are caused by the adeno virus.
So. Because a lot of people were asking me like, where did I get it? As if you know where you get colds and things. Or like, I don't know, I got it from somebody. Um, another host of the virus, right? So, and it's just like you get a cold or COVID or the flu. It's, it's from germs. Somebody's germs coming in contact with you.
Whether that is direct content, like you're making out with somebody who has the virus. Or, um, you come in contact with the surface that has been exposed to the virus. So, you know, basically all it takes is somebody who has pink eye to touch their eye and then touch their hand to the surface of something.
And then me touch that surface and then touch my eye. So, um, The crazy thing about the adenovirus is that virus is a very strong, uh, virus and can survive up to 84 days on surfaces. So, um, it literally could have been anywhere. And also from what I can tell of all the reading I've done on the internet about it is like the incubation period is anywhere from 12 hours to 12 days.
So, who knows where I got it. The airplane, the airport, the Uber, the Groceries from the Instacart, the, you know, door dash delivery, the Airbnb I was in, like, literally, the gate to my house, front door, like, it could have been anywhere is my point. So, that's just how it is. And then, yes, it is a long virus. So, unfortunately, you know, mild cases.
seven to 14 days. Severe cases like mine, typically more like 14 to 30 days. And that sucks. So, um, that's a little bit about the adenovirus. So, you know, wash your hands, don't touch your face. Um, I will say it started in my right eye. And my right eye is like for the last year or two been kind of like, um, waters a lot.
So I am like constantly like wiping tears away from my right eye. So I'm not surprised that I touched the surface and then touched my eye. Like as much as I don't want to admit it, like, yeah, my fault. And, um, when you think about it, it's like kind of crazy that you don't get sick all the time knowing that about germs like the adenovirus, but here we are.
So yes, in case you're wondering, That's why it's different. That's, you know, and then also the difference is that it's severe, a severe case and not a mild case. What made me get a severe case? I have no idea. Um, I think it just sometimes happens. Um, and then the other thing about sharing it on the internet, sharing anything on the internet, right, is like this.
People think that sharing is you asking for help and advice and so then you get a lot of unsolicited advice. This is why if you ever post something on the internet and I like follow you, I will never, I will never write you and be like, Oh, you should fix this, this and this about your movement. I don't do things like that.
Usually what I'll say if I have something to say is I have, you know, I have some thoughts on your movement. If you would like to know, like, if you would like, I'm happy to share them with you, but I recognize you're not asking for help. So I'm asking you for consent for me to volunteer my help. And some people are like surprised when I do this, but it's one of those things that like consent matters.
You shouldn't just be giving advice to everybody. I know it comes from like a kind heart, but. It's also can be a little annoying. So anyways, I've gotten advice for a million different things from people, different products for dry eye, different, um, solutions that, you know, cured people's pink eye in a day, which I'm like, well, if it cured it in a day, it was probably bacterial, not viral.
And, um, Or if you have a secret antiviral medication, like you should probably patent that because that's pretty amazing. But, you know, and then people like recommending colloidal silver and breast milk are really common ones. Oh, and somebody told me to put essential oils in my eye. I believe tea tree, which sounds like burning.
I would never, never directly put an essential oil like that in my eyeball. Um, if anything too, this makes me like more protective of what I put in my eyeball because the experience I've gone through with like, I don't want to say losing my vision cause it's not lost, but like having my vision impaired significantly makes me want to protect my eyeballs at all costs.
So I will not be putting things like that in it and I'm not like speaking down to you. If you, like, are a believer of those things working, like, good for you. I'm glad they were helpful for you. But what I choose to put in my eyeballs is going to be up to me and my doctors and the people that I trust.
And I mean, not that I'm a big, like, evidence based research, but also I'm like, a lot of those things don't actually show that they're helpful from a viral standpoint. Some of those things are very helpful from a bacterial standpoint, but again, this is viral conjunctivitis, not bacterial. So the, and actually on that point, somebody was like, Anna, how is your doctor really sure that it was viral?
I'm like, well, two, two reasons, three reasons, actually, uh, number one, the type of discharge I'm having is watery. And when it's bacterial, it's like crusty, mucusy, yellowy, bacterial type of discharge. I've not had that at all. Um, so that's probably like the easiest way to know. Uh, number two, when he looked in my eyes in the You know, microscope.
There's like a little white, um, bumps that get on the conjunctiva when it's more viral. And then also the fact that my lymph nodes were swollen in my face, um, my parotid lymph nodes were the first things to swell and that's very indicative of a viral reaction. And then also the fact that I've been taking topical antibiotics.
and a steroid, and neither one of those are helping. If it was bacterial, the steroid and the antibiotic would have helped it, so. All the reasons why I trust the man that's the ophthalmologist over the internet trying to diagnose me. Oh, so, fun facts about viral conjunctivitis. Um, that's 20 minutes of me talking about pink eye.
I never thought I would have a podcast episode talking about pink eye, but yet here we are. And I feel like it's one of those, like, the more you know. Uh, hopefully next week when I record the podcast, you'll be, um, not having to deal with me looking like my eyes hurt. And hearing about my eyes. I'm sure the world is overhearing about my eyes.
On that note, though, speaking of this week, when this podcast drops, it will be the day before Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating. And, uh, obviously it's a United States holiday, so that would be people in the United States. Um, And with Thanksgiving becomes the beginning of the holiday sales season, uh, Black Friday, Cyber Monday.
And of course, um, as I do every year, doing an annual Black Friday, um, holiday sale. It starts on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, so Black Friday, um, November 29th, and it goes until, um, End of day Monday, Cyber Monday, December 2nd. So this year I'm offering 50 percent off all individual self paced online education products as well as the Regen library and 60 percent off when you bundle them all.
And then also if you get the bundle and get all the products you get a free bonus of the new. Clinical reasoning for the reset your nervous system, uh, regen session. So, um, if you just want to buy that alone, it's available for 50 percent off, but as part of the bundle, it's just a bonus for buying the bundle.
So check it out. This is an opportunity to fill out your library. If you are missing any products, um, or if you're new around here to, um, To get the products and start binging them. So, if you have any questions, please reach out to me via the socials or via email at info at movementrev. com and I'm happy to answer your questions all about the sale.
Um, yeah, but that's it. I hope you have a great day, have a great holiday, and uh, wash your hands and don't touch your eyes.