Poor you. Coronavirus sounds like a walk in the park compared to what you have been through. Well, maybe not. I haven’t had a stye since I was a kid. All I remember was hot compresses. I had pinkeye, too, and there was some gooey gel to put in your eye, like Vaseline . Pretty much made you blind.

i definite would not pop anything so close to my eye. Hands off! I’m afraid riding it out is all you can do.Maybe Dr. Google can help. Sorry your having such a rough time.

Oh, I’m so sorry. All I remember from a sty is warm compresses. It is no fun at all.

A Warm compress might help. Damp wash cloth heated in the microwave- not too hot! Hold it on the spot a couple times a day.

Call your Dr. I warm-compressed like a crazy person and it did little good (it's just a stye). I finally capitulated and saw the Dr.; he prescribed an antibiotic ointment and presto, gone. I'd call.

Thanks all. Looks like I'm doing all I can do for this, and hopefully it will be gone soon. I am thankful to be working from home right now, as I would not want to go out in public looking like this.

Folk remedy - warm tea bag. The tannins in the black tea help the stye.

Ida, I just had one under my upper lid. The ophthalmologist prescribed an ointment I had to put in that eye for 1 month, in addition to warm compresses.

Get a prescription for an antibiotic ointment. You don't want to mess with stuff in/near your eyes.

If you want your compress to be a bit more targeted, I use q-tips dipped in the warm-hot water and apply right to the stye.

Ida - I have had lots of styes. I will tell you that, to some degree this is your body manifesting stress. My first bout with styes was after suffering third degree burns in an accident when I was 10. When I was getting better and stronger the styes started. It was too much for my body.

please take this as a clue to slow down, rest up, and self care.

A really like this supplement for challenging times https://www.newchapter.com/products/lifeshield-immune-support/

Another folk remedy from an Estonian friend - rub the band of a (real) gold ring across the stye a few times, several times a day. I did this with the last stye I developed, and within a DAY it got better. It was the second stye I've had, and while the bump under the skin (not visible) stayed awhile afterwards, it wasn't anything like my first, untreated stye.

OMG Allison, too funny.

DH had one on our cruise last fall. Ship’s doc told him warm compresses and gave him an antibiotic ointment to put in his eye. When we got home, I called his ophthalmologist’s office who said that the ointment was the best treatment and to continue on with it. They did not want to see him. Give your doc a call.

Oh dear, you are going through the wringer. You have had bronchitis which is very debilitating. Take it easy and do not work too hard. I hope you feel better soon.

I'm so sorry. Not only would it feel annoying, but if you are anything like me you would be self conscious too.

A couple of years ago, a close friend had two almost back to back. His wife a nurse, they applied hot compresses. As hot as comfortable seemed to reduce the amount of bacteria and speed healing. His wife (actually head RN at health dept) was trying to come up with an origin and finally singled out his racquetball goggles. They changed to a type that could be easily sanitized and its never recurred. Could have been coincidence but he played several evenings a week, had put the goggles sweaty in his gym bag without giving them another thought.

It worked, Mtn!

My dad used to get styes all the time. He used a warm hard boiled egg in a thin sock, and would reheat it in the microwave.

Another old wives tale that worked. In HS I had 3 tiny seed warts come up on my hand. Went to dermatologist and had them burned off. HURT like heck, and I literally went blind for 5 minutes. They think it was the shock to my body. Anyway, a couple years later in Woman's Day magazine, there was an article on OWT and it said use ear wax... which I did (my own) and they went completely away, never to return. When we got married, DH had a small wart on the side of his ankle, so I told him. He laughed a lot, but then he tried. His went away too. Evidently it smothers them and they die.

Funny cuz I have one too. This is only my second.

My first came when I switched jobs after 15 years and found out I’d been bait and switched!

Medium stress gives me pimples at my hairline on the back of my neck. Styes must be reserved for ultra-stress moments.

A friend told me about the gold thing today too. I’m totally going to try it!

I will say it again. I did the hot compress thing (HOT), hours on end. Nada.

I thought it was silly to see a Dr for a stye. When I saw him -- he said --- dont mess w infections on or near your eye.

Have your Dr write a scrip for ointment peeps!

Ida, we all need to get together and tell the universe to stop beating up on you!

I got styes all of the time as a kid. They mostly stopped when I washed my hair every day. My hair and skin were very oily until menopause. Even now, if I skip a day on the hair washing, I'll occasionally get a stye. Weird because I have a really short pixie cut.

Unless you want to get antibiotics, hot compress, keeping you face extra clean and free of makeup and gentle massage are it. I don't know that it actually helps the stye, but I like to put hot water with essential oils (rosemary, thyme, geranium and peppermint) in the sink, close my eyes, toss a towel over my head and steam for as long as I can stand it.

ETA: There really are people for whom the non-medical route doesn't work. It sounds like mtn is one of them.

Sorry you are feeling so rough....Call your regular doctor, ophthalmologist, or optometrist and they will more than likely call you in a prescription for an antibiotic ointment. Most doctors are being very accommodating about making it easier to get meds without having to come in to avoid unnecessary exposure. i Had to use Erythromycin ointment once and it worked great. No advice for the nails....except lots of vaseline😜.

Ida, just one more thing you didn’t need, and styes can be so sore. Lots of good advice here, and what mdln said is a good summary. I‘ve had them many times over decades, and allergies, being run down, and (ocular) rosacea can all contribute to their occurrence. Warm compresses both soothe and help to reduce the infection. I have found that extra careful cleansing of the eye area along with warm compresses also helps to prevent reoccurrence. I hope you feel better soon!

Thanks to all so very much for the kind words and helpful information. I think I'll call my doctor tomorrow and ask if she will call in a script for me. I can even offer to send her a photo of my lovely affliction. I do suspect that the stress of my respiratory infection on my overall system may have been a factor. I'm so sorry for others who get these things too. They are certainly unpleasant.

One more thing, when I went to the Doc, he told me that people often become prone to them. I now use a special eye wash and am more careful about removing eye makeup (hanging head in shame). I just remembered I got one in Greece, and went right to the pharmacy and got the exact same stuff, OTC, for like $3. Why can't WE do that!?

Mine is totally stress related and getting better on its own or I wouldn’t hesitate to see a doctor. I’m on cobra and need to get my money’s worth!

When I worked at an ER this year and last, I got four style. I had only ever had but one when I was younger.

I asked the docs where I worked what to do. So, per their suggestions I just kept the warm wet compresses on my eye. They would go away. Mine were inside my upper eyelid.... not visiable but puffy. Very uncomfortable. They all went away within a week or so using the warm wet rags I used.

I know I was stressed and that must have been the reason.

Strangely enough, the first stye I had was when I was 21 and living abroad in Chile. I lived in a home with a Russian woman. She told me about the gold ring trick. I did it and my stye was gone. Too strange. There is no scientific evidence to support this. It might have just been a coincidence.

I hope you feel better soon!!! BIg hugs to you!

I'm tempted to try the gold ring, but with my luck my rings probably have COVID-19 on em.

Just found this, which seems to make sense.

https://www.nbc-2.com/story/22824146/good-question-does-gold-cure-a-sty

I'm actually VERY thankful that the "gold ring trick" was mentioned, or I might never have read about making a heating pad with a sock and rice. As we eat our rice regularly (and don't want to waste our supply), I used dry oats in a soft knee sock instead, and it works SO much better than a wet washcloth. I heat it in the microwave for about a minute, and it stays nice and warm for a long time. It's also very soft and malleable, so I'm able to get a good, gentle massage going with it. I don't know why I didn't think of this myself, but I'm glad to have 'discovered' it today! It's VERY soothing.

I agree with everyone who says don't mess with your eyes - talk to a doctor.

I have a telemedicine appointment scheduled with my doctor for tomorrow.

Ooh, come back and tell us about that!

Thanks, IdaClaire, it seems like it's going better. Yes, after an eye infection of any sort best to toss your eye makeup. Luckily, I don't buy any expensive shadows, mascara, or eyeliner anymore--just drugstore brands. And heck, I'm not going anywhere for months. If I have to appear on video, I will put on some powder, blush, eyebrow pencil, and some lipstick.

Yep, my stuff is all from the drugstore too, so I won't be out big bucks. Better safe than sorry for sure, although this period of going makeup free makes me wonder if I'll even WANT to wear it again when normalcy returns.

I had my first stye 2 months ago and followed my doctor's advice to use warm compresses. He said it might pop or slowly shrink. It took about 7 weeks for it to completely disappear. I tossed all my eye makeup immediately. Like gscience I don't buy expensive make-up. I think it's recommended that we discard mascara and liquid eyeliner after 3 or 4 months because bacteria can get into the tube when we replace the wand.

It still sounds like a stye to me (but I'm certainly no professional!) and i'm guessing you went through all this due to your respiratory infection, etc. Your body has taken alot of stress recently! Definitely throw out make-up and replace. You can probably find most, if not all, your makeup items on amazon. I've gotten pretty anal about washing makeup sponges/brushes too. I don't wear alot of make-up but I have been dressing, putting on light make-up, doing my hair, etc. because I just feel so much better, AND it makes me more productive. LOL I guess if I look like a slug, I feel like a slug. Glad your eye is doing better. I can remember a stye from years ago and it HURT!

I was just this morning wondering how your stye was doing. Glad it seems to be resolving. How did you like visiting with your doctor by telemedicine?

Glad you're feeling better!

Have had both styes and blocked tear duct and pink eye. Only stye has ever popped and oozed. Now the pressure of stye can block tear duct so you could have had both.

Throw away eye makeup and any contact lenses. Clean eyeglasses with alcohol. If you use lash comb or curler sterilize them too. Curler was culprit of my stye problems.

Ida, glad your stye (or blocked tear duct, ow) is better.

I am glad you took the time to update us. I was just searching for your post to ask how things were going.

I am glad your eye is on the mend. DEFINITELY get rid of all eye make up or anything you use on your eyes that could have bacteria.

I always use a cleaner (wipes) made for the eye area to make sure I get rid of any extra dirt or bits of make up and oil. Since I started using them I have not had a stye. I had four prior to doing that and I had all for in a really short time frame. I was working at an ER so who knows if that had anything to do with it.

I am glad you are feeling better!!!

Glad you are on the road to recovery with this.

Thanks so much for the very kind words! I am so relieved to be on the healing side of this thing. I kid you not, it was to the point where I would not have wanted to be seen in public!

The Google Duo telemedicine session was very easy. Quick and efficient, and I was happy to have been able to "see" the doctor from the comfort of home. We had a couple of moments when connectivity hiccups occurred and we had to repeat what we had just said, but overall I thought it was a wonderfully convenient way to receive medical treatment!

I’m so glad you are better and the stye or tear duct has improved. I had a stye, or the doctor said it possibly was a blocked tear duct, basically blepharitis, first one ever, about five years ago. I blamed it on some long wear eye shadow I had been using pretty regularly. Yep, tossed it and the mascara. Haven’t used any long wear eye product like that since. The doctor showed me an eye massage technique to use with baby shampoo to stimulate the tear ducts. I have dry eyes and apparently it sometimes can cause an infection. I still do the massage most nights when I wash my face.

Glad your eye is on the mend. How is your breathing?

I'm sure you know this but be careful about ordering makeup from Amazon. I use cheap plain Maybelline mascara and replace every three months. I ordered from Amazon and when I opened it the mascara was thick and clumpy. I emailed Maybelline and using the code on the package they told me it was very old and to toss it. They sent me a nice coupon and I only buy at the drug store now.