I've talked about this on the amalgam forum, but thought this would be appropriate to mention it here.

I contracted some kind of potent bacteria/virus in 2003 after an eye infection from using an infected mascara. I believe that this occured because I was adding water to my mascara as it was dying out.

This apparently should never be done, but I had gotten away with it in the past and didn't think much of it. When mascaras get a little past their time, they dry up and of course one should simply buy a new one. However, it is very tempting to get the last out of it and add a bit of water to make it more fluid.

I had done this on and off for many years without a problem. One day, I was not so lucky. In 2003, my mascara had begun to get too dry, so I added a little water to it. I do not recall exactly when things went wrong, but it was a little after this that I noticed my eyes began to sting.

It appared around the same time that i developed what I thought was an ordinary flu. But I had no idea this was no ordinary flu. It coincided with the eye pain, and soon the eye problems increased.

Though the "flu" appeared to wear off a bit, the eye problems did not. The infection had spread to every other eye cosmetic and not long after I would use a new eye cosmetic, the infection would spread into that one and so it went on. I was unable to use make up.

The pain in the eyes was no ordinary pain, it was like something I had not experienced before and it would often be set off by applying any eye cosmetic, reading a book, or simpy using my eyes in anyway (computer), etc. Once they'd be set off, I would be in agony for the rest of the day.

This went on day after day, and I finally got eye drops which didn't seem to make much difference. Perhaps "slightly" alleviated. As time wore on, I began to notice other problems that seemed to be spreading from the eyes into my head area. I began to go off-balance when walking, and felt strange chill-like sensations and movements through my head. I found it hard to talk sometimes and slurred a little of my words and my typing skills deteriorated. They slowed down and I could barely keep concentration.

This continued. Though the eyes themselves appeared to be clearing up a bit, the infection was spreading. I then felt it go into the rest of my body. I had sore throat with strange spots at the back of my mouth with a swollen euvula. I could not longer exercise without worsening my condition.

My entire body developed a chronic fatigue and viral symptoms. I was ill from then on and became less happy, sicker, less personality etc.

I was simply not the same. I also noticed that upon exposure to any toxins, I woudl get almost immediate brain symptoms (often severe and long term). I attributed this to possible damage to the blood brain barrier that would normally keep toxins out...but I do not know.

I had thrown out just about every eye cosmetic I had used during that infection, but kept one. I thought that it had not been used, but I was wrong.

Oneday, I used this eye cosmetic (eye liner) and suddenly the same eye infection symptoms returned, though not as strongly as before. My entire condition worsened again and this time I was even worse than the original infection.

Since that time, I have been permanently affected and to this day, it is with me. I still cannot exercise properly, I am fatigued everyday of my life to where even taking a bath is exhausting for me. If I overdo anything I can be affected by strong viral symptoms for weeks after this. Sore throat, coughing, fever, exhaustion, headache, the whole deal.

Nobody seems to know what it is and nothing has shown up on any test. It is a mysterious, but I believe volatile bacteria that simply got into my eyes and spread. This may have occured because I was vulnerable for it.... I was at the time healing from mercury toxicity, but still "detoxing" from it. So the timing was unfortunate, because after many years of hell from mercury poisoning, and then hell detoxing it, just coming out of it and feeling happy and healthier and I got hit with something that has proved to be even worse!!!!!

At any rate, my story here may seem unusual, but it should be a warning to any female who maybe making the same mistake I made and watering down her mascara! NEVER EVER DO IT. For me it wasn't a case of some eye irritation, this has almost ruined my life.