Anyone have experience with immunotherapy (allergy shots)??

[Tyrath]

I was wondering if anyone here has done or is doing the allergy shots? I'm considering them and was wondering if anyone has any experiences (good or bad) they want to share about the process?

I am allergic to a bunch of random spring shit, along with dustmites, cats and dogs. I really love animals, and while I don't have any pets currently, I don't really see a future of mine that doesn't involve cats and dogs.

I currently take an preventative inhaler that keeps some of my symptoms in check, but it does contain steroids and I don't know if I want to have to take that for the rest of my life.

Any advice, experiences, etc. about the process are welcome.

[Blubbartron]

I'm allergic to everything furry, and for a time lived with friends who had 2 dogs. I was on allergy shots for about a year and a half total, and I was very pleased with the results. It's not a quick fix by any means. It takes months to get up to the maintenance dosage, even if you get shots every week (or every 5 days, I think is the minimum).

As far as the process goes, depending on the severity of your allergies and any associated problems you might have (I have asthma that's aggravated by allergies), the day of your shot can suck quite a bit. I usually got a tickle in my throat that wouldn't go away for a day or so, and a lump on my arm at the injection site. I got the shot in the evenings (around 6, after work), and sometimes it interfered with my sleep because I couldn't breathe normally while laying down. Granted, I didn't take any anti-histamine, but you can do that. Supposedly the shots are still effective even if you mediate the symptoms, but I was of the opinion that my body would build tolerance faster and better if I didn't. Might not be medically sound in reality, but it makes sense to me. I didn't really discuss it with my doctor at the time.

[Tyrath]

Yeah I might skip my zyrtec but I plan to keep using my preventative inhaler during the process. Since it only really maintains the symptoms and doesn't do anything for the actual cause. The doctor told me I could keep using both.

[Prim]

I've been afflicted with allergies of all types since I was very young, and still suffer from allergies 24/7/365. None of those crazy new hip allergies like peanuts and soy, just mostly environmental stuff (ragweed, oak, timithy grass, etc.) + cats that I spontaneously developed when I was 18. My parents started me on allergy shots when I was around 7, and I continued them until around 13.

If you haven't been formally tested for allergies, they'll make you do that first. That takes about an hour where they map out spots on your arm or back, give you 20 or so scratches of various allergens, and watch to see what reacts. If you have a lot of reactions, this part can be maddening since it itches like fuck and they won't give you any benadryl until the test is complete.

The allergy shots themselves are nothing more than systematic desensitization, have varying results from person to person, and from allergy to allergy. You'll start out going to the allergist for shots 2-3 times a week at first, then they'll back you off to once a week or so for maintenance. It took 2 years until they dropped me to once a month. If there's no wait at the allergist you could get in and out in about 30 minutes. They give you the shot of allergens (usually a combo shot now with a bunch of allergens in 1 dose), make you wait for 10-20 minutes to watch for a reaction, and then send you home.

As for the results? It's usually dependent on a prolonged treatment schedule. Don't expect to see any improvement in the first few months, and no significant improvement until 6mo-1yr. It's hard for me to remember how bad my allergies were because it was 30 years ago, but I do remember that the shots helped... eventually; even though I still suffer mildly on a day-to-day basis. It's very important to manage your symptoms even if you're getting shots. Adults are more prone than kids to their allergies getting worse when repeatedly exposed to an allergen, so haphazardly exposing yourself to them is a bad idea. Fel d 1, the protein that causes cat allergies, is my current nemesis since I own 3 cats and my reactions can be moderate to severe if I'm not diligent on keeping my house clean. However I was just in a clinical trial for a cat allergy vaccine (http://www.circassia.com/portfolio/cat/) which has shown an incredible success rate up through Phase III. Fuck my luck though- I got placebo. That stuff can't hit the market fast enough.

[Tyrath]

I got the tests done already. My full list of allergies are:

Cats, dogs, dustmites, ragweed, grass, birch/oak/maple.

And it seems the procedures have advanced since you did the shots. I start with shots once a week for 6 months, after that it becomes less frequent. I've been managing my symptoms okay, I had a stretch of 8 months where I coughed all the time and I couldn't take it any more. I want to do the shots so I can lessen the symptoms that are still leftover and maybe not have to use steroids via inhaler for the rest of my life.

I gotta figure out if my insurance can let me afford this, which I'll find out in a couple weeks since I'm getting off my parent's insurance and onto my job's soon.

[Mertron]

im allergic to autism so no shots for me thanks

[Obsidian]

Without my allergy shots I'd be unable to open my eyes or breathe through my nose from the middle of April through the end of July. With them there are still some days where my eyes are a bit itchy. I've been getting my shots for just over 9 years now I think. Definitely worth it, but they're also covered under OHIP so maybe my experience is coloured by not having to worry about the cost.

[Prim]

I'm not surprised and glad to hear the shots have become more "efficient" since my days. If your insurance will cover them and you don't mind the inconvenience of going to get the shots, there's really no reason not to. At worst it does nothing, and at best you aren't as miserable every day.

[BaneTheBrawler]

I'm allergic to everything furry

how do you get by on the internet?

anyway i'm allergic to a lot of stupid shit. latex cats and peanuts being the most inconvenient. i did allergy shots for a while (10-12 years ago now holy fuck), but went into anaphylaxis so that ended that. shits not fun. but you do the shots in a clinic and theyre equipped to handle it, so yeah.

[Jamison]

It will range wildly. I took shots for a year and saw worthwhile improvement. I only quit because of a change in insurance that was going to start costing me a lot of money. I started because of a chronic cough and this was a stop-gap before deciding if my tonsils needed to be removed.

I have a friend who started shots 3 months ago. Every time she gets them, it knocks her out for the day and she is miserable. I also have an older neighbor who took shots for 2-3 years, saw zero improvement, then quit. it really is just a gamble, but with the potential to have a nice payoff.

[Howie Roary]

I went to get allergy tested, they did the 21 pricks on one arm and however many on the other, waited. Nada.

I told the allergist when I'm around 3 or more dogs I get itchy lips, burning eyes and that feeling in your throat when a cold is starting -- especially if the owner(s) are less than vigilant with keepin the space free of pet hair

anyway, he said if that happens consistentl in those conditions, then you're allergic. The test can be inconclusive. What kind of science is this? lol

[Byrthnoth]

They are probably screening the 21 most common allergens, purified and mass produced at medical grade specifications. Sonot being allergic to the dog compound doesn't mean you are not allergic to dogs. In a lot of ways it is a much more accurate test to just go roll around in whaever you suspect as an allergen.

[BaneTheBrawler]

dont actually do that though

and yeah, not only are those tests not entirely reliable, neither is your body. bodies do weird shit. especially the immune system.

[Tyrath]

Lucky me then that my tests came out pretty conclusive that I was allergic to cats, dogs, dust, and all of spring lol

[Prim]

I got retested for allergies as part of the Cat study I was in. My wife was giving me shit because I said it was going to be uncomfortable. She had just been tested as well and had almost no reactions. So I sent this to her and said, "This is what a proper allergy test looks like."

[Jamison]

I had one reaction like that on the pre-test (Timothy) and they couldn't even do the actual test on me.

[archibaldcrane]

OP sounds exactly like me at age 15, got shots for a year or so, helped tremendously. Cured my allergy-triggered asthma, significantly helped the rest of my allergies.

[kuronosan]

Man, so sorry I missed this thread lol.

[titus888]

I did. A couple of times that is. I am allergic to seafood and I end up going to the ER after. I kind of think that I am already immune with the shots though.