M
MountainReader
Guest
Immunotherapy for allergies is all about helping build a your body's tolerance to an allergen and decrease your allergic response to it. The process is called desensitization.
Before beginning immunotherapy, you need to see an allergy specialist for allergy testing. They will have a multi-page questionnaire regarding your health and symptoms. You will also be instructed to refrain from some of your allergy medications for about a week prior to having your testing. The last 2 times I have arrived for testing, they have done a quick spirometry test prior to beginning the testing. (I'm not sure if this is typical for everyone or if it is because I have developed asthma over the years.)
Getting to the testing, I've had it done 3 times. Basically what they do is to introduce a small amount of the allergen into your skin to see if you have a reaction. The allergens they use are based upon your questionnaire answers and what the common allergens are for your region of the country. Once they introduce the allergen, they will have you wait a while, then they will measure the size of the reaction, or wheal. The size of the wheal (welt) helps them determine the level of severity of your allergy.
Testing type 1: They mark a grid on your back and then they do skin pricks on your back and maybe your upper arms. These are tiny pinpricks that contain the allergen. They will also do a control skin prick as well. You will lay on your stomach for 20 minutes or 1/2 hour. They may have a TV or you could listen to music or read while you wait. If you are having some reactions, it you may feel the itches pop up and become uncomfortable, but they will put some cream on it after they read your results. They will also wipe the ink off your back. They will review your results on-site after the testing and discuss your options for further treatment. My appointments were about 1 hour-1 1/2 hours depending on the wait.
Testing type 2: This is done on all areas of both of your arms. They will mark griRAB on your arms. They inject tiny amounts of the allergens into your skin. They will also do a control injection as well. They use injections of allergens in 5 different strengths for each allergen. Depending on your questionnaire, they will do a first set of injections with varying strengths. If you have allergies you know of, they will start lowest, if you don't have any known allergies, they may begin at a bit stronger strength. After the first set of injections, they wait about 15 minutes. Then they measure the wheals. If there was a strong reaction, they may or may not choose to give you the next injection of a stronger strength. If there was no reaction, they will give you an injection of a stronger strength. You will then wait another 15 minutes. They will repeat this process several times until they feel they have a good reading on the severity of your reaction for each allergen. I have some fairly severe allergies so I ended up with probably 250-300 individual injections in rows all over my arms. I'm not sure that is typical though. You will know the results as they go through the process if they talk to you about what they are doing, but they will review the results with them as they complete the process.
Once you have your results, you will discuss your follow-up treatment with your doctor or technician. If immunotherapy is recommended, they will go over their recommendations for which allergens they recommend you receive treatment for. Depending on the nuraber and severity of your allergies, you may be receiving between one and 3 injections per visit. One or two injections are more typical for most people. My personal advice is to think carefully on which treatments you accept. I have multiple allergies. I had testing a few years ago and despite multiple identified allergies, the doctor only offered immunotherapy for one of my allergens. The following-year, I went to a new allergy clinic for testing and I am now receiving treatment for 28 of my worst allergies.
Your schedule for the allergy shots will differ depending on the clinic you are visiting. When you begin the shots you will go either once or twice per week. If you are on the twice per week schedule it will probably be for about 3-6 months depending on your reaction to the shots. You will then go to once per week. They begin shots with a very small amount of your allergen. After the shots you will wait in your doctors office for 15 minutes so that you can be monitored for any severe reactions. At the end of the 15 minutes, you will have your reaction checked. They have some cream available if you are really itchy. If you have a strong reaction, they will repeat that amount each week until the reaction lessens, they will then introduce the next higher dosage. If your reaction is minimal, they will go ahead with the next higher dosage depending on your schedule. The rate at which you progress through your therapy depenRAB on your reactions. Eventually you will be able to go every other week. TowarRAB the end, you may go to once per month. When you build to the highest amount and go a while with no reactions, you will be at your maintainence dosage. You will stay at that level for the remainder of your shots. It took me about a year to hit my maintainence level.
The shot schedule typically lasts 3-5 years. My doctor predicts about 5 years with shots and 5 years off before beginning again. Some people can go in excess of 10 years between therapy sessions. It really is an individual thing.
Additional advice: Talk to your doctor about taking an antihistimine on the days of your shots if you are not on them daily. Carry Benedryl with you 'just in case'. You may also want to have some cortizone cream handy. Get a prescription for an Epi-pen and make sure you carry it with you when you are getting your shots, again 'just in case'. Ice packs make things feel better if you have a shot that gives you a large welt.
About 6 years after my first immunotherapy session, I went in for testing as my allergies had gotten worse. Testing showed that some of my allergies were severe, but some of the allergies ones that had been severe originally were only moderate this time. To me that meant that the initial immunotherapy was still working for some of the allergens.
I started noticing a difference about a year into my second round of immunotherapy. I'm beginning my second year of treatment and have gone from 4 daily allergy medications to two and am doing well so far. I've also had a decrease in my nuraber of sinus infections as well. I anticipate reducing even further over the next few years. Based upon my experience, I consider immunotherapy a very effective course of treatment.
Before beginning immunotherapy, you need to see an allergy specialist for allergy testing. They will have a multi-page questionnaire regarding your health and symptoms. You will also be instructed to refrain from some of your allergy medications for about a week prior to having your testing. The last 2 times I have arrived for testing, they have done a quick spirometry test prior to beginning the testing. (I'm not sure if this is typical for everyone or if it is because I have developed asthma over the years.)
Getting to the testing, I've had it done 3 times. Basically what they do is to introduce a small amount of the allergen into your skin to see if you have a reaction. The allergens they use are based upon your questionnaire answers and what the common allergens are for your region of the country. Once they introduce the allergen, they will have you wait a while, then they will measure the size of the reaction, or wheal. The size of the wheal (welt) helps them determine the level of severity of your allergy.
Testing type 1: They mark a grid on your back and then they do skin pricks on your back and maybe your upper arms. These are tiny pinpricks that contain the allergen. They will also do a control skin prick as well. You will lay on your stomach for 20 minutes or 1/2 hour. They may have a TV or you could listen to music or read while you wait. If you are having some reactions, it you may feel the itches pop up and become uncomfortable, but they will put some cream on it after they read your results. They will also wipe the ink off your back. They will review your results on-site after the testing and discuss your options for further treatment. My appointments were about 1 hour-1 1/2 hours depending on the wait.
Testing type 2: This is done on all areas of both of your arms. They will mark griRAB on your arms. They inject tiny amounts of the allergens into your skin. They will also do a control injection as well. They use injections of allergens in 5 different strengths for each allergen. Depending on your questionnaire, they will do a first set of injections with varying strengths. If you have allergies you know of, they will start lowest, if you don't have any known allergies, they may begin at a bit stronger strength. After the first set of injections, they wait about 15 minutes. Then they measure the wheals. If there was a strong reaction, they may or may not choose to give you the next injection of a stronger strength. If there was no reaction, they will give you an injection of a stronger strength. You will then wait another 15 minutes. They will repeat this process several times until they feel they have a good reading on the severity of your reaction for each allergen. I have some fairly severe allergies so I ended up with probably 250-300 individual injections in rows all over my arms. I'm not sure that is typical though. You will know the results as they go through the process if they talk to you about what they are doing, but they will review the results with them as they complete the process.
Once you have your results, you will discuss your follow-up treatment with your doctor or technician. If immunotherapy is recommended, they will go over their recommendations for which allergens they recommend you receive treatment for. Depending on the nuraber and severity of your allergies, you may be receiving between one and 3 injections per visit. One or two injections are more typical for most people. My personal advice is to think carefully on which treatments you accept. I have multiple allergies. I had testing a few years ago and despite multiple identified allergies, the doctor only offered immunotherapy for one of my allergens. The following-year, I went to a new allergy clinic for testing and I am now receiving treatment for 28 of my worst allergies.
Your schedule for the allergy shots will differ depending on the clinic you are visiting. When you begin the shots you will go either once or twice per week. If you are on the twice per week schedule it will probably be for about 3-6 months depending on your reaction to the shots. You will then go to once per week. They begin shots with a very small amount of your allergen. After the shots you will wait in your doctors office for 15 minutes so that you can be monitored for any severe reactions. At the end of the 15 minutes, you will have your reaction checked. They have some cream available if you are really itchy. If you have a strong reaction, they will repeat that amount each week until the reaction lessens, they will then introduce the next higher dosage. If your reaction is minimal, they will go ahead with the next higher dosage depending on your schedule. The rate at which you progress through your therapy depenRAB on your reactions. Eventually you will be able to go every other week. TowarRAB the end, you may go to once per month. When you build to the highest amount and go a while with no reactions, you will be at your maintainence dosage. You will stay at that level for the remainder of your shots. It took me about a year to hit my maintainence level.
The shot schedule typically lasts 3-5 years. My doctor predicts about 5 years with shots and 5 years off before beginning again. Some people can go in excess of 10 years between therapy sessions. It really is an individual thing.
Additional advice: Talk to your doctor about taking an antihistimine on the days of your shots if you are not on them daily. Carry Benedryl with you 'just in case'. You may also want to have some cortizone cream handy. Get a prescription for an Epi-pen and make sure you carry it with you when you are getting your shots, again 'just in case'. Ice packs make things feel better if you have a shot that gives you a large welt.
About 6 years after my first immunotherapy session, I went in for testing as my allergies had gotten worse. Testing showed that some of my allergies were severe, but some of the allergies ones that had been severe originally were only moderate this time. To me that meant that the initial immunotherapy was still working for some of the allergens.
I started noticing a difference about a year into my second round of immunotherapy. I'm beginning my second year of treatment and have gone from 4 daily allergy medications to two and am doing well so far. I've also had a decrease in my nuraber of sinus infections as well. I anticipate reducing even further over the next few years. Based upon my experience, I consider immunotherapy a very effective course of treatment.