Posts About Allergy Shots/Immunotherapy?

[Judy]

Greetings ~ I'm being slowly tortured to death by allergies of all kinds. Five years ago an allergist told me to get the shots protocol. I declined out of fear due to having ME/CFS and her not knowing squat about this disease.

I'm starting to feel like I may have no choice but to try this therapy. My worst symptoms are severe congestion and a hacking cough, both are getting worse. I'm dependent on Afrin nose spray multiple times a day for five years and counting. Nothing Else Works To Let Me Breathe. Something's gotta give.

Can anyone guide me to posts pro/con about getting this treatment?

Thank you so much, Judy

 

[Edie]

Greetings ~ I'm being slowly tortured to death by allergies of all kinds. Five years ago an allergist told me to get the shots protocol. I declined out of fear due to having ME/CFS and her not knowing squat about this disease.

I'm starting to feel like I may have no choice but to try this therapy. My worst symptoms are severe congestion and a hacking cough, both are getting worse. I'm dependent on Afrin nose spray multiple times a day for five years and counting. Nothing Else Works To Let Me Breathe. Something's gotta give.

Can anyone guide me to posts pro/con about getting this treatment?

Thank you so much, Judy

Hi Judy, I had great success with NAET to get rid of my allergies/sensitivities. It might be something to consider. Just google it for more information. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum says that low adrenals could be triggering allergies and recently, I learned that low thyroid could be implicated as well. Hope this helps.

 

[Remy]

Greetings ~ I'm being slowly tortured to death by allergies of all kinds. Five years ago an allergist told me to get the shots protocol. I declined out of fear due to having ME/CFS and her not knowing squat about this disease.

I'm starting to feel like I may have no choice but to try this therapy. My worst symptoms are severe congestion and a hacking cough, both are getting worse. I'm dependent on Afrin nose spray multiple times a day for five years and counting. Nothing Else Works To Let Me Breathe. Something's gotta give.

Can anyone guide me to posts pro/con about getting this treatment?

Thank you so much, Judy

You might want to read about MCAS first and see if it fits your symptoms.

Do you currently take any allergy or asthma meds?

https://www.healthrising.org/forums...odern-epidemics-of-chronic-illness-afrin.338/

 

[Judy]

Hi Judy, I had great success with NAET to get rid of my allergies/sensitivities. It might be something to consider. Just google it for more information. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum says that low adrenals could be triggering allergies and recently, I learned that low thyroid could be implicated as well. Hope this helps.

Hi Edie ~ I'm glad for you! Unfortunately, I only got temporary relief from the expensive NAET. Judy

 

[Judy]

You might want to read about MCAS first and see if it fits your symptoms.

Do you currently take any allergy or asthma meds?

https://www.healthrising.org/forums...odern-epidemics-of-chronic-illness-afrin.338/

Thanks, Remy ~ I match some of the description, but not all. I have tried Quercitin with little results. I have a good diet and have for years. Avoid the bad guys like the plague. I'm telling ya, I have SEVERE allergies.

Funny that his name is Dr. Afrin!

I don't take pills. They didn't work either. I may try again though, that new Claritin pill.

So, no one has tried the allergy shots here?

Thanks, Judy

 

[Judy]

Hi Edie ~ I'm glad for you! Unfortunately, I only got temporary relief from the expensive NAET. Judy

Also, I do have hypothyroid and Hashimotos. I'm a mess!

 

[Remy]

Thanks, Remy ~ I match some of the description, but not all. I have tried Quercitin with little results. I have a good diet and have for years. Avoid the bad guys like the plague. I'm telling ya, I have SEVERE allergies.

Funny that his name is Dr. Afrin!

I don't take pills. They didn't work either. I may try again though, that new Claritin pill.

So, no one has tried the allergy shots here?

Thanks, Judy

I think you have to figure out the cause. Traditional allergy shots will only work for IgE mediated allergies.

Allergy shots, immunotherapy or allergy injection therapy (AIT) is the one treatment that can actually reverse the allergy process in persons with allergic asthma, hay fever, stinging insect allergy or allergic rhinitis. This is done by preparing an extract of the airborne things to which a patient is allergic. A very tiny amount is injected in the arm. A few days later a slightly larger amount is injected and so on over a number of months. By doing this the patient’s immune system is gradually stimulated to form protective antibodies (IgG) which in turn switch off the production of allergy-causing antibodies (IgE). In the large majority of patients the frequency and severity of allergy symptoms diminish dramatically as the dose of the allergy extract increases. It is a gradual process. It does take time but it is the one treatment that can get at the cause of allergies rather than merely treating the symptoms with drugs.

If you allergies aren't IgE mediated, they won't work. Most allergies in ME/CFS aren't IgE mediated but you can test to see.

Afrin nasal spray can cause a serious rebound sinus congestion, especially after continuous long term use. The allergy shots won't help if this is the cause now of the sinus problems now either, regardless of what started in the first place.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinitis_medicamentosa

I think you need to get a second opinion from a doctor well-versed in traditional allergies AND MCAS (which is hard to find, I know) to determine the root cause of the problem in order to make any sound decisions on the proper course of treatment.

 

[Judy]

Maybe I'm screwed.
And I just checked my records. There's no mention of IgE Mediation. Just results of the skin test.

 

[Remy]

Maybe I'm screwed.
And I just checked my records. There's no mention of IgE Mediation. Just results of the skin test.

You're not screwed, you just need more information to make an educated decision.

Skin prick tests have a high rate of false positives..

Positive tests, however, are not always accurate. About 50-60 percent of all SPTs yield “false positive” results, meaning that the test shows positive even though you are not really allergic to the food being tested.

You probably need blood tests too.

https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=42603

Eliminating dairy in particular also seems helpful for many people with excess mucus and congestion.

 

[Judy]

I was skin tested for grasses, trees, pollens, mold, dust, cats, dogs. Are those usually false positive too? I can tell you that I've known I was allergic to those things years and years before ever getting tested.

If those tests turn out to be IgE Mediated, you think the shots won't help anything at this point due to five years on Afrin?

I don't eat dairy or gluten and I'm low sugar.

 

[Remy]

I was skin tested for grasses, trees, pollens, mold, dust, cats, dogs. Are those usually false positive too? I can tell you that I've known I was allergic to those things years and years before ever getting tested.

If those tests turn out to be IgE Mediated, you think the shots won't help anything at this point due to five years on Afrin?

I don't eat dairy or gluten and I'm low sugar.

All skin testing, as far as I know, is subject to a high rate of false positives.

I think it's entirely possible that you will need to discontinue the Afrin, yes. It's similar to how opiates eventually up regulate the pain receptors and make pain sensations worse after a long time. It's very difficult, i know, so I hope you can find a doctor that can really help you sort out IgE vs MCAS with some testing and help get you going in the right direction.