Allergy Shots

[Unregistered]

I'm considering getting allergy shots, but I don't know if I should. I'm looking for anyone who can give me a pro or con about them, as I haven't done them before.

I'm allergic to:
Bermuda, Timothy and June (blue) grasses (All summer allergens)
Ragweed, English plaintain and lamb's quater (Fall allergens)
Maple, Birch, oak and cottonwood (Spring allergens)
Cats
Molds (penicillium notatum (not the medication penicillin) and hormodendrum cladosporioides)
Mites (house dust and mite d farinae)

I'm debating getting the shots because I don't very bad, but I'm also thinking that past symptoms I've been having have been the allergies and not other issues.

Currently I'm on allergra and nexium for reflux (which may actually be allergies, not reflux)

[Unregistered]

I'm sorry it took so long for someone to respond to you. I have taken allergy shots before and they helped me tremendously. I have been off of them for about 3 years now and I am thinking about going back on them. I had the allergy test and was allergic to everything except two allergens that were not even located in my area. I would have severe sinus drainage that would make me nauseated and sick to my stomach almost every morning for several years. It really interfered with work because I would have to leave my desk to use the restroom because my drainage made me so sick. Not fun to say the least! Since I have taken the shots, I may have gotten sick two or three times in the last three years due to drainage problems. I would say if you have severe allergies, then definately take the shots. If zyrtec or allegra control your allergies, then I would say to stick to your prescription allergy meds. Zyrtec and Allegra didn't really work well for me until after I had allergy shots. My only complaint about the shots is you have to take off of work or go early in the morning once a week to go and get the shot. It was a pain in the **** (arm actually), but it was worth it for me.

[Unregistered]

Yeah...I don't think I'm going to go with the shots because I feel ok on my allegra. It turns out I'm not severely allergic to any of them.

[tscka]

Hi, I'm 20 years old, and I've had chronic allergies all of my life. However, I didn't start taking allergy shots until about a year ago. So far, I haven't seen a dramatic result from those shots, but I haven't had a severe sinus infection this year...so they must be working a little. I take Zyrtec and Nasonex on a daily basis, too. Sorry I can't answer your question completely, but I noticed the person that replied to your question said that they had been nausea from nasal drainage.... My question: Can chronic allergies cause extreme fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Plus...faint-like spells. I've posted this question in the "I can't get a diagnosis" section, but to re-emphasize this, I've been extremely 'wore-out' and nausea for almost 6-7 years now without a 'known' reason. Therefore, I was also wondering if allergy shots would help those symptoms I just stated, besides my normal nasal/sinus problems?

[Unregistered]

I think that allergies can probably cause nausea and dizziness if cause you ear problems. I'm pretty sure that they can cause fatigue as well. I'm no expert, but my guess is that the allergy shots should help you with this.

[Unregistered]

I'm allergic to every airborne allergen they tested me for. I had eight really serious sinus infections - 103 fever, sinus drainage bad enough to be hugging the ceramic throne, my skin hurt - within a 6 month period of time. Since I started taking the shots (I give them to myself) I haven't had a single sinus infection. I still deal with allergy problems, but they're not nearly as bad as they were before I started taking the shots. I even got off the shots for a couple of months to see how I would do without them. That was a bad idea. The shots, combined with allergy meds, have been a lifesaver.

[Unregistered]

What doctor do you see that lets you administer the shots yourself? I absolutely hate having to go to the doctor's office, which is always crowded, and then be told I have to wait 20 minutes. I don't have 20 minutes to just sit and twiddle my thumbs.

They say it's for my safety, but I haven't found the actual probabilities, or any other quantitative information on how dangerous it actually is.

Anyway, I really, really want to do the shots myself at home, but I don't know of a doctor that will let me do that.

[Not Registered]

What doctor do you see that lets you administer the shots yourself? I absolutely hate having to go to the doctor's office, which is always crowded, and then be told I have to wait 20 minutes. I don't have 20 minutes to just sit and twiddle my thumbs.

They say it's for my safety, but I haven't found the actual probabilities, or any other quantitative information on how dangerous it actually is.

Anyway, I really, really want to do the shots myself at home, but I don't know of a doctor that will let me do that.

Ya know, I used to think the SAME EXACT THING! Why in the h3ll should I wait 20 minutes???? I've got things to do! It used to annoy me SO much. Then, one day, as I was waiting my 20 minutes, I started getting dizzy about 15 minutes after I received my shots. I was cognitive long enough to put my cell phone away so it didn't get broken, and shout to the nurses that I'm not feeling well at all. Things started spinning and I got VERY nautious. They got me to the back and the doctor gave me the shot to counteract my allergy shots. I had started to go into Anaphylactic Shock. If that type of shock gets bad enough, CAN be lethal.

Had I left without waiting, I would have undoubtedly got into a car accident and gotten SERIOUSLY injured. Not to mention what could have happened had I not been immediately treated for Anaphylactic Shock.

I no longer complain or even think poorly about waiting the 20 minutes. In fact, after that, I've upped it to waiting 30 mins. It's worth it to me. I don't EVER wanna go thru that again. Talk about scary!

[Panddodle]

I have taken allergy shots for 5 1/2 years. they did not work for me. Neither does allergy meds. I am allergic to many pollens plus molds/fungus, so I have symptoms year 'round. I stopped the shots after all thos years as my arm would always get edema 6 hours after getting the shot. And since the shots weren't helping, why put myself through it ?

[I am not registered]

If you are considering taking allergy shots, also known as immuno-therapy, read the following:

I was a chronic sufferer of allergies (meaning allergies bad in the spring and fall, and having to use medication single year).

If you have consistent chronic allergies that happen every year and cause moderate to severe discomfort (not acute) -- get the shots over taking medication.

Many reasons
-Lots of times taking the medication in the beginning of a new allergen season (grass in the spring, ragweed in the fall) doesn't work 100% at first, but only after taking it for a few weeks and builds up in your body do you get a 100% effect, even then, not always. So medications are not always effective
-As a human being, you should avoid taking medications if you don't have to. They are artificially produced chemicals by giant companies looking to make money for their shareholders. Yes, they may treat your symptoms, but allergy shots treat the problem. Having chemicals build up in your body from medications could cause other side effects and even diseases (like cancer), down the road. It's best not to pollute your body. I am not saying it will cause cancer, but we just don't know yet, so its best not to put anything in your body that isn't grown naturally.
-Medication costs money, and that ads up over time. Allergy shots are usually covered by insurance 100% (depending on your plan, i have a $5 copay with min).
-Allergy shots treat the problem, not the symptoms. When you take an allergy shot, your body is injected with what makes you sick -- the allergens. You immune system immediately responds as it would to any foreign object, like bacteria or viruses, and begins to make antibodies against this enemy. As your injections continue over the years, your body becomes increasingly resistant and immune from the allergens, because your body's antibodies are strong, efficient, and numerous enough to take care of them before they cause any problems. This is why the medical term for allergy shots is called "immuno-therapy".
-Freedom. After a year you only go once a month, then every 2 months, then every 3 months, eventually, every 6 months. You can feel free to go on vacation, and not pack your meds, and you won't wake up with allergies ruining your day. No more forgetting to take your medication or forgetting to order it from the pharmacy. You simply won't have to worry about them any more
-Most effective. While allergy shots don't work for all people for some reason, when they do, they are, at least for me, 99% effective. I go throughout my life and I know i will never have to worry about the allergies again. They say, after a certain amoutn of time has passed, maybe 10 or 20 years, you may need to repeat it again, but that is different for all people.

Finally, going to get them I find is a nice break from work. Every employer has been perfectly fine with me leaving to get them, as they see you won't be calling out sick due to complications with allergies, such as sinus headaches, infections, etc. The shots do not hurt (cmon, we are not children anymore) and you have to wait a half an hour. I use this time to relax, read a book, play my DS, or just sleep. Imagine if you had a medical condition, and you could "work out" your body in a way that would negate that condition, over taking medication. Wouldn't you want to do that instead?