Risks And Side Effects Of Allergy Shots
Just like many medical treatments, allergy shots do come with some risks and side effects, including skin irritation like itching, fatigue and allergy symptoms right after receiving the shot. Anaphylaxis, which is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction, may also occur, making it important for shots to be performed in a doctors office under the supervision of a trained physician.
Most of the serious reactions happen within 30 minutes of the injection, so it is recommended to wait 30 minutes at the doctors office before leaving, says Dr. Hui. Many doctors also prescribe an EpiPen for people who are on allergy shots.
Research indicates that allergy shots do not cause infection. In one study, researchers took a look at more than 3,000 patient records from two large hospitals in MassachusettsBalekian DS, Banerji A, Blumenthal KG ., Camargo CA, Long. Allergen immunotherapy: No evidence of infectious risk. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2016 137:1887-1888. . These patients received over 130,000 shots over 10 years. During this period, no skin or soft tissue infections or systemic infections were cited. As a result, researchers concluded that additional restrictions on allergy shots arent necessary.
Advantages Of Allergy Drops
There are a number of advantages of allergy drops or sublingual immunotherapy such as:
- you can combine several different allergens in the drop format to allow for treatment of multiple allergies at a time
- drops can be custom made to start at low doses and gradually build up to higher doses this is VERY important because many allergic patients are highly sensitive to the allergen and this technique avoids side-effects
- there is no risk to an adverse reaction such as anaphylaxis like there is with allergy shots
- the drops taste pretty good
- you can take the drops from the treatment of your home
- less doctor visits
Dr. Mitchell has treated patients with sublingual allergy drops for over 20 years with amazing results!
These allergy drops are not currently covered by insurance companies but we try to make them an affordable price. Currently, they cost slightly more than you would pay in copays for a weekly allergy shot.
What Happens When Coming In For An Allergy Shot Without An Appointment
When a patient starts immunotherapy and chooses the traditional build-up schedule, they will receive notice when their vials are available at their shot room. We have 40+ offices throughout the region, and the office you choose to get allergy shots in does not have to be the same one where your appointment with your physician was if another is more convenient. After you receive notice, visit the office, check-in at the desk, and take a seat. Once your name is called, our staff will go over safety information during the first visit. At your first visit, you will also be given a scan card to let you sign in by scanning your card at the next visit. This barcode can also be stored on our patient app.
After the first visit, patients come in scan their card and take a seat so our shot room staff can get their vials ready.
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They Can Take A Few Years To Really Work
Allergy shots aren’t a quick fix. While some people may start to feel better during the build-up phase of their treatment, most people won’t experience noticeable improvement until they’ve been in the maintenance phase for six to 18 months, Dr. Dziadzio said.
In fact, a February 2017 JAMA study found that it took three full years for allergy shots for hay fever to be more effective than placebo shots. The maintenance phase for most allergy shots is usually continued for three to five years. Some patients experience long-lasting relief after that, and some may need continued treatment.
What To Expect At Your Appointment
You should take an oral antihistamine such as cetirizine , fexofenadine , or loratadine on the morning of your allergy shot appointment or right before coming to your appointment. However, only do so if it’s okay to take these medications alongside your allergy shots. If you are unsure, ask your allergist.
Once you check in at the front desk for your appointment, a member of our clinic staff will bring you to an exam room. He or she will ask you some questions to evaluate you for any active asthma symptoms before administering your shot.
You will typically receive one to four injections depending on your allergies. We will place the needle into your upper arm to inject the allergen into the tissue between your skin and muscle. Then we will monitor you in the clinic for 30 minutes. It’s common for people to experience itching and swelling at the injection site from the allergy shots. If this occurs, we will apply hydrocortisone cream to provide some relief.
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Immunotherapy For Dog Allergies
Immunotherapy allergy shots for dogs are another way to treat allergies. With this type of treatment, a vet injects small amounts of what the dog is allergic to, increasing the dose slowly, so the dog can learn to tolerate the allergen. The goal is to reduce medication and the need for symptom management until its no longer needed. However, immunotherapy only treats environmental allergies, like pollen, molds, and mites, and wont work for food allergies or flea bite allergies.
What To Think About
- Children younger than 2 should not have allergy shots. Children ages 3 to 4 may find it hard to receive many shots over a long period of time. Talk with your doctor about whether allergy shots are suitable for your child.
- Older adults may be taking medicines or have other medical conditions that may increase the risk of a severe reaction to allergy shots.
- Pregnant women who are already taking allergy shots may continue them. But it is not recommended that allergy shots be started during pregnancy.
- Allergy shots take 3 to 5 years to complete and are expensive. It may take up to 1 year for allergy symptoms to improve. During your treatment, your doctor should evaluate you at least once every 6 to 12 months.
Allergy shots should not be used when you:
- Have had a recent heart attack, unstable angina, or other heart conditions or are taking beta-blockers .
- Are unable to communicate . Most doctors do not give allergy shots to children younger than 5.
If you have a weakened immune system or an autoimmune disease , talk to your doctor about whether allergy shots are safe for you.
Sublingual immunotherapy may be another way to treat certain pollen allergies. Instead of getting shots, you dissolve a tablet under your tongue daily. Each tablet has a small amount of allergen in it. This treatment, like allergy shots, helps your body “get used to” the allergen, so your body reacts less to it over time. Oral and sublingual immunotherapy is being studied for other types of allergies also.
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Allergy Shots: Underused Treatment
Many scowl at the mention of allergy shots. But experts say they can offer lasting relief — freeing people from daily allergy medications.
When it comes to allergies, the best treatment is obvious to those who administer it — and largely avoided by those who need it.
An estimated one in three Americans suffers from seasonal or year-round allergies caused by pollen, mold, insects, dust mites, and other common irritants. And allergy shots — medically known as allergen immunotherapy — are considered by most experts to be the most effective way to bring long-term relief of allergy symptoms.
With each injection, patients are given increasingly higher doses of the actual allergy trigger until their body becomes resistant to it — preventing the allergic reaction. By comparison, antihistamines, inhaled steroids, and other allergy medications — which usually must be taken daily — treat the resulting symptoms caused by the allergy trigger, but not the allergens themselves.
Allergy Shots For Children
As early as ages 3, kids can begin to develop seasonal allergies, leaving many parentswondering what is the best treatment? We also get asked often are allergy shots safe forchildren. Yes, they are, but this is something that needs to be discussed with your allergist.Children, like adults, sometimes develop a minor reaction near the site of the injectionimmediately after the allergy shot is given. Simply applying ice to the area and administering anantihistamine can reduce the swelling.
There are rare cases where children can have a more severe reaction, including hives, itchingacross the body, or difficulty breathing. These are less common but can occur. That is why itsbest to consult with your allergy specialist to determine if an allergy shot is appropriate for yourchild.
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Who Needs Asthma Shots
Individuals who have asthma attacks triggered by allergies to pollen, dust, pet dander, or another allergen for which immunotherapy is available may benefit from allergy shots.
Allergy shots should not be given to:
- Children under the age of 2
- People who have had a recent heart attack, unstable angina, or who are on beta-blockers
- Individuals who are incapable of reporting the side effects of a serious allergic reaction because they are nonverbal or otherwise unable to communicate
How Much Does Sublingual Immunotherapy Cost
Sublingual immunotherapy can range in price. At Wyndly, we offer a sublingual immunotherapy subscription service where medication is delivered to your door. Wyndly patients can get our at-home allergy drop subscription for only $99 a month.
This price includes allergy treatment, as well as regular visits with our in-house allergy specialists. Patients can reach an allergy specialist whenever needed, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our doctors are available through phone, text, video chat, and email.
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They’re A Big Time Commitment
Allergy shots are given in two phases. In the “build-up” phase, you’ll need a shot once or twice a week for about three to six months. After that, you’ll enter the “maintenance” phase and receive them less oftenabout once or twice a month, for several years, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology ,
Sticking to this schedule is important, for the shots’ effectiveness and to reduce your chances of having a bad reaction. “For some people it’s absolutely worth it, but some people just don’t have that time to spare,” Dr. Dziadzio said. And while the shots themselves only take a minute, you probably will have to wait those 30 minutes in your healthcare provider’s office after each one.
What Does Medicare Cover For Allergy Shots
If you have severe allergies, immunotherapy allergy shots may be a good treatment option. However, the cost and multiple office visits can make it difficult to continue as a long-term therapy.
Medicare doesnt have set guidelines on coverage for allergy shots. That means coverage decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by Medicare plans.
Your doctor must document that allergy shots are medically necessary because your symptoms are severe and other treatment options havent helped.
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What Are The Alternatives To Allergy Shots
There are several other formulations for this type of immunotherapy. If you dislike injections, there are sublingual immunotherapy options. Sublingual dosing includes both drops and tablets. Currently, only the tablets are approved by the FDA for certain specific allergies. These allergies include ragweed, timothy grass, and dust mites. More research is needed for this type of dosing but it is currently being investigated for the treatment of eczema and food allergies. Tablets are not FDA approved and are only used off-label.
Why People Stay Away
First, there’s the allergy testing — multiple scratches into the skin with different allergy triggers to identify what the person is allergic to. Then there’s the time involved — weekly injections for three to five months to gradually build resistance followed by several years of monthly “maintenance” shots. And there’s the pain with each allergy shot.
There’s also the time it takes for the allergy shots to show noticeable results usually, several months after those weekly “building” doses are completed. Relief of symptoms can be seen after a few days of antihistamine pills.
And there’s the biggest reason, at least according to most of the allergy sufferers surveyed by the ACAAI three years ago: The cost. Do the math and a doctor’s visit — anywhere from $25 to $100 each, repeated 25 times or so in the first year alone — is a lot more expensive than a bottle of over-the-counter Claritin, right? And if insurance doesn’t pick up the bill, allergy shots may be all but impossible for some people to afford.
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Changes In Your Health
If at any time during the course of your immunotherapy you develop a new medical condition, you become pregnant, or you start a new medication, please tell the nurse. In particular, high blood pressure or heart medications and certain antidepressants cannot be taken with allergy shots. You should not get your allergy shot if you are have a fever, rash, asthma symptoms, or increased allergy symptoms.
Are They Effective
Allergy shots are an extremely good way of treating allergies. They can also prevent the development of new allergies, and in children can stop allergen rhinitis turning into asthma.
They are effective in the treatment of allergic asthma and can relieve allergic reactions that lead to asthma episodes. These benefits can enhance breathing and lessen the need for people with asthma to take asthma medication.
A study conducted by the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology also found that pregnant women, who have allergy shots, during pregnancy, might decrease the chance of their baby developing allergies.
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How Much Does Over
Over-the-counter allergy medication costs vary, depending on the type of medication and the manufacturer.
Most prescription allergy medications are also available over the counter, too. Depending on your health insurance, you may end up paying less out of pocket if you purchase over-the-counter medications.
The most common over-the-counter allergy medications include antihistamines , steroid nasal sprays, and saline sprays and drops.
Many name-brand allergy medications cost around $20 a month.
Side effects such as drowsiness can be one of the main downsides to using allergy medications.
When To Consider Allergy Shots
Many allergy sufferers feel differently based on the time of year. Outdoor allergies may be mild in some months, then more severe in others as pollen counts change. How you feel depends on the season, your specific allergen triggers and how much time you spend outdoors.
It doesnt need to be that way, though, as effective treatments are available.
An allergy is a reaction of your immune system to a foreign substance. It can be pollen, dander from pets, like dogs and cats, to different types of food. When an allergic reaction occurs, it is because your immune system manufacturers substances called antibodies that respond to a substance called an allergen. The antibodies produced attack the allergen that your immune system reacts to, as it has identified them as harmful even though the immune system is mistaken. When your immune system makes antibodies, your body may have a reaction that inflames your skin, your airways, or your digestive system.
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They Could Improve Mental Health
Allergies have the capacity to affect a person’s quality of life, which could include aspects of physical and mental health, according to a January 2016 Drug Discovery Today article
Further, researchers of a September 2018 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that “a history of seasonal allergies was associated with significantly higher odds of reporting lifetime mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders.”
However, the January 2016 Drug Discovery Today article noted that studies have shown the positive affect that allergen immunotherapy can have on the quality of life for those with grass pollen allergies.
Therefore, if severe allergies have really taken a toll on your health and happiness, it’s possible that mental state can improve as well with the help of allergy shots or other immunotherapy options.
How Frequently Are Shots Or Drops Taken
If you choose allergy shots, youll receive one or two shots per week at your doctors office for the first three to six months. After that, youll get one or two shots per month for three to five years. If you choose allergy drops, youll administer the drops under your tongue daily from home for three to five years.
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Benefits Of Allergy Immunotherapy
When oral medication and/or avoidance of allergens fail to control a patients allergic reaction, allergy, shots also known as immunotherapy or allergy desensitization therapy, may be the solution. There are several benefits for patients who get allergy shots and they include:
- Some people dont tolerate oral medications well. These patients might do better with allergy shots so long as needles and injections do not bother the individual. Though shots are taken on a weekly schedule that becomes monthly, after three to five years the shots may be ended when the response is permanent.
- While the cost of allergy shots is more expensive than oral over-the-counter medication, in the long run, allergy shots are less expensive than oral medications as patients do not need shots forever.
- Allergy medications taken by mouth treat the symptoms of allergies, but, allergy shots treat the causes of allergic responses. When immunotherapy is successful, patients enjoy a complete cure as the shots treat the underlying causes of allergies rather than the symptoms.
