Allergy Injection Therapy

(Allergy Shots)

1.     How do allergy injections work?

a.    Allergy injections (hyposensitization immunotherapy) are similar to a vaccine injection.  This treatment causes the patient's body to build protective immunity to your allergies.

b.    The allergy treatment extracts (antigens or vaccines) are prepared from the substances to which the patient has been shown to be allergic.  The injections can be given for pollens, dust, molds, and animal danders, but not for foods or chemicals.

2.    How effective are allergy injections?
Significant relief can be expected.  The most common causes of a poor result are irregularity in taking allergy injections or the failure to rid the household environment of allergens such as animals or dust.

 3.   Can reactions occur on allergy injections?
Yes, reactions may occur.  They may be local or generalized.

a.    Local reactions:  These are not unusual and they consist of redness, swelling and itching at the site of the injection.  These local reactions may occur immediately, or up to six hours after a shot.  If a local reaction is bothersome, then an antihistamine should be taken to clear it up.  Application of a cold towel also helps the local reaction in most cases.

b.    Generalized reactions (anaphylactic reactions):  These are more serious, but are rare.  They usually occur within minutes of the injection and consist of a variety of allergy symptoms such as wheezing, sneezing, hives, itching or swelling.  If sever, an anaphylactic reaction may result in shock, coma or even death.  If an anaphylactic reaction occurs, the treatment is an injection of Adrenalin (epinephrine).  Because of the possibility of anaphylactic reaction, it is recommended that allergy injections always be given in a medical facility.

c.    Because of the possibility of an allergy shot reaction, all patients must wait 30 minutes after the injection and then have the nurse check the injection site.  The 30 minute wait is required even when on the maintenance dosage.

 4.   What is the schedule for allergy shots?
The initial dosage is very small and subsequent doses are increased.  The first phase of the treatment is called the "build-up period", and it lasts about 3-4 months.  During this time, injections are given twice weekly.  When the maintenance dose is reached, the shots are given once weekly, as long as they are needed.

 5.   How long is it before allergy injections take effect?
Since it takes time to build a person's immunity with this treatment, we usually do not see relief for a few months.  In some patients, it takes a year for significant relief to be noticed.  During this time, it is important for patients to take whatever allergy medications may be required to control their symptoms.

6.    How long are allergy injections needed?
The average person needs allergy injection treatment for at least 4-6 years.  It is important that the treatment be continued long enough so that the individual will have immunity after the shots are stopped.  The doctor should always make the decision as to when the shots should be stopped, and allergy testing may be necessary to help make this decision.

 7.   Can I take other medicine while I am taking allergy injections?
Yes.  You can take other medicines that are necessary to control your symptoms while you take allergy injections.  It is important for you to try to control your allergy symptoms with medication whenever possible.

 8.   Should I have my allergy injection if I am sick?
If you have a high fever or a severe cold, postpone your allergy injection for a few days.  If your illness is mild and you are not sick enough to be off work or out of school, take your injection as scheduled.

 9.   What should I do when we go on vacation?
Normally we suggest  that the allergy injections not be taken on a vacation.  If the vacation is more than six weeks and there are medical facilities in the area, you may continue your injections.  In this case, we will supply a bottle of extract for you to take on your trip.

 10. What happens if I miss an injection?
No harm is done in missing an occasional injection.  Every effort should be made to get injections on time.  Regularity is important in assuring the best result for this type of treatment.

 11.  Can I receive my injections at home?
The newer allergy extracts are very potent and the strong doses may result in reactions.  Because of this potential, it is recommended that the injections be given in a medical facility where a doctor or physician assistant is present.

 12. Do any medications interfere with allergy shots?
Yes.  If you are taking beta-blocking drugs (Inderal, Blocadren, Lopressor, Tenormin, Corgard, etc), treatment of an anaphylactic allergy shot reaction may be very difficult.  For that reason, we would prefer not to give shots to anyone on a beta-blocker.

1625 Medical Center Point, Suite 190     Colorado Springs, CO 80907    719.955.6000   Fax: 719.955.9595     www.StormsAllergy.com