Allergy Immunotherapy Information

Immunotherapy aims to desensitize you by injecting you with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which you're al­lergic. When you reach maximum tolerance that is, when you begin to show a slight reaction the increases stop and the dosage is maintained at that level.

In the bloodstream, the injected allergen causes stepped-up production of IgG, the antibody that blocks the action of IgE. You then become partially or wholly desensitized to a particular allergen.

This building up of immunity can take from three to twelve months, and sometimes must be continued for several years or longer until you're free of symptoms or able to control them with medication. If symptoms recur, shots can be restarted, but for 50 percent of patients results last indefinitely.

From your point of view, immunotherapy is as easy as tak­ing a weekly or monthly shot in the arm. Allergists will ask you to wait in the office fifteen to thirty minutes afterward to be sure you won't have a bad reaction.

For a mild local reaction, you can:

• Take aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol,

Anacin-3), ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, Motrin), or naproxen sodium (Aleve) if the area is sore.

•     Take an antihistamine for itching and redness.

•     Apply ice if the area is swollen.

Some doctors allow you to inject yourself, a great conve­nience when getting to the office is difficult, or early in treat­ment when shots may be needed two or more times a week. Self-injections, however, call for extreme care. The allergens must be refrigerated, the dosages carefully measured, moni­tored, and recorded, and emergency medication must always be handy.

Injecting oneself may also be economically practical, as al­lergy shots can be costly. They usually cost from $20 to $30 for one injection, a lot less for two injections, and so on. Although most are covered by medical insurance, treatments can go on for years.

Allergists who champion immunotherapy claim to see posi­tive results in 80 percent of their patients. But if there's no im­provement after three to six months, patients should stop the shots and look for other ways to find relief.

A word of caution: Taking beta-blockers, such as propra­nolol (Inderal) or nadolol (Corgard), with immunotherapy may be hazardous to your health. The combination can cause spasms of the respiratory passages and lead to breathing difficulty.