Allergy Shots

[creatingkarma]

I went to an allergy specialist yesterday & had allergy testing done. OMG! There are 67 welts on my back where they stuck me! There's nothing like feeling like you have 67 mosquito bites on your back!!!! The conclusion - I'm pretty much allergic to everything. My allergies have been out of control for a year now & I've had chronic sinus infections. There has been no end to it all. I've tried all the allergy meds & none of them help all that much. I've been on prednisone, decongestants, etc. They help some, but not enough. So, here I am, looking at weekly allergy shots. I'm really REALLY upset about this!!!! I have to go to the doctor every Wednesday for a year to get a shot. After a year, I only have to get the shots every other week for 4 more years!!!! Oh, joy! They are going to inject into me the things I'm allergic to - kinda like an immunization - so I will eventually build up a resistance to the allergens. I have to carry an epipen around with me in case I have a bad reaction to the shots. If I quit breathing or anything after my shot, I have to give myself this epipen shot, which will give me 10 minutes to get to the ER. I'm just very upset about having to do this & I'm scared. What a pain this is going to be for 5 years!!!! :mad:

[dancemomof2]

:grouphug:

[ICNDonna]

Both of my sons had allergy shots when they were small. The oldest started at age 2 and had weekly shots until he was in high school. The younger started at age 5 and stopped at age 18. The good news is that the shots helped significantly.

Usually when allergy shots are given, you have to wait about twenty minutes in the doctor's office and then they check the site before they let you go. Neither of my boys ever had a serious reaction to any of their allergy shots.

Donna

[Baba Yaga]

Karma,
You will get through this. Incorporate it into your schedule, including the 20 munite wit, even if you are the one doing the checking before you leave the office. Get some small bit of reading done in that mandated "still time". The think to remember is that long before this process is finished, your allergies will be improving and you will be feeling better and less burdened by them. You'll be able to handle this whole thing better as time goes by.

Maybe you can ask if they can tackle your worst allergies first, if they are doing them separately or in batches.

And remember you can always vent here, or complain if you don't want to go some week.
(Somebody will show up and start singing. ...You better go -- Karmagirl! )

[patricia1]

I know it seems a pain. Both me and my son have done this. My baby is now only going once a month. He is really doing alot better health wise since doing this. He usually had bronchitis and pneumonia all the time and rarely gets them anymore. For me once my insurance stop I quit taking them and I have gone right back to being sick all the time. Like you I was allergic to everything outside. I was so bad that if I was outside when hubby mowed yard I would end up with a rash like posion ivey. I know it seems to suck in the beg, but in the long run it will be of big help to you. Make sure you take you allergy meds daily during the shots, and I have found sometimes with my son putting a ice pack on the area before the shot helps with the pain. Cause sometimes they do hurt and can itch and be painful.....Good luck

[wingirl1999]

Hi. I know you're worried...I know the feeling in a way. I'm about to go through the same thing, I think. I've had a respiratory infection for almost 2 months and nothing is making it go away. I seem to have sinus infections or earaches all the time. I'm going to a pulmonologist on the 30th, but I have a feeling he'll tell me I need to see an allergist. I think that is my problem...allergies. I'd be scared about the epipen thing, too, but I agree with some of the other posts...just wait around the doctor's office for a little while if you can.

[SharonA]

Karma...I know this will be a drag, but once you begin to have relief you might look forward to all those shots. ;)

A thought keeps darting through my head. I was trying to ignore it, but I just can't. Is there a possibility that treating your allergies might help with your other symptoms ???? :hmm:

[sunshine_77us]

Karma,
one of my sons had to have shots until he was 18, then he just quit. HE has trouble now around October and that's it. They helped him a lot. Sorry you have to go through that.

[creatingkarma]

Thanks everyone. You really helped me get through this. It was good to hear that they have helped so many people. Today was my 1st round & I did just fine - except for the panic attack that I had after I got the shots. I became real light headed & my ears started ringing, then my hearing went dull & I thought I was going to pass out. I stuck my head between my legs & took deep breaths & tried to think of something soothing. (Thanks to all who participated in the panic attack thread the other day!) I made it through!!!! The nurse said that I wasn't the only one who's done that, so I don't feel so bad. Other than that it all went well. I just wish it didn't take so long to kick in.

[Kara Isabel]

Hi Karma!

I missed this thread......but I had these shots for awhile when I was a teenager, and I never had to use my epi-pen. I had the same reaction, my whole BACK lit up. My allergies cleared up SOOO much when I moved out of my parents house and got away from the cats and dogs so I stopped.

I hope this works for you!
:grouphug:

[Sarojini]

Karma, I had a series of allergy shots done -- chances are great you will never have a reaction to them; it simply sounds scary at first because they have to disclose all possible outcomes, like when you have general anesthesia. When I had mine done, all I got was a little hive around the injection site, and then after a while, I didn't even get that. Just went in, got pricked, and went about my day. You get used to it after a while. :)

I will say that they helped me enormously. Before, I would have a huge asthma attack within 10 minutes of entering a home with pets; now I am able to LIVE with a cat and a dog :D