Immunotherapy (Allergy Shots) For Airborne Allergens:
The disadvantages of allergy shots include the involved schedule especially in the first few months, the fact it takes several months or longer to assess your response, the cost, and the possibility of an allergic reaction to the allergy shot. We try hard to minimize difficulties of receiving allergy shots. Our office is open many hours during the week (see below). You do not need an appointment to come in for your shot and you do not need to come on the same day or at the same time. You will have a bar coded ID card you slip in front of a scanner that immediately “checks you in,” and notifies the nurse you are here. The average time between scanning your card and receiving the shot is 2-3 minutes (our computer tracks this). You then need to wait in the office for 30 minutes for the nurse to check the injection site and to monitor for shot reactions. The cost of allergy shots is often outweighed by reduced medication costs.
It is possible to have a SYSTEMIC REACTION to allergy shots. These usually occur within minutes after an injection (but may rarely occur up to several hours later) and are easily treated but require immediate attention. The reactions may involve itching, rash or swelling in places other than the injection site, hay fever symptoms, trouble breathing, and faintness due to dropping blood pressure. These reactions are very rare and usually reverse quickly if treated but have the potential of being serious and even fatal. You should immediately notify the nurse if you have symptoms of a reaction. Immediate treatment is most effective in stopping the reaction. Serious reactions are almost unheard of except for patients with the following risk factors:
1. Patients on beta blockers-these are medications used for heart and blood pressure problems, for migraine headaches and in eye drops for glaucoma. Other physicians may not be aware of problems with beta-blockers and allergy shots. NOTIFY OUR OFFICE OF ALL CHANGES IN MEDICATIONS FROM ALL DRS.
2. Patients receiving an allergy shot during a significant asthma flare. Tell us your asthma is flaring and we will restabilize it before giving the injection.
3. Leaving the office too early. Shot reactions are easy to treat here, much harder if you are not in the office.
Because of this we do not allow allergy shots to be given outside of a physicians office and do not give them here unless Dr. DeYarman is in the office.
In addition to these precautions we recommend:
*You do not receive your shot if you have a fever.
*Avoid strenuous exercise for 2 hours after a shot.
*Some patients wish to have injectable adrenalin (EpiPen) available in case they experience a reaction after leaving the office.
Despite these concerns, shot reactions are rare and nearly always simple to treat.
LOCAL REACTIONS are common after allergy shots and consist of redness, swelling and itching at the injection site. These may be immediate or delayed in onset and may last for hours to a day or more. If local reactions are excessive, report the reaction to the nurse before your next injection. You may treat the local reactions with ice applied to the injection site, a strong (prescription) cortisone cream or ibuprofen by mouth if you are not aspirin sensitive..
Allergy shots may be given during PREGNANCY. Please notify us if you are pregnant as minor changes in your shot program may be needed and we should review your overall allergy management program.
