If you feel it’s crucial that you buy industrial-size boxes of (shockingly pricey!
)antihistaminesjust to feel like a human being every day, you might want to consider allergy shots.
If youre thinking, Yes, sign me up!
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there are a few important things to know before you jump in.
Injections really can help your stuffy nose.
Sublingual immunotherapyor SLIT for shortis a similar, newer option.
Like shots, SLIT trains your immune system to tolerate allergens through slow exposure.
But in this case, the dose is given through dissolving tablets placed under your tongue.
This can be beneficialeven life-changing!especially for people with severe or life-threatening reactions.
Still, allergy shots have some downsides.
If the OTC options arent doing enough to relieve your symptoms, allergy shots could really improve your life.
But its worth weighing the pros and cons carefully with your doctor.
This pop in of immunotherapy?
The difficult part is showing up, Dr. Agarwal says.
for injections that gradually ramp up in dosage.
Next comes the maintenance phase: At this point, your injections will probably be bi-weekly and eventually monthly.
And this phase, too, can last longer for some people.
All to say that it wont exactly be a breeze to build this treatment into your schedule.
So if OTC meds are working reasonably well, the time commitment may not be worth it for you.
You also might not experience immediate results.
Sadly, this punch in of immunotherapy wont help if you react to foods, like peanuts.
They can also help with allergic asthma or insect stings.
There is some positive data to support their use for pet allergies in the right patients, he says.
Your doc may also suggest off-label SLIT droplets, since these may help cat and dog allergies.
Luckily, its rare to experience a serious reaction to allergy shots.
But because the injections do contain tiny amounts of allergen, its possible to have one.
(This, too, adds to the overall time commitment!)
Every clinic charges for allergy shots a little differently.
This comes out to about $10,000 in a cheapest-case scenario before the maintenance phase even kicks in.
And insurance usually covers at least part of the cost.
If OTC meds arent cutting it, allergy shots arent your only other option.
Many patients dont know how manydifferent over-the-counter medicationsare available to them, says Dr. Koo.
A few you may have overlooked?
Whatever you decide, dont accept feeling icky,stuffy, and miserable as normal.
Together, you and your doc should be able to find something that clicks for you.
