Info on allergy shots please

[SickOfSickness]

I have had CFS and Fibro a long time. I am planning to start allergy shots for dust mites (severe allergy), and was wanting any input from others. On the one hand, I am thinking, why go through all these shots for years (probably 3-5 years or more) when I will probably still be tired all the time? On the other hand, it seems worth it to have a little less symptoms?

I have food sensitivities/intolerances/allergies too, and am highly sensitive to chemicals (MCS, maybe not formally diagnosed, I don't know what the allergist wrote in his report), and am allergic to some trees/grasses/etc. Dust mites was the main allergy based on the doc's skin prick test but I feel that the way MDs test misses plenty of problems.

Do I need to ask for anything special in the preparation? Should I watch out for anything because of my MCS and CFS? Thank you all.

... read someone else said her arm burned all day & some other negative effects... I don't know what to think... maybe I should try one or two and see how I react... seems like a lot to commit to years and years of it. Most people get the symptoms back if they stop and if they miss one for the first many months or years, that's a setback, as they have to go to a lower dose again...

... on the plus side, I read that (according to allergists) a major allergy could "cause" the others. So if I treated this one major allergy, maybe I'd be less sensitive in general?

 

[ukxmrv]

I'm one of the people who benfits from the shots. Mine are called EPD and I've had them off and on for 20 years (break of about 10 years).

They did help with the food allergies and I even lost some weight in the first 5 years. My inhaled allergies (incl dust mites) became much better. I had the break because I am in the UK and could not get funding through our health system (plus my allergies were much better by then time). I was fine for about 5 years and then the allergies started to get bad again.

My arm is sore and does swell but after a fews days is fine. I also heard of people with ill effects from them so it's the usual "proceed with caution".

 

[SickOfSickness]

Thank you for your input.

I probably could not get EPD type here, or if I could, probably not covered by insurance. I can only afford them if they are covered by my insurance. I wonder if I shouldl ask for the low-dose type. I guess if I try the normal ones out, IF they gave me too much bad reaction, I could try to get the low-dose type.

Could I ask if your injections were for multiple types of allergens? Curious. Like some people get shots for ragweed + dustmites, some are for dust mites only, some people get a mix of many many things in their vial? If I get them, I wonder if they would let me mix and get treated for others too. Maybe. I probably need it but they might say my reaction was too mild to need it. (Just like they say my reaction to peanuts is mild, but I say differently.)

 

[ukxmrv]

I had EPD different shots during the year for multiple years They do a seperate food allegy one, an inhaled allergy one and a mixed one. They were general and contained things many people were allegic to (not specific for the individual)

Previous to that I had the provocative /neutralisation for specific things, and before that something else. It's all a long time ago sorry.

 

[SickOfSickness]

Oh wow about being general & about having some for food allergies. MDs here don't have any for food allergies, that's only the natural docs. Interesting.

 

[Hope123]

This is an interesting topic -- I have high IgE (an immunoglobulin signaling allergies but also other things) -- but no allergic symptoms (runny nose, watery eyes, etc.) One of my docs has considered food allergies for me but other than a long-standing allergy to shrimp (rash) way before CFS, I have no GI symptoms. So my question to you two is, do you have allergy or GI symptoms?

My speculation is that CFS is not caused by allergies but CFS itself could worsen or kick-off new allergies. On the other hand, immune disorders by themselves can elevate IgE (like in my case).

 

[SickOfSickness]

Oh, that's interesting that you don't have symptoms! I have allergy symptoms to tons of things, yes. GI symptoms, I'm not quite sure. I guess not nearly like other PWCs. I believe I have them but I am so accustomed to ignoring them that it's hard to tell, if that makes any sense. (I think that sounds crazy of me, LOL.) My main GI symptom would be general nausea that happens when I get a migraine (which is often). The other would be that sometimes I get a problem for hours that I label as IBS but I'm not sure it's IBS. Sometimes I get it mildly, like it's about to be a problem that lasts for hours but it resolves more quickly.

 

[IntuneJune]

Allergies and treatment

I am receiving allergy treatment having allergies to dust/mites/cats/dogs/horses/mold/fall/spring....hmm cannot remember it all.

The antigens are given together in the same syringe, although it takes two syringes to hold everything I am allergic to. The antigens are very specific to each individual, and can be of different strengths. Then they can be drawn into the same syringe to minimize injections. I started out with three actually, but then the strength was increased to cut back on the amount of ccs. My arms with itch a little but the cream the nurses use helps. My arms are not sore the next day.

I never had sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes. Treating the allergies helped my exhaustion and fuzzy thinking.

Allergies are not a cause of CSF/FMS of course but helping your immune system by lightening the load helps, the same way avoiding foods we react to does.

June

 

[Sallysblooms]

I took allergy shots for years. I thought allergies were making me so sick.... I had CFS and docs then were clueless, shocker!

I had lots of the test pokes on my back and arm. It really wasn't bad. I had no problems at all with anything. The doc. will put a cream on the skin afterward I am sure. Mine did. Just for itching. Allergy shots help a lot of people. Most just have to take one shot, all allergies are in one serum. My allergist had us wait in the waiting room for 30 mins just in case you have a reaction or problem. That is a very good idea, after every shot, each week. Just in case.

I moved across the country and don't take them now.

 

[antherder]

My allergist had us wait in the waiting room for 30 mins just in case you have a reaction or problem. That is a very good idea, after every shot, each week. Just in case.

Yes, VERY good idea. A friend of mine had an anaphylactic shock after his allergy jabs. He was driving home when he realised something was wrong, and headed back to the clinic. Just as well he did.