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Strange Twist in Allergy Shot Series
Hi! I am a 41 year old female who after 2 months of a massive respiratory infection this winter and 28 days of Levaquin, came out of it with adult onset asthma and multiple allergies. I did the whole scratch testing thing in May, and my allergist wanted me on allergy shots, Symbicort, Singulair and Zyrtec. I was allergic to everything except birds, rats and cockroaches.
A weird thing happened with the scratch test in that for molds, I tested 0 in the office, and so it was marked. But the next day I had a huge welt with a blister in the middle. I called it in, before they made the antigens for the shots. The doc said not to worry, because when someone was as allergic to almost everything, like me, he adds in most of the other things on speculation that I will eventually become allergic to them. OK. So I started my allergy shots. My allergist is in a town 70 miles away, and he sends the antigens to my local doc for the shots.
I am now in week 3 of having 2 shots per week, and by chance, the nurse and I were looking at the sheets which came with the antigen vials (I have 2 shots per visit) and noticed there were no molds listed, nor any of the other things the doc said he ordered as "extra." Only the things I had reacted to in the office were there. So I called back to see what was up.
They told me it was a mistake and they would add the molds to my next vial of antigen. But herein lies my question-- I have been titrating at 2x per week in increasing increments-- and even at these lowest doses I am having eyes watering and slight dizziness. But isn't it kind of dangerous to just add in an allergen for the second vial, after I am already 3 weeks into the first 5 week stage? If they do, will I have a horrible reaction? Will it be delayed, like it was with the scratch? If we just add it in and continue as normal, I will only titrate on the molds for 2 weeks instead of 5, right? I don't understand any of it.
Can you explain to me how something like this works? Am I safe to do this? My vials now are 1:1000, my next vial will be 1:100, when they add them. Or will they add the molds at 1:1000 in the 1:100 vial? But still, I am only getting 2 shots a week for 2 more weeks, not 5....any help to unravel this would be great. I am kind of scared of a large dose of molds, and I'd like to know if a delayed reaction in the scratch test will equal a delayed reaction to the shot as well?
Thanks so much!
A weird thing happened with the scratch test in that for molds, I tested 0 in the office, and so it was marked. But the next day I had a huge welt with a blister in the middle. I called it in, before they made the antigens for the shots. The doc said not to worry, because when someone was as allergic to almost everything, like me, he adds in most of the other things on speculation that I will eventually become allergic to them. OK. So I started my allergy shots. My allergist is in a town 70 miles away, and he sends the antigens to my local doc for the shots.
I am now in week 3 of having 2 shots per week, and by chance, the nurse and I were looking at the sheets which came with the antigen vials (I have 2 shots per visit) and noticed there were no molds listed, nor any of the other things the doc said he ordered as "extra." Only the things I had reacted to in the office were there. So I called back to see what was up.
They told me it was a mistake and they would add the molds to my next vial of antigen. But herein lies my question-- I have been titrating at 2x per week in increasing increments-- and even at these lowest doses I am having eyes watering and slight dizziness. But isn't it kind of dangerous to just add in an allergen for the second vial, after I am already 3 weeks into the first 5 week stage? If they do, will I have a horrible reaction? Will it be delayed, like it was with the scratch? If we just add it in and continue as normal, I will only titrate on the molds for 2 weeks instead of 5, right? I don't understand any of it.
Can you explain to me how something like this works? Am I safe to do this? My vials now are 1:1000, my next vial will be 1:100, when they add them. Or will they add the molds at 1:1000 in the 1:100 vial? But still, I am only getting 2 shots a week for 2 more weeks, not 5....any help to unravel this would be great. I am kind of scared of a large dose of molds, and I'd like to know if a delayed reaction in the scratch test will equal a delayed reaction to the shot as well?
Thanks so much!
I think you are being wise. Who is the "lady" making the mix? and what right does she have to get mad at you for not doing it her way? What authority does she really have in your case? It sounds to me like she made the mistake and is trying to cover it up. I still think you should call and request that the allergist call you back. You are paying him to treat your allergies and it is long distance. You have the right to know that what is being ordered is actually his orders since mistakes have been made.
Stay safe. Have you been given a prescription for an Epi-pen? They are standard issue at my allergist's office - no allergy shot without confirming that you have one with you.
Hang in there.
Stay safe. Have you been given a prescription for an Epi-pen? They are standard issue at my allergist's office - no allergy shot without confirming that you have one with you.
Hang in there.
Well when I went in, the company sending the mold antigens left a note for my nurse to start me at a 4x dose in order to catch up with the other ones. 4x! That's missing 2 weeks of titration, and it's the allergen I reacted to the most strongly.
I just couldn't do it. I told the nurse I was too worried about it, and if people were meant to start off at 4x, then why didn't we start all of them on 4x, instead of 1x? She said the company wanted to do it so they could mix them all together sooner, in the same bottle. But she was sure they would not ask me to do 4x if it was dangerous.
I was not so sure, and just flat out told her I wanted to do it at normal titration. They will have to make 1 extra bottle, and then when I am on maintenance for all of them, they can mix them together. She said the woman making the antigens might not be happy about it. But really, is that something I should worry about? It was not my fault they forgot to put it in.
My only worry now, is that when the nurse orders the next bottles of antigens, that they might put the molds in anyway (thinking I started at 4x), so I will have to really watch that.
On my 2x shot of molds, I had a bit of a reaction with itchy hives on the palms of my hands-- not terrible, and it responded to benadryl. BUT-- what would 4x have been?
I really hate that I have to be so hyper-vigilant with so called professionals, but at least this way I know what's happening.
I just couldn't do it. I told the nurse I was too worried about it, and if people were meant to start off at 4x, then why didn't we start all of them on 4x, instead of 1x? She said the company wanted to do it so they could mix them all together sooner, in the same bottle. But she was sure they would not ask me to do 4x if it was dangerous.
I was not so sure, and just flat out told her I wanted to do it at normal titration. They will have to make 1 extra bottle, and then when I am on maintenance for all of them, they can mix them together. She said the woman making the antigens might not be happy about it. But really, is that something I should worry about? It was not my fault they forgot to put it in.
My only worry now, is that when the nurse orders the next bottles of antigens, that they might put the molds in anyway (thinking I started at 4x), so I will have to really watch that.
On my 2x shot of molds, I had a bit of a reaction with itchy hives on the palms of my hands-- not terrible, and it responded to benadryl. BUT-- what would 4x have been?
I really hate that I have to be so hyper-vigilant with so called professionals, but at least this way I know what's happening.
I think you should call the allergist mixing your serum yourself so that his staff can explain it to you. Don't get the information second hand. I still think it would be a good idea to start all over again with new bottles mixed correctly. If you can't get an adequate answer from the nurse, ask to have the doctor call you and explain it to you. Not worrying about it sounds a bit too close to Russian Roullette for my tastes when it comes to allergy shots.
Another option would be what my allergist is doing with me. I have been on shots for 2 years. I was retested last Thursday and found several new things to add to my mix. Instead of taking all of my allergens down for tritration of the new, she is having me start the new allergens in a separate mix and just tritrating those. I will maintain my old schedule with my old mix, but will be getting shots twice a week for a while with this new mix. After I am at maintenance dose with the new allergens and I need a remix of my old serum, she will combine them to one shot. Does that make sense?
You shouldn't be made to feel like you are bothering the doctor or his staff. You have hired them to take care of you. You are paying the bills. They work for you. You are the boss so to speak. They are there to serve you. Allergy shots are a long term comitment on your part. You are building a long term relationship with the dr. If he and his staff refuse to treat you properly, maybe you should take your business else where. Sometimes doctors offices are busy because they have many "bosses", but they should find time to get with you and explain things to you within a few days of your call.
You are the one that would have to deal with a problem reaction from the shots if you were to have one (ther are pretty rare though). Your allergist is 70 miles away and won't have any idea you are even having a reaction for several hours to days later. Furthermore, you are being given the shots by a dr that is not an allergist. They are not really trained or equipped to take care of a patient who has a reaction to an allergy shot. That is an added reason why the allergist should communicate directly with you so that you fully understand his directions. Yes, the adminstering dr needs to understand directions, but you are the first priority. You need to know that the adminstering doctor is following propper safe protocol.
Remember, you always have the right to ask for your records and find another doctor if you feel like you are not being respected and listened to.
I hope you get thins settled to your satisfaction this week.
Another option would be what my allergist is doing with me. I have been on shots for 2 years. I was retested last Thursday and found several new things to add to my mix. Instead of taking all of my allergens down for tritration of the new, she is having me start the new allergens in a separate mix and just tritrating those. I will maintain my old schedule with my old mix, but will be getting shots twice a week for a while with this new mix. After I am at maintenance dose with the new allergens and I need a remix of my old serum, she will combine them to one shot. Does that make sense?
You shouldn't be made to feel like you are bothering the doctor or his staff. You have hired them to take care of you. You are paying the bills. They work for you. You are the boss so to speak. They are there to serve you. Allergy shots are a long term comitment on your part. You are building a long term relationship with the dr. If he and his staff refuse to treat you properly, maybe you should take your business else where. Sometimes doctors offices are busy because they have many "bosses", but they should find time to get with you and explain things to you within a few days of your call.
You are the one that would have to deal with a problem reaction from the shots if you were to have one (ther are pretty rare though). Your allergist is 70 miles away and won't have any idea you are even having a reaction for several hours to days later. Furthermore, you are being given the shots by a dr that is not an allergist. They are not really trained or equipped to take care of a patient who has a reaction to an allergy shot. That is an added reason why the allergist should communicate directly with you so that you fully understand his directions. Yes, the adminstering dr needs to understand directions, but you are the first priority. You need to know that the adminstering doctor is following propper safe protocol.
Remember, you always have the right to ask for your records and find another doctor if you feel like you are not being respected and listened to.
I hope you get thins settled to your satisfaction this week.
Hi-- thanks! The doc said that a delayed reaction to molds was not abnormal, but on the rarer end. I guess you can react up to 48 hours later. They labeled my arms with semi permanent marker (took about 5 days of daily showering to fade them), so it was clear what needle ***** had reacted the next day.
I will see what they propose to my doctors here, when I go in for my shots tomorrow. I had the feeling the nurse I spoke with at the allergist's office had talked with the doc but understood nothing about the titration, etc, as when I asked what would happen if I only titrate the molds for 2 weeks, or how can you add things when I have already been titrating, she just told me she didn't know, but "not to worry about it" and that they were going to ask my doc to send back the vials for the next level so they could add it.
It all seems weird, and the worst part is being made to feel like I am bothering them by wanting a thorough explanation.
I will see what they propose to my doctors here, when I go in for my shots tomorrow. I had the feeling the nurse I spoke with at the allergist's office had talked with the doc but understood nothing about the titration, etc, as when I asked what would happen if I only titrate the molds for 2 weeks, or how can you add things when I have already been titrating, she just told me she didn't know, but "not to worry about it" and that they were going to ask my doc to send back the vials for the next level so they could add it.
It all seems weird, and the worst part is being made to feel like I am bothering them by wanting a thorough explanation.
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It is possible that your dr would add the molds and other things in at 1:1000 with everything else being 1:100, but I don't think so. Read your paper work carefully before you get you shot.
I think you should tell them to make their mistake right for free by sending you new start up vials with the mix he said he would do (what you got plus molds and the other stuff he said). You would have to start all over, but there would be less time loss getting up to maintenance dose.
Stay safe and always read the fine print. ;)