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I've had serious allergies ever since I lived in a house that had mold AND a bad furnace. The place was a disaster and I had to move out. It took years to recover and you never recover completely.
But I did get allergy shots and they helped except for "mold season" when the leaves fall and rot in October, but it went away completely when I moved near the ocean where there weren't many trees. I continued with the allergy shots out there just in case but finally stopped completely. The kind of shots were called serial titration.
Fast forward--moving to the woods. Sick as a dog for Sept and Oct, bedridden. So I started on allergy shots again. This time the serial titration kind of shots weren't available here so I'm on the kind where they gradually build up and you have to sit for 1/2 hour after the shot to make sure you don't have a reaction.
After six months, it was September, and once again, I was bedridden from allergies, probably ragweed mostly. This is after six months of shots. How long does it take?
My second question is that with this type of allergy shot where they gradually build up, my arms itch and hurt for a few days after the shot. Is that normal? Then, today, they increased the dose up to my highest dose, and my arms are killing me. I can't lift my arms and the strangest thing is that I came home and passed out for four hours!
I was not really "asleep" and I don't remember anything except talking to my neighbor for a few minutes. I woke up later, fully clothed, in bed.
The shots that I used to get never had these effects. They also worked within a couple of weeks.
Also, they were free of preservatives and they were calculated to my exact dose. The current shots are like a "mold mixture" a "weed mixture"--same thing everyone gets.
I am meeting with the allergist next week to discuss this. Has anyone else every had a reaction like this to allergy shots? Swollen, itchy painful arms from the shots and then passing out a few hours later?
I've had allergic reactions like that, where I felt too groggy to stay awake at all, then when I was sleeping, it was more like I was aware but couldn't move, not really asleep. Those reactions are common in the MCAS groups I belong to, not as a reaction to allergy shots but just as a reaction in general. When I've had the reaction like that, it was to cleaning chemicals once and to food another time.
If you have a reaction like that again, if you're able to take your blood pressure, it wouldn't hurt to get a quick reading in case it provides a clue to what's going on. If you're having an anaphylactic reaction, usually your pulse will be elevated and your blood pressure will be low. Not all anaphylactic reactions end in anaphylactic shock.
I've had allergic reactions like that, where I felt too groggy to stay awake at all, then when I was sleeping, it was more like I was aware but couldn't move, not really asleep. Those reactions are common in the MCAS groups I belong to, not as a reaction to allergy shots but just as a reaction in general. When I've had the reaction like that, it was to cleaning chemicals once and to food another time.
If you have a reaction like that again, if you're able to take your blood pressure, it wouldn't hurt to get a quick reading in case it provides a clue to what's going on. If you're having an anaphylactic reaction, usually your pulse will be elevated and your blood pressure will be low. Not all anaphylactic reactions end in anaphylactic shock.
Thanks for your input. I checked out MCAS and it doesn't sound like I have it but I should know more when I meet with the doctor next week.
Some info from the MCAS could be useful though--for the swollen, itchy, aching arms, vitamin C or butterbur--I am taking them now (can't tolerate antihistamines.) For the passing out hours after the shot, that's the same reaction I've been getting from the ragweed and mold allergies themselves. Never had a reaction like that but it's a separate issue and just must be from the allergens they inject me with.
If this dr says I shouldn't continue with these shots, I think there's a place in my state that does the kind of testing and treatment I had before. It's a very long drive but they send you home with drops to use and the treatment is calibrated to HOW allergic you are to any particular species of weed or mold so there's no chance of a reaction. (And it only takes about three weeks to feel better!)
If you can't tolerate antihistamines, what about quercetin?
I used to take that--can't even remember why. Allergies, probably, lol. I'm taking the butterbur now and I have a huge container of vitamin C. They're both recommended, may have seen it on the site you recommended. My arms are much less sore today--probably be all better by Thursday when I have to get another shot, lol.
I can relate to this. My allergy shots are for venom - honey bees, wasps, and mixed vespids. I'll share my experience although some of it will differ from other people's experiences.
I was told to expect three to five years of monthly injections to develop optimum protection. I'm now exactly one year in. I can't determine how much protection I have now as I'm not symptomatic unless I'm stung, so I asked my doctor and he said I was protected for up to three to four stings at one time. Without the shots, I'd have a 60% chance of a life-threatening event from even one sting, so it's better than nothing. I'll be continuing for the next four years. It's going to be a long haul.
In the beginning I had six shots in two groups of three - one round of the three, then wait thirty minutes, another round and wait thirty minutes. I only have one usable arm due to previous breast cancer surgery/lymph node removal so that poor arm is all-purpose and really takes a beating.
After seven months of mild reactions - red, sore, itchy injection sites and "crashing" fatigue lasting a day or two - I suddenly experienced a more extreme reaction. That reaction included rashes and swelling on my other arm (the unusable one so away from the injection site) and my chest and more extensive swelling, lumpiness, and bruising on the injection site arm. Those symptoms lasted for four weeks. The fatigue was profound for the short term and was gone in about three days.
He reduced my dose by half and I'll remain at the half dose (one round of shots monthly) until April. At that point he may do a split dose where I'll get the first round of three shots one week, the second round a week later then wait four weeks and do it again.
One odd thing is that in the beginning the redness was always at the site of the mixed vespid injection and the last two times I've reacted only at the honey bee site, which never before reacted. As the nurse said, our bodies change daily so don't always expect the same thing from day to day. So true.
My regimen prior to the shots is a Zyrtec the evening before (I do that every day anyway), one in the morning of Shot Day and three ibuprofens about a hour before the shots. Then when they give the shots they slather up the sites with triamcinolone cream to help with the itching. If I don't have an immediate reaction that's troublesome, then I go home after the thirty minute wait. At that point I take another round of ibuprofen (it's been plenty long enough by then) and pack the arm in cold packs. The cold packs really help although my arm still gets very stiff. Within ninety minutes the crashing fatigue arrives and I'm done for the day. It's impossible to keep from dozing off/falling asleep.
I can't take my BP when I crash since the injections are on the only arm that I can use for BP and it's already angry with the shots and the triamcinolone cream. Can't compress an arm in that state. But I have found that if I eat before the fatigue hits, I do feel a bit better. I wonder if my blood sugar is affected?
I do have MCAS. Prior to that being diagnosed, I would have these crashing fatigue episodes, along with other symptoms, but no one could figure out why. I was sent to rheumatologist after rheumatologist looking for autoimmune problems (my mom passed from one and I have other signs and symptoms that point that way). But nothing ever fitted together. Until I found my wonderful immunologist who figured it out.
I hope you get some relief or figure out an approach that is more effective for you. The general public doesn't get how miserable allergies and their treatment can be. But we fellow sufferers know. Good luck!
Well, today was the day. I got my shots (had them put some cream on this time so maybe I won't get the pain. They did say to use ice on the areas too.) And then I met with the doctor--didn't even get to ask him about the pain because he just said since my allergies weren't getting any better, I should discontinue the shots.
He said when September comes again he'll give me some nasal rinse. I said, "Like a neti pot?" I already use that. He said it would be rinse with antibiotics or cortisone in it. So no more allergy shots and I have no clue as to why they didn't work at all. I don't have much confidence in a nasal spray with anything in it because I have a good Rx nasal spray and the main symptom is fatigue during allergy season.
Sort of left me feeling stunned because now I just have to know that from now on all of Sept and Oct will be spent exhausted and in bed. I don't think a nasal spray will help with debilitating fatigue from allergies.
I did ask him if anybody still did the kind of allergy shots I used to get, the endpoint titration, the ones that worked. He said they didn't work very well so nobody does them anymore. Seems fishy to me, but who knows.
I just learned about the antibiotic/steroid nasal rinse a couple of days ago when I ran into an acquaintance who's been going through something similar to what you're dealing with. He's lost his senses of both taste and smell along with everything else that you've reported. His doctor did give him one of those rinses and while he still can't taste or smell, his nose isn't running and he isn't coughing with red runny eyes like he'd be otherwise. He still sounds congested all the time, though. But maybe it will work for you. And maybe if your body isn't fighting the allergens full-time, you won't be so fatigued.
Your body is at war with those allergens so it makes sense that you'd be worn out. At least that's the way I look at it when I crash after the shots. My body is giving its "all" to manage the intruder (the shots) and has nothing left to power the rest of me.
Maybe, just maybe, there will be some new developments in treatment before next September. Next time I run into my acquaintance, I'll ask him for more details. He mentioned the medication names that are in the rinse but they went right by me. I'll come back here if I learn anything helpful.
I just learned about the antibiotic/steroid nasal rinse a couple of days ago when I ran into an acquaintance who's been going through something similar to what you're dealing with. He's lost his senses of both taste and smell along with everything else that you've reported. His doctor did give him one of those rinses and while he still can't taste or smell, his nose isn't running and he isn't coughing with red runny eyes like he'd be otherwise. He still sounds congested all the time, though. But maybe it will work for you. And maybe if your body isn't fighting the allergens full-time, you won't be so fatigued.
Your body is at war with those allergens so it makes sense that you'd be worn out. At least that's the way I look at it when I crash after the shots. My body is giving its "all" to manage the intruder (the shots) and has nothing left to power the rest of me.
Maybe, just maybe, there will be some new developments in treatment before next September. Next time I run into my acquaintance, I'll ask him for more details. He mentioned the medication names that are in the rinse but they went right by me. I'll come back here if I learn anything helpful.
Hope your reaction today wasn't as bad as usual.
Oh yes, I would love to know more about the antibiotic/steroid nasal rinse. I need to make an informed decision.
The fatigue is definitely caused by the body fighting off the "intruders" in Sept and Oct.
Yesterday's allergy shot was my second one on maintenance dose and I am happy to report that my arms barely hurt at all. Someone here posted about a cream and I asked about it and they applied it to each arm. I also used ice, as suggested here. So far, so good.
I placed a call to the allergy doc today asking if I can keep getting the allergy shots. I'm down to every two weeks now, it's not very far away, and I don't mind going. I have no idea if his mold mix contains the right blend for me but the other shot is for ragweed so that should have worked. But it didn't work after six months. But maybe some people take longer for it to work? He is a very young doctor and is one of those who doesn't really seem to care or to listen. So maybe he's wrong when he says the shots won't work for me. He's supposed to call back tomorrow.
I'll try to intercept him. He lives a few blocks from me and we run into him when we're walking in the mornings. I'll go down his street every day (it's on one of my routes home anyway) and hopefully I can snag him soon.
The cream is wonderful. I'm assuming it's the same one I mentioned - Triamcinolone. It's a steroid. I have a tube for home use which was prescribed by my allergist as my itching can continue for several days. It can be positively excrutiating - the sort of itching where you'd chew your arm off to make it stop. The cream, coupled with the ice and ibuprofen, have kept me from such drastic measures. They put it on when I have the shot . . . thickly . . . and then after the 30 minutes they give me another thick slather - "one for the road". I can usually make it about 2-3 hours after that before I have to reapply it. And of course sleeping on it makes it worse since it gets warm so I'll have to get up during the night and reapply. But it is so worth it.
Something else just crossed my mind. Have you ever tried, or been prescribed, cromolyn sodium? I have used an OTC version called Nasalcrom. I used to be able to get it at Walmart or Walgreen's but they were discontinuing it in the store so it has to be purchased on-line. I bought every bottle they had the last time and still have one bottle left. Great stuff and it's non-steroidal. I can't use steroid nasal drops as I get nosebleeds easily. I have environmental allergies for which I don't get shots - only get shots for the bees, etc. Anyway, here's a link to the official Nasalcrom website which explains how it works.
I believe there are prescription versions of cromolyn sodium available. Your allergist should know.
And another thing. When I've had full body rashes from allergic reactions to antibiotics, I've been on a multi-pronged regimen of Zyrtec, hydroxizine hydrocloride (Atarax), which is an anti-anxiety med which also can help lessen allergic reactions, and a prescription high dose of ranatidine (Zantac) as it is an H2 blocker which blocks antihistimine production. Plus oral steroids. Yes, I was a true mess when I was on all that but it worked.
I, too, wonder if the doc is being a little hasty is stopping the shots so soon. In my case, it's supposed to take 3 to 5 YEARS before I have full protection. I've been on a once a month schedule since we reached the maintenance dose after gradually building up the dosage for six months.
Is this allergist the only game in town? I wonder if a second opinion might not be worthwhile. After all, not every doctor graduated Number One in his class.
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I don't think a nasal spray will help with debilitating fatigue from allergies.
