yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) (05/10/85)
My two sons, aged 7 and 4, have recently been diagnosed as being
very allergic individuals and I will be taking them to a pediatric
allergist. I myself was proclaimed a "highly allergic subject"
when I was 15 and spent the subsequent 11 years under the care of
an allergist. I finally discontinued the allergist's prescribed
treatment plan when I decided that I couldn't detect any difference
in the way I felt or reacted to the supposed allergens whether I
was using the hyposensitization solutions or not.
Now, before I embark fully on subjecting my boys to the same sort
of rituals I went through, I am soliciting opinions of you folks
on the net. I am aware that the treatment plan is likely to have
changed in the 20 years since I started all this, so if anyone has
a recent experience along these lines, I'd like to hear about it.
Fundamental Questions:
1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has
used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you
know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess
we can stop with the injections now"?
2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be
free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I
should be aware of?
3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the
current state of the science? My testing took about three
weeks, involved some 180 varied Witches' brews and philters which
were injected subcutaneously into my inner forearm, 10 to 20 at a
time. The nurses would then return after 20 minutes or so to
measure the diameter of the red welt rising around the injection
site. If it was larger than a half-dollar but smaller than a dinner
plate :-), I would be rewarded with some sort of oral medication
and requested to "hang around a while longer; we'd like the Doctor to
see that." (I suspect they had some sort of agreement with the nurses
in the office of the urologist down the hall.) I know other people
who have had the "back scratch" type of testing. Are things any better
these days?
I hate to sound negative about the whole affair, but my personal experience
with the system was less than marvelous. I do want the boys to have a
chance to feel good, though; they seem to have so much trouble with congestion,
coughing, sneezing, <insert classic allergic reaction symptom here>, etc.
Your experiences and opinions are welcome.
Thanks a lot,
'brd
--
Larry J. Huntley Burroughs -(B)- Corporation
Advanced Systems Group MS-703
10850 Via Frontera San Diego, CA 92128
(619) 485-4544
-*- Non Circum Copulae -*- mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (05/13/85)
In article <1668@bmcg.UUCP> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has > used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you > know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess > we can stop with the injections now"? Yes, me. (Sort of.) I'm one of these people that's allergic to everything too. I've been on the weekly shots for nearly 4 years now. Hay fever (outdoor pollen, etc) doesn't bother me as much as they used to. On the other hand, I'm also allergic to animals, dust, and molds, and they can'd do a thing for me there. (They advise me to avoid things I'm allergic to.) I do seem to be a long way from ever finishing, although it was supposed to take about 3 years. Every time I have a reaction to a shot, they drop me back a step. When I last asked them how much longer I had to go, they apparently took pity on me and pronounced that I only had to come in every 2 weeks for a shot instead of every week. If you want to be a doctor, be an allergist. Your patients never die, and they never get well. >2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > should be aware of? I've taken an antihistimine every night before I go to bed for 8 years, with no long term effects. It does make me sleepy, which is why I take it at that time. I am not addicted, nor do I depend on it to get to sleep (I stopped it for 2 weeks once to make sure.) >3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the > current state of the science? Not much. 4 years ago they did skin tests on me, and my allergist still does only skin tests. My back lit up so much that they dragged me out to show the nurses. There is a new blood test out that some doctors use. I think they just take a blood sample and send it to the lab, which runs N tests on it and sends back a list of things you react to. I have not had it. What really tees me of is that I am pretty sure I am allergic to sulfites. (Those are the things they put on salad bars to keep them looking fresh when they are really rotting away. 60 minutes did a story on them about 3 or 4 years ago.) I have yet to be able to confirm or disprove this with a test. My allergist keeps telling me how such newfangled things don't show up in the office practice world for a few years. My GP offers the blood test, but it doesn't check for sulfites either. Mark
oliver@unc.UUCP (Bill Oliver) (05/13/85)
In article <bmcg.1668> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >Fundamental Questions: > >1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has > used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you > know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess > we can stop with the injections now"? > >2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > should be aware of? > >3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the > current state of the science? My testing took about three > weeks, involved some 180 varied Witches' brews and philters which > were injected subcutaneously into my inner forearm, 10 to 20 at a > time. The nurses would then return after 20 minutes or so to > measure the diameter of the red welt rising around the injection > site. If it was larger than a half-dollar but smaller than a dinner > plate :-), I would be rewarded with some sort of oral medication > and requested to "hang around a while longer; we'd like the Doctor to > see that." (I suspect they had some sort of agreement with the nurses > in the office of the urologist down the hall.) I know other people > who have had the "back scratch" type of testing. Are things any better > these days? My two cents: When I was a small child, I also had terrible problems with allergies, including asthma, watering eyes, pruritis, stuffy nose, etc. At about the age of 13 or 14, I went to an allergist and had the scratch test performed. The test was positive for a number of plant products, and I was begun on a desensitization protocol. It was like night and day for me. By the next season, I suffered from mild stuffiness, but had no problems with asthma or any other severe symptoms. The year following found me romping about in the open as I had never been able to do before in my life. Since I had spent the previous years of my life essentially indoors during all non-winter days, it was a dramatic change in lifestyle. I continued receiving monthly injections until I left home for college (about four years of continuous therapy). Over the next two years, my symptoms slowly returned, though never to their full force. I started up therapy again, and the symptoms promptly resolved. I discontinued therapy again when I moved to begin med school. I have had no problems in the past six years. Thus, I am sold on the therapy. I would have thought I had just grown out of my allergies (and indeed, I think my continued lack of symptoms is in part due to this) had it not been for the dramatic improvement and subsequent return of symptoms the first time I quit therapy, followed by another dramatic improvement when therapy was started again. Desensitization frequently does not work, and I am not surprised by your lack of response. Generally, desensitization works best for seasonal antigens such as my plant allergies, but doesn't work all that well for stuff like dust, mold, animals and such. The scratch test is still the way to test for sensitvity. Therapy generally is expectd to last for life. I am an exception in in this. Don't count on being able to have your kids stop, though they may be able to after a while. Tolerance for therapy is very variable, with reactions ranging from sniffles (not uncommon) to flu-like symptoms to full fledged allergic shock (very rare). The shock is easily treated and occurs soon after receiving the therapy. Thus, it is not too much of a drawback if the patient will hang around for the requisite thirty minutes or so after the injection. The use of antihistamines is not without side effects. The most common is of course drowsiness, but other side effects include tremors, nervousness, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, and rarely, problems with blood cell counts. Reactions to antihistamines are very individual, and if you choose to have your child treated in this manner don't worry if the first drug or two doesn't work just right. Many times the side effects disappear, and frequently one can just keep trying different antihistamines until a satisfactory compromise bewteen efficacy and side effect is reached. I don't know of any long term sequelae of occasional antihistamine use. Your allergist would. I am a pathologist and am thus speaking a little out of my specialty. Please take this as the experience of a satisfied customer and not professional medical advice. Go to an allergist and let him tell you the options. Tinkering with the immune system, even with over the counter drugs, is fairly non-trivial. That's why it's a separate specialty. Good Luck and God Bless, Bill Oliver.
rws@gypsy.UUCP (05/13/85)
I'm sure lots of people have more traditional advice, but also consider this: There are two types of problems that produce allergy symptoms: allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis. The itching, sneezing, congestion, and headaches are all the same, but with v.r. there is no such thing as desensitization shots. The key to distinguishing the two is usually the IgE test, which detects the presence of the allergic reaction in the bloodstream. With vasomotor rhinitis all you can do is try to reduce the irritants in your environment, like by getting a whole-house air cleaning system, keep you house cooler than usual, like with a whole-house air conditioner, use a lot of antihistamines, and reduce/manage stress. My wife is getting long term steroid therapy on her sinus membranes; I think this does not have the undesirable side-effects of steroid injections. Good luck. Bob Schwanke Siemens Research Princeton, NJ seismo!princeton!siemens!rws
mcburnet@topaz.ARPA (Roe McBurnett mcburnet@topaz.uucp) (05/13/85)
In article <1668@bmcg.UUCP> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >My two sons, aged 7 and 4, have recently been diagnosed as being >very allergic individuals and I will be taking them to a pediatric >allergist. >Fundamental Questions: >1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has > used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you > know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess > we can stop with the injections now"? Yes. My wife has been through hyposensitization, improved, and was advised to stop injections for a period of time. When her situation again became more serious she started up again, and later stopped. The second period was for about 5 years. >2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > should be aware of? you become immune to the affects of sleeping pills and the like... both medications are based on the same type of formulation. >3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the > current state of the science? My testing took about three > weeks, involved some 180...[injections]... Are things any better > these days? for children only the high risk/suspect tests are run.. my son (age 4) was sent to an allergy specialest who only administered 4 intradermal tests. (intradermal is an injection under the skin) He determined that my boy was not allergic and had another problem. I was also tested at one point and over a period of 2 weeks was subjected to "scratch tests" where a series of thin scratchs were made on my arms. As in Larry's experience, a range of allergins were applied to the scratches and observed for welts. (they *DO* itch rather badly) But this was a full screening test to find what I was allergic to. >I hate to sound negative about the whole affair, but my personal experience >with the system was less than marvelous. I do want the boys to have a >chance to feel good, though; they seem to have so much trouble with congestion >coughing, sneezing, <insert classic allergic reaction symptom here>, etc. >Your experiences and opinions are welcome. >Larry J. Huntley Burroughs -(B)- Corporation for those with severe allergy problems I would say that going through the skin tests and the hyposensitization therapy is worth while. It does work and over a period of months/years the allergy symptoms do get better. -- Roe McBurnett {ut-sally,astrovax}!topaz!mcburnet or Hill 521 x4273 \-> !ru-green!mcburnett
peg@linus.UUCP (Margaret E. Craft) (05/13/85)
The shots helped me feel good the same way that glasses helped me see. I'll never forget the day I got my glasses - my kid sister got hers too, and all the way home we were saying things like "Hey look - there's wires between those poles!!" It was the same with the shots, after about 3 months. "What - I can play in the field without sneezing for the next 4 hours??!!" The testing isn't so bad now. I was just retested a month ago. 20 or so small scratches on upper arms, followed by mini-injections on forearms for the ones that reacted. The shots, as you know, are so painless that when I get a REAL shot I'm very offended! Many allergists try other treatments before shots. Worth a try. Summary - get them some treatment. But be aware that it's still a lot of black magic, and if the treatment (shots or pills or nasal spray) doesn't work, try someone else. A good allergist will admit that different treatments work for different people.
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/13/85)
After living for years suffering almost continuously from allergic problems as a kid, I made the first trip to the allergist in about 7th grade. I am allergic to Trees, Grass, Mold, Dust, and Ragweed. Trees are my big killer are marginal (mowing the lawn bothered me but it wasn't that uncomfortable). I continued the shots about once every three weeks after the initial work-up and weekly during the time that trees and grasses were pollenating. Prices were about $5. an injection at the time. I discontinued the treatment when I went off to college. > > Fundamental Questions: > > 1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has > used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you > know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess > we can stop with the injections now"? Does this ever happen? I suppose I may be a little better off, although I don't spend as much time outdoors as I used to. I still get mild problems during the right seasons, but nothing that makes me want to go back to the injections again. I don't get the miserable, runny eyes allergic problems I used to. > 2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > should be aware of? I've not found a whole lot of antihistimines that I can live with taking. Actifed and Chlortrinitron zonk me out dead. The prescription Naldecon is better, but still not great. I use Sudafed when I have too, it's a pretty good dryer upper, and doesn't incapacitate me too badly. > 3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the > current state of the science? My testing took about three > weeks, involved some 180 varied Witches' brews and philters which > were injected subcutaneously into my inner forearm, 10 to 20 at a > time. I had the pock marked back treatment for the initial testing. After they had it narrowed down they did the same thing to my arm (since it was only a dozen or so). Someone mentioned that they have some new testing method that they use to do the initial testing that narrows it down for the traditional tests. -Ron
mike@dolqci.UUCP (Mike Stalnaker) (05/14/85)
From the time I was 4 until I was 14, I recieved allergy shots. This
started at the rate of 3 a week, and was tapered off to one a week by
the time I was 7, and then at 13 they began tapering them off even
futher. At the outset I was allergic to all mammalian fur, (gawd, I can
still remember mom trying to explain why I couldn't have a
dog/cat/goat/horse/whatever...), most dusts, and had hay fever like you
wouldn't believe. The shots cleared it up, and I haven't had a bit of
trouble since.....
(I'm 25 now.)
--
Mike Stalnaker UUCP:{decvax!decuac,cbosgd,seismo}!dolqci!mike
AT&T:202-376-2593
USPS:601 D. St. NW, Room 7122, Washington, DC, 20213
"Never appeal to a man's better nature. He may not
have one. Appeal to his better interests instead"
--Lazarus Longhollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (05/14/85)
In article <1668@bmcg.UUCP> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: > >2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > should be aware of? I used to have to take anti-histamines and decongestants pretty regularly, but now only need them for colds and flu. My experience has been that a given type of antihistamine will loose its effectiveness for me after having been relied on for a period of time. I've had this effect from both over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Eventually they just stop working and I have to find another one. Once they stop, they never work for me again. Be aware that some over-the-counter drugs contain a lot of junk besides antihistamines. Contac, for example, contains belladonna. At least two doctors told me not to use it even before I told them it gave me the shakes. >3. Have the methods of allergy testing advanced any? What is the > current state of the science? > I know other people > who have had the "back scratch" type of testing. Are things any better > these days? A friend went to an allergist who did what she called "sublingual" testing. As I understand it, this involves spraying a solution containing an allergen under the patient's tongue and watching for a reaction. My friend was determined to be allergic to wheat when she very nearly fell asleep on the spot after they sprayed that solution. -- -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp TTI 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (05/15/85)
> Be aware that some over-the-counter drugs contain a lot of junk besides > antihistamines. Contac, for example, contains belladonna. At least two > doctors told me not to use it even before I told them it gave me the > shakes. > And others like Dristan have Caffeine in them. This is really wonderful. It puts you in zombie mode since the antihistamine is doping you up and the caffeine is stimulating you. Can't say awake and can't sleep either. -Ron
werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (05/16/85)
Some facts on allergies from a future immunologists: Allergies are caused by an improper immune reaction by the body. The official term for it is Type I (immediate) hypersensitivity. The are several types of Antibodies in the blood. IgG is the most common, IgA is found in mucus, and IgE is responsible for Allergies. IgE binds to cells in the skin and other places called Mast Cells. When an allergen (anything that causes Allergy) comes in contact with the IgE on the mast cells, it causes the Mast Cells to degranulate. Degranulating Mast Cells release Histamine, Serotonin, Slow Reacting Substance of Anaphylaxis. These cause blood vessels to dilate and tissues to swell and various other effects. If local, it causes a rash. If it gets into the blood in a big way, Anaphylactic shock, which is pretty nasty, can occur (such as a person dying from a bee sting.) To test for allergies, there are new alternatives to simple scratch tests. One - the RAST test looks for Antigen-reactive IgE in the blood. (However, just because you have IgE that binds to Ragweed doesn't mean you'll be allergic to it. On the other hand, you can't be allergic to it if you're IgE doesn't bind it. So it's a quick easy way to rule out a lot of things.) Then there is hyposensitization. This works as follows. IgG and IgA can also bind allergens, and if they do, don't cause the allergy response. However, most people don't make enough of these two during allergies, so the IgE predominates. If you can induce a response, then the competition between the various antibodies will prevent the allergy. This doesn't work for all antigens. SOme don't respond. For these, a person could be given anti-Allergen antibodies in lieu of making them herself, however this passive protection only lasts weeks, not years, and there may be a transfusion reaction. Incidentally, there is a condition known as Atopy, which is a genetic predisposition to make a lot of IgE. Although the actual allergy is not inherited, the disposition to be allergic to SOMETHING is. Hope that's good enough explanation of the situation. -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner What do you expect? Watermelons are out of season!
doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (05/16/85)
> Contac, for example, contains belladonna.
Wrong. Check the label. Contac dropped the belladonna formulation
many years ago (remember the "New, Improved Formula"?). These days,
they're straight allergy tablets.
The belladonna formulation is still available in some "house brand"
cold capsules, such as from Lucky supermarkets and SuperX drugstores.
Again, read the labels.
I find that I need the extra "drying power" of belladonna about once
a year. No noticeable side effects for me except if I take one before
bedtime, then I have some *very* strange dreams :-)
--
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{ihnp4,seismo,decvax}!noao!terak!doug
^^^^^--- soon to be CalComppeg@linus.UUCP (Margaret E. Craft) (05/17/85)
In response to a recent posting: 1. Do NOT consider giving allergy shots yourself unless you are completely. trained. A full reaction (I've forgotten to medical term) can kill the receiptient within minutes unless they receive adreneline. I was giving myself shots until an uncle reacted while still in the doctor's office. It took two nurses to control him while a third gave him the shot. 2. There are some new nasal sprays (NasaChrome was the brand name, I think) that are preventive - they keep the histimines from forming. They are worth a try. 3. RE food allergies - unless things have changed a lot in the last three years... The last time I checked, no one in the US was treating for food allergies. Whoever knows differently please send me mail.
palith@princeton.UUCP (Palith Balakrishnabati GUEST) (05/17/85)
When I was very very small, I had many many bad allergies, as did many of my good friends. The wisest men of our village had no cures of any goodness. Oh how we would try to make ourselves better! Then my mother said "I know a very good doctor to help you, Palith." For the next two years every three times a week I visited the doctor in Kanpur until the allergies did flee from my body. Oh how my feet blistered on my way to the doctor! But those were happy times. Things changed in my whole life. I became a man. I was no longer a boy. My mother said to me: "Palith, you have become a grown man. I am so very proud." But since then my mother has died, my allergies have gone, and I have stopped seeing the psychiatrist. I no longer have blisters since I do not visit the doctor any longer, but I do get pains in my feet that force me to wear shoes with very very thick soles, and drive a Camaro. Thanking you, Palith "Jethero" Balakrishnabati -- Long Live Net.Nlang.India!
lizv@tektools.UUCP (Liz Vaughan) (05/17/85)
>In article <bmcg.1668> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >> >>1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has >> used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you >> know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess >> we can stop with the injections now"? >> >>2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be >> free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I >> should be aware of? As a child, my sister had TERRIBLE allergies -- we had to move to get her out of the pollen/smog in Los Angeles. She struggled along in and out of the hospital till she was 4 and "big enough" for allergy shots. As I recall, they didn't want to start shots 'till she was at least 35 pounds; something about dosages. The scratch tests were something of a nightmare -- 4 year-olds have tiny backs, so you can't do as many tests at once. Once they started the actual shot therapy, there was DRAMATIC improvement almost overnight. Suddenly this pale, fragile creature turned into a real person -- she could go outside, run (could never catch her breath before) and DO things. Even more dramatic was the personality change -- she'd always been totally dependent on everyone, a result of being very ill most of her life. Suddenly she was one of the other kids; her interest in life skyrocketed. The transition to being "well" (and hence not pampered) caused some problems ("spoiled rotten" comes to mind) but I shudder to think what it would be like if she'd been that dependent on people as an adult. She continued on shots (gradually decreasing from 3x a week to once a month) 'till she was 10; they pronounced her "de-sensitized", but told her to keep an eye on it. At about age 13, her allergies reappeared in force. Apparently this is quite common; puberty (and menopause) can wreak havoc with the delicate balances of the immune system. She re-started shots, and stayed on them for about 5 years. At this point, she has fewer allergy problems than I do -- more like mild "hay fever" than anything else. In addition to shots, she also took VERY strong antihistamines several times a day for most of the time she was on shot therapy. One thing to watch for is tolerance -- you'll periodically have to change antihistamines to keep their effectiveness up. She used to alternate months. As far as we know, there were no vile side effects of all this, other than the occasional drowsiness (which decreases as you get tolerant) and "cottonmouth" normally associated with antihistamines. THE MORAL OF THE STORY -- If your kid has serious allergy problems, PLEASE consider getting shots. It may seem expensive, but the benefits can be enormous -- emotional ones as well as the obvious improved health. (Another benefit: after 10+ years of allergy shots, you'll have NO fear of needles :-) Be aware, however, that it may be better to wait 'till after puberty to start an older child; there's no point in starting at 10, making some progress and having to start all over 3 years later. Good luck Liz Vaughan tektronix!tektools!lizv
debbiem@rruxe.UUCP (D. McBurnett) (05/20/85)
>In article <bmcg.1668> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >> >>1. Is anyone familiar with an example of an allergic person who has >> used hyposensitization therapy and has actually improved? Do you >> know anyone who has been told (by their allergist) "Well, I guess >> we can stop with the injections now"? >> >>2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be >> free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I >> should be aware of? Larry Huntley has gotten some excellent answers on this, and I'll try not to be redundant, but I there are some aspects that I haven't seen covered which I'd like to address, and this is a subject near and dear to me. I developed allergies and asthma when I was nine years old (or let's say we figured out that was my problem at that age) and it was pretty severe. Like other people, I started out on a heavy immuno- therapy schedule (4 shots a week) and took the shots for nine years (at which point I was getting one shot every two months). When I was eighteen my allergist pronounced those magic words "Well, I guess we can stop with the injections now" because, he said, while I wasn't "cured" (actually, nobody ever really is), I wouldn't get any better with the shots, and I wouldn't get any worse without them. (I suspect, however, that all allergists may not be this candid.) During these nine years I also took pretty strong anti- histamines, rotating to another when the effectiveness of one wore off, like everybody else. I continued taking milder antihistamines from the time I was 18 until age 23, seasonally as needed. When I was 23 I moved to Michigan and my allergies started acting up again, so I went back to the immunotherapy (different parts of the country have different allergens, and being "cured" in one place doesn't guarantee that you will be problem-free somewhere else). From that point until I was 30 I received two shots once a week, and while I showed significant symptomatic improvement, this doctor did not reduce the schedule or give any indication that I might not need the shots in the foreseeable future. (I think he was greedy and didn't want to let go of me as a patient.) Since I have moved back to New Jersey, I have been much improved, and have not needed immunotherapy, though I still do seasonally use antihistamines. Last fall I became pregnant, and as with puberty, this really can mess up your system. (When I went through puberty, my asthma virtually disappeared and my hay fever got better, but I developed excruciating eczema instead, which literally lasted without respite for over three years -- try to imagine having poison ivy for three years straight and you've pretty much got the picture.) With the pregnancy, my allergies overnight became as bad as they have ever been, including a return of the asthma which had been in abeyance for 15 years. My consultation with my new allergist was extremely enlightening. First of all, according to him, although asthma is not NECESSARILY a result of allergy, it can be; and once you have asthma, you NEVER TRULY OUTGROW IT. In recent years some really good new drugs have been developed for symptomatic treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis (basically, "hay fever"), that do not use cortisone or adrenaline or epinephrine (which are used even in the over-the-counter asthma sprays and other preparations). He informed me that these were particularly useful in treatment of allergy during pregnancy because since they do not contain these ingredients, THEY DO NOT ALSO AFFECT THE HEART AND VASCULAR SYSTEM AS ADRENALINE AND THE OTHERS DO. I hadn't been aware that adrenaline et al had those kinds of side effects. Also, the new nasal sprays in this new group of drugs don't have the rebound effect that decongestant sprays do, and you therefore don't have problems with their long-term use. By the way, my new allergist has said that there's no point in considering immunotherapy while I'm pregnant, because my symptoms may disappear again after I have my baby. His view is that if I think I still need treatment afterwards, we can talk about it then. So here's an example of an allergist NOT recommending immunotherapy under the circumstances, and not even pushing for it later on. The only long-term effects I've noticed from routine use of anti- histamines are that: 1) "sleeping pills" don't work for me (they were developed from antihistamines, and when you build up a tolerance to antihistamines, you build up a tolerance for sleeping preparations); 2) drugs like Darvon, which are basically amphetamines (while antihistamines are barbiturates), send me flying higher than a kite, to the point where I can't function, because my system is accustomed to being slightly depressed; and 3) in surgery, I take longer to "go under" and take less time to "come back out of" anesthesia. These are not really what I consider serious problems, as I don't need sleeping pills (I only know they don't work for me because I've had them prior to surgery and NOTHING happens), I have only very rarely needed anything like Darvon, and surgery is an extremely unusual situation. It might also be worth mentioning that I have hypoglycemia, and some doctors/scientists believe there is a correlation between allergy and hypoglycemia. All I can say about it is that I notice that when I keep my hypoglycemia under control, I have fewer problems with my allergies, and during the worst of my allergy seasons, I have more trouble with my hypoglycemia. It's also somewhat noteworthy that both conditions have hereditary aspects, and in my family, with only one exception, everyone who has allergies also has doctor-diagnosed hypoglycemia (in all cases the allergies preceded the hypoglycemia by 20-30 years). Because I am plagued with these twin problems, I do a lot of reading about them. Several studies have shown that the B-vitamins can have a positive effect on both allergies and hypoglycemia. I'm not a vitamin-freak, but I'm inclined to believe it. As I said, my allergies came back in force when I became pregnant; my hypo- glycemia simultaneously got much worse after years of being under control. I suffered from November to March, at which point I started taking B-supplements. Both conditions improved dramatically almost right away, and though I still have some trouble with the allergies, I'm no longer absent from work 40% of the time because of the problems. There's a strong indication that it's not only the avoidance of food allergens that's important in the treatment of allergies, but so also is the general level of nutrition that the allergic person gets. Finally, regarding the efficacy of immunotherapy, it's true that it doesn't work for everyone, but what is perhaps more accurate is that it works better against some kinds of allergens than others. Some allergies, like those to cats, have a much higher "cure" rate with immunotherapy than allergies to molds or foods. With foods, most allergists counsel simple avoidance rather than immunotherapy. With allergies to inhalants like molds or pollens, immunotherapy already is behind the eight-ball because they are so pervasive (at least with cat allergy, you can avoid cats while taking immunotherapy, which does help its effectiveness). I would like to echo what Liz Vaughn said about the importance of treating allergy. In retrospect, there's little doubt that I had allergy problems before they were diagnosed, and that in my case my allergic condition led to the development of asthma. For years as a child any exertion brought on asthma attacks, as well as exposure to high pollen levels, furry animals, molds, and certain foods like corn. I couldn't take gym classes and had to have an extremely restricted diet. The misery I endured during those early years, until the improvement built up, was something I would go a long way to avoid having again, for myself or for my kids. At the beginning of my treatment, the asthma was so severe that my allergist was concerned that he wouldn't be able to improve me fast enough to keep me from developing emphysema, which is non-reversible and ultimately lethal. Because of the severity of my symptoms, I have always been more prone to respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, even today. All I have to do is think of what I would have been like WITHOUT the treatment that improved my condition to the point where (until this last pregnancy) I could live a relatively normal life, and there's absolutely no question in my mind that the treatment is worth every penny. Also, every allergist I have had has emphasized that the earlier the problem is detected and treated, the more promising the prognosis, both long-term and short-term. Because of this, I keep an eagle eye on my son's health, since he has a higher chance of developing allergies because of heredity in the first place. Now that he is four, we have been able to have some intradermal skin tests done (most allergists agree that testing is pretty worthless at earlier ages) when he seemed to have a lot of sniffling and coughing that unfelicitously coincided with the tree-pollination period this past spring. Encouragingly, he tested negative, but I would much rather be safe than sorry. A child's health, both physical and mental, can be at stake, and they are too precious to take chances with, not to mention the permanent repercussions that can result from the failure to treat the problem. If Mr. Huntley lives in Northern or Central New Jersey, I can recommend two excellent allergists if he wishes. Debbie McBurnett rruxe!debbiem
ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) (05/21/85)
In article <1668@bmcg.UUCP> yrdbrd@bmcg.UUCP (Larry J. Huntley) writes: >My two sons, aged 7 and 4, have recently been diagnosed as being >very allergic individuals and I will be taking them to a pediatric >allergist. He then asks for comments on particular questions. I have no input on the therapy mentioned. What I can give is anecdotal (sp?) info. I had fairly bad allergies all the time I was growing up. Even in college they were bad in spring, though better than at home. I left school and got a job in the SF Bay area. I also 'outgrew' my allergies at the same time. Then a year or so later, I returned to the central valley of Calif. (My home town is their) during spring. **BAM** full fledged allergies again. The moral? Well, there are two. The partial improvement when I went to college can be traced to the fact that my father smoked while I was allergic to tobacco (A very common state of affairs, seems that the smoke causes sensitization of the fetus due to a subclinical reaction of the mother, assuming that she doesn't smoke). When I went to college, the total insult to the imune system dropped. The improvement upon moving out of the central valley (By *FAR* the greatest) was the simple result of moving to somewhere that had different antigens and fewer of them. The air usually comes in off of the ocean and generally contains far less pollen and dust. In the central valley, the air has had about 500-1000 miles of plants, dust, bugs, horses, etc. before reaching my nose. You might want to consider moving to somewhere with a fresh breeze from the ocean. I will not ever move back to the central valley. I feel too good when I am near water...(Now if I could just get the locals to stop smoking ... 1/2 :-) -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems Tilapia Zilli is the way and the light. This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.