Well, I had an allergy skin test on Thursday, despire already having a blood test done. Boy was I SHOCKED when I saw all the different things I'm allergic to!! (blood test only showed 4 things!) I'm HIGHLY allergic to 22 different things, dust mites being so high my allergist couldn't believe it. He said he hasn't seen someone so highly allergic to this many different things in years. :eek: The rest were mostly weeds and trees (I live in the AZ desert) and my cats as well :( (though the cats weren't too bad!) I'm starting on tree and weed shots in about a week and then will probably have to do the dust mites and kitty ones later on. At least now I know what is wrong though because all the x-rays and CT scans of my Sinuses were normal. I was beginning to think all of this was in my head and I honestly think my primary care dr was thinking I was making some of this up!

For those of you that have done shots, how long does it take to normally feel a little better? I guess I'm overly concerned because none of these plants are even in bloom yet and almost daily I feel like I have the flu. (fevers, chills, aches, PND, no energy, etc) I can not even imagine what I'm going to be like once Spring hits! Hopefully I can get some shots in before then and start to build up a resistance.
Katt

I had a coworker who was allergic to her cats, and she doesn't need shots for that as long as she bathes them every week. How do your cats feel about baths?

We've been bathing the cats as well and keeping them out of the bedroom. My fiance has to do the baths because he can control them better than I can. They don't mind it *too* much, but it's kind of funny to watch honestly. Mine is so high that the allergist said that baths probably won't help too much. I'm going to need dust, weed, and tree shots regardless, so might as well throw some cat in the mix too, ya know? If it was just cats I probably wouldn't bother with the shots.

Welcome to the club. My last skin test (I've had 7 in my lifetime) was almost three years ago...highly allergic to 55 different things. Nothing new for me.

Allergy shots help most people who take them. Generally one has to get to maintenance dose before symptoms begin to improve and it can take as long as a year or so for shots to take their full effect. How long it takes you to get to maintenance depends on the lab that makes serum for your doctor. I'm surprised he's not going to start you on shots for dust mites at the same time as trees/weeds. For me, personally, allergy shots have been the difference between having only 5-9 infections per year and having 12 plus infections per year and have kept me out of the hospital and off oxygen in combination with 5-8 daily medications depending on symptoms.

I started Xolair, a new anti-IgE drug approved for allergic asthmatics only so far, about 4 months ago. So far I don't even need a daily antihistamine anymore and I've been steroid and antibiotic free for six weeks. For those of us who've only had minimal response to traditional therapies, including immunotherapy, Xolair is our hope for the future.

Good luck with the allergy shots...I hope they are a big help to you.

Thanks for the response. I have allergic asthma, but Singulair has helped me more than anything! I felt a HUGE difference once I started it, both energy wise and also with the asthma. I'm also on Advair 2X a day, Nasonex, and Zyrtec as needed, though I've been needing it almost every day. I have mostly good days on those drugs, but still 2X a week or so feel like I have the flu, including a low grade fever. I've heard of Xolair and it sounds like a good drug. Luckily, my asthma is under control for now anyway. Since starting Singulair I haven't really need my Albuterol at all. :cool:

I'm not sure why he's not starting the dust shots right away since it's so high. I think he really wants me to build up an immunity to the trees and weeds, I'm doing those 2X a week to start since Spring is right around the corner. I can't imagine how miserable I'm going to be because none of this stuff is even in bloom yet.

I'm glad Singulair has been so helpful for you. It doesn't do a thing for me. If you have been able to avoid using albuterol since you've been on your current treatment, that is a great thing. Good luck with the allergy shots!

They have the cat wipes that are for allergy sufferers ... You can buy them @ Petsmart or Petco. I live in Arizona,too. Which allergy center did you go to? I go see one on March 8th in Ahwatukee.

I've tried the cat wipes and they don't seem to be doing much, but I guess it doesn't hurt to use them anyway. We give them weekly baths which seems to be more effective (though a lot more work!)

I actually live down in Tucson not the Phoenix area, but I see an asthma allergiest, Dr Grossman in NW Tucson. Good luck with your appt in March. I'm allergic to just about all of our beautiful desert :(

I live in the Arizona desert too and this is one of the WORST places for allergy sufferers. A lot of people are under the misconception that the only plant that grows in Arizona is cactus- wrong, so wrong. I wish that were the case though. The truth is, some of the worst sources of airborne allergens know to humanity are in Arizona.

I have lived here for 25 yrs and developed allergies when I was 12 yrs old about 4 yrs after we moved to the valley. I have gone through every symptom known to allergy sufferers and now at age 32 it has reached it's worst with the most miserable symptoms I have ever experienced and I have also developed chronic sinusitis. What a life, I tell ya! :(

I see an allergist in March and I can hardly wait for my test results. I was tested about 10 years ago and was allergic to practically everything that grows. I got shots for a year and was allergy free for several years.

Now I really am considering moving out of the valley. For so many reasons....allergies being number one- pollution, traffic, population, rude drivers.....oh sorry- I could go on and on...

Does anyone know of a good state to live in for allergy sufferers? Does one even exist? :dizzy: