What are the pros and cons of allergy shots? I am not big on medicines!

[HappyGrace]

I am on antibitotics about 6 times per yr for sinus infections, and now getting pretty bad ear complications from it. The ENT keeps trying to put me on those nasal steroids (Nasonex, Nasacort, etc) and I get side effects from them. I'm thinking of going to an allergist to see what I'm allergic to. Hopefully it's a food allergy and something I can cut out of my diet simply, but if it's environmental, I'm considering the shots.

 

What are the pros and cons of the shots? I try to stay as natural as possible so this is a huge step for me. (I've tried saline sprays, neti pot, various natural remedies for yrs w/ no luck.)

 

Is there thimersoral in the shots? Anything else you can tell me? Thanks!

[celticmom]

I used allergy shots as a child and it is quite possible that they literally saved my life. I had severe allergies to both foods and inhalents. I took allergy shots for both and the inhalent shots probably kept my asthma from becoming severe and the food shots enabled me to eat. The downside to allergy shots is that they are shots and taking them is not exactly fun. They can also be expensive depending on how much is covered by insurance.

 

The shots are made using extracts of the things that you are allergic to in individually calibrated amounts to desensitize your system to them. Your prescription will be very individual to you more like glasses than most drugs.

[Mom0012]

My husband and both my children are taking allergy shots. My husband and dd started a few years ago because they were both miserable and medication did not touch their symptoms. It has been life-changing for my dd. My husband has gotten great relief for his spring and fall allergies (which used to be his worst, but now has a lot more trouble in the winter). Now that I think of it, the same thing happened to my dd, but we took her back for more testing and we found new allergies to mold, dust, etc., so they added those to her serum and now she is in good shape year round.

 

My son did not start shots when the other two did because nasal sprays completely alleviated his symptoms, but over the last year, he developed terrible eye allergies that no medication or drops helped. Within a few weeks on the shots, his eyes were much better, so I'd say it's definitely been worth it for him as well.

 

So, I say if medication is working, great. If not, the shots are definitely worth a try and you sound like a candidate.

[Mom0012]

My husband and both my children are taking allergy shots. My husband and dd started a few years ago because they were both miserable and medication did not touch their symptoms. It has been life-changing for my dd. My husband has gotten great relief for his spring and fall allergies (which used to be his worst, but now has a lot more trouble in the winter). Now that I think of it, the same thing happened to my dd, but we took her back for more testing and we found new allergies to mold, dust, etc., so they added those to her serum and now she is in good shape year round.

 

My son did not start shots when the other two did because nasal sprays completely alleviated his symptoms, but over the last year, he developed terrible eye allergies that no medication or drops helped. Within a few weeks on the shots, his eyes were much better, so I'd say it's definitely been worth it for him as well.

 

So, I say if medication is working, great. If not, the shots are definitely worth a try and you sound like a candidate. I'd at least go to the allergist and get tested for allergies.

[Joshin]

I took allergy shots as a child for two years. They nearly completely alleviated my allergies and totally got rid o my asthma. Before shots, I was in the hospital monthly during spring and summer for oxygen treatments. I'm allergic to the propellent in the inhalers, so those were never an option for me. I was allergic to just about everything that grows, all domesticated animals, and several different fibers. There may have been more, but I quit shots when I was 8 or 9 so my memory is sketchy. No side effects that I know of, except that after the shots the shot site would sometimes itch for a little while.

 

My mom gave me the shots, because it was less expensive than going to the allergist twice a week, plus we lived an hour drive from the clinic. Not sure if they still allow that.

 

I avoid the use of medications with myself and my family unless it's absolutely necessary, but if my boys ever exhibited allergy symptoms I would get them shots in a heartbeat. I went from a wheezing, miserable kid that couldn't go outdoors to the proud owner of several pets with a healthy gardening hobby, so I really do view the shots as giving me my life.