Hayfever & Immunotherapy

kennyb3

I'm wondering if anybody has tried the immunotherapy option? (specifically SLIT) for treating hayfever.

Only heard of it the other day on Matt Cooper - some Prof. from asthma.ie on about it. Link here

http://www.asthma.ie/get-help/living-well-with-asthma/hay-fever-rhinitis/hay-fever-rhinitis

I'm plagued by the thing every summer:

- runny nose
- itchy eyes
- disturbed sleep
- wheezing & bit of asthma

Tried all the over the counter meds - takes the edge off but that's about it.

Overall I dread the summer, even though I love running and cycling.

I'd love to try this if there was any chance it might work.

RobFowl

Mod note
feel free to discuss immunotheraphy and other treatments for hayfever but don't offer or ask for medical advice
General comment not aimed at OP btw!
Rob

Magico Gonzalez

is it "real" medecine or is it woo? Genuinely interested.

Alun

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

is it "real" medecine or is it woo? Genuinely interested.

Well the injected version certainly isn't "woo", I had it back in the 80's in England, and it worked like a dream for me at least. That was before the problems reported in the article caused it to be stopped a short while later.

kennyb3

Thanks I guess I should be more specific:

Just wondering if anyone has used immunotherapy and if it worked for them?

Is it very new and unheard of?

If I approach a GP will they look at me like I ve 10 heads?

I'm just sick of hay fever, I get by but it affects work, life And sleep. Outdoor exercise sees me in bits with sneezing, itchy eyes and wheezing after regardless of anti-histamines

If there is any to significantly reduce symptoms or eradicate it I'd happily give it a shot.

Alun

kennyb3 wrote: »

Thanks I guess I should be more specific:

Just wondering if anyone has used immunotherapy and if it worked for them?

Is it very new and unheard of?

Like I said, and it's mentioned in the article you linked to in your original post, it's not new at all in concept, and was used back in the 80's with some success but was stopped after a few deaths resulted when people reacted badly to the injections in the GP surgery. I understand that in England at least they have restarted using it for some extreme cases but you have to go to a hospital to have the injections so that emergency medical care is at hand should something go wrong.

Whether the newer sub-lingual version works as well, I wouldn't know.

Also, it certainly did work for me and I've had no symptoms at all for grass or flower pollen since then, although I've since developed a birch pollen allergy which is actually more of a PITA as it has resulted in some oral food allergies developing.

kennyb3

Thanks I'd probably steer clear of the injection, which doesn't seem too available anyway.

Wondering about sub lingual mainly as this was part I'd never heard of and was wondering if doctor would have and will think its a feasible option.