Looking for Allergy Relief: My big decision

I am taking control of my allergies. They have gotten a bit out of hand lately. I can no longer eat apples, bananas, avocados, cherries, grapes, strawberries, or carrots without a reaction. What’s next? Lettuce? No more salads? I carry around an epi-pen because of the concern that my allergic reactions are growing stronger and are popping up in an increasing number of foods that I normally eat. Someone recently commented to me that “at least you’re not a vegetarian.” Um not true, I can’t eat meat either.

My oral allergies are the result of severe pollen allergies. Basically, the fruits and vegetables I am allergic to (in their raw forms only) are related to the plants that I am most allergic to. For almost my entire adult life I have had a pretty bad time with allergies. It is getting worse and as my doctor explained, my reactions are off the charts. So, I decided it is time to do something before the allergies take total control of my life.

I am beginning immunotherapy. Four shots, two in each arm, once a week. I’m told the injection sites will likely swell to the size of quarters and that I will have to hang out in the doctors office for 30 minutes afterward to make sure I do not have an adverse reaction (as if swollen lumps on my arms aren’t adverse!). This is a very long process. It will take many weeks (around six months) to get past the first stage of therapy. It will take years before I can be removed from therapy, if ever. 

The hope is that these frequent shots will build up my immunity and I will no longer be held hostage by trees and grass. The bigger hope is that I will be able to resume eating raw fruits and vegetables without worry. It may take a while for the symptoms to start lessening, but I welcome any positive change in my health.

Going on immunotherapy may seem like a no brainer to many people, but for me it wasn’t. There was a great deal of denial on my part as I tried to convince myself that my allergies woes were no worse than what others experience. I didn’t want to admit that my affliction needed a treatment that I wouldn’t be able to administer myself (see pollen experiment). When it comes down to it, my allergies are too strong and too varied for me to continue to ignore.