>U Mom Knows Best: Allergy Shot Number Three Brought On Increased Side Effects

Monday, March 21, 2022

Allergy Shot Number Three Brought On Increased Side Effects

  Are you considering allergy shots but need more information before you start an allergy shot treatment plan? Keep reading to discover my experience with receiving allergy shots.


 Last week, I had my 3rd round of allergy shots and things did not go as planned. I experienced some unusual side effects from the allergen injections but thankfully they were not severe. While I did have to stay an additional 30 minutes at the allergy shot office and do some additional at-home treatment, I survived my 3rd allergy shot injection treatment.

My 3rd allergy injection shots had some increased side effects, but that is expected as the dose of the allergen is being increased. When the allergy shot technician gave me my allergy shots in both arms, I felt the stinging in my arms right away. With allergy shots number one and two, the arm stinging did not occur until 5 minutes after the allergy shot injection. The technician told me that this was normal as the dose of the allergens was increased. It was the other side effects, that I had after the allergy shots, that kept me at the doctor's office for a longer time.

I tried to keep my mind off the side effects from the allergy shots

 After I received my allergy shot injections, I posted some things on social media and then decided to talk to the appointment person about starting my youngest son on allergy shots. More about that later in this article. While I was scheduling an appointment to get my son tested for allergies, my asthma started to kick in. I had to take some deep breaths while talking to the office personnel. Of course, she asked me if I was ok. I said "yes" and finished making the appointment for my son.

 Then I sat down to finish my waiting time. After every allergy shot treatment, one has to stay 30 minutes at the allergy shot facility. This is a precaution in case your side effects are severe. Simply put, the purpose of the allergy shot treatment is to get your body used to the allergens so you can be cured of seasonal allergies. So the person receiving allergy shots will have some side effects. 


 After I sat down, I pulled my natural inhaler out of my purse so I could use it to work through my asthma attack. While I was using my inhaler, my right leg started to shake. My leg shook for about a minute or so. Once I was able to work through my breathing, I checked my watch and notice that my 30 minutes of wait time was done.

I wished that I kept quiet about mentioning my side effects

 I then went to use the bathroom. While in the bathroom, the voice in my head told me to mention the side effects to the person who administered my allergy shot. So I went to check out and I casually mentioned the side effects that I experienced after the allergy treatment. I did not feel that the side effects were severe but once I said something it was a whole different story. The technician had me sit down while the other office worker went to go get my allergy doctor. 

 While I waited for the doctor, the gal took my blood pressure and oxygen levels. She also told me to take deep breaths. The doctor came to talk to me and read the numbers of my vital check. The doctor asked me what my normal blood pressure reading was. I told her my normal blood pressure number and she then told me that my blood pressure was on the high side, we're talking from 100 to 145! So I was told that I had to stay in the chair for another 30 minutes.

 The office girl gave me some water and also informed me that I would need to repeat the same dose of the allergy shot at my next appointment. The reason was so my body could get used to that dose before the next increase of allergens. I am wondering if my body had the increased side effects due to my accidental milk ingestion that happened 3 days ago. Yes, you read that right, I accidentally drank a milk-based protein shake while I attended Expo West. Thankfully the 2 Benadryl stopped the reactions from my milk allergy. I did not realize that the protein shake company made dairy-based shakes in addition to their plant-based protein shakes. I simply forgot my rule of reading food labels before eating. Food allergies suck!

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Why my son needs allergy shots

 While I was in California attending Expo West, my youngest son was experiencing his own allergy problems. Things were starting to grow and my son's seasonal allergies brought on his asthma problems of a severe cough and mucus production. So much mucus that my son puked a couple of times. The allergy symptoms were miserable for my son and he needed to miss school one day. 

 I then realize that for the past couple of years, my son has had asthma problems at the start of every spring and fall season. So I decided to ask my son if he wanted to try allergy shots. My son was tired of being miserable with asthma symptoms from seasonal allergies and said yes to allergy shots. So that is why I decided to get my son retested for allergies and see if he could start an allergy shot treatment plan. I did not want to see my son suffer from seasonal allergy-induced asthma when allergy shots could cure his seasonal allergies.

Other side effects that I had from the allergy shots

 The rest of the day, I had asthma symptoms from allergy shot #3. At times, I struggled to breathe. So I took an additional allergy pill, as recommended by the doctor, and used my nebulizer. The nebulizer helped me cough up all the mucus from my lungs and that made breathing easier. I also took a Benadryl pill before I went to bed.

 I experienced some coughing while I slept but did not have any more breathing issues. I woke up the next day feeling better. I survived allergy shot number three. While the side effects from the allergy shots are annoying, I am willing to endure them to cure my body of seasonal allergies. 

How do allergy shots work?

 + Allergy shots work by decreasing symptoms from particular allergens.

+ Each injection contains small amounts of the allergen so that your body builds up immunity to it over time. 

 + Allergy shots also improve the way other immune system cells and substances function in response to allergens. Eventually, successful immunotherapy helps the body fight off allergens and reduce adverse symptoms.

+ Allergy shots aim to decrease overall allergy symptoms over time. If you have allergic asthma, reduced asthma symptoms are also possible.

Side effects are expected with allergy shots

The next 6 months will be tough for me with my asthma and seasonal allergies. While the allergy shots will help my asthma symptoms decrease, I will experience increased asthma symptoms while going through the allergy shot treatment. The allergy shots are filled with the allergens from outdoor plants that I am allergic to and from dust. So my body will have reactions as it builds up immunity. 

When the build-up phase for allergy shots is done, I will no longer experience asthma symptoms from the weeds, plants, and grasses that I am allergic to. This will take away so much lung inflammation and my asthma triggers from other things, like chemicals and smoke, will decrease. It will be worth it! I will be able to work in my swingset garden and have no allergy symptoms. I will be able to pull the weeds and not break out in hives.

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12 comments:

Beth said...

Food allergies are the worst! They seem so much more horrible and finnicky than environmental allergies. I hope your next appointment is better.

AiringMyLaundry said...

Oh gosh, this sounds rough. I am sorry you were struggling to breathe afterwards. I am glad they will help in the end though!

Joline said...

We suffer from seasonal allergies but never thought to get allergy shots. Something to talk to our doctor about! Hope you feel better.

alita said...

Ive been following your journey on receiving allergy shots and thank you always for being honest with it.

Elizabeth Neas said...

I am glad that you mentioned your reaction even though you will have to have the same allergy shot next time. Hopefully it is better next time.

Kathy said...

Sorry to hear about it not going as well this time around. It's nice to see that they are working though. That's always good.

Tammy said...

I'm glad to hear that you have something to help with your allergies. My brother had terrible allergies and he suffered so badly

Gust si Aroma said...

wow! so many side effects. I hope that this will worth and it will help in the future. It was great to read about your experience!

Katie C said...

I'm sorry you had to wait another 30 minutes, but I do think you did the right thing by mentioning this to your doctor before leaving the appointment. It's probably best for your body to repeat that dose next time and had you not mentioned it, they would have increased it and it could have been worse after. Good luck at dose 4!

Melanie Edjourian said...

I'm glad you gave an update. I'm also sorry to hear that you had side effects. Lucky they weren't severe.

Agnes Dela Cruz said...

Sorry you experience side effects because of the shot. Thanks for the update!

Ris said...

Oh, I'm so sorry you had that experience with your allergy shot. I hope it won't happen again next time.

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