Did you know you can take your allergy injection extract with you?

Patients going off to college in the Fall, who are currently receiving allergy injections in our office are welcome to take their allergy extract with them. Patients who receive venom immunotherapy, must be at a maintenance dose in order to take their extract out.

In order to request to take your allergy extract out, you will need to contact the college health center to see if they can administer your allergy injections. Some college health centers do not administer allergy injections, but they may know of a local allergist or primary care physician who would be willing to do so. Regardless of who will provide your injections, it’s important to ask what information their office may need from us, along with their address, phone and fax numbers and office hours. Be sure to get a contact name as well.  

Once you obtain the necessary information, please contact our office as soon as possible, to provide us with all the required information. It can take 2-3 weeks for the Extract Department to prepare your vials and necessary paperwork. We will contact you once your allergy extract is ready.

If you would like to pick up your vials, please keep in mind they must be refrigerated, never frozen.

 

Blog written by: Kemp W. Bundy, M.D., MBA

While the long sunny days of summer are a welcome presence for most, summer can pose some unwelcome challenges to allergy and asthma sufferers. There are unfortunately many seasonal triggers for asthma. Many patients are aware of and/or have experienced an increase in seasonal asthma symptoms including but not limited to coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and an increased use of their rescue inhaler. Oftentimes this can occur on days with elevated pollen counts. Summer is grass pollen season but depending on the summer, there can be overlap with tree, ragweed and mold pollen counts, posing multiple different triggers for one to contend with regarding maintaining asthma control. While many asthmatics are not significantly impacted by heat and humidity, some asthma patients note an increase in asthma symptoms requiring their rescue inhaler on days with elevated temperature or humidity levels. If you find yourself needing your rescue inhaler more than 2 times a week (outside of exercise) or if asthma is impacting your quality of life by not being fully able to participate in fun summer activities, contact your allergist at Certified Allergy & Asthma Consultants for additional recommendations. Fortunately, there are many treatment options available that will allow you to get back in the game.

Seasonal allergy symptoms of runny nose, itchy/watery/red eyes, postnasal drip, nasal congestion and itchy ears/nose/mouth/throat can also be triggered when pollen counts are high. This constellation of symptoms can require at times multiple medications to help regain control. The sunny days that we here in the Northeast yearn for during the cold months of winter can unnecessarily be cut short or be negatively impacted by allergy symptoms due to elevated seasonal pollens. Don’t let your next outdoors summer activity or barbecue be interrupted by allergies. Take back control. Know your triggers and find relief at Certified Allergy & Asthma Consultants.

Blog written by: Manisha Relan, MD

Currently, the only FDA-approved treatment for patients with persistent food allergies is avoidance. Over the past couple of decades, there has been an increasing interest in other treatment options, such as food patches [almost like a Nicotine patch for smoking cessation] or oral immunotherapy in which patients consume the food in increasing amounts over a long period of time. These therapies work to desensitize the patient to the food to which they are allergic. The goal is that by exposing the human body to a food allergen slowly, the body will become tolerant. That means the patient could possibly eat the food, as if they were never allergic to begin with. What a relief!

Recent research shows that oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy is more effective than patch therapy, although studies are still underway. However, the patch is much easier to use, is associated with less doctor visits, and has less side effects. Advanced stage research trials for these therapies have been showing great promise. Currently these potential treatments for peanut allergy are still being investigated, but the FDA is looking to approve one or all of these therapies in the near future. Longer term data is also being evaluated to make sure the therapies are safe, successful, and long-lasting. Research studies are also underway for other foods. Stay tuned!