What happens if you miss an allergy shot

You may notice decreasing symptoms during the initial build-up phase before you reach maintenance, but it may take as long as 12 months on the maintenance dose to see improvement in some patients. New vial appointments require a provider visit and may last minutes. New vial appointments are every 6 weeks during the first 6 month build-up phase and every 12 weeks once you have reached the maintenance phase. Missing Shots: If you miss an allergy shot, come in for you next shot as soon as you are able and notify staff at your next visit.

Missing your regular shots makes it take longer for you to obtain your maintenance dose. It is critical to maintain your allergy shot schedule.

Please refer to the Appointment Record for a detailed list of our hours and as a guide to schedule your appointments. If you miss a new vial appointment, you will be subject to the charge for the preparation of your vials.

If you feel sick the day of your allergy shot: If you feel ill the day of your shot, but are not experiencing any chest congestion, chest tightness, wheezing, or difficulty breathing, you may still be able to get your shot, but make sure to tell the medical staff before getting your shot.

If you are unsure whether you should get your shot or not, please call our office to discuss your concerns with the medical staff prior to coming in for your shot. Side effects of allergy shots: Because the injections are made from extracts of substances to which you are allergic, allergic reactions are possible.

It is imperative that injections be performed under the supervision of medical personnel so that if a reaction does occur it can be identified and treated quickly.

Local reactions to allergy shots are fairly common and consist of redness and swelling at the injection site. These reactions can occur immediately or several hours later. In some cases, there may be swelling of the arm. Systemic reactions are much less common and result in allergy symptoms such as sneezing, nasal congestion or hives.

It is rare but possible for a serious systemic reaction, called anaphylaxis, to occur. Life-threatening reactions are extremely rare but a few deaths have occurred after allergy shots.

The most common side effect of an allergy injection is a small amount of redness, itching or swelling at the injection site. Sometimes a person will notice some mild allergy symptoms within 24 hours after a shot.

Tell the nurse at your next injection visit so an adjustment in dose can be made if it is indicated. The goal of immunotherapy is to control your allergy symptoms without medications. You may still need to take some medications to control your allergy symptoms. Using a medication will not decrease the benefits of allergy shots. A yearly visit is needed to monitor your allergies and general health, update progress, reassess medications and reissue any prescriptions.

A more frequent visit may be required for asthmatic patients. If you receive injections at another office, you should bring your injection schedule with you as well as any empty serum vials if you are renewing a serum prescription at the same time.

How long will my current vaccine last? Your vaccine expires in one year. Your new vaccine will be a little stronger vaccine loses some of its potency over time so the dosage will be cut back slightly and you will have to build back up.

You can do this by coming in twice a week, weekly or every two weeks. It usually takes 3 doses to be back up to maintenance. Will my insurance cover my allergy injections? How do allergy shots work? How soon should do the shots start to work? When can I get the shots? How long do I need to take shots for? What happens if I miss a shot? Are allergy injections safe? What are the side effects of allergy injections? After 42 days, your dose will be appropriately adjusted. A decrease in dose will be necessary, and you will need to build back up to your maintenance dose.

Why do I need to wait in the office for 30 minutes after my allergy injections? Allergy injections should be administered in a facility that has a physician and trained staff capable of recognizing and managing adverse reactions. Most serious reactions develop within 30 minutes after the allergy injection.

However, a delayed systemic reaction could occur. Therefore, you should carry an epinephrine auto-injector with you on the day of your injections. An epinephrine auto-injector is an injection of epinephrine that is used to treat serious life threatening reactions, but does not take the place of medical treatment.

You will need to get emergency medical treatment after you inject epinephrine. What is a local reaction? A local reaction is not uncommon. It is a swelling, redness, and itching at the site of the allergy injection. You will need to inform the medical staff of swelling that is a quarter size or larger, so that if needed a dose adjustment can be made to your next injection.

A local reaction can be managed with a cool compress, topical corticosteroids, or antihistamines. What is a systemic or serious reaction? A systemic reaction occurs less commonly and may include hives, wheezing, coughing, tightness of the chest, lightheadedness, faintness, nausea, and vomiting. Although rare, serious reactions may result in significant respiratory reactions or anaphylactic shock , which may be life threatening.

A serious reaction usually occurs within 30 minutes after an injection. You should remain in the medical facility for 30 minutes after you receive injections and immediately report any symptom to the medical staff. You should carry an epinephrine auto-injector with you on the day of your injection in case a serious reaction should occur after leaving the medical facility. What is a rapid-build up? You will receive injections in two phases: build-up phase and maintenance phase.