Patient Immunotherapy Guidelines

1. Allergy injections are given by appointment during the posted allergy hours shown below. Please make an appointment for your injections. Should you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call our office as soon as possible. Try to avoid missing appointments (unless illness requires it) as this may cause setbacks in your therapy.

2. Upon arrival, please sign in. If your insurance requires a co pay, it must be paid at every injection or you can pre-pay one month at a time.  

3. The nurse will ask you to confirm your name and date of birth as it appears on your treatment vials.

4. After the injection, the nurse may place a small ice pack at the injection site. Some itching and redness may occur. Try to avoid rubbing or scratching it.

5. It is essential that you wait for 30 minutes after each injection. The nurse will check your arm before leaving. It is required that you have your EpiPen available on the day of your allergy injection as long as you are on immunotherapy.

6. Reactions to allergy shots may not be noticed in the 30 minutes you are waiting.  Delayed reactions may occur up to 24 hours later. It is important to report any delayed reactions to the nurse the next day so that your dose may be adjusted for your next shot. There may be times when the nurse must consult with the doctor regarding your next dose, so please report your reactions when you notice them. Any redness and or swelling that exceeds a 50-cent coin lasting longer than 24 hours is considered abnormal. If the local reaction is bothersome, the treatment is to apply cold pack, topical antihistamine or topical steroid, and oral antihistamine.

7. Allergy injections are not given if:

· You have a fever of 100°F or higher. Wait until your temperature is normal for 24 hours.

· You are actively wheezing, experiencing shortness of breath, or have chest tightness.

· You have an active allergic rash or hives.

· You have had a heavy allergen exposure within the past 24 hours.

· No strenuous exercise 1½ hours before or after your allergy injection.

· Allow 2 days between your allergy injection and an immunization, including flu vaccine.

8. Please notify the nurse of any new medications you are taking, especially heart or blood pressure medications (Beta-blockers in particular), or if you suspect that you are pregnant.

9. The doctor will want to see you for a follow-up evaluation. Please schedule that appointment today, if you have not already done so. After that visit, the doctor will want to follow up with you once you reach maintenance and then on a yearly basis to monitor your immunotherapy progress. You may schedule these appointments at any time, or ask that an appointment reminder card be mailed to you.

10. For optimal care, we recommend that you keep your follow-up appointments with the doctor. If more than a year elapses without physician follow-up, we will be unable to renew your prescriptions or continue your allergy immunotherapy.