Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs about allergies and other things:

1. Does positive allergy testing mean that I am actually allergic?

   • Positive allergy testing is one of the pieces of information that is used to determine next steps. Patients can be sensitized resulting in a positive skin or blood test but do not end up having a clinical reaction when exposed.

2. Can seasonal allergies cause symptoms such as brain fog or fatigue?

   • Many patients report feeling fatigue during times of increased allergy symptoms. Frankly sneezing, blowing your nose constantly, not getting proper sleep can certainly lead to fatigue and sense of brain fog.

3. Are allergy shots effective?

   • Allergy shots are very effective and decreasing the severity and frequency of allergic rhinitis symptoms for the vast majority of patients.

4. Is ILIT more effective when compared to allergy shots?

   • ILIT is not more effective it is equally effective but is much more efficient than years of allergy shots.

5. Can I be allergic to a hypoallergenic dog?

   • There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog and one can be allergic to all dogs no matter the size, weight, presence of a shedding coat or not.

6. I was diagnosed as a child with penicillin allergy.

   • I mentioned this to my primary care doctor and they suggested that my penicillin allergy may no longer be active. Is this true? Yes most people labeled with penicillin allergy are in fact not allergic or no longer allergic and the advice is that all individuals with a distant history of penicillin allergy be evaluated by an allergist.

7. How many days prior to an allergy test should I be off over the counter antihistamines?

   • We recommend at least 3 days off over the counter cough cold and allergy medications. There may be other medications that can interfere with allergy testing. It would be best to call prior to your appointment to make sure these are not an issue.

8. When should I see an allergist?

   • You should see an allergist when over the counter medications are no longer effective at managing your symptoms or you are having untoward side effects from these treatments. Also consider seeing an allergist when you need help in identifying a possible allergic trigger.

9. When do I start feeling better after starting allergy shots?

   • People start feeling better toward the latter stages of the buildup and when they're coming in monthly for maintenance he will experience the greatest amount of noticeable improvement.

10. When do I start feeling better after ILIT shots? Typically after the second injection is when the majority of responders will start feeling an improvement in symptoms although there are some individuals that start feeling improvement sooner.

11. Do dust mites bite? Dust mites do not bite and the mechanism in which they cause allergies symptoms lies in a specific protein called Der P1 that humans can be allergic to

12. What is your success rate with ILIT? Avant Allergy has a 90% success rate which is comparable to our success rate with traditional allergy shots.