Uncovering Why You Should Choose “DROPS” Instead of shots

By Koby Taylor, PharmD

First, a note about seasonal allergies. Thanks to a rather wet winter and a fast blooming season here in St. George, I would expect even the most mild of allergy sufferers may find themselves with symptoms they haven’t experienced before. For those of you who have moderate to severe symptoms, you may already be finding yourself in a tough allergy season.

For those of you who may be new to our region, you may also find that your allergies won’t come to full fruition the first season you are living in the area as your body is adjusting, but they could run amok for the two to three years after your initial exposure to your new surroundings. You will find yourself going through an adjustment period, and that’s natural.

Food allergies are in a class all by themselves. People who have food allergies are always on high alert. Some of my patients with food allergies can’t even be in the same room with certain foods like peanuts, making it very difficult to move freely about in the world. While some of my patients have food intolerances and can be a little more carefree in their day-to-day lives, they are still cautious. For example, someone who is gluten intolerant may not feel well after eating wheat, but someone who has celiac disease could be sick for days or even hospitalized if they come in contact with the same food substance.

Whether you have seasonal, environmental, and/or food allergies, you have either heard of allergy shots and maybe considered their benefits or you’re already taking shots for relief. Either way, and in whatever form your allergies come, you may want to consider allergy immunotherapy delivered by way of just a few drops a day to help combat your allergies.

Sublingual Immunotherapy For Allergies

As this is the year of helping you find solutions, let me introduce you to another way of contending with your allergies by way of “sublingual immunotherapy.” I thought the best way to help you understand what it is would be to write this as a Q and A, since these are questions I frequently get when I first introduce my pharmacy patients to allergy drops.

What is Sublingual Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy (the practice of introducing your body’s immune system to an allergen slowly and over time in order to build tolerance) for treating allergies has been available through allergy shots since the 1930s, but for more than sixty years, there has been a simpler, more convenient option known as sublingual immunotherapy.With sublingual immunotherapy, the allergen that creates an immune response, like wheezing, watery eyes, stuffy head, stomach ache, headache, and so on, is taken in the form of “drops” that absorb under your tongue.This type of delivery system is certainly more comfortable than shots, especially for children, and is less time-consuming, since allergy drops can be taken at home instead of the doctor’s office.

How do drops work for your allergies?

Similar to shots but without the needles, sublingual allergy drops help desensitize your body and boost your own immune system to environmental allergens (pollens, dust, mold, pets) and food allergens (including eggs, wheat, nuts, and more).

Do allergy drops really work?

Absolutely! Allergy drops are just as effective as allergy shots. In fact, a lot of my patients report that they feel like their bodies tolerate the drops better than the shots. Similar to standard shots, you will need to be disciplined in the protocol for it to really have the optimum benefit.

What is the routine for using allergy drops?

Just like getting up every morning and taking your daily vitamin, you’ll take your allergy drops. With every new patient, we start with an easy-to-follow, ninety-day starter kit. Then, once the ninety days are complete, we move you to a maintenance routine and dosage.

If the drops are so great, why haven’t I heard of them before?

Making allergy drops requires a compounding process. While there are pharmacies on every corner of America, compounding pharmacies aren’t as prevalent, and most modern medical doctors aren’t familiar with working with a compounding pharmacy. Compounding pharmacies were historically the only way to make medicines, but when our society became more industrialized, drugs became mass-produced and easier to distribute; compounding went into a kind of dormancy. Thankfully, compounding pharmacies and custom-made medicines are making a comeback to both patient knowledge and provider usage.

What do I have to do to get started on allergy drops?

You will need a prescription, but there are a few avenues you can take. One is to talk to your provider about allergy drops and let them know you want to try them. The other is to come into my pharmacy, and we’ll talk to your provider for you. As providers aren’t as familiar with how to write a prescription for allergy drops, coming into our pharmacy helps that process. Not all compounding pharmacies can create allergy drops, so if you have a preferred compounding pharmacy, you will want to inquire with them.

Do the drops taste terrible?

No, in fact the drops have a sweet taste.

Are the drops covered by insurance?

Unfortunately, allergy drops are not covered by insurance. A starter kit is a ninety-day supply, and the maintenance kit is also provided as a ninety-day supply. In total, you will be refilling your drops only four times a year. By comparison, a ninety-day supply is no more costly than if you were to eat out at a moderately priced restaurant a few times a month. Allergy drops are safe, effective, and extremely convenient. If you or someone you know suffers from allergies, sublingual immunotherapy could be just what you’ve been looking for.