Guest guest Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 I had my third xolair injection in mid-Sept. Both my allergist and pulmonologist are skeptical as to if it I will get any substantial benefit since my IgE level is 135 (what does that mean?). I said I was committed to do this six months as long as I didn't have have a reaction, I am realistic that I will not see results before then (and from this group I'm hearing it could be a year - I am okay with that). My skin test showed minimal allergies to dust, mold, and beech trees so allergy shots didn't make sense. I've been told my asthma has always been more intrinsic than allergic. In 1991 I was receiving small doses of triamcinolone injections, half the recommended dose and going twice as long between. Yes, I know it is a steroid, I was an adult going back to college and needed to be able to attend classes on campus. Not only was I able to do that, my life was restored with being able to work part time and for the first time since childhood I went ice skating and took tennis lessons. We stopped the injections in 1996 when at the age of 42 I was diagnosed with a matched set of cataracts. I have been totally disabled and unproductive since then. I have been steroid dependent since 1977, I have been off them for short periods of time or on low maintenance. The past two years I could not do any 'drug trials' because I have not been able to get off of them at all, and there is no such thing as 'maintenance dose'. The past month I have been on alternate day therapy of 20mg / 5mg and never got any lower for I got bad over the weekend and have had to jump it back up to 60mg. I told the pulmonologist don't look for me to be off it long enough to get a flu shot, I will have the flu shot regardless of my dose. Can someone tell me about IgE levels? Is there anyone out there that is not 'severely allergic' that has had their asthma respond to Xolair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 From my understanding the FDA approval for Xolair requires a patient to have an IgE level of between 14 and 700. However there are NUMEROUS people who I know that had original IgE levels of WAY OVER 700! Mine was 237. I WAS steroid dependent for 6 years straight, no on and off of the " evil candy " ,but straight 40 MG every day for 5 years!!! I started Xolair July 5th 2005 ( 300 mg every 2 weeks) and have been " evil candy " free, as well as inhaled " evil candy free, since July of 2006. Since going on Xolair I have NOT gotten allergy shots nor have I any type of allergy medication. I USED to take Allegra 180, I thought I might have to pop one a day the last few weeks with the rag weed/golden rod popping out, but I survived with out it. I also notice that I am no longer sensitive to sulfides. I'm sure that is due to the Xolair. --- JoyCarol and <jclutterbuster@...> wrote: > I had my third xolair injection in mid-Sept. Both > my allergist and > pulmonologist are skeptical as to if it I will get > any substantial > benefit since my IgE level is 135 (what does that > mean?). I said I was > committed to do this six months as long as I didn't > have have a > reaction, I am realistic that I will not see results > before then (and > from this group I'm hearing it could be a year - I > am okay with that). > My skin test showed minimal allergies to dust, mold, > and beech trees > so allergy shots didn't make sense. I've been told > my asthma has > always been more intrinsic than allergic. > > In 1991 I was receiving small doses of triamcinolone > injections, half > the recommended dose and going twice as long > between. Yes, I know it > is a steroid, I was an adult going back to college > and needed to be > able to attend classes on campus. Not only was I > able to do that, my > life was restored with being able to work part time > and for the first > time since childhood I went ice skating and took > tennis lessons. We > stopped the injections in 1996 when at the age of 42 > I was diagnosed > with a matched set of cataracts. I have been totally > disabled and > unproductive since then. > > I have been steroid dependent since 1977, I have > been off them for > short periods of time or on low maintenance. The > past two years I > could not do any 'drug trials' because I have not > been able to get off > of them at all, and there is no such thing as > 'maintenance dose'. The > past month I have been on alternate day therapy of > 20mg / 5mg and > never got any lower for I got bad over the weekend > and have had to > jump it back up to 60mg. I told the pulmonologist > don't look for me to > be off it long enough to get a flu shot, I will have > the flu shot > regardless of my dose. > > Can someone tell me about IgE levels? Is there > anyone out there that > is not 'severely allergic' that has had their asthma > respond to Xolair? > > > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Don't let your dream ride pass you by. Make it a reality with Autos. http://autos./index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Hi Joy Carol, I will let someone else answer the IGE question. What I can tell you is my level was about 100 when I started in April. I have severe allergies to almost everything on my allergy test, All trees, weeds,molds, grass, and animal dander except rats. LOL I only have a few minor food allergies with mild reactions. My asthma is mixed. It is both intrinsic and extrinsic. I started seeing significant improvements the second month and it haven't been on the prednisone I been on the last year and a half! My doctor had also said that she didn't anticipate that I would have this significant improvement either. Before I started this shot she was going to ship me off to National Jewish. Here is hoping you to start breathing more freely in the near future! Best to you! Laurie JoyCarol and <jclutterbuster@...> wrote: I had my third xolair injection in mid-Sept. Both my allergist and pulmonologist are skeptical as to if it I will get any substantial benefit since my IgE level is 135 (what does that mean?). I said I was committed to do this six months as long as I didn't have have a reaction, I am realistic that I will not see results before then (and from this group I'm hearing it could be a year - I am okay with that). My skin test showed minimal allergies to dust, mold, and beech trees so allergy shots didn't make sense. I've been told my asthma has always been more intrinsic than allergic. In 1991 I was receiving small doses of triamcinolone injections, half the recommended dose and going twice as long between. Yes, I know it is a steroid, I was an adult going back to college and needed to be able to attend classes on campus. Not only was I able to do that, my life was restored with being able to work part time and for the first time since childhood I went ice skating and took tennis lessons. We stopped the injections in 1996 when at the age of 42 I was diagnosed with a matched set of cataracts. I have been totally disabled and unproductive since then. I have been steroid dependent since 1977, I have been off them for short periods of time or on low maintenance. The past two years I could not do any 'drug trials' because I have not been able to get off of them at all, and there is no such thing as 'maintenance dose'. The past month I have been on alternate day therapy of 20mg / 5mg and never got any lower for I got bad over the weekend and have had to jump it back up to 60mg. I told the pulmonologist don't look for me to be off it long enough to get a flu shot, I will have the flu shot regardless of my dose. Can someone tell me about IgE levels? Is there anyone out there that is not 'severely allergic' that has had their asthma respond to Xolair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Whether or not you will respond well to Xolair is not necessarily related to your IgE level. Even though yours is not through the roof, you may well have a good response to Xolair. Only time will tell. Good luck with the Xolair - I'm hoping you and your docs will be surprised! Fran > > I had my third xolair injection in mid-Sept. Both my allergist and > pulmonologist are skeptical as to if it I will get any substantial > benefit since my IgE level is 135 (what does that mean?). I said I was > committed to do this six months as long as I didn't have have a > reaction, I am realistic that I will not see results before then (and > from this group I'm hearing it could be a year - I am okay with that). > My skin test showed minimal allergies to dust, mold, and beech trees > so allergy shots didn't make sense. I've been told my asthma has > always been more intrinsic than allergic. > > In 1991 I was receiving small doses of triamcinolone injections, half > the recommended dose and going twice as long between. Yes, I know it > is a steroid, I was an adult going back to college and needed to be > able to attend classes on campus. Not only was I able to do that, my > life was restored with being able to work part time and for the first > time since childhood I went ice skating and took tennis lessons. We > stopped the injections in 1996 when at the age of 42 I was diagnosed > with a matched set of cataracts. I have been totally disabled and > unproductive since then. > > I have been steroid dependent since 1977, I have been off them for > short periods of time or on low maintenance. The past two years I > could not do any 'drug trials' because I have not been able to get off > of them at all, and there is no such thing as 'maintenance dose'. The > past month I have been on alternate day therapy of 20mg / 5mg and > never got any lower for I got bad over the weekend and have had to > jump it back up to 60mg. I told the pulmonologist don't look for me to > be off it long enough to get a flu shot, I will have the flu shot > regardless of my dose. > > Can someone tell me about IgE levels? Is there anyone out there that > is not 'severely allergic' that has had their asthma respond to Xolair? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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