restrictions on duration of Xolair treatment?

[Guest guest]

The last time I saw my allergist, she told me that there were new

guidelines--I assume she meant FDA guidelines-- on duration of Xolair

treatment. She said that the new protocol is to try to terminate

treatment after three to five years. She said that the basis for this

is that there's now evidence that some peoples' improvement from

Xolair is permanent (because of their IgE returning to normal levels),

and also that since the long-term effects of treatment are unknown,

it's advisable to terminate after a few years. Has anyone else been

told this?

I've been on Xolair for about three and a half years, and it helps me

quite a bit. Given how miserable I feel in the few days preceding my

injections, I can't imagine having to go off this drug. I started

with an IgE of over 1000; my most recent test still showed that the

level was around 1000.

My doctor wanted to " try " taking me off the drug for six months,

despite the fact that i'm not having any known adverse reactions. I

basically begged to keep taking it and she agreed to renew the

prescription for another year, but said that I'd probably have to go

off after that.

Anyone else have this experience?

Meryl