Re: Curious About Xolair...

June 7, 2008

You may already know this but traditional allergy shots try to condition your

immune system by having the allergen present in your body in very small amounts

so when you are exposed to the actual allergen your body doesn't over-react like

it currently does. & nbsp; Xolair works in an entirely different way, binding to

IgE your body produces in response to exposure to an allergen so it can't attach

to the mast cell and trigger the allergic cascade

So one tries to " condition " you while the other tries to prevent an allergic

reaction before it even starts. & nbsp; In my case, allergy shots never

worked. & nbsp; In fact, they actually made me sicker when I got to the

maintenance dose so I was forced to stop the therapy. & nbsp; Xolair, on the other

hand, has been a miraculous therapy for me. & nbsp; It's not a cure for sure, but

it's easily the most effective therapy I've ever used to control my

asthma. & nbsp; Interestingly enough, this year I haven't even needed Flonase to

control my sinus allergies. & nbsp; Xolair and Advair is all I need. & nbsp; Before

Xolair I was taking a laundry list of meds to " try " and control my asthma.

From: yarbs83 & lt;yarbs83@... & gt;

Subject: [ ] Curious About Xolair...

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 12:58 AM

I'm in a unique situation actually.

I've had allergic asthma since I was 7 and it was not well controlled

at all. My mom had 3 cats (that I later found I was allergic to) and I

was constantly using my rescue inhaler to just barely make it through

the day.

I moved in with my dad and my asthma disappeared because I was away

from the cats.

I never had asthma trouble really until about 2 years ago.

We got a puppy -- I was told I wasn't allergic to dogs and over the

next year we added 3 more (all under 10 lbs).

After the 3rd pup we added, I started having issues and went on Advair

250, Singular, and Claritin.

Basically I feel my lung function is decent although I have tons of

pleghm daily in my chest.

I'm going to a pulmonologist to get a lung function test to see if I

should go forward with allergy shots.

I know many of you will probably say to ditch the dogs, but these guys

are my children and I love them so much -- I'm overwhelmed by the

thought of losing them and I'll do anything in my power to mask, hide,

control my allergic asthma to keep them in my life.

I guess I'm just wondering what the benefit of xolair is over

traditional allergy shots..

Thanks for listening

June 8, 2008

you are fortunate. Here in GOd's waiting room, Fl, I am still on a laundry list

of meds. Dr wanted me to take Xolair once instead of twice a month, that concept

is Gone with the Wind

I have a new medicine added bc it would appear I am reaching fr the rescue

inhaler more and more. Dr said that should help

I hope so. THis is getting me down bc I feel more and more limited.

I am happy for you G

McLaughlin <gmclaughlin1000@...> wrote:

You may already know this but traditional allergy shots try to

condition your immune system by having the allergen present in your body in very

small amounts so when you are exposed to the actual allergen your body doesn't

over-react like it currently does. & nbsp; Xolair works in an entirely different

way, binding to IgE your body produces in response to exposure to an allergen so

it can't attach to the mast cell and trigger the allergic cascade