Re: Xolair eligibility scores

[Guest guest]

I am sorry I was vague in my term " score " . I think the number to

which the doctor was referring was the degree of how allergic you

are to a wide range of allergens. When my wife received all of the

various skin test she was not allergic to some, mildly allergic to

some, and highly allergic to others. Taken altogether, this is

her " score " . I know there is a proper term for it, I just don't

remember what the doctor called it.

Casey

[Guest guest]

What you describe sounds like a RAST test (skin test) score. I have

read a lot of the published articles about Xolair and all of them

refer to IgE scores. IgE tests are done in a lab using blood. I

think I'm right when I say that generally one has to have an IgE

score over 100 to qualify to get Xolair. IgE molecules bind to the

mast cell upon the introduction of an allergen and start the allergic

process. Xolair binds to the IgE so that it cannot bind to the mast

cell. Some of us have very high IgE scores (mine is at the limit of

how high it can be and you can still take Xolair).

Addy

> I am sorry I was vague in my term " score " . I think the number to

> which the doctor was referring was the degree of how allergic you

> are to a wide range of allergens. When my wife received all of the

> various skin test she was not allergic to some, mildly allergic to

> some, and highly allergic to others. Taken altogether, this is

> her " score " . I know there is a proper term for it, I just don't

> remember what the doctor called it.

> Casey

[Guest guest]

Addy..

I think you are right..he called it IgE score I believe. My wife is

only getting one dose of Xolair a month and I think it is for 150

mg. We are lucky because Dr. Mark Stein, her allergist, from West

Palm Beach, FL was in on the testing for Xolair so he is quite

familiar with the drug. He really knows his stuff.

I don't know if it is possible or not but my wife said she felt less

tightness in her chest and less nasal congestion symptoms right

after taking the shot. We have had a cold spell come through which

always starts problems and she is hardly noticing the cold's

effects. May be wishful thinking or the power of suggestion, but

she feels that something good is happening for her. Just hope it

continues. Again, her asthma and her allergies are just probably a

fraction of what many of you suffer, but we felt that as long as our

insurance was paying the bulk of the cost why not try the Xolair,

and we are off to a promising start.

Casey

[Guest guest]

Absolutely your wife should try it. Didn't mean to sound like I was

minimizing her suffering with allergies...even folks who are allergic

to fewer things or have milder reactions make all kinds of sacrifices

to their quality of life! I hope that what she has experienced

initially continues! Especially because we are looking at really

cold temps this weekend on the east coast!

I fell asleep before I took my evening nasal inhalers and just woke

up with a stuffy nose! However, I don't have any swelling around my

eyes and no chest tightness, normally part of the forgot-to-take-the-

meds-on-time reaction.

I hope all of us are well for the holidays!

Doug- how's the flu going?

Addy

[Guest guest]

> Absolutely your wife should try it. Didn't mean to sound like I

was

> minimizing her suffering with allergies...even folks who are

allergic

> to fewer things or have milder reactions make all kinds of

sacrifices

> to their quality of life! I hope that what she has experienced

> initially continues! Especially because we are looking at really

> cold temps this weekend on the east coast!

>

> I fell asleep before I took my evening nasal inhalers and just woke

> up with a stuffy nose! However, I don't have any swelling around

my

> eyes and no chest tightness, normally part of the forgot-to-take-

the-

> meds-on-time reaction.

>

> I hope all of us are well for the holidays!

>

> Doug- how's the flu going?

>

>

> Addy

Addy,

Flu is just about gone. No more fever but still weak. I had a flu

shot a month ago. It must not have had any protection for the strain

I caught. I haven't had the flu in years. UGH! I am glad it is just

about over.

I missed my Xolair shot and allergy shot Thursday. Of course, my

asthma is worse. My allergists office won't be open again till after

Christmas. GREAT! Just GREAT Oh well, back to nebbing every 2

hours. At least I dont get the shakes as much using Xopinex.

Doug

[Guest guest]

I Can't remember exactly what eligibility score was. I remember my

doctor saying: " you have a very high score.. allergy all in your

blood. " I also think he said it was around 80? or did he mean 800?

Anyway, I passed LOL!

Doug

[Guest guest]

Doug..

I think the doctor may have meant the higher number because I know

he said to qualify for the lowest dosage of Xolair you had to have a

score of 40. My wife had 59 and he mentioned that people have

scores so high that they do not qualify to take Xolair.

From what I have read of all of your posts you are very highly

allergic. I do hope that Xolair is as close to the wonder drug as

science can produce.

[Guest guest]

> Doug..

> I think the doctor may have meant the higher number because I know

> he said to qualify for the lowest dosage of Xolair you had to have

a

> score of 40. My wife had 59 and he mentioned that people have

> scores so high that they do not qualify to take Xolair.

> From what I have read of all of your posts you are very highly

> allergic. I do hope that Xolair is as close to the wonder drug as

> science can produce.

thank you So far, the Xolair hasn't done much for me. Maybe it

will take me longer than it does for others.

Doug