Re: Convince my Dr. to start shots?

November 14, 2003

,

Xolair is not ordered in bulk; it is ordered for each patient through

specialty pharmacies (which pharmacy apparently depends on your

insurance plan). Your doctor will have to submit a form that asks

specific info about hour allergic asthmatic history. IgE scores are

included so if you have not had an IgE test in the last year your

doctor will have to order one. IgE is not the only factor but I

already know of a person whose insurance would not cover Xolair for

them because they have a low IgE score.

I have read several published articles on Xolair and none of them has

suggested/implied that patients should quit immunotherapy. I agree

that theoretically if Xolair works well for someone they may be able

to discontinue immunotherapy but it's probably too soon to tell.

Certainly several folks in this group have been able to lower their

daily meds. Also, I know of a number of folks who are trying Xolair

who have not been able to stay on immunotherapy because of bad

reactions.

According to the insert and the info in the published articles I

read, dosing is dependent on weight and IgE level.

Do not know about interactions with other meds. According to the

package insert there are none, but of course it hasn't been on the

market very long and the clinical trials were reasonably small to

really rule out anything like that.

Best of luck; let us know how it goes.

> Hi All,

>

> I am going to see my Dr. on Monday and try and convince her

> to start me on the shots. I know that she hasn't started

> them yet ebcaus eI asked when I was there for my allergy shot.

>

> IS there any suggestions you would have, or do you think that

> it is totally based on your IEG blood levels?

>

> My allergic Asthma is quite bad, and I'km hoping

> this will do the trick.

>

> Does anyone still get Immunotherapy in addtion to the xolair? Iw

ould

> think Xolair would replace such therapy, beacuse of it's TOTAL

allergy

> treatment characteristics.

>

> Also, does this therapy have any interactinons with any medications

> that you have seen?

>

> -

November 14, 2003

Glad to have you in the group.

I received very clear instructions from my Dr. to keep getting

immunotherapy even while taking Xolair. This seemed

counterintuitive to me because since Xolair binds the IgE antibody,

I thought there is nothing to cause an allergic reaction, hence

can't desensitize what isn't there. Apparently this is not the

case, and I have dutifully continued allergy shots.

So far Xolair has not allowed me to reduce any of the meds I am

taking. What it does do for me, though, is make me respond better

when I take the meds. Overall I have felt better, and have seen an

improvement in PEF and FEV1.

You will have to get an IgE level done before you can get the

shots. I believe you can actually be too high or too low. I seem

to recall someone in this group who is getting IgE therapy in

addition to Xolair but I don't recall if she indicated where her

levels were. Body weight has a lot to do with it, too.

Good luck.