The Landings & Bay Colony

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preoperative narcotics. Afterward, bloody discharge from
your nose may occur, which is normal. Some patients have
reported a moderate headache lasting usually no more than
24 hours.

What is Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)?

Sublingual Immunotherapy is an alternative way to treat
allergies instead of traditional allergy shots. It treats the
same environmental allergies that traditional allergy shots
treat, however SLIT is administered by the patient without
needing continual office visits. The patient simply puts
drops under his or her tongue. This is a much more
convenient way to treat allergies and less painful. 

How does SLIT work?

First, we test the patient in the office by a simple skin prick
allergy test that takes about 30 minutes to complete. Base
on the results, we then individualize the medication. We
create custom-made antigens, or a substance that provokes
an immune response, that are held in special vials. The
drops have a sweet taste to them, which is highly tolerable
in patients of all ages. We monitor and control how a
patient reacts to the doses and then gradually increase the
doses to get to a full maintenance dose. 

What are the advantages of SLIT?

It is an at-home treatment that patients can dispense
themselves at their own convenience and at home instead
of going to the doctor’s office to receive allergy shots.
Patients can even travel with the vials and administer
treatment during trips, making for uninterrupted
medication. We can even mail them to the patients,
instead of them coming to the office to pick up the vials.

What are the challenges of SLIT?

At this point in the United States, SLIT is not FDA
approved, and therefore is not covered by insurance. All
the medicines in the treatment are FDA approved, and this
treatment has been widely used in Europe for many years
with very encouraging, positive results. Because there are
no travel expenses, physician office visits, or co-pays or
deductibles associated with SLIT, the cost can be quite
competitive to traditional allergy shots.

When can patients expect to see results from SLIT? 

This treatment is a long-term commitment, usually
maintaining a two-year commitment of using the drops.
Most patients see improvement after a year of use.  

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For Your Health continued