From over-the-counter products to needle-free at-home immunotherapy treatment options, here are some helpful tips from Carefree Allergy to find relief this Spring.
Following a relatively warm winter, comes the desert bloom. As temperatures are warming up, allergy sufferers are feeling stuffy, itchy, drippy noses. Tree pollen typically kicks off the start of spring allergies, and wildflowers, grasses and ragweed continue to aggravate symptoms as they pollinate.
Valley Vibe sat down with family nurse practitioner Lindsey Forstie, a specialist in asthma, allergy and immunology, who opened Carefree Allergy in Tramonto less than a year ago. Our goal was to get the literal drip on tips to help our readers find some relief in the months ahead before the triple digits kick in and allergies begin to settle down.
“My goal is to treat the cause of the allergies, not just the symptoms. The drops are immunotherapy, not a drug. It’s for those who want their allergies gone.”
Lindsey Forstie Nurse Practitioner, Carefree Allergy & Wellness
An asthma and allergy sufferer herself, Forstie specializes in sublingual drop therapy tailored to each individual patient’s needs to desensitize their allergies over time, build tolerance and rid the need for allergy medications.
“My goal is to treat the cause of the allergies, not just the symptoms. The drops are immunotherapy,
not a drug. It’s for those who want their allergies gone,” Forstie told Valley Vibe.
VV What are the most common culprits of Spring allergies this time of year and what are the symptoms to look out for?
Forstie It’s always like clockwork. It starts with tree allergies– specifically, juniper. Most everyone knows about the poof or ‘green cloud’ of pollen you can see if you brush against a juniper tree, but right about the same time, the mulberry, oak, olive and elms and other blooming trees start causing symptoms. Grass is another big one, particularly Bermuda grass as it begins to grow and pollinate. Weeds are more of a problem in the fall, except for ragweed, which tends to be year-round, and is typically a problem during monsoon season.
Common symptoms include nasal congestion, runny nose, post nasal drip, sneezing, maybe some ear and throat itching, but mostly congestion and itchy, watery eyes. Sometimes the allergens cause specific symptoms, and I can tell by the symptoms. More severe patients present with eye symptoms, including itchy, watery eyes, and sore, red skin around the eyes.
VV Besides the most common rhinitis symptoms, what are some of the lesser known symptoms that could signal an allergy problem?
Forstie Allergies can affect different parts of your body. That’s where sometimes patients finally make their way into an allergy office because they don’t know what they’re dealing with and their reaction might be skin issues such as eczema or hives. Breathing issues can be a problem, too, and asthma flare ups.
VV When allergy symptoms strike, what is recommended as a first-line of treatment and when might an office visit be warranted?
Forstie If you start feeling itchy, sniffly and/or sneezy you can start with topical treatments.
Nasal steroid sprays like FLONASE®, Nasacort® and Fluticasone propionate can be used once or twice a day. The steroid sprays help to reduce inflammation, so if your nose is super stuffy and producing a lot of mucus, that will help with that. If your nose is itchy, sneezy and watery, a newer over-the-counter antihistamine spray called Astepro®, works right away… within 20 minutes the itching will go away. Steroid sprays take longer to help reduce the inflammation, but both can be used in combination.
If the topicals aren’t providing enough relief, oral 24-hour relief antihistamines can be added. On the prescription side, there’s Montelukast and Singulair®, which tend to work well. Oftentimes, people will come in for allergy testing when they’ve tried all of these remedies, but they’re not getting anywhere.
VV What is allergy immunotherapy and tell us about the sublingual treatment you offer?
Forstie A long-term effort to build up immunity to an allergen based on your blood or skin test results, sublingual treatment is a great option and has opened the door for any allergy sufferer to benefit from treatment. In order to be a candidate for allergy shots, you have to be in this window of opportunity—it’s not for mild sufferers, you have to be suffering bad enough with allergy symptoms, but not severe, because of risk of anaphylaxis with the shots. Most patients choose sublingual treatment, out of convenience. At our office, we customize the drops for the patient based on their allergy results, and we mix the drops up right in house. The drops are then administered at home under the tongue once per day. The treatment/dose can be tweaked as needed. The recommended length of treatment is 3-5-years to desensitize your body to the allergens. After treatment, most patients will be able to go 7-10 years without needing treatment. Also, there’s no starting age restrictions with sublingual treatment.
(Editor’s note: Carefree Allergy only offers sublingual take-home therapy treatment– no allergy shots.)
VV How affordable is sublingual treatment?
Forstie More affordable than most people think. Sublingual drops have been used for over 30 years, but because they are not FDA approved, we have control over price. In a lot of cases, the drops end up being cheaper than the shots. If you have a low deductible, shots might be more cost effective, but sublingual treatment at our office ranges around $1,000 to $1,500 a year. Insurance doesn’t typically cover the sublingual treatment, but patients can use HSA (Health Savings Account) cards.
Stop the Sneeze
A newer FDA-approved nasal antihistamine recently became available for purchase without a prescription. Astepro® nasal spray is available at most pharmacies for treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis for adults and children age 6 and older.
Other Tips to Stay Sniffle-Free
- Visit www.pollen.com and enter your zipcode to get a general idea of what may be causing your allergy flare-up.
- Use air-purifiers with HEPA filters according to room size.
- Keep windows and doors closed.
- Shower to remove pollen after being outside.
- Consider nasal rinses to flush out pollen.
Carefree Allergy
34406 N. 27th Drive, Suite 140
Phoenix, AZ 85085
www.carefreeallergy.com
623-303-2060
By Karen Goveia
[email protected]