David:
Having this allergy has given me a whole new perspective on
life. Though I have other life altering conditions (MS, Lupus to
name a couple) this allergy has been the most crippling! I have some
control with the other conditions...ie., use shopping carts to help
maintain balance (no one notices as they are using shopping carts!),
rest when needed (I know many people that take "cat naps" that have
no medical condition), etc., BUT, with an allergy like this we have
little to no control. Yes, I can and have taken steps to help myself
but, ultimately I am at the will of a BUG! I KNOW, with
immunotherapy I can erase the threat. Yes, I do realize that nothing
is 100% but, with the immunotherapy shots I have a 98% chance!
I was actually started back at .5cc at 3ug/ml but, I really
don't care as long as I'm getting the shots. I am willing to start
over and over until my body accepts that it has NO choice in the
matter. lol
When I first approached one of the nurses at the Veterans
Administration (VA) clinic, I was informed that the VA would not pay
for an allergist and I could forget immunotherapy shots. I refused
to accept that answer. I called the patient advocate and
questioned, "If I was a man, married or single, and I had ED
(erectile dysfunction), the VA would prescribe viagra so that I could
have sex. Why will the VA not grant me the right to a therapy that
can protect my life?" The advocate agreed with me and checked into
the matter. My Primary Care Physician did put in a request and it
was approved!
I am hoping by next spring/summer, I can go out without the fear
I presently have. It may be my imagination, and those that have
witnessed the same around me but, those bugs seem to sense fear! No
matter how "cool" I try to be/act around them, they do seem to be
attracted to me. I try to be as "invisible" to them as possible and
yet they still seem to seek me out. I wonder if anyone else with
this allergy has noticed something similar?
Kari

--- In insectstings@yahoogroups.com, "David Glaser" <david@...> wrote:
>
> I know exactly how you are feeling - I felt precisely the same way
> and far more prepared to take the risk of immunotherapy than the
> doctors. This allergy feels like living under a constant threat
and
> that feeling is such a cloud to have to live under. Treatment gave
> me my life back!
>
> It is a frustration that some of us find immunotherapy tougher than
> others - we have about 20 people coming in for their shots at my
> allergy clinic and the vast majority just come in, have their shot
> and a cup of tea (this is England!), and walk out an hour later
> without giving the experience a second thought.
>
> Others have differing reactions but these can be moderated by the
> level of the venom doses and as long as you start off at a feeble
> unreactive dose and go slowly you do seem to get there in the end.
>
> The key is patience and determination and your allergist needs your
> support just as much you need his/hers - people like us are
> definitely outside of their comfort zone.
>
> Please do keep in touch and let us know how it goes!
>
> David
>