DS (6.5) has a severe bee allergy. Allergy doc is recommending immunotherapy (5 year year course of shots) that will eventually protect him from anaphylactic reactions. All the studies I can find on this protocol are for adults, though, and I'm worried about side effects. Planning to talk with the doctor more about this but was wondering if anyone here has pursued immunotherapy for a bee/wasp allergy and could tell me about their experience.
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I have done this. Unfortunately, only as an adult and I still have a slight allergy to stings. After 3 years of treatment (I began with weekly and moved to monthly injections), I went from a severe allergy with anaphylaxis to what is referred to as a moderate or "large, localized reaction" (extreme redness, tenderness, and massive swelling of an expansive area after a sting but no anaphylaxis or racing pulse.
). I have heard that the earlier one receives treatment, the more effective it is. I would also suspect that a longer program (5 years) at 2 sessions per month may also yield better results. I hope that your DS has great luck
with this treatment as it can be a game changer in being able to enjoy the outdoors more completely without fear of needing an EpiPen. (* I only need Benedryl in my purse when out but I still keep an Epi "just in case" although I've yet to need it since having treatment. -
@kaohinani thank you so much for your response. It's so helpful to hear from someone who has pursued the treatment! I am inclined to start this earlier for the reasons you mentioned -- being able to enjoy the outdoors without so much fear. Right now I make sure to have the epi pen everywhere we go, but I know as he gets older he will be away from me more and I will worry more
Would you be comfortable sharing if you had any side effects or bad reactions to the shots as you did the three-year course? One study I read said up to half of participants had side effects, almost all of which were classified as local reactions after a shot. Wondering if he will be likely to have that as well.
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I did have localized reactions ... pain, itching, and a bit of redness at the injection site, along with some swelling, etc. The first few injections, I had "allergy" symptoms as well. No anaphylaxis, just itching in the back of my throat for a day or two, itchy eyes, and that "uncomfortable" feeling. Of course, each individual's body is different and metabolizes treatment in different ways so my experience may deviate greatly from what your son may feel. They use such a low does of the allergen (venom) that unless one has a serious medical issue or is taking a medication that would interact with the injection, side effects really are minimal. Honestly, I would complete the entire course of treatment all over again if I had to and I were promised it would 100% rid me of my allergy.
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I did this, beginning when I was 8 or 9. I got stung by a yellow jacket in the neck and almost went into anaphylactic shock by the time we got to the hospital. Based on my reaction and how far we lived from the hospital (20 minutes) they basically forced us to do the shots.
My arm would be a little itchy after, but that was the extent of it. My parents are nurses and they allowed them to administer the shots at home because the office we had to go to to get them was 45 minutes away (and allergists are open like 9-4:30). I canβt imagine theyβd allow that these days!
Iβve been stung multiple times since then and get the same type of reaction non-allergic folks do. I was even stung by 3 yellowjackets at one time within a year of completing the shots and barely reacted.
Bee sting reactions are really scary. Iβd get the shots.
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Thank you so much to both of you for sharing your experiences. I am feeling more confident about moving forward.
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@Me3: no personal experience but I would go forward with it if it were my child. But as an aside, my aunt is allergic to bees and was married to a bee keeper (and lived on a farm full of bees) for over 30 years! She just kept the epi pen with her at all times but I don't recall her ever needing it.
with this treatment as it can be a game changer in being able to enjoy the outdoors more completely without fear of needing an EpiPen. (* I only need Benedryl in my purse when out but I still keep an Epi "just in case" although I've yet to need it since having treatment. 
Would you be comfortable sharing if you had any side effects or bad reactions to the shots as you did the three-year course? One study I read said up to half of participants had side effects, almost all of which were classified as local reactions after a shot. Wondering if he will be likely to have that as well.
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