Question:
I've been getting allergy shots for about 5 years, for mixed pollens
and dust mites. Twice now I've had an experience my doctors can't
explain, so I was wondering if anyone here has seen something
similar. Every two weeks I get one shot in each arm, administered by a
nurse who has a fantastic touch with a needle. I typically get only
a very small "pea size" reaction at the injection site.
Twice in the last 6 or 7 months a different nurse did my shots,
and both times I've had very bad reactions. I'm sure that the
problem is not in the dosing, as I can see the syringe when she's
giving me the shot, and the dosage is correct. My guess is that
the problem is caused by how the shot is given, explained below.
The reactions are not the usual one of pronounced swelling at the
injection site, but a deep red reaction that travels up and down my
arm, making everything from my hand up to and through my shoulder
and neck hurt like hell for several days. I got shots on Thursday,
and as I type this on Saturday morning my arms still ache, my
shoulders hurt, and my left arm, in particular, is still hot to the
touch
and slightly swollen. The first time this happened it was so bad that
I took Benadryl and went to the walk-in clinic at the office where I
get my shots, and no one could explain what happened. My regular
nurse was there, and she was as perplexed as anyone. (I did notice,
though, that when I told her where in my arms I got the shots she
had a definite reaction, which indicated to me that it was if nothing
else an unusual way to give allergy shots.)
Answer:
Similar here from about August to October, different shots, different people
(where/who never had problems before).
Also seen mention on various websites, different people, different
countries. Theory:
new batches of needles that require a different technique.
Once they saw the reaction (in me and perhaps others?), they slightly
changed their technique.
(all has been fine since).
No idea how to research.
You could tell them you are going to complain to the FDA (either under
medication or medical device) until/unless you get an explanation or change.
I believe needles/syringes are under "medical device"
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ Allergy shots are supposed to be subcutaneous, just below the skin, rather
than intramuscular which would be much deeper. I strongly suspect that the
shots were injected too deeply, permitting the allergen to infuse widely
into neighboring tissues producing a generalized reaction.
These comments are from a well informed layman who, many years ago, self
administered his shots because of a rather nomadic existence. My experience
suggests that many, probably most, adverse results of allergy shots result
from mistakes in administration -- injecting the wrong dose, starting on a
new batch of allergen which is much fresher and stronger without reducing
the dose, maybe injecting improperly, etc. I was very, very careful and
never had more than a local reaction.
Your chances of such errors are much more likely if you are getting them in
a primary physician's office rather than an allergist's, in my view.
