Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi, my name is and I will be starting Xolair soon. I have had horrid

allergies all my life including life threatening food allergies - egg and

cucumber are my biggies, though I also have less severe ones too to dairy,

soy, melon, citrus and others I have just gotten used to avoiding. I have

also developed a latex allergy. I get allergy shots though this is the 4th

try and after 2 years I am just getting to maintenance levels now. I react

to the shots so we have to take it real slow.

My asthma had been fairly well controlled until last year when I had food

get stuck in my esophagus. I had GERD surgery done 6 years prior to help

reduce reflux that was triggering asthma as well as causing esophageal

erosion. At first it was thought I had opened the fundoplication and the

severe chest pain was heartburn again. But after lots of testing and

increased asthma attacks, they found decided to treat my asthma attacks. I

went from Advair 100/50 once a day to 500/50 twice a day in 3 months trying

to get my asthma under control. It still is not stable, but so far I have

been able to avoid oral prednisone. It still impacts my life dramatically

as I can't do my usual Taekwondo without trouble breathing.

My allergist was unsure whether Xolair would help as they are not sure yet

if the asthma attacks are allergy triggered or GERD triggered. But I am

hopeful it will make a difference. I can't be outside if anyone has cut

their lawn in our neighborhood or I can't breathe. I also had an asthma

attack (start of anaphylaxis actually) when I was in a room where egg

omelets were being cooked. Latex balloons are enough to trigger an attack

too.

The allergist has decided to give it a 6 month trial to see if it makes a

difference. Do most find it helps by then? I had an IgE level of 88 so I

will only need 150 ml once a month. It would be nice to have everything

stable again, and maybe even my food and latex allergies not as threatening.