Are There Any Negative Effects From Repeated Exposure To An Allergen While Taking Allergy Medicine?
February 24, 2010 by admin
Filed under Allergy Questions
My understanding is that most (if not all) allergy medicines work by inhibiting the histamine response to allergen exposure rather than the protein reactions that normally cause this response.
Since repeated exposure to an allergen can cause stronger reactions over time, does this mean that repeated exposure while on allergy medicine could or would cause lowered tolerance to that allergen?
Repeated exposure to an allergen can cause stronger reactions over time, or it can desensitize you to an allergen. When people get allergy shots, they are being gradually desensitized through exposure to an allergen. Basically, it’s a crap shoot.
I take allergy medication, and my doctor advises me to go ahead and eat foods that I am mildly allergic to. He says that it is perfectly acceptable to ‘tolerate’ something when on medication and consume it, even if I am technically allergic.