For Patients
Sublingual immunotherapy, often called allergy drops, works like allergy shots by gradually helping your body build tolerance to the antigens or substance(s) that cause your allergies. The difference is that the antigen is placed under your tongue in a pain-free, customized liquid drop.
Allergy drops are a safe, convenient way to treat the cause of your allergies — not just symptoms. Treatment typically takes 3-5 years, but can vary based on allergy type and patient adherence.
Allergy drops treat a broader range of allergies, including:
"Having experienced 30 prior years of intermittent allergy shots, I can definitely say that sublingual immunotherapy is far superior to allergy shots in both effectiveness and convenience on a daily basis and especially when traveling. Easy to maintain adherence to treatment."
— Allergychoices' Pharmacy Patient
Advantages of allergy drops
Not only are allergy drops an option for people of all ages and conditions, there are even more advantages:
Lower cost, fewer clinic visits.
Compared to shots and many medications, allergy drops typically cost less over time. Most patients using allergy drops only need a few clinic visits the first year, and then once every 6-12 months until treatment is completed (typically in 3-5 years). Fewer medical appointments can also mean less time away from work or school.
More convenient.
Wherever you go, you can take your allergy drops with you. The convenience of allergy drops makes it much easier to stay with your treatment.
Less medication.
Our patients report, and research confirms, that they typically need less medication to control their allergy symptoms after beginning allergy drops.
Enjoy healthier days.
The end benefit of taking drops consistently? Feeling better, more productive and being able to enjoy life and the activities that allergies once disrupted.
How long do I need to take allergy drops?
Many patients see their allergy symptoms improve within a few weeks to months, but take your custom drops through the full course of therapy to get long-term benefits. For some patients with complex health conditions or severe allergy, treatment length may vary.
At Allergychoices, we advocate for custom treatment for your specific allergens, at your level of sensitivity — matching your allergic fingerprint. This reduces risk of reactions, and helps make sure your treatment is strong enough for you. The La Crosse Method™ Protocol follows this philosophy.
There are three different “types” of allergy drops:
- Inhalant/environmental allergy drops – treats hay fever or allergies to things like dust mites, pollens, pet dander and molds, helping build tolerance to these substances.
- Food allergy treatment drops – treats a full range of food allergies by helping build tolerance and reducing risk of severe reactions in case of accidental food exposure (including peanuts, nuts, fish, milk, eggs, etc.).
- Preseasonal allergy drops – treats those with strong reactions to seasonal allergies including grass, trees including mountain cedar (cedar fever) and ragweed, by helping them build tolerance to problem allergens before the allergy season hits, so symptoms are fewer when pollens are high.
Allergy-related conditions
The La Crosse Method™ Protocol has proven safe and effective for a wide variety of allergies and associated conditions.
