Are you allergic to grass pollen? Do you have severe allergy symptoms in May and June? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, you may want to consider a new way to treat your grass pollen allergy. The time to start treatment is now!
GRASTEK, a rapidly dissolving tablet placed under the tongue, was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of grass pollen allergy. GRASTEK is effective in treating allergy to most of the grasses that grow in Idaho.
This new form of immunotherapy is effective in reducing allergy symptoms if started twelve weeks before the onset of the grass pollen season, which usually starts in late May. It is taken daily through early July, the end of the grass pollen season. There is also an option to take GRASTEK year round, which may provide some lasting benefit after three years.
To begin treatment with GRASTEK, you must first have a positive skin or blood test to grass pollen and be between five to sixty-five years of age. The first dose of GRASTEK will be administered in our office so as to monitor you for signs or symptoms of a severe systemic or a severe local allergic reaction. Severe reactions are extremely rare. You may take subsequent doses at home. As a safety precaution, we will prescribe auto-injectable epinephrine and train you on its appropriate use in case of a reaction at home.
GRASTEK is very safe. The most common side effect is minor itching in the mouth and throat. This usually resolves after several doses.
GRASTEK is contraindicated in patients with severe, unstable or uncontrolled asthma; a history of any severe systemic allergic reaction; a history of any severe local reaction after taking any sublingual allergen immunotherapy; a history of eosinophilic esophagitis; or hypersensitivity to any of the inactive ingredients contained in the product. It may not be suitable for people using beta-blockers while on therapy.
Remember the time to start treatment is now to reduce allergies. Please call and talk to one of our providers if you have any questions about GRASTEK or would like to discuss traditional allergy shots that cover multiple allergies, such as tree, grass, and weed allergy as well as animal allergy.