OIT (Oral Immunotherapy) in Canada - The First Dose

IF you live in Ontario, you know that for at least the past 5 months, the weather has been brutal. I am talking school closures, ice storms, insane winds, and loads of snow – every Wednesday. You may be wondering how I know these lovely winter weather days occurred on the ever so elegantly termed, “hump day?” Easy, our initial Oral Immunotherapy dose date was set for a Wednesday way back in November, and we did not actually start until February! Now, I can’t totally blame the weather since a few Wednesdays we were dealing with fevers, projectile vomiting, and a few super phlegmy bouts of colds. Is it Spring yet?!

What to expect at your First Dosing Appointment?

At our first dosing appointment we were given a very thorough explanation regarding what we could experience that day, and moving forward. We brought our epi-pens, Rupall (antihistamine), freezer bag, puffer and aerochamber, anddddd my bag of nerves. It was terrifying listening to our pediatric allergist describe all the possible side-effects, both minor and severe. We also practiced administering the epi-pen on ourselves, you know, blue to the sky, orange to the thigh? Just in case a serious situation presents itself while we continue to dose at home. We reviewed lip swelling, itchy throat, upset stomach, hives, and other possible reactions to the dose. My heart was so nervous at that point, I could actually hear (and count) the beats whizzing through my ears.

What exactly is a Peanut Suspension?

The peanut suspension consists of peanut powder, combined with a liquid, creating a consistency similar to that of any liquid medication. The suspension is mixed by a pharmacist as the amounts are so low in the beginning of the treatment. In our case, Sosi started with 1/1000 of a peanut as her dose. It equated to 0.5ML of the solution, released under her tongue, and held for 30 seconds before swallowing. Two weeks later, we returned to increase to 1/500th of a peanut, and now we are working on 1/250th of a peanut.

So What’s Next?

It will take months for us to complete Sosi’s Oral Immunotherapy. Our pediatric allergist stressed that this process takes a long time, and there is no rush. I agree, we are totally on board to proceed slowly and safely. That big ‘ole turtle wins the race anyways right?