Dallas Allergy

New Automated Appointment Reminders

julia — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:44:33 +0000

We will have some new features to our automated appointment reminder calls. We will be testing sending you a reminder via text messaging. In the future we may be able to send reminders via email. At your next visit, please let the receptionist know if you would prefer to receive your calls by text or email!

Seasonal Flu Vaccine No Longer Available at DAI

julia — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:12:14 +0000

Seasonal Flu vaccine is no longer available at DallasAllergyImmunology. If you still need the vaccine, please check with your local pharmacy.

Medical City Dallas Parking Rates

julia — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:18:29 +0000

Please be advised that effective January 1, 2010, Medical City Dallas parking rates will increase. For 3-24 hours, the rate will be $4.00 rather than the current $3.00. This is the only change; rates will remain at $1.00 for 0-1 hour, $2.00 for 1-2 hours, and $3.00 for 2-3 hours.

H1N1 vaccine available for family members

julia — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:42:49 +0000

We are now offering the H1N1 injectable vaccine and H1N1 flumist to all family members of current patients. H1N1 injectable vaccine is for those ages 6 months to 64 years. The H1N1 flumist is available for those ages 2-49 years that meet the CDC Criteria. Patient family members will pay the administration fee for the H1N1 vaccine and insurance will not be filed.

Pneumovax Recommendation

julia — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:49:31 +0000

Traditionally, the major cause of death from influenza is secondary pneumococcal pneumonia. The ACIP and CDC recommend pneumovax for everyone with asthma. Pneumovax is a vaccine that protects against specific types of pneumococcal disease. DallasAllergyImmunology is now providing pneumovax to patients ages 2 and older with asthma.

Zicam Warning

julia — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:58:32 +0000

The FDA issued a warning concerning Zicam today, June 16, 2009 because of a number of patients who have experienced loss of smell after use. DallasAllergyImmunology no longer recommends the use of Zicam nasal sprays or swabs.

Updates for Patients from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology

julia — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:29:34 +0000

Click here for updated information on allergies, asthma and immunology from AAAAI: http://www.aaaai.org/patients.stm

Changes to Frisco Allergy Shot Hours

julia — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:49:25 +0000

Allergy shots now begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays in the Frisco office.

Please note our Frisco office is now open through the lunch hour for allergy shots on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Swine Flu Issues

janet — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:26:53 +0000

Important points:

1. The 2008-09 influenza vaccine does not offer protection against swine flu. Because this strain was only recently identified, it may take up to 6 months before a vaccine is available for wide distribution.

2. Good handwashing and not sharing eating utensils and towels are the most effective measures to prevent spread of influenza and other common respiratory viruses.

3. At this time it appears that the swine flu is responsive to the antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza. The recommendations for using these medications are the same as for other types of influenza: start once daily for 10 days in the event of a documented influenza A positive close contact at home, work or school; twice daily for 5 days in the event of influenza symptoms.

4. Until we hear differently from the Dallas County Health Department, suspected cases of influenza should be brought in for rapid flu testing. Influenza A positive cases should have a separate swab sent in a viral isolator tube to the Health Department for typing.

Questions about Advair/Serevent and Symbicort/Foradil

julia — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:15:51 +0000

There have been reports in the news media about the recent FDA Panel that recommended severely limiting the use of Advair and Symbicort for asthma. This recommendation reflects no new data but, rather, was issued by a new committee of the FDA that examined data from the late 90’s. The panel of physicians were not asthma experts. We at DallasAllergyImmunology disagree with these recommendations based on our analysis of the data evaluated by the FDA and additional, more recent information.

Advair has been studied and used for many years. There have been more than 30 million patient years of experience with Advair. Symbicort is newer to the US but has been used extensively in Europe. Serevent and Foradil have also been studied extensively. We know a lot about these drugs.

Advair and Symbicort have been shown to be safe in many studies representing thousands of patient years of experience with these drugs. Advair alone has been studied in more than 18,000 patients.
There were no asthma-related deaths in children receiving Serevent or Advair in clinical studies enrolling more than 7,400 children.
Our research group has participated in many studies of asthma drugs, particularly Advair and Symbicort. Our doctors and PA’s are intimately familiar with these drugs, their side effects and benefits.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Thoracic Society, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, and American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology all support the continued use of these medicines.

Because of the overwhelming data supporting the benefits of combination therapy (Advair or Symbicort) for patients with asthma and because the current information does not raise any new safety concerns about these drugs, we continue to prescribe and recommend Advair or Symbicort when appropriate for our patients.