My Allergy Journey, Part IX: Uptown, Dose You Up

 It has been two weeks since my first Oral Immunotherapy Dosing. I’m being treated for Sunflower, Cashew, and Pistachios. A couple of months ago I successfully got “de-allergiesd” to all the other tree nuts, and it was life-changing.

(For those who are only here for the street photos, scroll down.)

But now, it’s time to settle into a new routine.

For the last two weeks I have been taking a minuscule dose of ground sunflower and cashews (cashews and pistachios are very similar; cure one, and you’re cured the other). The dose, which I take at home in the early evening, is around 1/300th of a cashew and 1/300th of a spoonful of sunflower seeds. Today, I had my first “updose.” Two mini spoonfuls of each allergen, a whopping 1/150th of each. 

After having a recommended hi-carb breakfast at Bagels & Co. (York Ave and 76th St) consisting an onion bagel and a schmeer of cream cheese, I arrived early and got my dose. Then, I sat for 90 minutes so the staff could observe me and swing into action if I had a reaction. Fortunately, nothing happened. 

This is the second of 13 steps, every two weeks, of gradually increasing doses of allergens until I can tolerate accidentally eating them. 26 weeks to go (assuming no interruptions due to illness) till “unstoppable”! Let's find out how Updose Three goes!

And now on to the street photos.