well, i tried xolair for 2 months when i found out that i might be allergic to it, what happened to me was that we had tried everything we could, and xolair was the next logical step, but my ige levels werent right , but because i was in hospital at least 20 times in a year both insurance and doc said "why not" can't hurt , and it didn't i just started to have an asthma attack both times i took it and the doc said no more, BUT that was just me, i have read wonders about it, people have really gotten better, so just keep doing research on it who knows. good luck

cwille

My allergist was considering Xolair due to the high amount of prednisone I take. He got my IgE, which was normal. So, there was nothing to treat and so he decided not to do it. I did do research on Xolair while waiting for the results.

The main thing that concerned me at the time was that there where no studies that looked at the long term effect of Xolair, so it was an unknown. It could be better or worse than prednisone in the long term. I would rather know my monster so would have refused it even if my IgE was high. But, there's no right or wrong answer....some would take the chance in hopes that it is better than prednisone in the long term.

I would look for studies of the long term effects of Xolair. My doctor brought this up several years ago, so I don't know if they exist now or not.

Since I never took it, I can't give you a report of my experiences with it. I have heard on this board some people who've had good results with it. Good luck...

Aloha Sleepless, Born and raised in Hawaii (land of the vog - volcanic air pollution). I have had severe chronic asthma since I was 5 yrs old and am now about to turn 46 yrs old. I have spend a life time on and off high to low taper doses of prednisone with and without antibiotics to treat bronchitis type infections and flare up related to my asthma. I have been on so many asthma/allergy medications I can not even remember them all. Yuck! Over the period from around 2005 to 2009 I began seeing a major increase in my prednisone use for chronic sinus infections eventually dropping into my chest causing major infections with asthma flare ups. I was prescribed doses ranging from 80mg tapering off to 20mg over 5 to 10 periods most times accompanied by some sort of antibiotic. Usually the pred was ever other day to decrease the side effects???? They usually helped but many times I had to have a follow up session or relapsed back to being really sick. Anyway, you know the story.....I got to a point where my doctor did not know what to try anymore. My lab tests would be fairly good but I could sit in front of him wheezing away. I missed so much work that I was 'let go' from my last 2 part time jobs. No way I could hold on to a full time job. I was basically trying to work to keep my medical insurance, ending up on Cobra for while and TDI insurance. So...Xolair came up as an option. I had heard of it before but wasn't sure exactly what is was or how it would work. I was really at my wits end and gained 100lbs from all the pred use at this point. Very discouraged and depressed. I was not real keen on the fact that Xolair is a derivative of Chinese hamster ovary cells either and no long term test results. Of out sheer desperation, I went for it February 2009. I take 2 injections ever 4 weeks, occasionally gone up to 6 weeks because of scheduling problems. My first injections went well. I had to wait awhile at the doctor's office to see if I would have a reaction. With in an hour, I could literally feel my sinuses clear! No reactions. I have to carry an epi pen for the first 24 hrs after every injection administration. I am now into my 4th year and have to report that I am on 1/2 the amount of medications I was on 5 years ago. Today I take Advair 500/50 bid, flonase nasal spray sid (as a precaution - I had nasal polyps back in 2005), an occasional Zyrtec, Pro Air rescue inhaler as needed (maybe 1 to 2x monthly average) and my Xolair every 4 weeks. I saw a significant decrease in my dependency of pred around the 2nd year which decreased gradually. I was excited when I went 6 months without pred! After that jump, I have actually gone 20months as of this month with NO pred! I have a small amount of low grade wheezing which some time goes to nothing to the occasional fair up managed by my rescue inhaler. My body can now fight a chest cold all by it's self without even going to the doctor. I feel so much better! I have NEVER gone like this ever in my life without predinsone. I still fight with my weight - even with a lap band - but I am not 'puffy' anymore and can exercise on a regular basis. No more nebulizer treatments, hospital ER visits, extra asthma medications and multiple inhalers. The vog still irritates my lungs when it blow through Oahu from the Big Island and I still watch for irritants like BBQ smoke etc. I have not had any side effects from the Xolair besides small bruising at the injection sights. I do fight with my insurance about them covering it - serious nightmare. I do get extra help through the manufacture's program as well. I thank my lucky stars for this medication. I know it may not be for everyone, but it has given me my independence back. I am a realist and do understand there may come a day when I will have to possible have a prednisone dose if I get too sick but it will not be a chronic thing again in my life it I can help it. Hope this helps you a bit. Take care, Dani