LDI Treatment Process
How it works
Allergy and autoimmunity represent a loss of appropriate immune “tolerance”. The idea behind this form of immunotherapy is to “retrain” immune tolerance to the immune system, either individually or in very large collections at once. This seems like a very basic concept, but it is truly profound. Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI) is also profoundly different from conventional immunotherapy used for environmental allergies.
LDI is far safer, more effective, and much more user-friendly than conventional immunotherapy. It is also able to treat many more conditions than conventional allergy therapy. The doses are so much lower there has never been a reported case of anaphylaxis from an LDI dose and you cannot even theoretically “react” directly to a dose. In contrast, life-threatening reactions are known to occur with the high doses of antigen given during conventional allergy shots. Adverse responses to LDI can occur if the dilution is too strong, but that can be avoided by starting in a more cautious dilution range when a patient has more severe reactions or disease. LDI overdose just causes aggravation of the existing allergic reactions or inflammatory symptoms and it is temporary, lasting a length of time proportional to how far off the dose was from their optimal dilution.
LDI doses are given far less frequently than conventional immunotherapy. Effective doses may be needed as frequently as every four to six weeks, and then it usually spaces out from there as patients do better with each dose. At the beginning, doses are given every week or so as “titration doses” as we look for a significant response. Some patients will be able to stop therapy at some point and can remain disease-free for long periods of time, but their immune problems can return at any time following some catalytic event (as described previously). I have treated many patients for allergies who had failed conventional immunotherapy or other techniques; so failure with other therapies is not predictive of whether LDI will work for you.
In the Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI) treatment process:
At the beginning, we start with a conservative approach, using a weaker dilution to minimize the risk of symptom exacerbation. Dr. Vincent, drawing from his experience and your unique story, estimates the starting point, and you confirm your comfort level.
For each dose attempted, there are several possible outcomes:
- Too Weak of a Dose: No change in symptoms. We can proceed with a stronger dilution about one week later, with the timeline adjusted based on specific conditions and needs.
- Too Strong of a Dose: Exacerbation of existing symptoms, known as LDI flares, within the first 48 hours. The duration of the flare is proportional to the deviation from the optimal dilution. If a flare occurs, we wait at least 7 weeks for the immune system to reset, then restart from a weaker dilution.
- Nearly Right Dose: Partial improvement or complete relief for a limited duration. In this case, we adjust by giving a slightly larger dose in terms of dilution or volume.
- Core Dose: If symptoms or reactions disappear completely for 6 weeks or longer, this is the “CORE DOSE.” Initially taken every 6-7 weeks, patients may choose to wait for symptoms to return and then take another core dose as needed. Doses can be spaced out further over time, even up to a year or more apart.
It’s important to recognize that immune-related problems fluctuate, and while LDI may offer relief for years, symptoms can resurface due to various factors. Effective LDI core doses may require periodic adjustments. Patients can expect to take effective doses every 7 weeks for budgeting purposes. We typically provide two core doses at a time, covering at least 14 weeks once the ideal dose is determined. If longer intervals are maintained between doses, the overall cost of treatment can decrease over time.
