I’ve been told I have IgE levels of over 500. Should I be worried?Thank you in advance for any replies.

IgE levels

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

IgE basically measures how overly responsive to allergens you can be. They measure it to see if you’re eligible for a biological called xolair. The chart for dose etc can be seen here; xolairhcp.com/starting-trea...

I hope this helps. It’s nothing to overtly worry about, it just helps them decide what MABs might work for you.

Hope this helps

[Hidden in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you Emma, I need to educate myself so any info is much appreciated. It’s all still new to me. X

[hilary39]

What Emma said (as usual ) I have discovered my IgE is all over the map--a few years ago it was in the thousands and recently it's been closer to 350 and, for me, it has had very little to do with how bad my allergy or asthma symptoms are. My asthma and allergies were much much worse when my IgE levels were in the 300s than when they were in the thousands.

Don't worry overly much if your IgE is high, just keep talking to your doctor about what it means and focus on how symptomatic you are.

Were you getting your levels drawn to see if you are a good match for biologics? Or just as part of routine allergy testing?

[Hidden in reply to hilary39]

Hi, thank you for your reply.

Bloods were taken as an outpatient following a short spell in hosp where I was diagnosed with asthma. The consultant just said I’m a “very allergic person “ and prescribed Symbicort. I was then discharged back to my Gp.

My main symptom is a constant productive cough which is worse at night.

My Gp is trying to get me seen by the hosp consultant again as she has changed my inhaler to flutiform, and added in Montelukast. Also my breathing seems more laboured.

It’s still all new to me and have no idea about biological ?

I need to educate myself more and hopefully I’ll find info through these pages and people like you and Emma. Thank you x

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

IgE is an indicator for allergy issues. If they can get control with inhalers and tablets then that’s brilliant. The IgE just means if they can’t there are possibly other avenues open for you. The score isn’t anything to be worried about in and of itself. If you get controlled without the biological then that’s fab, and it is possible!

[Hidden in reply to EmmaF91]

Thank you Emma x

[hilary39 in reply to Hidden]

Interesting that you've developed late-onset asthma and allergies (correct?) I've been super asthmatic / allergic for since I was 8 years old so that's my frame of reference

Asthma getting worse at night is generally a sign that it's uncontrolled so it's good you're on a controller inhaler (Symbicort) which should work for 12 hours at a time. Are you also on an antihistamine? Definitely keep seeing your GP and an allergist or pulmonologist to get to the bottom of all of this. Has anything changed in your environment? New house, job, pet, paint, location etc? Trying to think what could trigger such bad allergies suddenly. Sometimes bodies change though...There are a number of people on here with late-onset asthma and sudden, brand-new allergies.

Does the Montelukast seem to be helping?

Biologics are injectable medicines that help reduce things like IgE that can cause an allergic reaction or eosinophils which can cause inflammation. Before you can start the biologic Omalizumab, they test your IgE levels so that's what I was asking about

[Hidden in reply to hilary39]

Thank you for the advice and food for thought. Will bear all this in mind when I do get to see the consultant again. X

[Ts777]

Hi,

Last time I saw a consultant, he looked at my ige levels and panicked a bit. He discharged me and refered me to an allergist.

Of course, there’s not much an allergist can do. My allergies are not critical, I don’t need immunosuppressants and there are too many of them for him to treat them individually. So this guy discharged me as well.

🤣🤣🤣 Not the best outcome but I’m still here.

I think high ige levels just mean that you’re allergic. I wouldn’t worry. Just manage the asthma 😁😁😁

[Hidden in reply to Ts777]

Thank you for your input. X