You hit several nails on the head with this posting Ms. Macnaughton! Many of my patients wonder about taking their allergy medicines regularly (as often directed), and experiencing "tolerance" to them. I explain to them, that more often the medication is working at the same level as before, but the conditions (environmental and other factors, such as timing of doses and food/ beverage intake etc.) may be different and result in less of a response.

 I tell my patients to think about when you might get a new sweater for early fall. That sweater keeps you warm and comfortable through a Midwest Indian Summer, but in December when that cold wave hits, you don't start thinking "the sweater stopped working". Instead you realize you have to put on more clothes.

So, in a similar way medications may, at times, need to be advanced in order to handle more severe allergy symptoms. But proper use of the medication is essential! Thanks so much for addressing this!

James T.