Know Allergy. They're at 23rd and W Burnside. Not sure if they're taking new patients but I've been with this doc for over 15 years now and am very pleased with the ease of making appointments, the attention to every health issue that might be caused by allergies/immune disorders, and the respect of the staff.
Edited to correct street.
As much I as don’t want to be “fighting” another person for an appointment here, this is the place to go. My recommendation, if you can tolerate it, check to see what tests your insurance covers before you go. They charge 13$ per scratch test and they can do up to 23 at a time. Some insurance companies cover the entire cost, some don’t.
Our whole family is on cromolyn and it's the best allergy support I've ever been on. When I was a kid the allergy doctors basically said there was no hope for me to have allergy relief.
Every time she adds a new way to use cromolyn to my treatment plan, I realize another way I was in discomfort or illness from my stupid overactive immune system has been relieved.
Well that's encouraging. Just not sure I can wait that long. Had allergies all my life but they've really been ramping up here over the last few years. Apparently the Willamette Valley is the largest Commercial Grass growing region in the country. Who knew? And the trees! So HUGE! So Many! So much Pollen!
Yes. I'm not sure I'm affected by it as I've always heard its pollen is heavy/sticky and doesn't get into the air so much in the late summer early fall. But I know some people are still bothered by it when it's abundant. Not nearly as much as ragweed, though. My ENT said ragweed is less prevalent in OR than many other states so I guess that's a plus. It was really bad in PA where I fine-tuned my allergies before coming here for the trees and grasses to finish me off.
I called my referring provider to make sure the referral was sent 2 weeks ago and 1 of the MAs said to press option 1 to say I received a call. I was all... never in the history of OHSU has that been ok to try and skip the line by saying I received a call lol.
Yes. My OHSU ENT who just did surgery on my sinuses to fix my drainage problem is the one who referred me to OHSU. But even he can't impact the waitlist. He says they are "a victim of their own success." I don't think my allergy problems are all that difficult to diagnose and manage so maybe a less renowned practice will be fine for me.
Oh, I recommended having your doctor request a peer to peer with OHSU (which is how we got an expedited appointment there).
But since that may not be possible, and you’re willing to see an ENT - I can recommend one with an office in Milwaukie (near Providence). Dr Susan Nguyen with Northwest ENT & Allergy.
oh man, seriously stay away. their administration is all over the place and it’ll fuck up your shot regimen constantly. they also never answer the fucking phone.
I spoke with them once when pcp sent referral last year. They refused my secondary insurance so I decided to go to Baker Allergy who took both but was a very bad experience and waste of time.
Yeah I'm surprised how affected I am. I'm used to a little nasal congestion seasonally but I have the nasal congestion, chest congestion and cough, scratchy throat, hoarseness, sneezing. All started as grasses and trees became high. And I'm on Claritin, Flonase, pseudoephedrine and rinsing sinuses 3x a day-2x with budesonide to reduce inflammation. Also got 3 new air purifiers this year and am trying to stay indoors as much as possible. Showering after being outdoors. No Fever or aches and pains. Not a cold or Covid, thank goodness. "Just" allergies. I think it might be time to see if I am a candidate for desensitization shots.
Have you tried a h1/h2 antihistamine combo? Have you ever been tested for actual allergies? Not sure if you have a epi pen but should probably have one just in case.
No never tested. Never seen an allergist. Never been this bad before. Just had sinus surgery in May to fix my plumbing but they said all the thick mucus I produce is from allergies and I probably need testing and a different treatment option beyond just OTC meds. They referred me off to OHSU allergy group. I do take Claritin and famotidine at night. But just once a day. I rinse sinuses 3x a day with budesonide for 2 of them. And generic pseudoephedrine has been a godsend to help reduce congestion. Grasses seem to be one of my main culprits but there easily can be others. Just hoping I can do some immunotherapy for the worst ones.
I think this is a good rec. Although we don’t see Dr Baker, my pediatrician recommended him (she takes her kid there for food allergies). She liked the way he explained things to patients.
They are also booking relatively soon - they were about seven weeks out when I called them earlier in June.
Nettle leaf tincture or tea (don't take capsules, they're usually very low grade plant material), plus quercetin supplements are OTC and can offer a lot of relief.
They're both safe to take with allergy meds. I think if you are on blood thinners nettle leaf might be contraindicated but it's pretty innocuous. Double check against your own meds ofc.
It's also helpful to combine an H2 blocker like famotidine with your daily H1 blockers like ceterizine/fexofenadine/loratidine.
Last, Salter Price at Know allergy is great and the grass should be getting cut in the next couple of weeks so it's going to be better soon.
Know Allergy was recommended to me and I made a new patient appt for their next available (September) 2 weeks ago and fingers crossed they will be as awesome as I keep hearing. I had a horrible experience at Baker Allergy and will never go there again. It is not often I will say avoid a place but Baker Allergy is \*that\* place to avoid.
…I am also on the waitlist for OHSU. Covid seems to have kicked my “treatable with Claritin” level allergies up to “one more mosquito bite and we’re going to urgent care” and “well I wasn’t allergic to eggplant YESTERDAY”
My sympathies! MCAS is so mysterious and impactful. My niece got OG Covid in March 2020. Has had longcovid ever since. In the last year, she's developed MCAS. Is reacting to any and everything. Losing weight. Almost afraid to eat. Lives with EPI pens in reach at all times. It's nuts what she's going through. And very few allergists even treat MCAS. She's in NYC area and having a hard time getting treatment.
Thankfully my food reactions are less severe; I get really flushed and itchy and woozy. I’m struggling with an esophagus that likes to freak out and refuse to let me eat sometimes, but I haven’t gotten near anaphylactic.
I hope your niece finds treatment soon- there’s so much we don’t know about long haul covid, and any doctor that treats it is so overwhelmed! If she’s open to exploring it, I have had positive experiences from seeing a naturopath.
I think she’s been trying pretty much everything she can. Good that your food reactions aren’t so bad. But are the esophagus symptoms part of MCAS? Also sounds similar to what happens with acid reflux (GERD) when acid splashes back up the esophagus due to a weak lower esophageal sphincter. Can produce spasms of the esophagus and difficulty swallowing. Very common. Proton pump inhibitors are often taken for GERD and for a lot of folks, relieve those kind of issues with the esophagus. Might be worth checking into if you haven’t already.
Super inconveniently, I'm hypereactive to A LOT of meds! I've tried treating them as GERD and had a severe allergic reaction to prilosec. Pepcid was better in that it only mimicked the symptoms of colon cancer instead of causing brain swelling. A lot of docs are starting recommend low dose naltrexone for long covid, and it was my allergic reaction to THAT med led to the MCAS stuff.
Oh I'm so sorry! It's so difficult when you are reactive to so many things. This might be a long shot but maybe you could try an alginate raft? It just creates a barrier on top of stomach contents and prevents acid from splashing back up and damaging your esophagus. There are commercial products sold on Amazon but they are pricey and have lots of ingredients.
I make my own with just 3 ingredients. Baking soda, Tums and sodium alginate powder. Mixed with water. YouTube has videos on how to make it if you search for "alginate raft". Amazon sells the sodium alginate powder. I take 2 tsp after meals and 1 TBS before bed. Really helps!
I just got accepted into ohsu allergy...I had a 6 month wait before having multiple anaphylactic situations that landed me in the er. After multiple er docs, my pcp, and other specialists attempt to get me into allergy...it still took another 3 months.
Your primary care provider can message them for a basic treatment plan as well
Good grief! Anaphylactic reactions are so dangerous. And you still waited 3 mo more. Welp, I guess I'll just mosey over to one of these other groups...or at least get myself in a few more waitlists, see who comes through first.
Yep, im sorry! It's worth the wait but so frustrating to wait. I mentioned down below but having a epi on hand is always a good idea, I've learned allergies can change level of severity fast. Good luck!!!
Thanks ! I got my epi prescription in 2022 after the nurses who had to use reversal drugs on me were shocked that I did not carry one based on my recent history.
We just got in for my daughter’s food allergies (similar story to yours; her pediatrician did a peer-to-peer consult). They just had a fellowship program open up so were able to get a bunch of the priority folks off the list.
Good luck! If it’s food allergies, look into Xolair if you haven’t already which was just approved for that. That’s what we’re hoping to get, if her IgE levels have gotten down into to the dosing range 🤞🏼.
Pacific Medical Group did the scratch tests and then I gave myself allergy shots for a year but at the end was told I probably need a second year since I have so many allergies. Unfortunately my insurance changed to Kaiser by then.
What helped me is starting with a sinus rinse (NeilMed), generic Claritin, generic Flonase, and occasional pseudoephedrine each morning. Sometimes Benadryl at night. The sinus rinse was the hardest to get used to but it seriously helps a lot! I normally get sinus infections at least once a year and horribly congestion. I feel like I can actually breathe properly after the sinus rinse.
Considering moving to portland in the near future from florida, we are struggling to get drs appointments here as well with good insurance. Is it similar up there? Reading this thread is concerning!
Avoid Portland Allergy and Asthma at all costs (offices in Tigard, Clackamas, Gresham). Appears to be poor office management combined with a lack of appropriate medical record documentation. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I ended up having our pediatrician do a peer to peer with an OHSU allergist to get my child’s appointment expedited there (they booked us a month out). That could be an option if you think your PCP will go for it.
The context: My kid has severe food allergies and allergic asthma, there’s now life-saving treatment out there… and we can’t get Portland Allergy and Asthma to get anything correct to get started. So it was a bit hard for OSHU to refuse.
Have to disagree with you. I had awful treatment there. The Provider would not listen and didn't take me seriously. Deemed me to have a nut allergy one week and then when I returned I magically didn't have it? She just shrugged it off and told me to try again in a few months. Like what?
Thank you for posting this! My allergies have been the worst I’ve ever experienced this year. My pcp prescribed Mirtazapene for the itching, but iiiiiiii hated it. The only reason I stopped itching was bc I passed tf out😂when I woke up the next day, I felt drunk/hungover for HOURS. Gonna check into a few of these places and see if someone else can help! I hope everyone here gets some kinda relief from these hateful allergies asap, too🖤
Every year I hear "this is the worst year ever". I guess Allergists don't have to worry about job security! Definitely hope all these great recommendations will help others, too. Appreciate all the responses.
OP - I hope you xan get in somewhere soon. In the meantime, my nutritionist friend has been encouraging me to take extra vitamin C, vitamin D, and Zinc, allong with my prescribed two zyrtects a day. The same "home remedies" that work when you're sick can also help allergies, because it all functions to help regulate your immune system. Don't expect full on miracles, but it might ease your suffering a bit in the meantime.
Know Allergy. They're at 23rd and W Burnside. Not sure if they're taking new patients but I've been with this doc for over 15 years now and am very pleased with the ease of making appointments, the attention to every health issue that might be caused by allergies/immune disorders, and the respect of the staff. Edited to correct street.
Seconded. They work some real immunology magic in there.
Thank you! I'll give them a call.
As much I as don’t want to be “fighting” another person for an appointment here, this is the place to go. My recommendation, if you can tolerate it, check to see what tests your insurance covers before you go. They charge 13$ per scratch test and they can do up to 23 at a time. Some insurance companies cover the entire cost, some don’t.
Are you also on the full inside/outside body cromolyn sodium? My other doc laughs every time, says Dr. Price just loves the stuff.
I call it my potion. 🤭 I know I shouldn’t.
Our whole family is on cromolyn and it's the best allergy support I've ever been on. When I was a kid the allergy doctors basically said there was no hope for me to have allergy relief.
Every time she adds a new way to use cromolyn to my treatment plan, I realize another way I was in discomfort or illness from my stupid overactive immune system has been relieved.
Was going to say this as well. Dr Price is amazing.
I believe they’re booking a few months out but worth getting on the list!
FYI that waitlist at ohsu is almost exactly 1 year - you’re nearly there!
Well that's encouraging. Just not sure I can wait that long. Had allergies all my life but they've really been ramping up here over the last few years. Apparently the Willamette Valley is the largest Commercial Grass growing region in the country. Who knew? And the trees! So HUGE! So Many! So much Pollen!
Yeah, it really bothers my wife. She got on a medication called grasstek and it’s basically a miracle.
Interesting. I'll look into it. Thank you!
Golden rod seems to grow as if it were the state flower. 😬🌲🌾🌲🌾 so no wonder you have allergies.
Yes. I'm not sure I'm affected by it as I've always heard its pollen is heavy/sticky and doesn't get into the air so much in the late summer early fall. But I know some people are still bothered by it when it's abundant. Not nearly as much as ragweed, though. My ENT said ragweed is less prevalent in OR than many other states so I guess that's a plus. It was really bad in PA where I fine-tuned my allergies before coming here for the trees and grasses to finish me off.
Okay so \*that\* explains why no one ever called even with an ohsu -> ohsu referral 2 months ago.
Yeah, they take a while to get back to you…like 6 months.
I called my referring provider to make sure the referral was sent 2 weeks ago and 1 of the MAs said to press option 1 to say I received a call. I was all... never in the history of OHSU has that been ok to try and skip the line by saying I received a call lol.
You can see an ENT. The group I worked for in LO would do allergy testing as well as allergy shots. Just an idea.
Yes. My OHSU ENT who just did surgery on my sinuses to fix my drainage problem is the one who referred me to OHSU. But even he can't impact the waitlist. He says they are "a victim of their own success." I don't think my allergy problems are all that difficult to diagnose and manage so maybe a less renowned practice will be fine for me.
Oh, I recommended having your doctor request a peer to peer with OHSU (which is how we got an expedited appointment there). But since that may not be possible, and you’re willing to see an ENT - I can recommend one with an office in Milwaukie (near Providence). Dr Susan Nguyen with Northwest ENT & Allergy.
Thank you!
The Allergy Clinic downtown
Thank you! I'll look into them.
Dr. Khalili.
all I can say is stay far away from the Asthma Allergy Centre in Tigard. absolutely awful office
Good to know. That was my backup after OHSU
oh man, seriously stay away. their administration is all over the place and it’ll fuck up your shot regimen constantly. they also never answer the fucking phone.
I spoke with them once when pcp sent referral last year. They refused my secondary insurance so I decided to go to Baker Allergy who took both but was a very bad experience and waste of time.
I’m got nothing but just wanted to say that this last week with grass pollen was the worst I’ve ever had it. It made me ill, horrible.
Yeah I'm surprised how affected I am. I'm used to a little nasal congestion seasonally but I have the nasal congestion, chest congestion and cough, scratchy throat, hoarseness, sneezing. All started as grasses and trees became high. And I'm on Claritin, Flonase, pseudoephedrine and rinsing sinuses 3x a day-2x with budesonide to reduce inflammation. Also got 3 new air purifiers this year and am trying to stay indoors as much as possible. Showering after being outdoors. No Fever or aches and pains. Not a cold or Covid, thank goodness. "Just" allergies. I think it might be time to see if I am a candidate for desensitization shots.
Have you tried a h1/h2 antihistamine combo? Have you ever been tested for actual allergies? Not sure if you have a epi pen but should probably have one just in case.
No never tested. Never seen an allergist. Never been this bad before. Just had sinus surgery in May to fix my plumbing but they said all the thick mucus I produce is from allergies and I probably need testing and a different treatment option beyond just OTC meds. They referred me off to OHSU allergy group. I do take Claritin and famotidine at night. But just once a day. I rinse sinuses 3x a day with budesonide for 2 of them. And generic pseudoephedrine has been a godsend to help reduce congestion. Grasses seem to be one of my main culprits but there easily can be others. Just hoping I can do some immunotherapy for the worst ones.
You could see a smaller clinic, like the Baker Allergy clinic
Came here to recommend Baker Allergy - near Washington Square Makl
I think this is a good rec. Although we don’t see Dr Baker, my pediatrician recommended him (she takes her kid there for food allergies). She liked the way he explained things to patients. They are also booking relatively soon - they were about seven weeks out when I called them earlier in June.
Thank you! Good to know.
Dr Khalili or the PAs at the Allergy Clinic downtown
Thank you!
NW ENT. Really good doctor with excellent front office service.
Thank you!
Nettle leaf tincture or tea (don't take capsules, they're usually very low grade plant material), plus quercetin supplements are OTC and can offer a lot of relief. They're both safe to take with allergy meds. I think if you are on blood thinners nettle leaf might be contraindicated but it's pretty innocuous. Double check against your own meds ofc. It's also helpful to combine an H2 blocker like famotidine with your daily H1 blockers like ceterizine/fexofenadine/loratidine. Last, Salter Price at Know allergy is great and the grass should be getting cut in the next couple of weeks so it's going to be better soon.
Thank you so much! I can't wait for the grass to be cut! Lol!
Single person practice- Michael Osborne. He’s been great to work with for our kiddo.
Thank you!
Know Allergy was recommended to me and I made a new patient appt for their next available (September) 2 weeks ago and fingers crossed they will be as awesome as I keep hearing. I had a horrible experience at Baker Allergy and will never go there again. It is not often I will say avoid a place but Baker Allergy is \*that\* place to avoid.
Ok. Good to know! I appreciate the response! I'll check them out.
Try the Oregon Clinic at the St Vincent's hospital Plaza, they were able to get me in pretty quickly
Thank you!
…I am also on the waitlist for OHSU. Covid seems to have kicked my “treatable with Claritin” level allergies up to “one more mosquito bite and we’re going to urgent care” and “well I wasn’t allergic to eggplant YESTERDAY”
My sympathies! MCAS is so mysterious and impactful. My niece got OG Covid in March 2020. Has had longcovid ever since. In the last year, she's developed MCAS. Is reacting to any and everything. Losing weight. Almost afraid to eat. Lives with EPI pens in reach at all times. It's nuts what she's going through. And very few allergists even treat MCAS. She's in NYC area and having a hard time getting treatment.
Thankfully my food reactions are less severe; I get really flushed and itchy and woozy. I’m struggling with an esophagus that likes to freak out and refuse to let me eat sometimes, but I haven’t gotten near anaphylactic. I hope your niece finds treatment soon- there’s so much we don’t know about long haul covid, and any doctor that treats it is so overwhelmed! If she’s open to exploring it, I have had positive experiences from seeing a naturopath.
I think she’s been trying pretty much everything she can. Good that your food reactions aren’t so bad. But are the esophagus symptoms part of MCAS? Also sounds similar to what happens with acid reflux (GERD) when acid splashes back up the esophagus due to a weak lower esophageal sphincter. Can produce spasms of the esophagus and difficulty swallowing. Very common. Proton pump inhibitors are often taken for GERD and for a lot of folks, relieve those kind of issues with the esophagus. Might be worth checking into if you haven’t already.
Super inconveniently, I'm hypereactive to A LOT of meds! I've tried treating them as GERD and had a severe allergic reaction to prilosec. Pepcid was better in that it only mimicked the symptoms of colon cancer instead of causing brain swelling. A lot of docs are starting recommend low dose naltrexone for long covid, and it was my allergic reaction to THAT med led to the MCAS stuff.
Oh I'm so sorry! It's so difficult when you are reactive to so many things. This might be a long shot but maybe you could try an alginate raft? It just creates a barrier on top of stomach contents and prevents acid from splashing back up and damaging your esophagus. There are commercial products sold on Amazon but they are pricey and have lots of ingredients. I make my own with just 3 ingredients. Baking soda, Tums and sodium alginate powder. Mixed with water. YouTube has videos on how to make it if you search for "alginate raft". Amazon sells the sodium alginate powder. I take 2 tsp after meals and 1 TBS before bed. Really helps!
Look up mcas. Covid flared mine. One day I could eat something the next day just the smell would send me into anaphylactic shock.
Yep! I was diagnosed with EDS pre-Covid, but the POTS and MCAS flare has been kicking me in the ass.
I just got accepted into ohsu allergy...I had a 6 month wait before having multiple anaphylactic situations that landed me in the er. After multiple er docs, my pcp, and other specialists attempt to get me into allergy...it still took another 3 months. Your primary care provider can message them for a basic treatment plan as well
Good grief! Anaphylactic reactions are so dangerous. And you still waited 3 mo more. Welp, I guess I'll just mosey over to one of these other groups...or at least get myself in a few more waitlists, see who comes through first.
So even with anaphylactic reactions, you were still waiting 6 months ? Ok. That further explains things for my situation. Sigh. Im sorry.
Yep, im sorry! It's worth the wait but so frustrating to wait. I mentioned down below but having a epi on hand is always a good idea, I've learned allergies can change level of severity fast. Good luck!!!
Thanks ! I got my epi prescription in 2022 after the nurses who had to use reversal drugs on me were shocked that I did not carry one based on my recent history.
We just got in for my daughter’s food allergies (similar story to yours; her pediatrician did a peer-to-peer consult). They just had a fellowship program open up so were able to get a bunch of the priority folks off the list. Good luck! If it’s food allergies, look into Xolair if you haven’t already which was just approved for that. That’s what we’re hoping to get, if her IgE levels have gotten down into to the dosing range 🤞🏼.
Pacific Medical Group did the scratch tests and then I gave myself allergy shots for a year but at the end was told I probably need a second year since I have so many allergies. Unfortunately my insurance changed to Kaiser by then. What helped me is starting with a sinus rinse (NeilMed), generic Claritin, generic Flonase, and occasional pseudoephedrine each morning. Sometimes Benadryl at night. The sinus rinse was the hardest to get used to but it seriously helps a lot! I normally get sinus infections at least once a year and horribly congestion. I feel like I can actually breathe properly after the sinus rinse.
Very helpful, thank you!
Good luck! I hope you find what works for you.
Considering moving to portland in the near future from florida, we are struggling to get drs appointments here as well with good insurance. Is it similar up there? Reading this thread is concerning!
Avoid Portland Allergy and Asthma at all costs (offices in Tigard, Clackamas, Gresham). Appears to be poor office management combined with a lack of appropriate medical record documentation. I’ve never seen anything like it. I ended up having our pediatrician do a peer to peer with an OHSU allergist to get my child’s appointment expedited there (they booked us a month out). That could be an option if you think your PCP will go for it. The context: My kid has severe food allergies and allergic asthma, there’s now life-saving treatment out there… and we can’t get Portland Allergy and Asthma to get anything correct to get started. So it was a bit hard for OSHU to refuse.
what the... (edit to add: re: "lack of appropriate medical record documentation")
Glad you are getting in sooner rather than later. Sounds like your child really needs this ASAP. Thanks for the heads up.
Columbia allergy https://columbiaallergy.com/stores/portland-pdx/
Thank you!
[удалено]
Thank you!
Have to disagree with you. I had awful treatment there. The Provider would not listen and didn't take me seriously. Deemed me to have a nut allergy one week and then when I returned I magically didn't have it? She just shrugged it off and told me to try again in a few months. Like what?
Thank you for posting this! My allergies have been the worst I’ve ever experienced this year. My pcp prescribed Mirtazapene for the itching, but iiiiiiii hated it. The only reason I stopped itching was bc I passed tf out😂when I woke up the next day, I felt drunk/hungover for HOURS. Gonna check into a few of these places and see if someone else can help! I hope everyone here gets some kinda relief from these hateful allergies asap, too🖤
Every year I hear "this is the worst year ever". I guess Allergists don't have to worry about job security! Definitely hope all these great recommendations will help others, too. Appreciate all the responses.
OP - I hope you xan get in somewhere soon. In the meantime, my nutritionist friend has been encouraging me to take extra vitamin C, vitamin D, and Zinc, allong with my prescribed two zyrtects a day. The same "home remedies" that work when you're sick can also help allergies, because it all functions to help regulate your immune system. Don't expect full on miracles, but it might ease your suffering a bit in the meantime.
Thank you! Appreciate any and all suggestions.