Interview with Wendy Reed 

Wendy trained and worked under Theron Randolph, MD, from 1977, until his retirement in 1992. Dr. Randolph is known as the father of clinical ecology, now known as environmental medicine. Wendy is in her 31st year of performing allergy testing, and is highly esteemed by her patients and recognized as being incredibly knowledgeable and adept in this field.  

Q: I feel more affected by the changing seasons each year. How can I know if I have allergies? 

A: In our office, we start by performing an exam and taking a detailed allergy history, looking for symptomatic patterns, such as location. If allergies seem to be better when you're indoors, that could indicate you are reacting to outside allergens such as pollens, trees and weeds. If allergies are better when you're outdoors, you could be reacting to indoor allergens like dust, mites, molds and danders. We can test panels of items indigenous to the surrounding area or in an individual's home, using skin testing. 

Q: I don't notice typical allergy symptoms (itchy eyes/throat, sneezing, runny nose). Could I still have allergies?  

A: Yes. Allergies can manifest in a host of different ways. Fatigue, headaches, anxiety, nervousness, depression, hyperactivity, aches and pains, irritable bowel syndrome...can all be allergic reactions. 

Q: Could my "summer cold" that I'm having trouble shaking, actually be allergies?

A: Definitely. A cold goes away in a few days to a week. Allergies last throughout the seasons of specific allergens, and there are often distinct patterns to them (i.e., showing up every year at the same time).  

Q: How is Wellness Concepts' testing different from conventional scratch testing?

A: We evaluate through skin reaction for environmental allergies, and through symptomatic and skin reaction for food testing. When a patient reacts to a specific stimulus, we then test different dilutions of the antigen to find the perfect neutralizing dose, so that treatment is exactly tailored to that individual.   

Q: What is treatment like and why is it considered more natural?

A: Conventional allergy shot treatments treat on a "positive dose", meaning they attempt to rebuild blocking antibodies by actually injecting allergens to excite the immune system. They are not measuring individual, exact doses and are not re-testing on a yearly basis. With our treatments, we have found the individual neutralizing dose for each allergen in testing, and are simply neutralizing the allergic response. Because of this, we're not aggravating or stressing the immune system. Another benefit of treating on this "negative" dose is that it's entirely safe, so treatment can be administered at home - there's no risk of adverse reaction. Antigens can be delivered either sublingually (under the tongue) or in simple, self-administered injections. 

Q: How often do I need to re-test? Is it as extensive each time? 

A: Annually. After the first session, testing is not as extensive because we have a starting point based on your previous testing.   

Q: How much does testing cost? Is it covered by insurance?   

A: We charge per injection and cost varies depending on how many items are being tested, as well as how the individual responds. The more reactive they are, the more dilutions of an antigen we typically need to inject to find the neutralizing dose.  Testing is $10 per injection, but I recommend calling and speaking with me to get a more tailored estimate of what your total may be. We are out-of network with all insurances, but for many insurance companies, we are able to provide reimbursement forms that the patient can submit, and as long as their plan specifies allergy coverage, they would be reimbursed at whatever percentage the plan specifies for out-of-network providers. 

Q: Will I have to do this forever or will my allergies themselves actually improve from doing this type of treatment?

A: Allergies will improve with continued treatment, but keep in mind that allergies are just a presentation/symptom of deeper issues and stressors on the immune system. Allergy treatment will definitely relieve symptoms, but to truly kick your allergies for good, and keep them from coming back, you need to treat the whole person and determine what may be going on underneath the surface that is causing the allergy manifestation. Wellness Concepts does this, too. ;)  

For more information, Wendy also recommends the following books. You can check out either at your local library or online:

For Adults: An Alternative Approach to Allergies, Theron G. Randolph, MD and Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. 

For Children: Is This Your Child?, Doris Rapp, MD

You can also check out the allergy portion of our website here.