Meet Tyler Gunderson: Tyler is a licensed pharmacist working with one of Nectar’s qualified, independent pharmacies.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Do you have any allergies?
I am from a small town in central Utah and became fascinated with the miracles of medicine at an early age. I witnessed changes in the lives of some family members and friends which eventually led to my career in pharmacy. I am an allergy sufferer myself, specifically environmental allergens (grass pollen).
2. What is your job? What’s the best part? The most challenging part?
I oversee the compounding process of customized allergy immunotherapy prescriptions. I am involved with ensuring high-quality products are safely prepared and accurately dispensed.
The best part of what I do is discovering how to better serve patients in a more customized way, especially with treatment options that target the source of a problem.
The most challenging part of my day is monitoring/forecasting supply chain issues, to ensure our custom prescriptions are delivered in a timely manner.
3. What do you do for Nectar?
Our pharmacy works closely with knowledgeable allergist providers and together we compound custom, safe, and effective treatment options for Nectar patients.
4. What’s the most common question you are asked about allergy medication?
I am often asked one of two questions: does allergy immunotherapy work and how long does it take to see the benefits?
In response to the first question: it's exciting to see many published literature sources demonstrate that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) significantly reduces allergy symptoms.
As an allergy immunotherapy patient myself, I started immunotherapy in the fall of 2021 and am happy to report I have not experienced any allergy issues in 2022! Nor have I required any symptom management medications.
In response to the second question: just as allergen sensitivity can take time to establish, SLIT results take time to show. That said, many people, myself included, have reported experiencing significant relief in less than 6 months! Before this happens though, I like to remind customers that sometimes symptoms may worsen before they get better.
5. How do you foresee the treatment of allergies changing in the future?
We live in a fast-paced and consumer-friendly world. When we repeatedly experience annoying allergy symptoms that affect our quality of life, we seek out solutions that fit our daily lifestyle. Luckily, managing or masking symptoms is no longer the only answer. I think targeting the root of the problem is key to addressing how we care for allergies moving forward.
6. What’s your favorite outdoor activity and have allergies ever gotten in the way?
Being outdoors is a huge part of my life. I enjoy boating, wake surfing, playing sports with family, and coaching my kids.
Allergies impacted my quality of life and the time I spent outdoors for the last 10+ years. I frequently resorted to over-the-counter medications to try and manage the symptoms.
I learned through allergy testing that I suffered from environmental grass pollen allergies during the spring and fall time. I am glad to have started my own allergy immunotherapy journey so that I can be outdoors playing with my family without distractions.
Disclaimer: Nectar patients reserve the right to have their prescriptions filled by the pharmacy of their choice. Our pharmacies are selected based on quality, operational capabilities, regulatory compliance, and pricing.
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