I’m highly allergic to a variety of pollen, grass in particular. Like you, medication is really only a “help me recover faster from exposure” sort of thing. I take it hoping there’s at least placebo effect.
I first discovered my allergies after walking through a pollenating corn field for my agronomist job, and coming out blind and swollen on the other end. I could from then on walk outside and tell specifically when corn was starting to pollenate miles away, because it has a distinct smell that burned itself into my danger detection.
I’ve been doing the allergy shots for ~6 years now. I no longer get seasonal eczema, and I can now even ride an ATV by a corn field without protection. Previously even being within a quarter mile would result in a reaction.
The extreme Fescue and ryegrass pollen here in Oregon’s willamette valley however still require me to use an N95 mask and dust goggles while outside for my job during june and july or I have a bad time.
However, it’s no longer to the point were I’d literally have to move elsewhere or die. My throat no longer gets tight, and it turns out my chronic and increasing eczema was due to pollen and is no longer an issue. I also recover from exposure much more quickly.
Basically the effectiveness of it all is personally mixed depending on the allergen, ranging from fuckall effect to nearly cured, but overall is absolutely worth it.
My recommendation is to have them load up the shot with as many allergens as you can get (20 or so last I checked) and continue with everything even after they say you can remove some of them.
Protip: if you have bad eye symptoms like me where it feels like literal sand in your eyes, applying a very strong menthol/cooling rub on your cheek (not to close to the eyes, should be below the cheekbone) will induce tears and save the day. I use a “kung fu balm”, but tiger balm or vicks vapor rub also work. Various goggles can also be used to occlude pollen as well as humidify your eyes.
Also don’t use nose sprays with oxymetazoline or eye drops with “redness eye reliever” as those are a trap. They constrict blood vessels, but your body quickly adapts and end up in a worse situation than before.