allergy testing? Coping w/ no antihistamines?

[Becky]

A quick search here revealed that several folks have had allergy testing done. Maybe y'all can help me...

I have my testing scheduled for Wednesday, have been off the Zyrtec since Thursday night, and am absolutely miserable! I've been using my neti pot twice a day (it does help), those Breathe Right nose strips, and I broke down this morning and used some antihistamine eye drops before I clawed my eyes out.

Anything else I can try that won't interfere with the test? I don't want to go through this for nothing.... Help!

Also, what's the testing like? What can I expect?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[OakLeaf]

You can take Singulair, since it blocks leukotrine only, not histamine. Hopefully they'll call you in a scrip. That period of time before the test can be awful, but it's much better with Singulair.

My allergist does the testing on my upper arms; I think some practices still use the back (more space to work with but a bit more hassle for the patient). This is how they've done it for me for years. I don't know if other places do it differently.

A tiny amount of each allergen is injected just below the upper skin layers, you'll wait a few minutes, and then they'll look whether a wheal was raised, and if so, measure the size of it.

They'll start with a single injection of histamine just to make sure that you're reacting.

Then, they'll inject you with each of the allergens you're being tested for. (Hopefully you completed a history so that they know what your potential triggers are, but if you have symptoms in every season, it may be a very long list.) They'll write on your skin to identify the allergen and the concentration.

It's been a long time since my very first test, and I don't remember specifically, but have to guess that they start with the weakest dilution of each. (On a re-test, they start with the dilution that worked on the last test.) After you've been injected with everything, if you react to something at that concentration, IF there's a weaker dilution they'll try you with that (but as I said, with your first test, there may not be). If you don't react, or if you react very weakly, they'll try the next strongest dilution. They'll keep going until you've either gotten to the strongest dilution without a reaction, or until they find the dilution that gives you a wheal of a particular size. (I believe it's 6 mm, but not sure.) They'll go past that one dilution just to be sure. The whole thing will take 2-3 hours.

So you'll wind up with a matrix of prick marks, itchy wheals, and pen writing. You'll have to avoid heavy sweating or washing the area for 24 hours so the writing doesn't come off (that's why doing it on your back is more hassle :rolleyes:). You won't be allowed to put anything on the wheals to relieve the itching. The next day, you go back to the allergist's office so they can check the wheals and make sure you didn't have a delayed reaction to anything.

Once the testing is done you can have your first shot. They'll start at a very weak dilution of everything, and build you up gradually until you've reached your therapeutic dose of each allergen. After each shot, especially when they're building your dose, you'll have to wait around the office for about 20 minutes to make sure you don't have a severe reaction. My allergist's office does shots twice a week while I'm building my dose up (at a full dosage, it's every 5-7 days). Yours may limit you to once a week. How long it takes to build you up varies, but it's usually about 6 to 10 weeks.

Once you're on a stable dose, your allergist MAY let you give yourself your own shots. Not all of them do...but it makes the process WAY more convenient when you don't have to go to the office every week.

HTH. Good luck! :)

[Pax]

I had 140+ pricks, seems they tested me for everything they could think of. I remember that night as being pretty uncomfortable but after that it was fine. I ended up with shots, singulair, allergy pills, an inhaler, and a prescription nasal spray...stayed on all of that until I reached maintenance dose of my shot and now only use singulair and the shots.

Good luck with your testing, mine changed my life.

[Becky]

Thanks ladies! This is good info!

I am currently on Singulair, and that's keeping the wheezing down. Not doing much for the faucet nose, and itchy eyes and skin. Strangely enough, I'm feeling better now that I'm at work. I can only assume that I need to do a better job of cleaning the house!

I've been keeping notes like crazy these past few weeks about what seems to bother me, and they did send me a detailed form to complete. They failed to mention that whole "no showering for 24 hours before we reinspect you" thing....but I assumed that the night after the test would be awful. Good thing I kept my calendar clear for the day after. How long after testing before I can go back on an antihistamine?

Oak Leaf, how often do they re-do the testing (e.g., how many more times do I have to go through this ;))? Good info about self-administering shots. I'm hopeful that they'll let me do that- I'll make sure to ask.

I'm actually looking forward to having some answers about what triggers my symptoms and formulating a comprehensive plan of attack.

[OakLeaf]

I usually get re-tested every 2-4 years. Just whenever it doesn't seem like my shots are controlling my symptoms the way they should. Supposedly some people will reach a point where they can be on shots for about 2 years and then have 2 years where they don't need shots, but it's never worked that way for me. I think there was ONE allergen I didn't react to on my last test that I had reacted to before. :rolleyes: But my level of sensitivity to different things definitely varies over the years, and that's why I get re-tested.

You can go back on your antihistamines as soon as they've checked your wheals for a delayed reaction.

+1 on changing my life! :)

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Becky - all the best with the testing and trust you get some relief asap once done.
I haven't had testing done for years (I think I was about 11 or 12???) but my hayfever is always predictable and for years I ingested antihistimine tablets.

I did try a course of injections in the arm one year, and I also tried homeopathic alternatives - injections in the back and cream to rub on the face.

When pregnant I asked for a topical alternative and got eyedrops and nosesprays which occasionally needed "topping up" with tablets.

However, at 43years, I can safely say that I am "growing out of it". This season I have not needed to take any tablets, I have not had what I term as a "bad day" (where I don't venture outside at all). I am using nosespray and eyedrops, but I would say my biggest 'defence' against hayfever is sunglasses - I wear them all the time if outside - even if driving in the evening I wear non-dark glasses. Within about 15mins of not wearing my sunnies, I have itchy eyes and my nose is beginning to run.

Some days I forget to take my spray/drops, but wearing my sunnies all day means I have very little hayfever effects.

All the best... and to all of you with seasonal allergies, may you grow out of it soon :)

[msincredible]

Flonase is a good option for nasal allergies and won't interfere with the tests.

I've been on allergy shots (immunotolerance) for a few years now, and they have made an amazing difference in my quality of life.

I am allergic to pretty much every kind of pollen around (tree, grass, and weed), dust and dustmites, mold, as well as various other odds and ends. I used to have a constantly stuffed and/or runny nose, couldn't go anywhere without a big wad of kleenex, and had no sense of smell. It was like permanently living with a headcold, even when taking antihistamines all the time (and I hated having side effects from them). I used to get sinus infections all the time (really sucks when you are allergic to the most common antibiotics that they want to give you too).

After being on the shots and getting up to the maintenance dose, I no longer need any allergy medication at all, I hardly ever even need to blow my nose. It's great. :)

[tulip]

Do you have carpet in your house? I suffered from really bad allergies for many years (in different apartments, but all with carpets, being apartments), and then I moved into a house with all hardwood floors, and my allergies went away. Amazing!

I hope you get relief soon.

[Eden]

relatively mild allergies here - I only really react badly to tree pollen so I only have severe symptoms for a few months, though I am positive for a few other things (cats - I have two..., dust mites, grass pollen)

I had allergy testing for the first time two years ago. They started with the most common allergens doing pin pricks on my arm, then went to a few other less common things on my back. I think I only had to wait a half hour or so to have the test read. The hardest thing to do was to not scratch the positive ones.... (they rubbed a topical antihistamine all over me when they were finished)

[Becky]

Do you have carpet in your house? I suffered from really bad allergies for many years (in different apartments, but all with carpets, being apartments), and then I moved into a house with all hardwood floors, and my allergies went away. Amazing!

I hope you get relief soon.

Hardwood, with area rugs. Much better than our old apartment with wall to wall carpeting!

Strangely enough, the nasal symptoms have quieted down somewhat since yesterday morning. At the moment, it's the itchy skin and eyes that are making me crazy. Weird....itchies aren't one of my normal symptoms....

I slapped on an N95 dust mask last night, and vacuumed and mopped a bunch, as well as washed a bunch of pet laundry in hot water. DH was quite amused when I sent him a picture of me in my stylish mask :D

Thanks for all of the well-wishes, ladies! Just 24 hours to go!

[Biciclista]

This makes for fascinating reading. keep us posted, and good luck.

[Becky]

This makes for fascinating reading. keep us posted, and good luck.

Really? (The fascinating reading part, I mean. I just feel like a giant whiner at the moment!)

[OakLeaf]

I slapped on an N95 dust mask last night, and vacuumed and mopped a bunch, as well as washed a bunch of pet laundry in hot water. DH was quite amused when I sent him a picture of me in my stylish mask :D

They look extra nice with sunglasses, orange earplugs and a straw hat for mowing the lawn in ragweed season. :cool:

[Becky]

I had my testing yesterday. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. They did the surface pricks, and then the shots below the skin. Evidently, I'm allergic to cats, dogs, dust mites, molds, trees, grasses, weeds, and maybe a few others that I can't remember. No great surprise by any of them.

The nurse who took care of me was so sweet, and I like the doctor too. I can see why so many people recommended him to me. He wants me to experiment a little with my medications (stop this one, add this one, see what happens) and see if I can find a minimum combination that controls my symptoms before I see him again in May. He did give me a script for Flonase, to try as part of the experimenting. I like docs who are comfortable with the whole self-management idea.

He did suggest allergy shots, but told me to take my time in making a decision because it's a big commitment. 3-6 months to ramp up to a maintenance dose, and then shots every 2-4 weeks for the next 3-5 years. Any input from those who've done this? I like the idea that this is a tried-and-true treatment that's been done for years and doesn't involve drugs, but it's a big commitment. The practice isn't far from my home, but it's in an area of town that I don't get to often, and I can't really bike there in time for the clinic to be open. Giving my own shots isn't an option- I asked.

Then there's the environmental changes. I'm not giving up my pets (nor did he ask me to). I'm not sure that I can run the air conditioning half the summer, and I hate the idea of not line-drying my laundry during the summer or not going for early morning bike rides. Truthfully, the environmental/lifestyle changes are giving me more angst than the med/shots decisions.

Thanks for reading my verbose ramblings. I welcome any input that those who've been down this path can provide!

[Pax]

I've been at maintenance level for a few months now and it is a BIG commitment. If the location where you'll get your shots isn't convienent it will be even more challenging. Each shot takes an hour out of my day, driving to the clinic, signing in, waiting my turn, then waiting the 30 minutes for the arm check. If you feel like you can commit to it though it is a very worthwhile endeavor.

[Biciclista]

yes, i was serious. My daughter in law has serious allergies and i have cats. Some day she's going to have kids (i think). you are going down the same road she is (i don't know why she hasn't done shots lately) and you have been most graphic in expressing what it is like.

thanks and good luck.
did you buy that stuff to wipe your cats down with?
you're supposed to wipe them down once a week to get rid of dander. baths help too, although i think most people don't want to give their cats baths every week.

[Becky]

Pax, I'm fortunate to have a flexible job, an understanding boss (who takes allergy shots too), and oodles of sick time. So I think I could make time for the shots. It would mean more driving to/from work so that I could get to the clinic/work in a timely fashion, which means less bike commuting and makes me grouchy just thinking about it. Also, if I go back to school this fall, it will mean even more schedule juggling and less bike commuting... Hmmmm...

Biciclista, I didn't mean to imply that you were being sarcastic. I've been a bit edgy lately (just ask DH!) with all of this, but I'm returning to normal now. So I apologize for being snarky. I'm glad that all of this rambling is informative and helpful. I have used that cat stuff before, and I'm going to get more this weekend- there's no way that I'll ever be able to bathe those two little hellions in the traditional sense.

[tpb]

I've been doing allergy injections for years now. Although they have helped my stuffiness/runny nose, my eczema has gotten worse.

Anyway, I noticed you mentioned biking to your allergy shots. Be sure you talk to your allergist about this first. When I get my shots, I'm not supposed to exercise for 1 hour before and 2 hours after the injection. The exercise speeds up the absorption of the injection and increases the chances of a full-body reaction to the injection.

Take care.
TB

[Becky]

The exercise speeds up the absorption of the injection and increases the chances of a full-body reaction to the injection.



Ugh...good point. I hadn't thought about that! Biking to those appointments probably wouldn't have worked anyway from a time standpoint, but it's good to know that I shouldn't do it and why.

[withm]

Sounds like we share a lot of the same allergies - OAK pollen, trees, grass, cats, perfume, and walnuts, and a few odd chemicals. Since moving to DE there seems to be a whole new set of allergens which surprised me since 50%of the area near me is ocean.

I tried allergy shots for a couple of years, and in addition to it being a nuisance, not to mention expensive, they just did not seem to make any difference in my symptoms.

I used to say I was simply allergic to April and made concentrated efforts to never ever go outside during the spring allergy season. I have taken an allergy pill of some sort nearly every day of my life for more years than not. But what has really turned my life around was using Beconase, Flonase, Nasacort, or Nasonex nasal sprays. For me the difference is night and day. I can sneeze violently 30 times in 5 minutes. I scare my officemates! And I probably don't have to tell you how debilitating it is to sneeze like that. Your sides hurt, and it just drains every bit of energy from your body.

Nasonex has brought that to a halt.

I would suggest trying the different drugs your Dr. has suggested, and be sure to try these new nasal sprays because they are like magic. Give it a month or so before you decide a treatment is not working because they take a couple weeks to get started. If after trying several combinations you still have no relief, you could try the allergy shots, but I'm thinking you'll find something that works long before that.

Good luck
Martha

[msincredible]

Anyway, I noticed you mentioned biking to your allergy shots. Be sure you talk to your allergist about this first. When I get my shots, I'm not supposed to exercise for 1 hour before and 2 hours after the injection. The exercise speeds up the absorption of the injection and increases the chances of a full-body reaction to the injection.

My allergist warns against exercise as well. However, since I have gotten to the maintenance dose, I sometimes bike there and back (20 miles round-trip). I bring in my bicycle and they haven't said anything to me about it (other than "looks like a nice day for a ride").

There are also elevator repairs in the allergist's building so sometimes I take the stairs up and down (7th floor) to and from their office.

I have had a systemic reaction in the past, but I haven't had any issues from this activity while at my maintenance dose. I would be more cautious by far if my dose were being increased.

[OakLeaf]

Riding from the shots - I think as long as you don't over-do it you're fine. There's riding, and there's riding. No one tells you that you have to stay in bed for an hour after the shot, and in many places you can ride and keep your HR below zone 2 or so. Of course that would depend somewhat on local conditions - some places the traffic is such that you're standing and either sprinting or coasting the whole time; other places you're just going to have to climb a steep hill that will max out your HR; and if it's like that, then it probably isn't the best idea.

Whether it's worth it - I think you can't know until you try it, really give it a serious shot and see how much better you do or you don't feel. That's how it was for me with the food allergies. I'm allergic to lots of foods, but I don't have any life-threatening allergies and I don't have anything major like celiac disease. I was strict with my diet for maybe 3-4 months, and by doing that, I learned what I needed to know... which is that I felt probably 30% better, and it was very significant, but that it also added probably 400% more hassle into my daily life. So for the long term, I basically manage my food allergies, and I'm much more strict about my diet when inhalant allergens are high.

And as far as running the AC and putting clothes in the dryer - that's entirely an individual judgment call too. For myself, partly I loathe the dead air that comes with AC, but mostly I put the world's collective health above my individual sneezage, so I still hang my things on the line and leave the windows open. But it depends not only on how you make the moral judgments, but also on whether it's more than sneezage for you when you're doing the other treatments. So again, I'd say give it a try and see how you feel both physically and emotionally.

[Crankin]

I have had skin tests and allergy shots at 3 different times; at age 7, at 16, and again in my early thirties. Every time I started getting the shots I would feel like cr@p afterwards. Not a full blown asthma attack, but enough of an allergy/asthma attack that it would take a few hours to feel better.
I gave up. Since moving back to MA in 1990 I have been 100% better. I was much sicker in both Florida and AZ. I know I am allergic to dust and mold. I developed a peanut and shellfish allergy in my late thirties. I went through one period where I couldn't even walk through a department store because of the smell of perfume at the cosmetics counter.
I use a clothes dryer because I can't stand the feel of clothes are dried outside. They are so stiff and scratchy, I develop hives from putting them on. I do hang dry my cycling stuff and delicates inside and I can stand that. My current house is 95% hard wood. That definitely helps. Only one room has carpeting. And if it's above 80 out with even a whiff of humidity, my AC is on.