Allergy Testing
 

I met my wife for lunch today and we started talking about allergies. Since neither of us know much about the topic, I thought I'd post here and try and utilize the pelican brain trust.

Since we've moved to San Antonio, we hear lots of people talking about how bad they suffer with allergies (allergens?) in this area. We're wondering if we don't suffer from them as well.

Can doctors test us for allergy problems? How do they do it?

Appreciate and advise/opinions.

Thanks,
Skip

Symptoms? Runny nose, sneezing, itch watery eyes. Your doctor can refer you to an allergist depending on how bad the symptoms.
The testing consist of a LOTS of samples slightly injected under the skin of ones back and arms. If there is an reaction after 20 mins or so, they can determine what one is allergic to as well as how much. Then shots are injected on a weekly basis to build up a tolerance. I took shots for three years.

Symptoms - Depends... Sometime the typical runny nose, water eyes, etc. Sometimes teeth hurt (which sounds ridiculous to me, but I've heard others complain about it as well). Sometimes headaches. Sometimes just an overall foggy feeling. Other times it's all of the above. We have noticed we seem to have symptoms when others are complaining as well - so I've very scientifically ruled out other ailments. :)

We're still new to this region of the country... But, as I understand it, cedar is a real problem down here. They call it cedar fever and it puts many in the bed for days at a time. Symptoms similar to a very bad flu.

We always hear people complaining about how bad their allergies are down here. We were thinking there might be a better solution than popping claritan all the time - even if it does seem to work some of the time.

Thanks,
Skip

Apparently certain allergens (like trees) affect you more the longer you are exposed. Co-worker never had bad allergies to tree pollen until his 60s.

When I did work in Colorado a lot of folks mentioned it took about five years for certain tree allergies to kick in.

Do you have any pets?

Re: Allergy Testing
 

If you don't have any symptoms which are bothering you -- why worry about it?

to test for allergy's a doctor will scratch your skin with something similar to a tooth pic then apply different samples along each scratch. Where the skin becomes red or inflamed you know you are allergic to what ever the sample is. It will mostly confirm what you already know. ie if your body goes berzerk (sneezing, runny nose, itchnyness, trouble breathing etc.) when you are around dogs you can pretty much know that you are allergic to dogs.

I have allergy induced asthma and am allergic to pretty much any animal with hair and the usual stuff like dust & pollen. As a result I have fish and a house with hardwood & tile floors.

If you have to ask if you have allergies I would think you dont.

There is also a blood test for some allergies where i discoverd that i am allergic to Timothy grass (hay), Birch and Alder.

Skip,

I work primarily with children suffering from asthma and allergies. It can often be very difficult to prove what is causing certain symptoms.

Tests are available both as skin and blood tests. They are supportive at best, but the false negative as well as positive rates are rather high.

Besides, the most important knowledge you will get from a test, is if you find out you are allergic to something that is possible to remove from your environment. For example a dog or cat. Many allergies are not, for example trees and grass. The only thing to do is treat as best possible.

If I were you I would take a pragmatic stance to this and try allergy medicine daily for a week or two. For example some sort of antihistamine tablet. They will only relieve symptoms if the cause is allergic. That way it is diagnostic in some sense.

Thanks everyone. Excellent information.

Marcus- Good idea. When you say allergy medicine, do you mean over-the-counter? Or, would a prescription be better? I'm not sure if our OTCs are stronger or weaker than those in Europe.

Thanks again everyone!

- Skip

My dad and I had horrible allergies when we lived in TX. Now we just have sinus problems and there is a difference. When I was about 10 I had the skin tests done, which in those days were small injections in the triceps. I got 14 in one arm and 15 in the other in one day and it was no fun. I think Rabies shots would be better than this. The next day I had the worst cold or flu of my life and a week or so later I got a few pages of all the stuff I was allergic to.

But since your metabolism changes every seven yrs. or so, it eventually all went away. About seven yrs. ago I dated a nurse, back before Claritan was over the counter. She gave me some of that stuff and it worked wonders. But eventually I found that it olnyl worked when I was having allergy issues, not sinus issues.

Then I started getting horrible sinus infections, around three times a year, usually between Jan. and April. Latest allergist gave me Zyrtec and told me to take it as soon as I was feeling at all congested, so it would go away before it blossomed into an infection. I can't tell you how much Zyrtec has improved my quality of life. It has been a wonder drug for me. I am a fanatic about taking care of the slightest sinus issue now before it festers. Last night I was so dead tired and had just gotten comfortable in bed, when it started. I kicked my a$s to get up and get some Zyrtec and today I feel fine, had a good jog at the gym and it's about 19 deg. outside now. Zyrtec rules!

My Wife and Our Son get shots. They went threw the testing - alergic to all sorts of grasses. The shots have helped big time but you have to keep up.

I think that is the most conclusive test available.

I was suffering from a hacking cough for over a year. It turned out to be acid reflux. For now, I'm on Nexium. But that respitory doc had me tested for other allergies, and I found out I'm slightly allergic to the following:
Maple (Box Elder)
Pteronyssinus (I think it's a mold)
Farinae (Mold again)
House dust, greer

Of course my wife think's I'm also allergic to housework, since I tend to avoid it as much as possible... :eek:

-Z-man.

I think the most popular brands are being sold all over the world, under different names. In Sweden they are nowadays all OTC in small packs. All the popular brands have essentially the same effect so any of them will do.

Go by the generic names of the substance, for example loratadin or cetirizin.

As tablets have a systemic effect, they will have an impact on symptoms in all potentially affected organ systems, in this case mostly the upper airways - nose, throat and eyes.

By the same coin, they will very often not suffice. Typically one needs to add a local medicine - like antihistamine eye drops and nasal steroid spray for optimal effect.

Try it daily for a week or two, make an appointment with a doc. It will be very useful information for the doc, whether the medicine have had any effect or not.

Here in San Antonio I think Cedar pollen is the biggest offender for most people.

Allergy testing can provide information, but unless it is a food allergy or animal allergy that you can easily avoid, it usually doesn't do much practically for you. The pollen is in the air and it will be there when you go outside.

Agree with livi, try something like OTC claritin for a couple weeks, if you take 10 mg per day you are getting the same as a prescription dose. If you feel better, then you likely have allergies to something in San Antonio (God knows the stupid mulch fire isn't helping).

BTW, the teeth hurting isn't uncommon. That is sinus pressure causing irritation to the nerves that go to the upper teeth, those nerves run right along the wall of the maxillary sinus which is the one between your eye and your mouth on either side.

I'm glad you explained that. I felt like a fool when I typed it out. Surprised someone didn't suggest a trip to the shrink. :)

I'm starting today with daily doses of claritan.

Thanks again everyone!

- Skip