Good morning! I told you last week that I was going to the doctors (although you can probably tell from the title this post), and today I'm going to tell you what I was doing. Of course it had to do with my allergies! I've talked about my food allergies, but never my environmental ones. I've been getting sick a LOT, every 3-4 weeks I would come down with sore throat and sinus stuff. This last round (last week) I couldn't take it any more, so I finally went to the allergy doctor again. The last time I went was back in 2007 when I was originally diagnosed with my food allergies. I needed a plan of action, cause getting sick every month was not an option.
So at this point in the post, if you don't want to see pictures of my back with a bunch of allergy dots, just push that little red x in the top right of your browser, or I guess it's the top left on a MAC? Hmmm...pretty sure that's where it is.
They told me to expect a 2-3 hour appointment, cause they were going to get me results that day. The last time I went (different doctor, different city) I had to make another appointment to get the testing done, which is silly, since you're going there because you think you have allergies, duh you want tests done. Anyway...on to the
Here's your last warning, click away, if you don't want to see my back.
Here's Jonny, he was administering the test. I got 88 allergens the first go around.
First they number your back...so they know which allergen is what. They had stuff in two trays, this was the first one. All numbered up and ready to go. See the top left shoulder there? That was the control, he did that first to make sure the test would be valid, before even numbering my back.
Next comes the many, many pricks. Yes they did hurt, and he did it 88 times, I don't know if I could have done many more pricks, lucky just when I was at my breaking point he stopped.
So this is just after he finished pricking me, you cn tel some of them are already starting to react.
This is about 3-4 minutes later - See the really red stuff in the 3rd column at the top? Those are grasses.
7-8 minutes into the test - it's getting uncomfortable, my back is so itchy it's almost numb, you know that feeling?
10-11 minutes into the test, almost can't feel it, I just want to itch!
15 minute mark - Test is done! Those big welts, yep I would say I'm allergic to grasses. The part after the grasses and and the 4th column are all food related stuff.
Sweet relief! Cortizone cream, it felt so good.
Now the ones that turned out having no reaction, they had to make sure it was a true non allergy, so they actually gave me a shot. Don't worry, they just put it under the skin, no muscle, so it wasn't too bad. Easier than the back pricks.
They only retested the environment stuff, not the pets or food.
Forgot to take a picture of the after 15 minutes on this one. 6 of them came back with a positive. Darn. So basically there are only 4 things I'm not allergic to out in the world. JOY. Can you feel the sarcasm?
So what's next? Based on the results they put me on some daily allergy medicine, that's for the skin itchiness, which I had no idea that I scratched so often, but apparently I do. They have me on a nose spray and some special eye drops for when my eyes are super itchy. They also said that I was a candidate for allergy shots. Basically you go in to get at least weekly shots of all of the allergens you're allergic to, and then slowly build up a resistance to them. You are able to go every other day, to make it go by quicker if you have the time to do so. I think I'm going to go Tuesday and Thursdays, since that's when I'll be able to get over there. The first dose of shot is a 1:10,000 dilution, and they slowly work you up to a 1:1 ratio, so depending on how often you go in to get the shots, the quicker you'll get to the 1:1. When you get there, you then only have to go once a month for the next 5 years. They said that 85% of the people are completely cured of environmental allergies at the 5 year mark. No allergies? Yes please!
They also said that some of my food allergies might be because I am so allergic to everything that my body is perceiving certain foods as an allergen. There's hope! Only time will tell. Keep your fingers crossed.
That's it, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
Any of you readers out there gotten the allergy shots? What was it like each week/between the shots?
Linking up with the girls for Tuesday Talk and with Faith, Sarah and Heather for Mommy Moments
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