Allergy testing

[MaggieTheCat]

I'm allergic to bananas. Always have been, ever since I can remember when I was a little kid. I've never been tested, but it's kind of a given -- my head, neck, ears and throat itch terribly, and I get a horrible pain in my chest, with even so much as a small bite of banana. I also get similar, although much less severe, reactions when eating certain raw fruits and, recently, nuts. I have never really thought about this before (I just avoid the stuff that I know bothers me,) but the reaction to nuts seems to have gotten worse recently. I had a really bad reaction to walnuts a few months ago, and recently pecans and peanuts have been bothering me as well. I don't get the chest pain, but I do get the itchy sensation all over my head and throat.

I told my concerns to my dr. last week during my annual wellness exam, and she referred me to an allergist. I just got a call and set up an appointment with said allergist.

Has anyone had allergy tests done? What's it like? From what I understand, they poke you with a small bit of the most common allergens on your back. I've heard it itches, but does it hurt much?

[KiaKat]

It basically feels like someone is poking a sharp hairbrush into your back. Even I, with my phobia of needles, didn't have an issue. It hurts about the same as accidentally poking yourself with a sewing needle. The worst part is if you have a severe allergy (4+), because it itches like HELL. And you CAN'T SCRATCH. Because you can't risk moving the allergin to another spot.

I developed nut allergies as a teenager (good lord that was over a decade ago save me). In recent months, I've been accidentally exposed a couple times, and discovered that apparently it's truly just a sensitivity, which is good news. Food allergies tend to get much worse with exposure, and can end up being deadly very quickly. Even if the tests come back with minor-to-no allergy, I'd still recommend avoiding those foods that you think cause you issues.

IANAD, but I've had quite a bit of experience with allergies, between my sister being severe enough to warrant allergy shots as a kid, and mine being not quite that bad, but exacerbated by the sheer NUMBER of allergies I've developed.

[calulu]

Well.. there are all sorts of testing they can do. They can grid off your back and poke you with various substances to see how you react. There's types of blood testing that can be easily done. Just do not get suckered into taking the ALCAT testing. My aunt did and it was very unhelpful for her situation. It just indicates things you have sensitivities to, not the things you're actually highly allergic to. It costs between 250 and 1200 dollars, no insurance will cover it or accept it's findings. I had been considering ponying up the money and having the ALCAT test until she did it and had readings showing she was not sensitive to things I've seen her have huge allergic reactions to.

[Taboo]

Food allergies tend to get much worse with exposure, and can end up being deadly very quickly.

Not always true. Peanut allergies tend to be the most severe, and there's been some studies lately that some people can lessen or get rid of them with gradual, controlled exposure to very small amounts (but it does not work for everyone, and should never ever be done without a doctor overseeing it.) Too early to say what percent this even works for or anything like that. It's an interesting idea though I'm personally too allergic to take the small amounts.

Are they poking on the back now? Last time I had it done, they did it on my arms, which really sucked. It does itch but it's really not too bad unless you have a severe positive reaction. I know my peanut prick ended up swelling to 3in or so in diameter and it was a watered down sample since I'd forwarned them. That one burned for a while. The others, if they were positive, were small raised bumps and didn't itch any more than a bug bite.

Guess what else I ended up being allergic to, though? ....the numbing cream they used before pricking me!

[KiaKat]

The theory behind the desensitization to peanuts is the same as allergy shots. And what the studies have found is that the most it will do is allow people with severe deadly sensitivities (i.e. cannot walk near a roasting-nuts stand on the street) will be able to live a semi-normal life without wondering if their next breath will kill them. They still haven't been able to "cure" them. And it doesn't work for most other food allergies - peanuts appear to be unique.

[Jester]

I'm allergic to bananas.

My only food allergy, though I am far less sensitive than you. It is definitely a minor allergy, as it merely causes an itching in my throat. Amusingly, I always thought this was normal, till one day in my twenties I mentioned it to someone who had the same issue, and they told me that it was actually an allergy to bananas, that that itchy throat feeling is not standard. I never knew!

Has anyone had allergy tests done? What's it like?

I did, but as a child, so understand that I can only tell you about the actual tests, not the paperwork end of it.

I went over several sessions. In each session, they marked my left arm off with a pen into a little grid area, usually about eight to twelve areas, and in each area they would give me a mini-shot. Even as a kid, I barely noticed the pricks....very minor. And then we would wait, and see what would happen in each area, and they would rate the allergy on a scale, from nonexistent to Good Lord, Kid!

In my case, it was not food allergies, but rather pollens, as virtually all of my allergies are of the hayfever variety, so don't know if they'll do your test the same. We did find out that ole Jester is allergic to a whole shitload of flora!

The story has a happy ending, though. My family moved out to Arizona, and just about all the shit I'm allergic to is NOT in the desert....or the tropics, for that matter, as it turns out. Good to know that the places I love won't set me off very often on allergy attacks...because when I lived in the Northeast, I had some really BAD ones!

Good luck! And I hope you don't mind needles.....

[MaggieTheCat]

Thanks everyone. I'm not too bothered by needles. I've had my ears pierced 9 times, most of them with needles. I mostly don't like blood, so I don't like giving blood or having blood drawn for anything.

My husband is thinking about getting tested, as well, for pollen allergies. We found out our insurance covers everything 100% (testing and medication, if they prescribe any) and he gets some wicked hayfever down here, so maybe they'd be able to prescribe something that's more effective than the over the counter stuff he normally takes.