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Allergy Testing-
What To Expect

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Allergy testing may be an option for one,

especially if one always find him/herself suffering year round with all of the symptoms of hay fever to include but not limit to

sneezing,
itchy, watery eyes,
nasal congestion, etc.
stomach pain

one may want to think about getting testing done by going to see an allergist,

which is what I did.

Initial Assessment

When I visited the Allergist (back in 2011) ---- to read more about my experience today be sure you come back and click here but keep reading...

they gave me a lung capacity test, in which I had to breathe into this machine, first to ascertain my level of breathing, which can detect the onset of asthma.

For mine, it did not show that I had asthma but it did show that my breathing wasn’t where it should be since at times I would experience occasional shortness of breath.

And for me, my shortness of breath wasn’t to the point where I needed to cease all activity but it was because of reactions I was experiencing.

Allergy Testing Fun Pricks!

Once the initial assessment was completed, it was time for the fun part-the pricks. Woohoo!!

The pricks do not necessarily hurt in my opinion; they are just more annoying than anything. It almost feels like someone is poking you with the end of his/her fingernail, over and over and over again---now that is annoying.

Our 6-year-old son (now 14 - getting back on allergy shots soon)

had the testing done as well and did not like it all but it needed be done for him as well. Again, it is just an annoying feeling, even more so for kids, that no one wants to go through.

Prior to my visit, my Allergist advised me not to take an antihistamine such as claritin. The reasoning is because the antihistamine would inhibit the histamine causing both the allergy test to not be accurate. The histamine in the body must not be blocked in order to allow accuracy in determining problematic allergens.

I believe I went through about 30 or more pricks (split into two tests a week or so apart) consisting of both environmental elements (trees, mold, grass, etc.) indigenous to the area as well dairy, nuts, fruits, etc.

My Results

The results are immediate and are based on the elevated areas of the pricked skin and how large in width they are.

When my back was complete after the testing, my entire back had countless raised areas, which meant that I was pretty much allergic to everything. My allergist told me that I was the worse case he had seen. I thought to myself, wow! And not wow, in a good way.

My tests showed that I showed sensitivity to quite a bit of foods too to include dairy adding to my allergies. Nice, right! Wrong, :( However, these are not true food allergies but instead considered food sensitivities.

Pain in Stomach----explained!

Prior to an Allergy Test

There are some things you can do at home prior to going to get either a food allergy test or blood test completed or if you can't schedule an appointment right away.

Image Courtesy of Nuttakit/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Journal the foods you eat and list any immediate reactions you may have such as tingling of the lips, mouth, itchy throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, rash, etc. Eliminate those foods from your diet. If your symptoms are severe to include but not limited to wheezing, shortness of breath, etc. be sure you seek medical attention right away
Pain in stomach? If you are not sure which food is causing your reaction, start with eliminating foods such as nuts and dairy for about 30 days and then reimplement them (one at a time) back into your diet and see if you notice any symptoms within your body.

For me, I produce a lot of mucus when I eat foods I'm sensitive to. The mucus continues to build, which is why it's so important to avoid/limit if all possible.

I hope this helps.

I hope this information has helped you. Please comment and share if it has. xo, V❤️

About Me

I am a mom of two and wife who looks for natural options and who knows a thing or two about the neti pot as well as resolving my stomach pain. I love mine and can't imagine life without it. Sounds funny, huh? But so true!! Read more about me..