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allergy testing (in general) and doc rec in MoCo?
After reading another Nestie's posts on FB recently, re: allergy testing - I'm wondering if anyone can share any experiences on getting tested? I'm talking about both environmental allergens as well as food allergens. What were your symptoms and what did you wind up being allergic to?
I've been asking my P.C. physician for allergy testing like the last 3 times I've went in for a visit - and they always tell me to try taking allegra (or, another OTC allergy med). Here's the thing - I don't want to take meds if I don't have to. I'd rather know what is causing my symptoms, and try to avoid. I'd also like to avoid going through the process of a total elimination diet - because that just seems too frustrating.
Here are my symptoms (sorry if this is TMI) - I have a lot of gross mucous/post nasal drip. Like, sometimes enough to gag me. Also, I have a lot of tummy problems, and have historically (bad/sudden diarhea, gas/cramps after eating). I can't really pinpoint a certain time of the year (for the snot issues), or a certain food (I tend to eat a lot of "weird" ethnic food with lots of different ingredients). I don't get itchy eyes or mouth... but, recently, I've started to get an itchy patch on my arm/hand that comes and goes - I break out with red bumps, it itches, and then usually goes away within 12-24hrs.
Does anyone have any doctor recs in MoCo? The closer to Wheaton, the better. Especially if they have evening/weekend hours.
Re: allergy testing (in general) and doc rec in MoCo?
I don't have any recs, but I wanted to say the tummy stuff used to happen to me all.the.time a few years ago. Like, I knew if I ate something I'd need to be near a bathroom soon after. And without fail if we needed to go somewhere, my stomach revolted. I found for a while that greasy foods really set off my problems, and stress/nerves as well. It calmed down after about a solid year of misery but randomly flares up from time to time.
My sister has IBS and I wonder if I have some tendencies toward it. Perhaps that part (since you've said you've had that historically) isn't so much an allergy as it is something like IBS?
Well, I've actually been "diagnosed" with IBS before... but, since it's such a nebulous diagnosis, I'm kind of wondering if there isn't more behind it - YKWIM? This has been an issue since I was a kid - I am thinking that if my Mom was a Mom in this area, I would have been tested up and down for every sort of GI/allergy disorder possible!
Before doing some reading on allergies (because of the snot problems), I didn't realize that sudden bouts of diarhea (with or without vomiting, itching, swelling, etc.) can also be caused by food allergies.
It could be a food allergy. One of my good friends in Savannah had the same problems, and her dad (a doctor, who couldn't pin point anything "wrong" with her, she went dairy free for a couple months with no relief) suggested she try being gluten free and after about 2 weeks she felt sooo much better. She does still have flare ups (she's not religiously gluten free), but its not an everyday occurrence like it used to be.
We make the rockin' world go 'round.
TTC #2: BFP 12/17/11, m/c 1/7/12 and D&C 1/12/12
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We had DD tested, the allergist and we discussed what to test for and she had blood drawn, it's better at that age and more precise. You should see an allergist. Sorry no recs as I'm in VA.
i can only discuss environmental allergies. I've had a skin test done (twice). essentially, they take an extract of the allergen & scratch your skin with it. then, they wait to see if you get a reaction (a bump on the scratch site).
i've been having allergy shots for tree pollen & indoor allergens since march. initially it was 2x/wk but now it's just 1x/wk. the appointment takes about 10 minutes (first injecting me with the "vaccine" & then waiting about 5 minutes to see if there's a reaction).
i have really bad spring allergies (rashes, eyes mucus'd shut in the morning, itchy everything, runny nose, etc) which is why i went & she tested for indoor as well & decided to treat those too since i had a reaction & was coming in anyway.