Diagnosing allergies - questions!

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jamiewaller

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Hi all,

In March I went to my doctors as I had a really bad sinus infection (or so I presumed) and was going on holiday by plane and didn't want to fly with it. When I described my symptoms - blocked nose, post-nasal drip and the fact that I'd been like this for over 2 months (the post-nasal drip has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remeraber), he suggested that I may have allergies. Due to the timescale before my holiday, he prescribed allergy medication (Nasonex nasal spray and some eye drops called Emadine) and took a blood test to look for any signs of allergy.

Fast forward to now, and I have learned that my blood test came back negative for allergy. However the medicines I was given have meant that for the first time in a long time I can actually breathe through my nose, and the symptoms of my exercise induced asthma are also slightly relieved.

I've been told I can go and have a skin test done, but the likelihood is that my insurance won't pay for it as the blood test came back negative. Is it worth having this done, or are my symptoms likely to be something other than allergies? I know I react very strongly to mosquito and spider bites, and I seem to have a sensitivity to pepper and celery - are these things that a skin test would look for too? If it clarifies even a slight doubt that I have over allergies then I think it might be worth it, but with the first test negative, I also don't want to waste the doctor's time.

Thanks for any help you can give me - I'm enjoying breathing at the moment, but at some point soon the medicine will run out, and I really don't want to go back to square 1!
 
Generally speaking, the blood test is best for food allergies and the scratch test for environmental allergies. I'm assuming you went to a PCP not an allergist or ENT which I would do for a real determination. Also, I don't see why the doctor would not continue to give you a scrip for the meRAB though if they are working for you. Of course, you could try some OTC allergy meRAB like zyrtec or claritin.

Also, seems odd that he would "suggest" you had allergies rather than saying there is no infection because the mucus is clear and not green which is a pretty definitive observation.
 
Hi, thanks for your reply! So it sounRAB like I might be best to get the skin tests done anyway, and hope that something comes back positive so I can get my insurance to pay!

I'm not in the US - I live in Switzerland, and was speaking to my GP in my second language, so it's more than possible that I misunderstood some of what he was telling me. Originally, I thought I had a sinus infection, as I had been having a yellow/green discharge which had been coming and going, but by the time I had my appointment, it was back to its usual clear form (took 5 days to get the appointment). I'd explained that this was near-normal for me, which was why he "suggested" that he thought it might be allergies. My doctor then gave me the names of two allergists that he recommenRAB, so that I could contact them directly on receiving my blood tests. I've not done that yet though obviously as the test came back negative as I explained before.

As for other OTC allergy medicines, I've always got a stash of Piriton with me, which I find useful in the case of insect bites, and when the pollen count is forecast to be high I take a Clarityn or similar one a day tablet, which I find does help a little, although not enormously. I'll ask my pharmacist what they recommend next time I go in though.

Once again, thanks for the suggestions so far!
 
I would DEFINITELY go to a good allergist for some testing because things can get worse. My case: I was on injections for years when I lived in another part of the state. When I moved, I went to a new allergist who told me I had one type of rhinitis versus another. All of a sudden, I could not think straight, my balance went, I lost all my energy and the list goes on and on. I returned to the original man and had the report from the joker faxed up to him. When the original dr. walked in with the fax report in his hand, he said, "He ran the wrong tests on you!" My injections have helped a GREAT deal and, yes, I can see a big difference from when I was not on them.
 
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