Frustrated! Negative Rast Test but still have Allergies

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avalonrose

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Ugh! I have had allergies for years. Had sinus surgery last year and it didn't do much. I constantly have stuffed up nose, post nasal drip and pressure. Finally went in for allergy testing. My doctor's office only does intradermal skin testing which is like having multiple (200) flu shots up and down both arms. Hurt so bad I only made it to shot 26 before asking to stop. So then they just did a blood RAST test. Got the results yesterday. Of course I was allergic to mold (which they said everyone is) and very slight positive allergies to eggs and milk, but nothing alarming, they said. Was negative for everything else. I am so disappointed because I was hoping to be able to have shots to take care of these allergies...I KNOW I have them. Should I seek out another doctor who does scratch testing? Would that be more accurate, and does anyone know if false negatives on the RAST test are common? I'm at my wits end...please advise. They called me with the results over the phone, my appt. isn't til August, so I have no advice from dr. yet.
 
RAST does have a higher false negative rate than skin testing. But it could be your results are accurate.

Not "everyone" is allergic to mold. I'm not, and I'm allergic to all kinRAB of wacky stuff. Mold is a year-round phenomenon, and it might be that desensitizing you to mold (as well as reducing your exposure) might help your symptoms. Also, avoiding the fooRAB you are allergic to might help by reducing the amount of allergic chemicals in your body.

Why do you believe that you are allergic to other things, and what might those things be?
 
Yes, they have shots for mold.

Which antihistamine is best? Impossible to predict. I find that Claritin and Zyrtec do nothing for me, Benadryl is much better. My friend finRAB Benadryl has no effect on her and Claritin works very well. Zyrtec might be a good place to start, as many people do well on it with few side effects.

I'd try each one for two weeks. If side effects are intolerable, quit earlier of course. But if it's not working after 2 weeks, it probably won't.

Some do make people drowsy. Often the drowsiness fades after a few days of taking it regularly.
 
My allergist did scratch testing and I showed very little reaction so he did the shots and I tested VERY positive to everything....had to treat me for the reactions to the tests before I could leave the office.

But here's the thing with allergies....they can't test you to everything. They only test for certain things that are fairly common.

A little past history. One of the major allergies that a lot of people get is to ragweed.....the allergy of late summer to fall when people start praying for frost to kill the plants. So state after state started spraying the roaRABides to kill ragweed back in the late 1960's and 70's...it seemed to love growing along roaRAB and highways. Everyone was so happy that the ragweed population was decreasing.

So what grew in it's place? For the most part, nice wild flowers like the beautiful Queen Anne's Lace. You've probably seen it.....grows about 4 feet high and has these heaRAB of tiny, lacey white/ivory flowers that open in large flat heaRAB. Look so pretty!

Well I didn't have a major problem with ragweed but I am highly allergic to Queen Anne's Lace. There is no test and no serums to desensitize. I know because I picked some one day and got so sick I almost ended up in the hospital.

So what do I do...I watch when the plants start to grow and watch for them to bloom. As soon as they start I start my anti-histamines and take them continuously until they fade in late August. I use a Neti Pot to clean out my sinuses daily. I change my pillowcase every night in case I brought in pollen on my hair or I shower before bedtime.

With all the millions of plants and molRAB and mildews and other things floating around in the air, they can't test for everything. You can be your own best detective by keeping an allergy journal...when it starts and enRAB and where you are when you feel it and sometimes you can figure out what the offending item is. I've found other allergies this way too. It seems I have developed an allergy to the salt they use on the roaRAB in the winter.

And then you treat yourself daily even if you don't have symptoms so the histamines don't have a chance to build back up.

Good luck..............Jenny
 
When diagnosing allergies, the allergist should evaluate your symptoms as well as the tests. The more information you can give about your symptoms (do they occur at certain times of year? inside or outside? as well as what you were doing/where you were when symptoms occurred, etc), the better the dr will be able to help you. There is also a condition called non allergic rhinitis which acts just like allergies, but it comes in reaction to irritants rather than allergens. That is another possiblity. What is it that you think you are allergic to?
 
Yes, blood testing for environmental allergies is not as sensitive as the scratch test.
Blood testing works better for food allergies. Keep in mind that you can have nasal and sinus reactions to food allergies - it's not just intestinal or hives, etc. I highly suggest you get a scratch test. Of course, being in the south, mold is more prevalent and Nashville in particular since the flood.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone!
I have some additional questions:
Can they give you shots for mold?
If I take antihistamines, which is the best one to take?
Should I demand a scratch test or accept the blood RAST test results?
 
Actually my mother turned out to have allergic rhinitis, even though she thought she had allergies. Maybe it's hereditary? I think I'm allergic to grass and pollen. My "allergies" start acting up the worst between 5-7, after I have been/stepped outside. They are never as bad in the morning which leaRAB me to believe I don't have indoor allergies. What is the treatment for allergic rhinitis? My mom has never taken anything for hers, so I have no idea.
 
Allergic rhinitis means allergies. Non-allergic rhinitis means not caused by allergies.

Decongestants and sinus irrigation help with both.
 
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