Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 On Friday I came down with hives. Had to head to the hospital and everything. fun, fun, fun.. :headshake Now I have to go in for a series of allergy and skin tests. Anyone ever had to have this done? Can someone tell me what to expect? They said it should take a couple hours.. why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Um... this is not a fun thing. Do you really want to know what they do? I will only tell you if you promise to still go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Um... this is not a fun thing. Do you really want to know what they do? I will only tell you if you promise to still go. I have to go. I got hives a few times before and it was pinpointed to raw shrimp (which I ate all my life without incident until 1997). The last "outbreak" was in 2000 and since then I have been OK eating Hooters Buffalo shrimp - which I had for lunch Friday... and broke out within 40 minutes of eating them. So now they want to test for everything (a patch test for iodine Friday afternoon brought on no reaction so they are confused as to what is the cause this time). I'll still go.. promise. Not being able to breathe for 30 minutes unassisted Friday afternoon was a very frightening experience... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 It's been a long time for me, and they never isolated what it was. Basically they are going to try and recreate what caused the reaction. At least they will be there to respond. Not much different than your auto mechanic trying to get the car to make that same sputtering noise. Did you happen to see Cotts while eating the shrimp? God Bless, Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 On Friday I came down with hives. Had to head to the hospital and everything. fun, fun, fun.. :headshake Now I have to go in for a series of allergy and skin tests. Anyone ever had to have this done? Can someone tell me what to expect? They said it should take a couple hours.. why? You'll probably be given a "scratch test," assuming they still do this. In a scratch test, they will put a bunch of dots on the underside of your forearms with marker. Then, they will place a droplet of a different known allergen on each of the dots. Then, they will scratch your skin at each of the dots, to let the allergen react with your blood. After awhile, it will be obvious as to which things you are allergic to, and which your not. The test is completely painless, you'll just have some itching and redness on your arms afterwards. It takes a little while, but not HOURS, IIRC. They are probably doing some blood tests and other basic stuff too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 I've been trying to get Brian to go for an allergy test (or at least some meds if available) for a couple years now. Out of the clear blue, he started having an allergy to poultry. At first we thought it might have been spices, but when he tried plain, roasted chicken and/or turkey he still had the same reaction - large white spots in his mouth and an enlarged tongue as well as red blotches on his face and a raised temp. Kinda sucks because he likes chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Would it be better to do this in the morning and then come to work..? Or in the afternoon after work? I don't want to be itching all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Would it be better to do this in the morning and then come to work..? Or in the afternoon after work? I don't want to be itching all day. Even though they give you anti-histamines et al afterwards, I'd still rather have it done in the afternoon after work. You dont want to deal with the itching at work all day, and with all the marker dots on your arms, your coworkers may think your an obsessive-compulsive heroin addict or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 I've been trying to get Brian to go for an allergy test (or at least some meds if available) for a couple years now. Out of the clear blue, he started having an allergy to poultry. At first we thought it might have been spices, but when he tried plain, roasted chicken and/or turkey he still had the same reaction - large white spots in his mouth and an enlarged tongue as well as red blotches on his face and a raised temp. Kinda sucks because he likes chicken. That sounds like hives... and he needs to be careful because hives in the mouth can travel down the throat and close the wind pipe wthin a matter of minutes. Also the raised temp can cause dehydration and if bad enough cause serious nurological (sp?) issues. The first time this happened in 1997 I had them so bad and deydrated so fast that I lost my vision for a couple hours and was in the hospital for 2 days. Not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 and with all the marker dots on your arms, your coworkers may think your an obsessive-compulsive heroin addict or something. Shhhhhh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 That sounds like hives... and he needs to be careful because hives in the mouth can travel down the throat and close the wind pipe wthin a matter of minutes. Also the raised temp can cause dehydration and if bad enough cause serious nurological (sp?) issues. The first time this happened in 1997 I had them so bad and deydrated so fast that I lost my vision for a couple hours and was in the hospital for 2 days. Not good. That's why we are glad his sister, who lives across the street, is a paramedic. Actually the first time it happened he started to panic, which didn't help matters, so he ran across the street to get help from her and I don't know what she did, but it calmed him down and the hives started to retract. The temp went up as soon as the chicken went down. Since he won't go, he doesn't eat poultry in even the smallest amounts - like chicken soup. Looks like hell is about to break loose in Rolling Meadows... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Looks like hell is about to break loose in Rolling Meadows... It just broke loose here in Hillside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonWeltall Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 My mom had that allergy skin test. It was as W&O described it. Just a bunch of allergens put on your arm. Some react, some don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 It just broke loose here in Hillside. Downtown looks like before Dawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Downtown looks like before Dawn. And the worst of it is on the way still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Hey Steff - how did this go? I think I have to have the same thing. I'm trying to resist the dark side of allergists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 16, 2004 Author Share Posted June 16, 2004 Hey Steff - how did this go? I think I have to have the same thing. I'm trying to resist the dark side of allergists. I'm going Friday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Hey Steff - how did this go? I think I have to have the same thing. I'm trying to resist the dark side of allergists. Do not fear the allergist. When I was younger, I had allergies to EVERYTHING. Every fall and spring brought 8 weeks of misery. Then I went to the allergist, and he had me get these shots over the course of a year or so. Once a week, tiny little needle. Now, I am completely allergy-free. I can't explain how, but I have no allergic reaction to cats, pollen, mites, molds, anything. Best decision my parents ever made for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I'm going Friday afternoon. It is smart to do it Friday afternoon - longer weekend! It was not a big deal when I had it done and it discovered a few things that I had not known I was allergic to, which has made life easier since then. W&O is right, it is not hours, and it really is no big deal. I recall a little scratching and pin pricks but that was nothing. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 16, 2004 Author Share Posted June 16, 2004 Do not fear the allergist. When I was younger, I had allergies to EVERYTHING. Every fall and spring brought 8 weeks of misery. Then I went to the allergist, and he had me get these shots over the course of a year or so. Once a week, tiny little needle. Now, I am completely allergy-free. I can't explain how, but I have no allergic reaction to cats, pollen, mites, molds, anything. Best decision my parents ever made for me. Knowing what you're allergic to and getting the shots is not the problem... doing the skin test to find out what you're allergic to IS the problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted June 16, 2004 Author Share Posted June 16, 2004 It is smart to do it Friday afternoon - longer weekend! It was not a big deal when I had it done and it discovered a few things that I had not known I was allergic to, which has made life easier since then. W&O is right, it is not hours, and it really is no big deal. I recall a little scratching and pin pricks but that was nothing. Good luck! Thanks. 13 different tests... that's a big deal to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wong & Owens Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Knowing what you're allergic to and getting the shots is not the problem... doing the skin test to find out what you're allergic to IS the problem... Ah, ya big baby. Don't sweat it, it's nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwsox Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Thanks. 13 different tests... that's a big deal to me. one of those things that is a much bigger deal before you get it done than afterwards when you say, hey that wasn't so bad! W&O is saying a lot of wise things so I will defer to him for further comments. We will all send good thoughts your way Friday afternoon though. To Steff on Friday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1549 Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 Good Luck Steff btw CW, congrats on the big win last night! The Lakers were no match for the Pistons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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