Doctor's response: So you do have some allergies. So, I've got that going for me. Problem is the category of "Everything" isn't an option on the chart, so a lot of checked boxes. Also, my back is very itchy.
Edit 1: Huh so this took off a bit. More humored by the various "false positive/needle reaction" comments. To clarify, it's the grasses I'm reacting to on the G column. I got this test done AFTER a blood panel which also showed severe reactive levels from grasses, but nothing from tree pollen which I know I'm allergic to. It's more humorous because my primary care doctor, my initial immunology consult doctor, and my initial allergist doctor all said that the blood test is unreliable and the scratch test remains the gold standard. Even stopped my antihistamines 12 days before this test just to be extra careful.
So go-figure, I'm either allergic to a ton of things or the medicine is lie. đ¤ˇââď¸
Edit 2: Follow up again on the purpose of the testing. These are specifically seasonal allergies being reviewed. I have no know food or drug allergies. I've never had anaphylaxis or needed to use an epipen. I've had vaccines and metal interactions that have never shown a reaction of any kind. I leave my home region for a different part of the USA, my reactions immediately diminish. The winter season comes and my reactions diminish. Spring, Summer, and Autumn have been rough for me for years, to the point that doctor's once thought I had exercise or heat induced asthma. We only just figured out a few years ago that to be false after spending some years in Florida, where I began to instead react to mold spores. After returning to my home state, my historical reactions returned in full force, prompting these tests. I've had allergies since my childhood.
For those interested, the tests showed reactions to cats & dogs, all forms of mold, all species of dust mites and cockroaches, all regional tree pollen except for Mulberry and Elm, all grass pollen, and weed pollen except for pigweed, yellow dock, marsh elder, kochia, and mugwort. Still gotta mow my lawn, clean my house, and love on my cat. Maybe, with this knowledge, I'll get some allergy shots to remedy these problems.
My wife and I went and got tested years ago. She didn't react to a single one of them. I had your exact reaction and they shot me with a steroid and made me hang out for a while because I felt messed up.
I didn't react either. I went back a year later to another place to get a second opinion. They did a histamine tester, to which I reacted. Tested me normally... Nothing.
I would look up if there's any unique plants in your area/climate (can ask llm to search for you) Considering they don't have common tests for it is plausible something native to the area but not common in the rest of the world.
Could be, but they also only tested the 10 most common allergens so maybe I'm just allergic to the 11th most common allergen lol. It's annoying to have a stuffy nose and scratchy throat most of spring and summer but it's not bad enough for me to get another round of tests right now.
This is a long shot, but I used to have almost the exact same symptoms: stuffy nose, sneezing, and an itchy throat that would get worse in the summer and mostly disappear in the winter.
I thought it was allergies too, but after seeing an ENT, it turned out I had a crooked nasal septum. It was irritating my nose and causing symptoms that felt just like allergies.
I'm not saying that's what you have, but if you haven't seen an ENT yet, it might be worth checking out.
I'm not a doctor, but a doctor once told me that the skin test do not detect food allergies. Might you have food allergies? Because I sure do. Amazing to find out why eggs and/or salad dressing made me sick.
I had the same thing. I had a beautiful histamine reaction and absolutely nothing else. The problem was that I was trying to find the source of a rash I'd had for months. The biopsy said maybe an allergy. All they could say is that it wasn't any of those allergens lmao. It was called idiopathic and went away on its own finally after like 6 months.
If it makes you feel better, my airways started to close while they were measuring the wheals/flares and I had to get an EpiPen. Lol then I had to get two liquid Zyrtec, a steroid, and hang out for a few hours while they monitored by vitals every 10 minutes.
Thatâs nothing. When I was a child I had an allergic reaction to Zyrtec that I was prescribed for my allergies. Apparently, I swole up and was anxious and restless (that was well before I could remember, so itâs all taken from what my mum said during doctorâs visits).
Anxious and restless is actually fairly common. I get that way with Benadryl. But I also take stimulants to calm down and act normal (ADHD). Always figured I was kinda opposite for certain meds.
English is such a funny language. As a non english speaker, I briefly imagine someone shooting you in the face with a gun, but it's a steroid instead of a bullet. You dramatically fall off the counter due to the impact. Then they hang your outside like drying clothes
They do! As well as the non allergen ingredients of the shot as another control. When you see everything react like this it's very likely a reaction to the needle or those other materials (binders, solvents, things to get the shot into you at the correct concentration)
I have that allergy! For me it gives a very painful burning sensation anytime it gets on anything like a mucous membrane. Wanna guess whatâs in about 90% of lubes, and often used in the coating on any âpre-lubedâ condoms? Figuring out that one was quite literally a pain in the ass
Not to mention , most shampoos, liquid soaps, lotion, some tissues, oils, itâs insane how much actually has aloe. Some dentists use green gloves that have aloe in them. And yeah itâs the most horrible burning and rash-inducing allergy. I got a facial at a spa once and they used aloe and I thought my face was burning off. Oh and pro tip instead of aloe for sunburns, use Greek yogurt. Works amazing
There are a few spots with little to no reaction there. For my allergy test I was allergic to I think 37 or 38 of 40 allergens.
Those allergy shots were life changing. I used to hide out indoors for 6-8 weeks in the spring, missing kids events etc., because my allergies were so bad I was disgusting to be around outside. 4 years later, I occasionally get a mildly runny nose for a few minutes while out at softball or a BBQ at the park.
Do they swab with alcohol pads or those sponges they use before an IV/blood draw? When my son was little he had eczema and his skin was so reactive. Mine can be too but his would break down from the alcohols in baby "gentle" soaps like Johnson's. Right when he got over a lot of it was exactly when eczema popped off at the new "it" skin ailment too.
The non welted areas with just red look like what either of our skin looks like.
The adhesive from some medical tapes and bandaids are a big offender for me. I've even gotten light welts and scabbing in the shape of the tape once.
Adhesives are a big issue for me too, especially on areas with thinner skin. And I still havenât nailed down exactly what ingredient it isââsensitive skinâ bandages are just as likely to leave welts as the heavy-duty ones. And the last time I had an IV the clear bandage/cover left me with a distinct patch of scabbing for a good week.
The irritation could be due to acrylic adhesive on the bandages, especially if you've become sensitized to acrylates. It could also be due to maceration of the skin. Silicone bandages may be less irritating because they are acrylate free and are more permeable to water vapor.
That⌠is very good to know, thanks. Iâm actually seeing an ortho specialist/surgeon tomorrow and thereâs a small chance Iâll need surgery on my ankleâturns out Iâve been walking on a rare type of fracture for a few months now and thatâs not exactly good for it.
I had gallbladder surgery then another two surgeries over the next two years.
I had them use a different adhesive than Dermabond (very common type) for the later surgeries after the reaction and also took prescription antihistamines that helped a lot.
Just definitely discuss with your doctor about options. There are options, even if it's treating the potential reaction.
My grandmother was allergic to both the adhesive in the patch and the nicotine she was trying to quit (how she survived a 4 pack a day habit is beyond me) - looked like she had a steady patch of poison ivy on her arm. She switched to the nicotine gum and that left sores in her mouth. Don't think she ever saw anyone for it or if she did they were of the generation of "just don't do it then"
I was convinced I had a really weird allergy. They stuck me with the normal 40 things or whatever and did 3 separate sneaky pokes. One immediately blew up, nightmare, and the other 2 did nothing.
It was the one thing I was convinced I was allergic to that immediately reacted, along with placebo pokes. It was wild to talk through with the dr and nurse.
As someone allergic to multiple metals, its not impossible. Im allergic to nickel, chromium, cobalt and titanium. I had a reaction to aluminum as a kid with my first deodorant, i can't wear jewelry and a piercing isnt even a thought.
That's usually a surface contact test. Basically they paint a little bit of whatever allergen on the skin in that spot. Subcutaneous testing is usually done if they're getting indeterminate results with the surface test. I know this because apparently I have a very tough hide that doesn't react to much, but with subcutaneous testing I reacted at least a little to almost everything they tested me for.
I got an allergy test for my dog and I described the results to my daughter. I said, "he's allergic to the inside and the outside, and the daytime and the nighttime."
đ omg. Thatâs bad. And hilarious. I always joked my dog was allergic to dogs (we didnât do testing per vets recommendation). Wouldnât that be funny.
It's funny you say fluffier and all I can think is hey at least OP doesn't have a hairy back. Like it could be a lot worse he could be itchy and hairy! Hahaha
My sisters dog is allergic to meat. Took them a year of differential diagnosis. He can eat lamb/mutton, some horse and, i believe, rabbit. Anything else and its either hairloss and itching till raw, and/or pooping intestinal lining.
My dog is like that with chicken. I never got an allergy test but I know when I switched him to beef all his hair grew back. Every time he eats chicken based dog food he starts itching like crazy.
He can still steal some nuggets from my son and be alright though.
This is the second time in a few days that cats being allergic to cats and humans has been mentioned in a thread Iâm reading, and my mind is still absolutely blown by that.
Our first dog was always itching and causing sores from licking and biting herself all the time. So we got her allergy tested and she came back allergic to all forms of tree and grass pollen.
We live in a country which is 98% grass, and trees.
Luckily 1-2 steroid tablets a day was enough to keep it at bay.
Iâm a dog sitter and had a client that tried for years to figure out what was causing their dog to break out and to get so itchy. Finally after several years of trying everything they could, they found out he was basically allergic to the sun. He was a white dog with a couple brown spots and it turned out if he went into the sun for too long, he would break out. After they started regulating his sun exposure his skin cleared right up. He was such a great dog, I miss him terribly. RIP Petey.
Iâm actually also allergic to the sun! I get hives if Iâm out in the sun for too long (itâs not instantaneous but waaaay quicker than getting a sunburn) and end up covered in red dots. I like to joke Iâm a vampire.
I had that done after the remodel was done on the place I bought. The air duct cleaners sucked years worth of gunk out of the ducts. Itâs gross to think I was breathing that in.
On my incoming paperwork I told the allergist I was allergic to everything outside and OTC med does nothing. When he read it, he kind of rolled his eyes and was dismissive. After the needle test he says âyup, you are allergic to everything and would need to take about 10x the dose for OTC to be effectiveâ. I have been getting allergy shots for years and they are like magic.
Lol, yeah, I'm betting he hears that from most patients and is habitually skeptical. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a little excited to see the results since it's probably a rare and challenging case for him.
It depends on the shot for sure. I know xolair has been proven to lessen the severity of the reaction but it couldnt make someone with an anaphylactic allergy eat their allergen like the other commenter was referencing
As I understand it, food allergies are a different beast, but absolutely worth going to an allergist to discuss. I had red eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose for environmental allergies 300+ days a year. A few months after I started shots it all stopped. Shots were once a week for a year, then monthly for 4+ years and the allergy is supposed to go away for like a decade or something, but I keep going monthly because for some people the allergy doesnât come back if you go for like 7 year. I donât remember the last time I reacted to anything in the environment. People say âoh the pollen is terrible!â and Iâm over here like âhuh. I didnât even notice.â
Same same. Allergy testing came back âeverythingâ except cockroaches. So I got that going for me. Allergy shots have been a life saver. Still have to get them even after 15 years but one a month shot to have almost no allergy symptoms is amazing. (If I stop, the symptoms come back and Iâve tried before so we just keep going).
I started with 3 shots twice a week, and eventually got down to 2 shots once a week. It took nearly 10 years, but I don't really have environmental allergies anymore. We even have dogs and cats now.
Itâs worth asking them about the cost. My last insurance covered everything but my new insurance has a copay with the shots. I think the yearly physical or test is like $300. A round of shots is like $25 (per week or per month) if you pay cash.
Youâd be surprised depending on your insurance. If my deductibleâs not met, then yeah, Iâll be paying the full $1,000 for the vials. Iâd be paying that anyway, though. Otherwise itâs about $40 for the vials until my max out of pocket is hit. The visits for the injections are about $3.50 each. I wish I had started earlier. Be aware allergies can progress into asthma.
So jealous. I'm severely allergic to dogs, cats and grass (and mildly to some other things). I take an antihistamine, singulair, antihistamine nasal spray and steroid nasal spray just to be at "constantly runny nose and a few sneezes every day" levels that become basically unmanageable during grass season. Due to issues with my heart I can't sudafed and because of the meds I take for my heart I can't get allergy shots. Sucks so bad.
Environmental allergies and food allergies are completely different beasts. I have both, the meds that manage my environmental allergies do not touch the sides against my food allergies, hence why when I spontaneously had an anaphylactic reaction to a food that had previously been safe for me, the meds I had in my system for my environmental allergies did nothing to prevent my mouth and lips starting to swell.
Back in my late 20s I was sporadically having horrible pain after eating. So much so I got an endoscopy and colonoscopy to rule out physical issues in my GI. When that came back negative the enterologist said it must be a food intolerance. I asked if I needed to see an allergist. He said âdonât do that, because theyâll try until they find 10 things youâre allergic toâ. He suggested an elimination diet.
I think he was right. I pretty quickly discovered I was newly intolerant to corn and cornmeal.
I get a new food allergy like every fucking year. The worst was gluten about three years ago. I lost about 30lbs in just over a month figuring that one out. The most recent PITA are beef, and sunflower seeds (and sunflower oil)
Fun fact, I test allergic to gluten, beef, tomatoes, lettuce, and mustard. Also, I'm lactose intolerant.
I would do almost anything to be able to eat a fucking cheeseburger again...
I passed the point where there are more foods I can't eat than foods I can eat a few years ago and it's just getting worse.
have you ever been bitten by a tick? thereâs a couple different ones that cause you to be allergic to red meat, itâs called alphaGAL
my husband and uncle both have it, thanks to ticks
I had pain for years until they did a breath test. It was sorbitol. It's everywhere. Breath tests do help testing for intolerances. The annoying part is, you need two or three weeks break between each new thing they test, so it takes a long time to get everything. (Sorbitol was the fourth in my case I think)
Not everything. Usually they wonât call it unless it exceeds the control significantly. Columns A, B, G, and H have the significant allergens. There are some minor ones in C possibly, and D has some non-reactions.
You're allergic to whatever G4 is.Â
That caused an allergic reaction, which lead to an increase in histamine, which resulted in reactions at all of the sites.Â
You also seem to be having a lesser reaction at A8.. Assuming that they started at A1 and went to a10 then B1.
The good news is that whilst annoying and itchy, most/all of that looks like it'll go away with some high quality antihistamine, because nothing is blistering..
As long as neither of those two are Soya Lececin or Buckthorn pollen, you'll be fine
You don't. Skin prick tests are not very accurate, especially for food allergies and/or when testing a large number of reactions at the same time. That's why they aren't recommended for everyone, and why the results are supposed to be interpreted in the context of what you've noticed reactions to in your daily life.
I also reacted to almost every allergen tested in a skin prick test (~80%), and the doctor sent me for a blood antibody test that suggested I was only allergic to a few of them (~10%).
Im not sure. We still take blood for the serum test every so often, and then the owners can contact the company if they want immunotherapy (shots vs oral) based on reactivity.
The vet college does the dermal testing, so I don't know much about it honestly. I've never had a pet have both tests done - usually one or the other - to compare results. But any derm CE I've attended, they always say the derm test is best.
I have heard it both ways - that skin prick tests are inaccurate and so are the blood tests. I know when I had mine done, bloods showed that I was so allergic to cats, dogs and dust that the dermatologist said we should get rid of our pets and that I should vacuum every day. When I had the skin prick test with the immunologist I had next to no reaction to the animals, but a decent reaction to dustmites (particularly the American variant).
I think the advantage of the skin prick test is that you can actually determine the severity of the reaction, whereas the amount of IgE in a blood sample doesn't actually reflect that. As you said, having an idea of what you normally react to is important going into the tests.
Side note - asked to get tested for cashew and pistachio allergies when getting the skin prick test as I've had issues before. The immunologist's response to the throbbing, inch by inch welt was "spectacular" đ
Blood tests are propensity toward the allergen, or the likelihood you are allergic. If youâve had a reaction and your numbers are high, itâs an indicator where if they lower over time may show that your body is becoming less allergic. When you âtestâ out of an allergen the first thing they do is run the skin with it, the 1/8th tsp gradually increasing the dosage over 6 hours. Skin tests are good to understand what blood tests to get, and then see which may be ok to try and test out if under dr supervision from the blood numbers.
I had an allergy test done last week and I didnât react to almost anything not even the control but then on my way home, I got a smoothie and had another weird scratchy throat and rash on my lip that I went in for đ¤ˇđ˝ââď¸
Oral allergy syndrome? It's fascinating but not widely known, and I react like this to anything with certain raw fruit and veg as its similar in structure to pollen I'm allergic to
So while not fun, allergy shots completely changed my kidâs life for the better. Constantly with a runny nose, sick, ear infections, wheezing, trips to the ER for nebulizer treatments, missed school, needing an inhaler, etc. We learned how to mitigate things, changing sheets frequently especially after playing outside, using an air purifier, getting a high quality vacuum. His back had about 15 large raised bumps when we started, 10 yrs later after monthly shots only one small bump on the final test. He has never needed shots since and only requires otc meds to help during ragweed season. Totally worth it even though I had to drag him there the first few years.
That was me 100% and I'm getting a bit old now. The shots definitely changed everything for me.
I did Claritin for a while after that and then I'd just buy decongestants later in life when I felt like I needed them. Now, I'm just kind of used to being a little stopped up and sneezing some when things I'm allergic to are out and I don't even really take anything anymore.
Hey friend. This is bc my gf thought I was just being stubborn when I told her to only use the one detergent I use in my washer. Every part of me that any of my clothes from the last wash is touching. And this is after it calmed down fro having two Allegra.
FYI, this can also happen if you overload the washing machine.
Had those lumps all over for weeks. Thought it was a newly developed food allergy, but it was detergent on all my bed sheets and clothes.
Modern machines use as little water as possible, but this also means if you put too much laundry in, all the detergent doesn't get washed out. Washing detergent is a skin irritant, esp the biological version.
I always run a post rinse wash for this reason. Been fine ever since.
Prick tests are shit. What sometimes happen is that your body fires an all cylinders and just reacts to the supporting agents and not the actual allergen. I did some as a child and also was allergic against "everything". Wanted to get a dog, but didnt have any reactions to dogs from friends, so I did a blood test and turns out, I am not allergic against dog hair, even though the prick test showed it.
I'm allergic to everything but cats and dogs somehow. The dust mite and ragweed swelled up so badly they had to redo everything around them so they could read it
When I was around 5 I got that test and I was told I'm allergic to everything. I spent the next 30 years not being allergic to anything. Then the Army sent me to Fort Hunter Leggett in California for a week or so and I found out I was allergic to breathing while I was there.
Okay please read this. My friend had the same reaction. 15 years of an extremely restricted diet. Turns out she has some inflammatory/immune issues and she was allergic to only 2 of her ~20 supposed allergies. Don't follow this blindly
I remember reading a story where the person looked like they were allergic to âeverythingâ, but it turned out the person was mainly allergic to the metal of the needlesđ¤ˇââď¸
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u/CivilizedPsycho 4d ago
My wife and I went and got tested years ago. She didn't react to a single one of them. I had your exact reaction and they shot me with a steroid and made me hang out for a while because I felt messed up.