Wednesday, March 18, 2015

You're going to stick me how many times?

A few of you asked about how my allergy appointment went so I thought I'd show you.

If I were a good blogger, I would've brought my friggin' phone WITH me because the woman totally would've let me take pics during the test.  They had me take off my shirt and free the twins and put a paper gown on.  There were a total of 72 allergens in these hard plastic pricker thingies (technical term, of course) they stuck on and pushed into my back that didn't pierce the skin.  Then they waited 20 minutes for my allergic reactions.

There were several definitive ones like dust mites (I suspected that anyway), ragweed and a certain type of mold.  A few came back borderline and required further testing.

That meant it was time for the "intra-dermal" test.  Aka- Imma stick yer arms with needles to test your borderline reactions.  When the sweet older lady came in with her case of syringes, I almost screamed like when Freddy asked that one chick if she wanted to get high...

But I thought it unattractive for a woman my age to curl up into the fetal position, suck her thumb and cry for her mommy.  So I sucked it up and she got to stickin'


  

That would be 29 shots, mah friends.  It was done by a nurse who has probably been doing it for eons.  She was very quick but as she inserted the allergen and saline under my skin to make the pocket, I could've sworn she was twisting the needle but the Mr assured me she wasn't.  Not a pleasant feeling.  My right arm had quite a few reactions which confirmed another mite, another mold, weed mix and something else.

The next day I was very stuffy and itchy.  It wasn't something they told me I would feel but I somehow expected it.  It'll take 2-3 weeks for them to concoct my shot vial to begin my allergy shots.  I must admit I'm a little alarmed that I'll need to carry epi pens but I know it's a precaution.  So how do I look 4 days after the shots?

 

It looks like alien mosquitoes landed in a grid pattern and had a feast on my flesh.  The right arm has been the biggest itcher but not surprised since it had the most irritated reaction during the actual test.  I was hoping to be a little more healed up by now but hopefully in a week it'll look better.

I'm really hoping these help with the occasional itching, hives and stuffiness since my allergies are of common things that I can't really avoid.

Have you ever had an allergy test?  Allergy shots? 

====================
Like this post? Don't miss another one...subscribe via email or RSS feed. (Or you can follow me on Facebook )

12 comments:

  1. That Freddie pic really sums it up, except the nurse was a sweet little old lady. You were a trooper though and I know in the long run it will be worth it but I really feel bad for you because I can see your arms in person and the pictures don't even show the full extent of what must have been an excruciating time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I think they send the sweet little old lady in to throw you off or to distract you from the fact she's gonna stick yo azz 29 times! No short sleeve shirts for me for a while, good thing we're having a "welcome Spring" cold snap!

      Delete
  2. Yikes! That's awful. I have run of the mill seasonal allergies, but they're basically controlled with zyrtec and the occasional benedryl as needed. My son has done two rounds of allergy testing, the first when he was three and the second last summer. I don't think they did 72 though, I was thinking 48 or maybe even fewer. He did not enjoy it, but the pocket thing was actually less painful for him than the scratch test panel and he only had to have follow up testing on a few. Fortunately he is not allergic to cats and dogs (we have both), but he is allergic to a mold found in soil and highly allergic to Chinese Elms, both of which we have in abundance around here. No epi pen, but it does mean carrying his rescue inhaler all the time because his allergies trigger asthma attacks. If he has another spring like last year we'll probably start allergy shots for him this summer.

    I hope your arms heal up, and they get your allergy concoction going quickly so you can find some relief.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah the nurse told me the thing on my back would "tickle." I shot her a look after the first one and she said "or not!" LOL

      Delete
  3. This is like my worst nightmare. I'm terrified of needles. I did once try to hide from a nurse who was going to give me a shot. I was a teenager. Embarrassing. And another time I sucked it up and took the shot like a normal human, and then I passed out afterwards. You have my sympathies!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I'm still deciding if I want to do as much as I can to avoid the allergens (filters, cleaning, etc) and then start them if I can't find relief. I don't really "suffer" so the idea of going into potential shock isn't appealing.

      Delete
  4. You poor baby!! What a freakin' ordeal. I hate this for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never had testing done, but I know plenty of people who have and they all describe the same thing as you. I know the multiple "stab wounds" are just horrible to deal with, so you are quite the trooper! I so hope they provide some answers for you and you can eliminate whatever it is that ails you the most. There HAS to be an answer after all you've been through!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do they describe if the allergy shots help? I'm hoping once my allergen filters come in that between that, the filters in the vents and the air purifier it will take care of a lot of it. Then we have to work on cleaning the basement because that's where the air comes from and being unfinished, it's always dusty/linty. Spring project. *rolling eyes*

      Delete
  6. I'm 5 years in. Should have stuck with it the first time around in college and maybe my deviated septum wouldn't have gotten so bad as to require surgery. I do the shots at home without issues but still can't watch the nurse do my updates. I guess with me and needles it's about control. The epipen is scary to think about but I've never come close to needing it. Benadryl spray is my fried though and helps reduce the skin response. That should start to go away though once your body is used to it. Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. My 4 year old is allergic to peanuts and eggs. We allergy tested when she was 18 months old. Not fun. I would assume she also has several environmental allergies. Each spring she gets eczema, sinus infections and the allergist has prescribed nebulizer treatments, steroids, and Benadryl daily. Each time I take her to the allergist he acts like he has never seen her before and then surprised when he looks at the past medical history in her chart. It is so annoying. He said she could probably get tested this spring, but he doesn't like to test too young because things are subject to change at such a young age. Who knows. Not sure she could handle allergy shots. By the way, if you haven't gotten your EpiPen already, look on the internet for a coupon. The medication is super expensive, but there is a coupon out there for $0 copay if you have a PPO, or $100 off if you have a HSA. Also, before you leave the pharmacy verify that it doesn't expire for at least a year.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to comment! I appreciate your time! (Heads up though...disrespectful or spam comments will be deleted.)