Do allergy tests and subsequent followup really do anything?

Waste of time/money? Considering it for one of the kids. Hell, myself even, if it's not kook science.

I guess I just feel like humans dealt with allergies for their entire existance...I'm not a pussy

They'll give you an idea of true allergens. Found out my 2 boys were allergic to a lot more than we realized. Allowed us to prepare and plan. Horses were one. So going to zoo or Grants Farm here in St. Louis, we avoid those animals as much as possible. IMHO, not voodoo.

For the last eight years I've been taking 1-2 pills a day and get three shots every three weeks, they've helped me a lot. I vote not voodoo.

Not voodoo. Not necessarily very precise, but the idea is to get a sense of what combination of things you're allergic to so they can brew up a cocktail of the stuff.

I've been taking the shots for years and will probably take them for a few more since I get allergies badly and live in a place that's infamous for allergies. I do feel and function a lot better when I'm taking the shots, though.

i had allergy tests and shots as a teen. I really should have kept up with them, since I moved not too long after, and quit the shots. Now I'm allergic to springtime again.

As for my wife, she was allergic to a lot of stuff - even mildly to Soy, but through the allergy shots through her teen years, she doesn't even really suffer through spring season - no where near how I do.

I had an allergy test at Kaiser in 2013. Having never experienced an allergic reaction before, I was suddenly breaking out in hives but the tests were inconclusive. I take an over-the-counter antihistamine daily, but don't know the specific reason why I need it.

not voodoo.

I was tested and took shots for a few years. Made a huge difference in Spring and Fall as far as lessening the severity of my allergies. Like PorterN, I moved and didn't get anything set up with a new doctor so although my allergies aren't as bad as they were before the test/shots, I feel the effects more each year.

Why would you think Allergies are kook-science? It's the break-down and changing of the body's immune system, has nothing to do with being a wimp. Hopefully, it's simple reactions and a few sniffles, you get more serious with skin allergies like eczema and psoriasis.

The allergy scratch test will give you an idea of what you react to and how severe. Dogs I test allergic but, I'm cool around certain breeds and if the owners keep their house clean. Some people develop allergies as they get older, your body changes, fact of life you gotta deal with; my dad developed grass allergies when he moved west, my mom test allergic to shellfish, she'll eat 3-4 shrimp and she's GTG.

Hay fever is the most common, the medicines available 20-30 years ago would usually put you to sleep or, you'd struggle through the day in a hazy fog. Shots are a good option to help develop that immunity, they don't always work so their a variety of meds you can take. Good thing is there's a variety of medicines out there that all do the same thing, the trick is understanding your body and which one works for you. Everybody you know may like using Claritan or, Allegra but, you find Nasalcort works better for you. It's all about what works for your body.

Allergy tests have been around for a very long time. My family got tests and started taking shots in the late 1950s and early ’60s. In later life my siblings haven’t had much problems with environmental allergens, and I suspect that’s because they were given the shots early. I used to have a horrible time with allergies in the spring after being assigned to Colorado and a test showed a huge reaction to tree pollen. I used NasalCrom for several years after that each spring when it was still a prescription item, and occasionally give myself a course today. I don’t experience nearly the problems I once did.

It is not voodoo, however there are various levels of expertise in the field. Some utilize blood tests and also skin tests. It sort of depends upon what kind of allergies we are talking about. Some are merely an annoyance, others are life threatening. Desensitization shots work well for a lot of people.

I had testing done, and the results enabled the lab to produce a series dropper bottles of sublingual drops that helped me a great deal.

A lot of the tests will depend on the age of the child. Our dr told us that giving the tests to younger kids will show them allergic to almost everything because they haven't been exposed to a lot and haven't built up immunity yet. Check with that before you subject that kid to some painful testing.

Not voodoo. Get them tested.
I have HORRIBLE allergies. Certain grasses and weeds will put me in bed. Cat dander will put me in the hospital.
I took immunotherapy shots for years. Basically I traded one really bad day (day of the shot) for 6 mediocre days. But it was better than 7 horrible days.

What has really helped me the last couple of years is a new monthly injection, Xolair. It's not cheap, but my only other real alternative is moving.

Get the kids tested. It can be done with a blood test these days.

The tests do work as they show you what you are allergic to but the "desensitization" shots don't do anything at all.

Went thru the whole allergy tests and shots.
Yes, good to know what you are allergic to.
I had to quit the shots as I got serious infections from them. I just avoid most things I am allergic to. I do take some natural allergy capsules that help.
It actually could save one of your lives.

I got one because my allergies got to the point where it was like I had sandpaper on the inside of my eyelids and it scratched my eyes every time I blinked. It was that bad.

The allergy test itself was I laid down on my stomach. Some nurse started doing short scratches on my back with different allergens. After she was done, they waited, came back and measured the reactions for each of the allergens. That's how they determine what you are allergic to.

The part I don't understand is once they know what you're allergic to, they make a concoctiion of the stuff to inject you with it. I couldn't get over that I was getting injected with stuff that I was allergic to. But it did work. After a couple of years of weekly shots which graduated to once a month, I don't get the sandpaper in my eyes effect.

I had to stop the shots for unrelated issues.

Prior to the allergy shots, I tried everything else like local honey and even bee pollen.

The human immune system is voodoo. Testing for allergens one of the Obi Man's spells....

Allergies are weird. For example, I've been dropping ibuprofen and aspirin like candy since I was in the Marines. One month ago, took 2 ibuprofen and my eye got a little puffy. Figured it was something else since I been taking it for so long without issue. Next day took 2 more and BLAM, my face swoll all up like a damn pumpkin. Went to doctor, got a big antihisimine type shot, and he said I can't take Ibuprofin, aspirin, or any form of the NSAID's anymore, because next time, it might be my throat that swells up chokes me to death. Apparently I've become severely allergic to them... Dammit.. Only allowed to take Tylenol now and it doesn't work as good for the muscle aches and pains..

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Do allergy tests and subsequent followup really do anything?

Waste of time/money? Considering it for one of the kids. Hell, myself even, if it's not kook science.

I guess I just feel like humans dealt with allergies for their entire existance...I'm not a pussy

Well, long story.

So my wife and i have allergies. We went in to get tested. She is allergic to 12 things moderately to fairly severely. I am allergic to 16 items.. we had several options of treatment.

We chose shots, 5 year program. We are coming up on the first year anniversary. I no longer need daily sudefed, become ill from sinus infections, achieve ear infections as a secondary of the sinus infection. And we both sleep better at night.

We still take flonase, but night time only. I can mow the lawn with out a mask, and being stuffy for 3 days later.

Does it work, hell yes. Is it cheap. About 100 bucks a 10 week vial. Lossely a vial can cover up to 10 associated allergies, 3 for me 3 for her. That rounds out with ins copay and medical savings to a crap ton of money for the first year.

After a year you do 18 months bi weekly, after that 12 months montly, 2 6 month shots, then yearly after that.

 
I had an allergy workup in the early 1960's. We had to drive to Shreveport for the "expert". Turned out he was a fundamentalist Christian. Anyway, I had my back punctured about 3 dozen places to determine sensitivity to those allergens. When he read the reactions, I got a "report" that listed allergens. It appeared to be entirely typewritten, but in fact the top paragraph, and the first two listed allergens, were pre-printed on the form. In other words, every patient was allergic to all forms of tobacco and alcohol.