Allergy testing

When I became pregnant with Coryn, I also became extremely congested. I had to take Benadryl and Sudafed through my pregnancy with her just to make it day to day. I assumed that it was a new pregnancy side effect that I had not had with my first two pregnancies and counted down to September 2006 excited to meet my baby, but also to see that side effect disappear. Imagine my horror when I realized that particular symptom would not be leaving and would in fact become worse. When she was a few months old, I sought out an allergist who performed an allergy scratch test using a tray that was pushed on my back. I was a little depressed to learn that I had no allergies. I did however have a sinus infection and also found out I had hypothyroid. Maybe these two things would explain my constant nasal suffering? So we treated those and went on with life and the symptoms continued and also with each season continued to get worse. And yet in the back of my mind I thought that the test had somehow been performed wrong. There was no way to explain my discomfort, but to describe it as severe allergies. And so just recently I decided to go for testing again. I talked to my friend/doctor and she suggested that I try Kansas City Allergy and Asthma clinic. I finally made the call.

A week before the testing I had to go off all my antihistamines. That was a tough week. Mid-week I had a conversation with another woman who had also gone to that first doctor and been told she had no allergies also and yet she was still suffering. This just strengthened my resolve to get the testing knowing that the outcome would be different this time and I might finally get some answers.

On Tuesday afternoon I went into the office, talked to the Doctor and then had the first part of the test performed. This time the tech did each scratch individually. It was more uncomfortable than the first time, but it also really "scratched" me so I knew it had gotten into my skin. I reacted to several things with that so we moved on to injections in my arm which caused even more reactions. I found out I was allergic to molds, dustmites, grass, trees, ragweed etc etc. Thankyou God!! The doctor spent a considerable amount of time discussing my options and changing my meds. He also feels that I have chronic Sinusitis. So we are treating that also. I felt so relieved. I honestly felt this huge depressing cloud lift from me. We can treat this. I can feel better.

I am still a little annoyed that the first doctor missed this and never really tried to help me. Not only did it cost us a good deal of money, but it cost me three more years where I could have been feeling better.

But I won't spend too much time dwelling on that. I will look towards the future and know that I am finally getting my answers and that I WILL feel better.