After months of being on the waitlist, I got to be a human pincushion today. Never been to an allergy specialist before, so I viewed this as an experiment. I suppose I should’ve seen one by now; having blown up in hives in my early teens more times than I’d care to remember. And we’re talking about full on head to toe hives. Yes, me and the calamine were best friends during the hot summer months when I was 14 and 15. And I’m no stranger to antihistamines, although taking benedryl zonks me out.
Luckily, my body doesn’t react so violently now, gifting me with a full bodysuit of hives. However, I still have sensitive skin and on occasion will experience contact dermatitis; my skin swelling up due to contact with irritating chemicals or preservatives in certain facial cleansers, toners, cosmetics and moisturizers.
I can’t even use OTC hydrocortisone cream, as it makes any rash or weals worse with its added preservatives. Instead, I have to use doctor prescribed, pharmacist issued 1% pure hydrocortisone.
I wash my face with Cetaphil and for my body I use glaxal base, a non-medicated, non-greasy, hypo-allergenic moisturizer. This is the same moisturizer hospitals use on burn patients.
So after a series of questions on my medical history and a physical from my allergist, it was time for the skin prick test. Get ready to be pricked 45 times!
The nurse marked up both forearms and eye-droppered an extract of allergen solution onto my skin. She then used a lancet to prick my skin so that the allergen gets right in there. And I swear, the nurse definitely got more stabby on my right forearm.
It didn’t take long. Within a couple of minutes of being pricked, there was some definite left forearm action going on. The familiar prickly sensation, the redness, the heat, the throb and the appearance of weals. Three in fact. I know by now, that my body was making antibodies due to the presence of allergens.
Top left: something is starting to happen. Splotchy pinkness appearing.
Top right: getting red and irritated.
Bottom left: more than one marker showing signs.
Bottom right: my forearm is definitely angry. Appearance of weals.
Right side fine. (food allergies) Left side not so good. (inhalants)
So what am I allergic to?
Grass and trees?! You’re kidding me, right? I never even had hay fever before in my life. And because I have an allergy to grass pollen, that helps explain why I would react to mosquito bites more.
Dr Starck said the allergic reaction was considered moderate to sensitive. By how fast the weals appeared, it was a 3 on a scale of 1-4 (4 being uber-sensitive) and although I haven’t experienced an allergic reaction to grass or tree pollen yet, it doesn’t mean that I won’t. I may as I get older, because I obviously have the markers for it.
How awesome for me. Balls.
Course, me being me and needing to research this further, I turned to an authoritative source – the internet. A couple of well regarded websites put my mind at ease a bit, saying that people may react positively to a substance during a test, but not have any problems with the substance in everyday life.
Good enough for me! Spring remains my favourite season of the year!
Yes, denial may be a river in Egypt, but I’m not going to live like “the girl in the plastic bubble.” I’m going to shuffle my feet in freshly mowed grass and wander amongst the forest until I get that first allergy attack. And when and IF I do, I’ll deal. But no sense worrying about it at this moment.
3 Comments
Are you going to get antigens made for allergy shots? My wife did this and it has made a world of difference for her.
One other thing to keep in mind. You may indeed be allergic to all those things, but as I understand it the immune system only overreacts when there are too many or too much allergens to handle all at once.
Anyway, I’m sure you’ll find a good solution that will keep you enjoying the great outdoors in springtime. 🙂
awww… they scratched you all up : (
@ dave – sean told me that his friend underwent immunotherapy for his allergies and that it was totally worth all the shots.
if i indeed develop an allergy to grass/tree pollen (booo) and depending on how bad it is, i may consider it. but let’s just hope it never comes to that, yes?
@ tex – yeah, they stuck me good, rubbed calamine lotion to stop the itch and then sent me on my way. i could still see the little pricks on both forearms at the end of the night. pretty.