Skin Testing

[super-sally888]

Hi,

Had skin testing today (IGE mediated allergies). Their testing is tailored for the local diet.

Turns out I am extremely allergic to dust mites (I knew that) - the reaction to dust mites was greater than the reaction to the histamine.

Turns out I had a reaction to mango, rice, chicken, tilapia (a type of local fish), bagoong (a type of common fish paste used here - MSG is probably an ingredient). Didn't show any reaction to wheat, milk, eggs, soy, nuts... It didn't test for corn.

We had finished everything and I was going down in the elevator to my car and my ears started burning.... a few minutes later it was spreading everywhere... I was also turning bright red. Decided to go up see the Dr. again. She gave me antihistamines (double dose) and steriod liquid. The redness has disappeared now, still itching - shifting between different places (currently my nose and cheeks). She's told me to go to the ER if I have any breathing difficulties in the next 48 hrs and to temporarily double the steriod asthma medicine I take also for the next 48 hrs.

Have steroids and antihistamine prescribed for the next 3 days to catch any other delayed reactions. She said a systemic response to skin testing is extremely rare (<1/100,000) and she had never seen that reaction before... All very interesting... obviously there is some allergy stuff going on!!

Question: What has people's response been with skin testing? Did you eliminate whatever showed up? (rice and chicken are my two most common foods these days, tilapia also my most common fish). Mango; my mother has an extreme reaction, though I never noticed a personal reaction, but then I don't really like mangoes and rarely eat them.

Dr. said cut out for now, keep food diary and see what happens in a week or two when I add these back in one by one. If I have symptoms, consider I need to eliminate. Anyway, she has recommended a detailed food diary now.... and suggested I try a detailed elimination diet. She was going to see me in 6 months, but after that reaction, she wants me back in 2 months...

Any input? What are absolutely safe foods to start an elimination diet with (given I have some reaction to two foods that are usually safe)...

Thanks All.

Sally

[tarnalberry]

My skin testing found almost know allergies, but my allergists and I have all known that I have environmental allergies (and, of course, it won't pick up celiac). I think the advice of eliminating for now, and keeping a detailed food dairy is a good idea, assuming you add things back slowly (no more than one item a week) and assuming that you do not experience *any* anaphylactic reaction. Anything you suspect you might have an anaphylactic reaction to should absolutely not be tested at home, on your own.