Allergy Testing Followed Up By Unexpected Reaction

[Looking for answers]

Last week I had skin testing done to rule out food allergies. My GI insisted on this just to be safe. I had no signs of allergic reaction during the test (and this inlcuded gluten, which I didn't realize until it was too late). However, later that night (8-hours later) I got what I can only explain as "internally itchy." This is a feeling I get every now and again...I remember the last time it was after I drank a coffee from a machine that was flavored. Anyways, I feel very acidic, my scalp starts to itch, my clothes bother me, I have to take off my jewelry...etc. Then, I get cold and I have to go pee every 15 minutes. I also get insomnia when I go through these spells.

Anyone had anything similar. The only thing that knocks this out is benadryl(sp?) so I'm sure it's some sort of allergic reaction...

Please share your thoughts/stories.

[GlutenFreeManna]

I had the same thing happen after my skin prick tests which included all the gluten grains--I was itchy all over. I also had nothing show up on the skin prick test but blood allergy tests found a wheat allergy. My allergist said the blood tests are slightly more accurate/sensitive to catch food allergies. I'm assuming that's why I was itchy all over. I itched for two days after my skin prick test. Benedryl helped with the itching. I did not have that cold feeling/needing to pee, however. I don't know what that could be from, unless you actually have a high fever and feel cold from it? There were times when I had hives/an allergic reaction that my body also reacted by having a fever that felt like I was freezing cold.

[Looking for answers]

  On 9/25/2011 at 3:02 AM, GlutenFreeManna said:

I had the same thing happen after my skin prick tests which included all the gluten grains--I was itchy all over. I also had nothing show up on the skin prick test but blood allergy tests found a wheat allergy. My allergist said the blood tests are slightly more accurate/sensitive to catch food allergies. I'm assuming that's why I was itchy all over. I itched for two days after my skin prick test. Benedryl helped with the itching. I did not have that cold feeling/needing to pee, however. I don't know what that could be from, unless you actually have a high fever and feel cold from it? There were times when I had hives/an allergic reaction that my body also reacted by having a fever that felt like I was freezing cold.

That's interesting, thank you. Also interesting that my blood test showed major allergy to egg whites, but that didn't appear with the skin test. I guess they must not be accurate.

[StephanieL]

  On 9/25/2011 at 4:27 AM, Looking for answers said:

That's interesting, thank you. Also interesting that my blood test showed major allergy to egg whites, but that didn't appear with the skin test. I guess they must not be accurate.

Any positive allergy test, be it skin testing OR blood, is only about 50% accurate. A negative is about 92% accurate. We have a LONG way to go studying immunology! The only 100% accurate "test" for food allergies is a food challenge UNDER a Dr's care!

[GlutenFreeManna]

  On 9/25/2011 at 12:08 PM, StephanieL said:

Any positive allergy test, be it skin testing OR blood, is only about 50% accurate. A negative is about 92% accurate. We have a LONG way to go studying immunology! The only 100% accurate "test" for food allergies is a food challenge UNDER a Dr's care!

That's so true-- the blood test are not 100%. I have delevoped an anaphylactic reaction to milk so bad I have to carry an epipen, yet when I did the allergy tests and blood test milk did NOT show up as an allergy. Nevertheless my allergist says to not eat milk products and if I want to retest in the future to see if I can eat it again I have to go into the dr's office and challenge with milk while they stand by with an epi-pen. That's the ONLY 100% test for food allergies according to my allergist.