Author Topic: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?  (Read 4858 times)

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Offline my3girlsjde

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Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« on: May 10, 2012, 05:20:24 am »
So we're finally going. We've been waiting almost two years for this child to actually be taken seriously and seen by a specialist so I do NOT want to mess this up.

We know we'll be doing a scratch test, as the bloodwork showed <0.35 to dairy and egg but we've had a consistent failed challenges in the Dr's office. I'm not sure exactly what they can check but I'm going to ask for everything we've concluded was an issue for her.

I want to get checked:
Dairy
Soy
Wheat
Egg
Strawberries
Citrus fruit
Bees (I had an allergy as a child)
Nuts
Shellfish (both myself and paternal grandfather have an allergy)
Pet dander (I have allergies to the point we won't have a pet)
Hayfever 'stuff' ie plants, pollen etc

What else? What am I missing? We've followed the directions to the letter and she's not had any antihistamine of any kind. I've held back on foods that I know cause a reaction as last week dh gave the wrong kind of hot dog and she was wheezing the next day to the point of needing her inhaler.

Ideas please? She's also refluxing all of a sudden and not having any new foods so my guess is teeth so she'll be a peach to get a scrach test done on Friday. Anyone ever take a two year old for a scratch test? Would taking videos in on my phone for her be a realistic idea or is she going to be in misery?

Any tips would be great.
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





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Offline abbysmomma

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2012, 12:45:32 pm »
if you have a allergist who's done this for a while,  they can do it quick. something on your phone will definitely help. the tendencies to have allergies are passed on,  but not the specific allerg.  so while you or relatives might be allergic to something in particular, it doesn't mean she might be allergic to the same thing. My allergist wont test for anything i don't suspect firsht, mostly because you need to be exposed first to build an allergic response (if there is going to be one). with the number of tests you're requestin,  its probably going to be on her back. bloodwork is only about 50% accurate, so take those with a grain of salt. the bigger the size of the wheal (response to the scratch test), the more accurate the test. however,  if your dd has excema, you can get false positive.  in the end,  it's going to be a combo of everything,  and not based on one test alon.  your dd's response to the food, the scratch test, and possibly bloodwork. if scratch test is negatov,  and ystill suspect something, request an in office food challenge. you can be there for up to three hours per challenge.

hope that helped!

Offline mickey44

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2012, 15:28:04 pm »
Yes definately take things to entertain her and also if she has a lovey or something I would bring that.  We did a scratch test with DD1 when she was about 18 months and then went back for a food challenge test.  The scratch test wasn't so bad, we had her lovey which she cuddled with while the poked her and then they checked on her every 10 min or so for about 1/2 hour and then we got to leave but the food challenge test we were there for 2 hrs so we brought lots to entertain her with!!!
Stacey

Offline Buntybear

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2012, 17:15:17 pm »
Hi, Olly has had 2 scratch tests now. Here they had a 2nd nurse who would entertain him whilst the tests was being done. It is over very quickly. The first time he watched in interest the second he was more tetchy.

Good luck, hope you get some answers x

Offline koe2moe

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2012, 17:23:20 pm »
FX for the appointment.  Videos will always help!! 



Offline Jimbob

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2012, 18:59:08 pm »
Hope the appointment goes well!

Kelly x



James has atopic eczema, multiple food allergies, asthma and late talker

Offline my3girlsjde

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Re: met the allergist finally and I'M NOT NUTS!!!!!
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2012, 03:40:29 am »
Thanks everyone :-*

The allergist was phenomenal and even better, he confirmed not only that I'm not nuts but I did the right thing all along by continuing to breastfeed and eliminate.  Completely selfish here but I felt so validated yet again today.

She tested negative yet again ::). We went over everything beforehand and I didn't need to show him any pics, he was totally understanding and said he had a theory before he tested. The scratches were a type of little blue stick that he pricked her once with on her back and did a bunch for the most common food allergens with children.

When he came back in he wrote up a requisition for some bloodwork for six others (banana, orange, strawberry, dairy, soy and wheat) to get an IgE check on. His theory is that she's got non-IgE mediated food responses where she gets a build up of things in her system. Also known as food intolerance. So that's the potentially good news. *Most* kids do outgrow this and it explains every single thing that we've gone through with her. I came home and googled and learned so much more and yes, food intolerance are much harder to prove. She does have a delayed reaction and she has several reactive symptoms so that's why we've struggled so much.

He was a bit upset when I told him how long we've been struggling with this without much medical support. He said he wished someone had ordered celiac bloodwork even though it may show a false negative before we took her off of the wheat. So we still don't really know on that one. To prove celiac at this point we would have to put her back on wheat and go through a horrible time with her and the bloodwork might be negative anyhow. Then we would look at doing a scope. Dh and I aren't prepared to do that just to have a diagnoses. We're going to talk about it with the allergist in six weeks when her bloodwork comes back from the children's hospital.

I have to say I was rather proud of my tough little girl. She didn't make a peep throughout the scratch test or the bloodwork though it was obvious she was pretty mad when they jabbed her with the needle. After the bloodwork was done, the nurse asked if she wanted a sticker. She crossed her arms and said "no! I no like that! Not very nice!" After I coaxed her to take a sticker she literally stomped out of the room with her arms crossed saying "humph!" over and over again. It was hilarious.

So the good news is that she doesn't have a proper allergy and the chances of her outgoing all of this are apparently much higher.

The bad news is that intolerance are much harder to figure out and we'll likely have to continue doing what we're doing. She also tested negative for nuts but no way will I give her some peanut butter tomorrow! Still a bit in the dark but a little more clarity as to why she keeps testing negative yet having reactions to food.

Oh, and I'm not nuts. That really was nice to hear today ;D
« Last Edit: May 12, 2012, 04:20:10 am by my3girlsjde »
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





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Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2012, 12:01:43 pm »
I'm just seeing this! So happy your appointment went well and that you were validated :)  E's reaction to the bloodtest sounds priceless! When will you get the blood tests back? At the 6w recheck?

(and, as an aside, did you have to pay for the blood tests? Or are they covered in BC? Dylan's were almost $400 out of pocket!!)
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline Amanda5555

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2012, 12:16:40 pm »
(((((HUGS)))))) Happy for your success. Its funny how a little validation goes along way. I can totally relate to the "Really I'm not crazy feeling". Good job mom keep it up.((((((HIGH FIVE)))))) And thanks for sharing your experience is so helpful to us who are just beginning the "somethings not right" journey!




               

Offline my3girlsjde

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2012, 14:52:51 pm »
OMG Vikki :o :o :o That's a lot of money! It was covered here, all of it. As it should be I guess because our province has pretty expensive healthcare that you pay right off of your salary.

Results will be at the six week re-check and aafter doing some thinking I really think it's all going to come back negative. So really glad we've persevered with the food elimination.

Her response to the bloodwork really was priceless ;D
Vicki - nursing student and proud mother to three refluxers in two years





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Offline koe2moe

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2012, 16:59:40 pm »
I am happy that you are not nuts! Lol. It will be a long journey and i am so happy that he is ready to help!!!  Xx



Offline Buntybear

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2012, 21:01:43 pm »
So pleased that you have someone that listens and supports you - it really does make all the difference.  :-*

Offline Edesanja

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2012, 01:15:21 am »
Great news Vicki! So funny about her reaction to the blood work! (J had an injection recently and he isn't as verbal as Emma, but he kept pointing, muttering and scowling at the nurse!)
Jenny - mama to



Offline Mrs Coops

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2012, 19:03:09 pm »
Vicki I'm so pleased it went well and someone is actually listening to you. It's just a shame they haven't listened from the get go!

As for the Coeliacs testing. A woman I work with has been Gluten free since her mum was diagnosed with it a few years ago (apparently it's hereditary) It made a lot of sense as she had suffered symptoms which cleared up on the gluten free diet. Anyhow, she keeps 'cheating' and suffering because of it and has finally seen the doctor for it (this could end her military career) But the doctors want her back on a full 'normal' diet for at least six weeks so they can test her! She's since had numerous days off sick in awful discomfort. I think (for her anyway) the fact that cheating = misery is a pretty good diagnosis! I would dread to think the misery a two year old would suffer if they wanted to do similar!!!

So what is the IgE check? I will have to Google this at some point!

I really hope that the blood results show something to explain what is going on and what can be done.

Either way, you can relax a little because you're not a lunatic or nut job imagining up illnesses about your kids! You've battled hard and kept your little girl growing amazingly into a beautiful and clever little thing! Although you need a video for any more jabs, her reaction sounds hilarious! J would have probably just hit them and said 'naugh'nee' after hysterical angry sobbing and frantic cuddling of Blankie!!!
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Offline Mrs Coops

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Re: Meeting the allergist in two days, what to prepare for?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2012, 19:05:50 pm »
(and, as an aside, did you have to pay for the blood tests? Or are they covered in BC? Dylan's were almost $400 out of pocket!!)
OMG! The more I read about what you have to pay around the world the more I appreciate our struggling health service!
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