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has anyone had the allergy scratch test done?

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Posted 9/12/2006 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
???????my test came back that i am alergic to tomato and stuff that was in the group related to that were things lkike tabaco  anyone else have this and still smoke ?
Posted 9/12/2006 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't had the scratch test done and my son was only 2 when he had his, so of course he didn't smoke lol But I know of several people that have had that test done and found that they were allergic to cigerette smoke only to keep smoking anyway. They're health never got any better (of course) and their allergies became worse. I don't know how bad your allergies are, but if you have an allergen constantly in your system, it can trigger worse things such as asthma or hives. Tobacco is a high irritant for many people and unlike people who get allergy shots to desensitize themselves to a certain allergen, tobacco is not among the shots for desensitizing.
Posted 9/13/2006 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi tucci -
I had this done a few weeks ago and also posted with questions. I tested allergic to almost everything, including lots of foods that I've never had a reaction to. I've heard (from all the helpful people here) and read that the results of skin tests for food are not very reliable. I don't know about tobacco, but that could be what's going on with the tomato for you. The advice people here gave me was to think about what I've had a reaction to. I've never shown the slightest bit of reaction to foods, so I probably just had false positives. Have you had reactions to tomato and other foods in that group?
Posted 9/13/2006 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
no i havnt had any reactions to fooods like tomatos so im trying to figure out how this tests works....when i did the scratch test after a couple mins a developed a hive on the spot where the scratched and it was the size of half a penny ....did u get any hives on ur arm when u got tested?
Posted 9/13/2006 6:51 AM (GMT 0)
I have had the scratch test done. i'm allergic to tomatoes too. that was five years ago. it showed a reaction to many different foods. last month, i had the actual RAST bloodtest and it showed even more allergies to those foods. the only foods i'm not allergic to on the test are chicken and beef. i guess that would explain my stomach and breathing problems. i think the scratch test is more reliable than you think. you don't always have to have a reaction. i feel like eating is a huge battle.
Posted 9/13/2006 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
I am a very allergic person...allergic to medications and pollens, dust, molds, weeds, trees, grasses (all respiratory stuff). Luckily I have no food allergies. They will not desensitize you against any pollutants such as tobacco or industrial smoke, etc. That would be giving you poisen.

There are books to read about stopping smoking and it can be done. These books are available free at the library.

The scratch test is the most reliable, in my opinion. They will give you a histamine scratch to use as a comparison.
Posted 9/14/2006 12:18 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe I will ask to get the RAST test done too. I have always had IBS, but maybe it is actually tied to foods (I always just connected it to stress and emotional issues). Tucci, yes, I got tons of hives on my back and several on my arm...Some of them didn't go away and continued to itch for almost a week. I'm starting allergy shots in a couple weeks...
Posted 9/14/2006 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
whats the rast test?

Posted 9/14/2006 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
A radioallergosorbent test (RAST) is an allergy test that involves collecting blood. A RAST can be performed when a skin test - the more common allergy test - cannot be done due to a skin problem. Both tests are highly specific, although a skin test is more sensitive, less expensive and produces immediate results.

How is this test performed?

The lab will expose a sample of your blood to different test allergens such as animal dander, grasses, mites, or insects. Allergen-specific IgE antibodies will attach to a substance if you are allergic to it. A radioactive chemical is used in testing to help measure the results.

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/dc/tp/tprast.jsp
Posted 9/14/2006 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
o ok thanks red_34. im still concerned about my allergies. i had the scratrch test done and i got 2 hives on my arm.im dont understand how that happend cuz i eat the fooods that it said i was alergic to all the time and i never get hives from it. can the test be wrong ?is there any other test i can do to confirm what allergies i have 100%
Posted 9/14/2006 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Fucci, I had my testing done yesterday. It was pretty weird, the 56 skin pricks on my lower arms showed nothing, not even the histamine, so then they had to test on my upper forearm just for a reaction to the histamine and then 31 bigger pricks on my upper arms. I have allergies to dogs, outside mold, plant mold, grass, and dust mites (2nd positive to that). I did not itch a lot, but it hurt and kinda felt like burning and my upper arms still hurt. I don't ever want allergy testing done again. I'm a sissy on pain and it really did and does still hurt. Hope you had a easier time of it. My doctor did say usually with adults if you test positive once you're always allergic to that and this was my second positive to dust mites. My orignal testing was done over twelve years ago. Wish I had better news for you. Good Luck and God Bless. scool
Posted 9/14/2006 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Well did you have any symptoms before you saw the allergist? I don't know much about food allergies. Maybe it was a false positive. Do you have any problems breathing or stomach upsetment?
Posted 9/19/2006 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I had the scratch test done after having years of seemingly obvious anaphylactic reactions to shellfish, mango, and iodine. I consulted with the allergist who agreed not to give me the three things that I was having such severe, quick reactions to, but instead do the scratch test on my arms with around 50-60 allergens, also the histamine. Ironically none of the allergens created even a bump, but the histamine immediately reacted, my whole arm swelled, and I ended up in the ER after 3 epi-pen shots and 2 steriod shots to block the histamine in my body. Talk about scary - I have never had a multiple-recurring anaphlyactic reaction like that, and my dr said that this was really rare!! Even more suprising was that literally nothing showed up on my allergy testing, even after the a month later we did the blood/rast test. I KNOW I am allergic, as all of my family can attest, but the testing just somehow doesn't show anything - really odd. My DR suggested going to an immunologist for further testing, but I have been hesitant to even get near any more testing. . . so are the scratch tests reliable? Not for me at all, I don't think. I just wear my medical alert bracelet, carry multiple epi-pens, and hope for the best :)
Posted 9/19/2006 6:50 AM (GMT 0)
how scary. i hope to never have to use my epipen. i had the scratch test done 5 years ago which showed i was allergic to almost everything except for a few foods which were peanuts, peaches, strawberries, corn, and rice. I felt like i reacted to those foods even though i tested negative.

Recently i had a rast test and it showed my allergies to all of those things which were negative on the skin test. My worst being a peanut allergy. my doc thinks i was allergic to these foods all along. I can now officially add them to my other allergy list.

So i guess i'm learning that there are a lot of false negatives on the skin test. I don't think there are many falst positives though. Hope you find your answers soon.

Posted 9/19/2006 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
Why would they skin tests after a RAST test? Seems to me, skin testing would not be needed after RAST testing!!! Sometimes I wish these doctors would go through all these tests before submitting their patients.... scool
Posted 9/19/2006 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't sure which post you were responding to so i'll answer anyway. i had the skin prick test done first 5 years ago and a rast blood test done just a few weeks ago (which I should've had done in the first place). I've lived pretty miserably for the last 5 years because docs were to cheap to give me all of the tests that i needed at that time.
Posted 9/19/2006 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply Mooney123! I don't think it's always the Doctors fault, rather the insurance, If doctors didn't always let insurance companies dictate what's best for us. Sorry you had to be in misery for 5 years. Are you doing better now, are you able to get so many allergies under control??? I've not had RAST testing, just the skin pricks and I'm not a candidate for allergy shots, with the things I'm allergic to the only shot I could get would be for dogs!!!
Well Take care.
Do you have allergy to medicine?
Posted 9/19/2006 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Chartreux:

I think you're right about the insurance companies. I am doing better now although allergic to almost EVERYTHING. I can officially eat chicken and beef and drink milk. I'm allergic to just about everything else. I was told you can cook a lot of the allergy (or protein) out of foods, which is what i do. If i want tomatoes or potatoes (i can only have small amounts and not daily) then i make sure they are cooked very well. i would never eat raw veggies or fruit.  i wouldn't eat wheat crackers, seeds, nuts etc. but i will eat cooked pasta. i can't possibly eliminate every food otherwise i'd starve.  

Posted 9/19/2006 10:18 PM (GMT 0)
BTW, i'm not a candidate for shots either. And i do have allergies to medications especially antibiotics. i think i have allergies for some chemicals like bleach, soap, fabric softener,  smog etc. but my allergist told me there is not a test for these chemicals. sad
Posted 9/19/2006 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
i dont no but my doctor said i should avoid all those foodds for a month and then reintroduce them to my diet again slowly...im just worried becauase i smoke and im trying to stop but its so hard :(.....i dont smoake alot to begin with
Posted 9/19/2006 10:54 PM (GMT 0)

tucci:

since you and i have many of the same symptoms....i was thinking...could you be allergic to smoke? i have a hard time breathing around smoke (i'm a non smoker). that could be aggrevating everything. also, my doc wants to check me for something called esophageal eosinophilia. To check that would mean a biopsy of my esophagus and I'm NOT looking forward to it!

Posted 9/19/2006 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
I have had the scratch test done several time when I was young.I was allergic to all citris & acidic foods,plus wheat.

I can eat all I want now of those things as the allergies left as I got older.I still am allergic to feathers,wool,oris root(Iris)Ragwweds.I just go with the flow,snort & blow,lol.

Posted 9/20/2006 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
Hey, Mooney123, I'm allergic to Erythomycin (antibotic) and I had a asthma attack with the Medrol pack(Predisone) and have to be careful with antihistamines. My husband smokes and I have to stay away from his smoking because of the asthma.
take care and good luck.
tucci, Good luck to you too. Hope your feeling better! What meds do the doctors have you on for the allergies, tucci?
Posted 9/20/2006 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
none just told me to try a nasal spray
Posted 9/20/2006 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
I use Astelin nasal spray.You need a xcript for it.
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