Allergy Testing (For Me)

If you read this blog regularly, you know that I get sick frequently and suffer from chronic sinus infections.  My ENT recommended I get allergy testing, so today was my big day!  I was dreading it (because of all the needles), but it wasn’t too bad.

I was tested for 40 of the most common allergens in our area of Texas.  I tested positive (in the medium to high range) for 29 out of the 40 things I was tested for, and my reactions were spread across all 4 of their categories.

So here’s what I’m allergic to:

• Ash Trees
• Bayberry/ Wax Myrtles
• Birch Red River
• Boxelder
• Red Cedar
• Eastern Cottonwood
• Bald Cypress
• American Elm
• Hackberry
• Pecan
• Bahia Grass
• Bermuda Grass
• Johnson Grass
• K-O-R-T Grass Mix
• Baccharis
• Yellow Curly Dock
• Lambs Quarter
• Spiny Pigweed
• English Plantain
• Ragweed Mix
• Prairie Sagebrush
• Mold Mix #1
• Mold Mix #2
• Cat Hair
• Mouse Epithelia
• Mite (D. Farinae)
• Mite (D. Ptero)
• Loblolly Pine

I don’t know what some of those things are (though I do have detailed explanations somewhere in this big packet they gave me), but to sum it up I’m allergic to: trees, weeds, grass, mold, dust mites, cats.

I reacted so severely to the pre-test for dust mites that they didn’t need to stick it under my skin.

(I wanted to jazz up this post with a photo of some dust mites, but I can’t look at them without getting completely grossed out.  You know all about dust mites right?  If not, here’s a link to learn more…)

So, now I need to deep clean the house for dust mites (and start a regular allergy cleaning routine), get an air purifier, a new vacuum (Dyson?).  Maybe I’ll add hardwood floors to my Master Bedroom To-Do List from yesterday!  And apparently I need to wear a mask when I’m outside.  That’s so very chic, don’t you think?

I’m a little overwhelmed by all of the cleaning and filtering and precautions and outside-allergy avoidance that needs to be done (I’m allergic to my house, I’m allergic to outside…where do I GO?!).

The obvious result of the test was that I’m an excellent candidate for weekly allergy shots.  In fact, I NEED them.  It can take 3-6 months before you get any relief from the shots, and treatment is recommended for 3-5 years.  And even though I HATE shots (and really, is there anyone who thinks “ooh!  fun!” about getting shots?), I’ll gladly get my weekly shot from now until eternity if it helps me feel a little better on a daily basis!

Have you gone through allergy testing?  Do you get weekly allergy shots?  What are you allergic to?