Allergy Skin Test Appointment
You will need to stop taking your allergy medication 5 or more days before your appointment. The test is designed to check your body’s natural allergic reactions, so having any antihistamines before the test will block your allergic reaction and make the test unable to be interpreted by your allergist. If this happens, you may have to come back another day to get a more valid test result.
Antihistamines include:
- Benadryl
- Claritin
- Zyrtec
- Allegra
- And others
If you have questions about other medications, please call and ask us about your specific situation.
You CAN use your asthma medications and nasal sprays before the test.
Clothing
If you are having a skin prick test or any blood drawn, be sure you clothing allows the medical staff to have access to your bare arm. Younger children may have the skin prick test performed on their back.
Track Your Symptoms
Write down any symptoms you have. Note the date and time; and describe the symptoms, including severity (on a scale of 1 to 10). And write down any foods (list all ingredients), medications, or other materials hat you had contact with before the reaction. Include the time and date for these as well.
Current Medications
Write down the name of all your medicines you are currently taking. This should include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and herbal supplements. If possible, please note the exact amount (or “dose”) and how often you take the medication.
Appointment Length
Depending on the type of testing required, your visit may take up to 3 hours.