Allergy testing? experience?

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Loner

You'll go to the clinic, and the doctor will draw about 20 or so grids onto your forarm with a felt pen. Then he'll drop antigens from 20 or so common allergens and see if you react to any of them. Not a big deal.

As for the cat allergy, humans are commonly allergic to a protein that exists in the cats saliva. Therefore, cats that lick themself more often are more likely to give you a reaction. Cleaning away of cat fur can help with this too because the enzymes likely stay on the cat fur and can cause reactions. You can take an anti-histamine every morning, ie Aerius or sometihng similar, and that should help.

I'm allergic to cats and only seem to react around some cats, and anti-histamine does seem to help with my reactions.

12 years ago

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Loner

Woh easy there, that's a massive claim you're making there. Any studies to back up what you're saying?

12 years ago

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Loner

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/antihistamines-for-allergies

Dry mouth, dizziness, nausea or vomitting, restlessness, blurred vision.

Those are the side effects of almost every single medication ever made. That's not something the drug companies are hiding. It's all about risk benefit, and the risk in taking anti histamines is almost negligible.

12 years ago

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i am convinced that i've eaten so much allegra in the past decade that it doesn't work for me anymore. in fact, i worked outside every day over this past summer and it just plainly didn't work.

12 years ago

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SkierPT

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They have cats now that actually don't produce thy certain protein and you (and me) won't be allergic to them. Genetically modified that way. No idea how much they cost though

12 years ago

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sounds interesting, but i would rather have as natural of a cat as i can. definitely putting that idea in the back pocket though.

12 years ago

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Insane

ah shit sucks but i found out i was allergic to everything that grows and cats and took shots every week for years, my advice dont do that just man it out it goes away the more you are around it just have allergy pills. not like food allergies so your not going to die

12 years ago

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roddy116

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its time to slothify this thread.

12 years ago

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Loner

I'd suggest asking the doctor about different medications with different mechanisms of actions than Allegra. That would be his bread and butter

12 years ago

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Insane

also i have a cat

12 years ago

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roddy116

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fucking shit wrong thread.

12 years ago

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it still doesn't go without appreciation

12 years ago

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i'm just thinking in the long run though. if i have this friend from kitten for its whole life i do not want to spend that time with itchy eyes/throat, i want to cuddle it damnit

12 years ago

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Insane

like i said i have a cat just deal with the shiityness of it for a few months and then it will slowly go away. but i believe they make cats that are less allergenic or whatever so go with that if possible

12 years ago

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you say i'll just build tolerance to the allergy? like smoking? it would be so worth it..... and yeah i hung out with a 9 week old kitten recently and it was hypoallergenic so it was the first cat i was able to play with without having an allergic reaction.

12 years ago

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Insane

yes exactly so then get a cat man, all allergy shots are is a small dose of what your allergic to so your body gets used to it! i mean i hate cats but whatever floats your boats

12 years ago

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RipeTomato

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Loner

I had extremely bad allergies every spring and fall which usually resulted in bronchitis once during those seasons. I got tested and I'm allergic to a variety of weeds and tree pollen.

So I decided to get allergy shots. One shot in each arm twice a week for about nine months and then eventually less frequently. I'm on once a month right now. The shots don't bother me, not all that painful if you were wondering.

Although it's quite the time investment it, the shots were definitely worth it for me. Getting bronchitis every year sucked especially the last couple years when i was running cross country and track pretty competitively. ruined my season every damn time. Look into it.

12 years ago

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BLADEE

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When I had mine done it didn't hurt. It was just a series of scratches along my arm and back to see what I would allergically react to.

12 years ago

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does the time between shots matter? what i'm asking is if i would need to stay put for 9 months in a year and just diligently go to the doctor for shots without traveling?

12 years ago

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Caucasian_Asian

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It matters.

Once you're through the initial regimen of shots, you only need to go back once every six months. But until that first year is up, you need to take them regularly.

I did them when I was in HS. When we went on vacation, we just took the vial with us and I went in to a walk-in clinic and had them give me the dose.

Be careful though, anaphylactic shock is no joke. Not being able to breathe is pretty scary.

12 years ago

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JAHBRADOR

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Im allergic to a lot of stuff, all nuts, sesame, lentils (claim?) and ive had these tests every year since i was 3. They are not bad, as explained above with the forearm method. It's like having mosquito bites on your arm for 20 mins and not being able to scratch. Lets just hope you arent stuck with any of that shit fo life!

Cats? You can buy hypoallergenic cats, cats that were bred not to have the things that make them allergic. Hope this helps!

12 years ago

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pat_in_the_hat

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one time i drank a half gallon of chocolate milk in about 2 minutes. I got super huge hives and my throat started to close. They did a blood test and told me im allergic to whey, fruits, wheat and gluetin.

I still eat all of those and have never had a problem. A half gallon of milk that fast would ruins most anyones day. Im sure if i completely cut them out of my diet i would probably be superman, but as soon as i do that, theres no way i could ever go back to eating them. And i just love eating whatever i want too much

12 years ago

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Insane

just a note , most insurance's dont cover allergy shots and they cost upward of $325 a shot.

12 years ago

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pmw

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I stopped reading after you said you want a cat. Grow up and get a dog

12 years ago

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BertBoyd

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Ridiculous

Either they can draw lot's of blood and test each drop, Or They can lay a grid pattern of spikes on your bikes for about 20 minutes. Each spike test something different! Not fun either way

12 years ago

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RipeTomato

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Loner

Yeah, like Caucasian Asian said, it does matter. It would be really inconvenient for a frequent traveler and the vials would have to be refrigerated if you were to take them with.

It's important to keep pace with the schedule they have for the shots, if you don't, they won't be effective and then you have to take a step back in the process. For example, I was in the section of treatment where I was getting shots once every other week and i missed one so they made me start getting them once a week again for a couple weeks.

So yeah it's quite the time commitment. If traveling would keep you from being able to follow the shot schedule then shots probably won't be an option for you.

But you should still maybe talk to a doctor about it, might find a way for it to workout for you.

12 years ago

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Mr.Huck

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I went through the shots and it really saved my life. I tested off the charts for weeds, pines and grass. The Dr. said it was pretty much a miracle that I was alive. To answer your question though, you start getting shots once a week, then it goes to every other week, then it goes to once a month. I just started my 4th year. I was given the option of quitting after 3 years, but I didn't think I was completely over it. After about the 3rd week, my allergy symptoms were gone. Once you get to shots once a month, it's not too hard to travel.

12 years ago

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dang. i'm thinking i'll just see what i'm allergic to and deal. probs try to get a hypoallergenic kitten when that time comes. thanks for all the input dudes.

12 years ago

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Daoust

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Ridiculous

when I went they made small light cuts on my back then put stuff in all the different cuts and whatever got itchy I was allergic too. Didn't really enjoy it but if you really wanna know then do it, if not then just find out the hard way

12 years ago

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daannnnieel

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scratch testing, I don't feel like I need to explain it because other people already have.

12 years ago

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