Allergic to the Allergy Doctor

What happens when you have an allergic reaction at the allergist's office?

Yes, we had our big allergy appointment for testing and we were in the room patiently waiting for the doctor when Bee broke out as she was eating her snack.  At first, I suspected the snack, although it was something she had eaten many times before.  Then I began to inspect our room.  In the trash can I found a box which had contained individual packages of a trail mix that contained peanuts.

I immediately found a nurse in the hallway and showed her the trash.  She had the trash taken out and I washed Bee's face and hands.  Within several minutes the hives began to subside.

I'm glad she was ok and the reaction was small.  But I was still furious.  We are at the office of our allergist/immunologist.  No one in that building should be eating a snack containing peanuts.  Many of their patients are peanut allergic and those reactions can be life threatening.

Why don't people think?

Doctor Appointments

Well, we had our big allergy appointment in April (during which time Bee had an allergic reaction) and what information did we learn?  Not. one. thing.

Bee had a respiratory infection the week prior to our appointment and still had a slight cough at the time of the appointment.  After the doctor evaluated her, she would not do any testing because she was worried about her wheezing.  Her concern was that Bee might have a more severe reaction during testing because her breathing was already compromised.

I drove 3 hours round trip to learn nothing!

Instead, we spent 2 hours in the office meeting with our dietician and 2 respiratory therapists.  The doctor ordered Bee to have several doses of medicine with an inhaler.

The doctor insisted that Bee sounded better after her doses, but I couldn't tell a difference in her breathing or her cough.  The medicine did make her jumpy, cranky, and irritable though.  So, I drove home with a coughing cranky kid.

We rescheduled the testing and waited a month for our new appointment.  The day before that appointment, Bee became very sick again.  I cancelled that appointment, knowing that even if I made the trip, no testing would be done and I would be wasting my time.

So, we haven't had our allergy appointment yet!  I was so hoping for answers or lower numbers or any signs of improvement.  I guess we'll keep waiting!

Unexplained

A few weeks ago, Bee had a rash around her mouth at every meal.  This lasted for almost a week.  We have not figured it out.  Food allergies and hives are frustrating but nothing is more frustrating than a reaction with no known cause.

I have gone over each meal to see if there was a link but I can't find a common food among the meals.  I can't think of anything that has changed like our soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.  Nothing is different that I can tell.

The only thing we can pinpoint is the weather.  We've had some crazy weather-hot one day, much cooler the next, a very windy day, and then the next is pouring rain.

My only thought is that the weather changes have affected Bee's allergies, brought out her eczema, and made her have a constant rash.

As an allergy parent, we have many instances of the unknown.  You have to play the role of detective or doctor.  It's such a relief when we are able to pinpoint a new allergy or a cause.  Other times, we just have to live with knowing that we will never have it completely figured out.  It's such a mystery!  How do you find contentment in not knowing?