Well the first test I wouldnt have minded NOT getting a 50/50, my allergy testing! For those of you not familiar they run a panel of known common allergens with a back poke, I had a panel of 50. Then they 'read' the test after 15 min and any of them that dont look positive (bee hive looking iwth a raised white area in middle surrounded by a red itchy area) they will then do a 2nd test.
The 2nd test they take a tiny needle and inject just a bit of the same allergen just barely under skin on the side of the arm. So they tested 8 on my arm that they thought I hadnt reacted to on the back. Well the lady came in to 'read' my arm and she said "Oh my, I dont know how I will do this". All the dots on my arm had turned into one massively red area with white lumps at each injection spot. For the 'reading' they measure the size of the white raised areas as well as how large red area is. So they ended up just measuring the white raised areas and calling them all 'very positive' !
So now I am officially allergic, to everything! LOL So I will start on 3 shots a week next monday. The good thing is my work has a health clinic where I can receive the shots on a weekly basis after the initial one so i can do it on my lunch hour. The better news is I went to a really great allergist and he was asking about my history. He was very intrigued by my adult diagnosis and self diagnosis at that. He said I was an 'interesting case'.
He then asked me about my ABPA and IGE levels. My ABPA is considered in remission right now as my IGE has been stable for a couple years but it is still 300's which is way higher than the average persons woudl be. He asked if I had heard of xolair which I had read about on this site. I had then followed up with some research of my own and proposed taking it to my CF docs. Whom are very cautious and only go with what CFF endorses etc. They are great overall but two staunch old men stuck in their ways if you know what I mean. Anyway I told him why I wanted to be on it and what I had read about some CF'ers with ABPA getting very good results with taking xolair. He was informed on this topic (I didnt think he knew much about CF) and he also thought it was a great idea! Woohoo! I said that I was following with him for my allergies and it was an alllergy related issues so I woudl love if he woudl rx for me which he agreed to! He said I met criteria. He explained that if I reacted well to the medicine we could potentially see my IGE's decrease to minimal to nothing !!! That woudl be great!
So only kicker is I have to take shot 1-2x month at their office adn wait 2 hours after words to make sure I dont go into anaphylactic shock and then carry an epi pen for the next 48hours as 1/1000 people will react to it up to two days later. Small price to pay! He said they woudl monitor my IGE levels a couple times over 6 month period and I asked that when we got my first really low level that he fax it to my CF docs and I can tthen call and gloat and say ha ha! --because that's just how I am, when I know what I want I really want it and I usually always get it (it doesnt hurt I am usually right about these types things either) they just werent ready to try soemthing new but if I can get good results maybe they will let some of the others in their clinic. After 6 months treatment for allergies and Xolair I cant wait to see how my first fall will go. Change of seasons is killer and especially the fall so who knows maybe I wont even get sick this fall. I would highly recommend allergy testing to anyone!
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