Pricks and Pokes

Went to the allergist/immunologist yesterday, finally! After 13 weeks of constant hives and strange swelling I was able to talk to someone that knew enough to do more than just tell me to basically deal with it. I answered 15 minutes worth of questions and was told I was going to do skin testing to find out if it is an external allergen causing my reactions. I knew what this entailed. I've seen my son tested for allergies before.We get to the "testing" room and the nurse tells me to put on this paper shirt that opens in the back, sit in the chair and face the painting and she'd be right back. OK, put on the paper shirt, which was a relief because it was like a sauna in there in the first place, sat in the chair and faced the painting. She comes in with three clear, plastic containers full of covered needles sitting in miniature pools of liquid (the allergen). Nursey proceeds to tell me she'll be right back, there are two more trays. Eek! She drew four columns of at least 10 lines across the top of my back (I lost count) and without giving me even a second to protest, says "Ok let's get started" and prick! the first stab and a split second later the second stab. This woman I swear pulled out two extra arms when she sat down behind me because it went fast. However, after the first couple of columns I was starting to not be able to fake that it wasn't hurting. I began holding my breath and gritting my teeth. I thought...ok, this is nothing compared to labor...I've been through worse...it'll be over in a minute... all the while trying to hold a conversation with her about her red headed daughter who was such a surprise because she is full Mexican and her husband is white, but tan. Huh??20 minutes and several bad magazine articles later, Nursey comes back and says "Wow, you've had no reaction at all! So that means now we inject you with the same allergens." Uh...what? Apparently you can have a different reaction if the allergen is fully injected under your skin. OK, bring it on, I think to myself. A few shots in the arm and I'm outta here! So I change back into my normal short sleeved shirt and wait. Nursey number two comes in, who, by the way, looks like she just finished junior high yesterday, with another clear, plastic container but this time its full of shots. I had myself convinced not all of those were for me, but again...wrong! She starts writing on my upper arm. This was one day I was glad for my bountiful biceps and the extra layer of mommy fat that has accumulated since I got prego! She begins injecting me and about halfway through I stop her (really because I needed to breathe for a minute) and asked her how many total injections there were. She says "Hmm...I've never actually counted...29!" 10 minutes and a weird article about elderly intimacy later (I'd read all of the others...I had no choice) Nursey #2 comes back and says "Wow! No reaction at all! Doc will be in in a minute". Doc comes in, prescribes me a double whammy of antihistamines (sinulair and zyrtec taken at opposite ends of each day) and says come back in two weeks. If this isn't working after two weeks, we'll see what else they can explore. Not much, I'm afraid, while I'm prego, but at least I'm on the right track now. He agrees it is something internal causing the reactions. He even suggested it is a freak pregnancy "thing" and it could disappear after having the baby. Well wouldn't that be nice! Only time will tell...theme of my life.

P.S. Great office, professional staff, very knowledgable and patient doc/nurses.