I took Thomas to the allergist last week and he was scheduled to have skin testing to see if anything had changed in the last two years (two years ago he was negative to all tested foods and environmental allergens except for peanuts). But I forgot to have him off antihistamines for five days before the test and we had to reschedule to today.
He didn’t enjoy the “pricks” (it was only two panels though…I’ve seen much worse for myself and my brothers!), but at least it proved to be something worth doing.
What that poor-quality phone picture shows is four positive reactions. In the middle of his back is where they placed the two panels of various environmental allergens (dust, weeds, grasses, molds, trees, cats, dog, cockroach (?!?!), feathers and ragweed. Of those, his only positives were to “grass mix III” (which includes johnson and bahia – apparently these are not the type of grasses you would plant in your yard, but those that just grow in ditches and other areas and spread rapidly…weed grasses); “tree mix III” (which includes oaks (white oak), pecan and east cottonwood); and bayberry (which includes wax myrtles). He almost had a positive to cockroaches (I think he said…but it wasn’t quite there).
Below those are the different control readings. And below that, on the lower right corner of his back there, under the marking that looks like a circle (but is actually a “P”) is where he was tested for peanuts. As you can see, since it’s larger than the spot under the “+” sign on his lower left back, it is DEFINITELY positive.
The doctor said that since this skin test showed such a definite positive to peanuts, and his last blood test two years ago also strongly indicated an a peanut allergy (mostly the fact that it had increased so rapidly over a six month period), he didn’t see much point in doing a blood test on his peanut allergy at this time. While it’s helpful to have a “number” to monitor, I think he basically felt like it was highly unlikely it would be any lower than before at at this time, and it might even be higher. He wants to give it 6-12 months and then we’ll do the blood test to check the peanut allergy. He said if it is higher at that time from his previous number (which was almost a seven), he doubts it is an allergy he will outgrow.
That said, he talked with me about ongoing research in the US and abroad to try to treat peanut allergy with allergy injections or oral treatment and he feels confident that in the next few years, it truly might be something that can be treated and improved. AND, he also said that because Thomas’ three peanut exposures have all led to a “GI reaction” (he has vomited), those are the types of allergies that tend to be “more persistent” (meaning less likely to outgrow), but they also tend to always have the same reaction (meaning he would always “just” throw up and not have a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction). So in that negative (never outgrow), there’s a slight possible positive in the possibility that he would never have his life in danger from peanuts.
Anyway, now we know Thomas is allergic to more things, but it could be worse (I was always allergic to about 70% of the things tested), and it also explains why he has been sneezing, coughing, sniffling and complaining of headaches at certain parts of the year. So even though these positives are a negative, I’m trying to find the positives in the negatives! He is now taking a daily medication and it seems to be helping.
And as for the peanut allergy, we’ll just keep hoping and praying that someway, someday it won’t be a limitation for him. And in happy news, Parker had his first peanut butter & jelly sandwich today and had no reaction! I knew he was not allergic to peanuts, but I’ve still been terrified to test it by actually letting him eat it. I know that sounds crazy, but I’ve spent the past three years looking at peanuts/peanut butter like poison. I think Parker prefers almond butter because that’s what he knew first, but it’s good to know he can have a PB&J if he needs to!
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