Yesterday's visit with Dr. Allergist

I managed to make it through the rest of the week after Monday without another reaction (yay me). Yesterday was my long-awaited appointment with Dr. Allergist. I set my food diary in front of her & she said, "So, what conclusions have you reached?" (Like I'm the doctor?!)

I told her I don't dispute that I may have some food allergies -- but I thought that at least some of this might be anxiety-related. And after listening to me for awhile, although she didn't outright say so, I got the feeling she thought so too (!). She also didn't discount my hormones theory, saying there is definitely a connection between hormones & asthma and hormones & migraines... but then she said, "But then what do you do about it?" (i.e., there is not much you CAN do). She said she could send me to a gynecologist, & I told her I had already been to Dr. Ob-gyn that week & he didn't think I needed blood tests or hormone supplements at this point.

She did more scratch tests on me for about a dozen more fruits & vegetables (all of which were negative), & had some blood drawn. Told me I shouldn't be afraid to eat but to use caution on the foods that may be a problem for me. She seemed particularly concerned about those that cross-react with tree & grass pollen (which is sometimes a seasonal problem for me) -- including apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, & almonds -- in raw form, that is (cooked is better, boiled is best). These have never been a problem for me in the past, but...

She also suggested that I should try taking a daily antihistamine for awhile,that it might help break the cycle I seem to be in right now. I asked whether that would raise my blood pressure, & she said no, it's decongestants that do that, not antihistamines. I'm going to double-check with my family dr, but I think I'd like to try it (especially since she said I can take one of the non-sedating ones instead of the Benadryl, which totally throws me for a loop). I'm going to go back to see her in July.

In the end, she told me she is not too worried about me -- & not to be afraid to eat! So I'm feeling better & more hopeful about the situation. It was a 15-minute walk there & then back again from the subway -- a wealthy, midtown neighbourhood full of big old brick houses & big old trees, not far from the apartment where we lived when we were first married. It was a GORGEOUS day! (& I went straight from the dr's office to the train station to meet dh) That made me feel better too. : )