Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Allergy Update...

It's been a while since I've updated about James' allergy issues. We just weren't really sure where we stood on things. After the possible reaction to cashews back in May, we had bloodwork done that came back clear. I wasn't convinced that we weren't dealing with a nut allergy, though, so we've steered clear since then. At school and at church James is labeled as a child with a nut allergy. We've not offered peanut butter or anything else containing nuts at home. He did have Reese's Pieces at his birthday party when another parent (unaware of the issues) opened a package for him. He had several before I realized what he was doing. (And while it is NOT FUNNY at all, the parent turned completely white and looked sick when he realized! I felt horrible!) (His nose and forehead turned red and swelled a teensy bit, but we had been outside all day long and he's been known to react to outside allergens as well.)

So...we had an appointment with an allergist today. I have to say that I'd asked another parent about this doctor and a mutual friend of ours didn't like him (according to the friend I asked) but we were very impressed! We were only in the waiting room long enough to fill out paperwork and then we were moved to a room in the back where the nurse asked lots and lots and lots of questions about our home, his diet, our allergies, etc. After she finished she moved us to another room. We might have been there waiting on the doctor for 10 minutes.

When he came in he went through a lot of the same questions. We discussed the three reactions we've seen (two were definitely on the same day as nuts, one was not) as well as how sick he's been since August. He listened to his chest and back, looked in his nose and ears, and declared that he definitely has inflammation in his nose. James has been rubbing and rubbing his nose for about a week but it hasn't been runny so I've not given him anything for it. The doctor thinks we are definitely dealing with some seasonal stuff. He gave us a four week trial of Singulair to take at night. We'll go back in four weeks to see how that's worked.

He then talked to us about the food allergies. I showed him the pictures on my blog of the first reaction and he said he really, really doesn't think it's outdoor allergens. He's definitely leaning toward a nut allergy. :( He ordered more bloodwork because he said that often times when you do bloodwork right after a reaction it gives a false negative. So...more bloodwork at the hospital testing for LOTS of things. Everything from cashews and peanuts to dust mites and cockroaches. (YUCK!!!!) If the nut allergies come back negative again then he'll do a skin test for those. If not, then we'll know it's a nut allergy and go from there.

Eddie and I were both impressed with the doctor but I definitely am hoping that we don't fall into the weekly or even monthly visits to the allergist. Please pray that these tests will show NO food allergies and just the regular old seasonal stuff. I sure would love for him to live without the really super dangerous allergies.

1 comment:

Lauren said...

praying for him and yall!!...I am allergic to cockroaches too. doctors orders, other people have to kill and remove them for me ;)