Poke-eno!

I got pokeno! yay. Get it? lol.

  It was still really bad after she rubbed me with a histamine cream...

 Before all the reactions got real bad...I could feel them bubbling up...felt like I was bleeding.

 I went back to my allergist for a standard skin allergy prick test. I didn't know what I was in for, as I've never had any tests done...but the doctor and assistant didn't know what they were in for with my whacked out genes.

   They tested me for 72 different common allergens, covering Environmentals, Molds, Trees, Grasses, and Weeds. Yes, that means 72 sharp pricks. Initially it wasn't that the amount of pain was high, but just the fact that it would keep coming for 70 more jabs...I was squinting and counting them down in my head lol.

   The nurse first pricked me with a standard histamine as a control, to ensure my reactions wouldn't be tainted by any medications etc. (since i've been off my meds for a week). She said that one would itch a little. That one began itching when she was half-way done, but it wasn't too bad. I read a magazine and she left to set a timer for 15 mins. A second after she left my whole back began heating up and crawling...begging me to SCRATCH!!!!!! I laid on my stomach distracting myself by texting, and kicking my feet back and forth. I thought this was normal....

I took this pic before they got really blistered..I wanted to see what my back looked like...soon after it began burning and itching like hell! I still thought it was normal at this point lol.

  Until the nurse came in and stopped mid-sentence...because she had never seen a back react so strongly, and to nearly EVERYTHING they pricked me with. She felt so bad she fanned me with a clipboard and then went and told the dr in the next room---"Samantha is burning up red hot over there..."

   I knew then it must look pretty bad...and that it wasn't normal. They do this all the time, and mine was that bad to shock them. The doctor was astounded and immediately said, "you can tell your husband and family you are NOT crazy". lol. He says it's very interesting how strongly I reacted to everything especially on my right side. He then proceeded to measure each and every reaction, so the nurse could write down the measurements. They were based on specific units for allergy tests starting with diameter of the blistering bubble, and then the diameter of the red halo around it.

  Some of my left actually happened to come out negative in the beginning, but by the time he finished the right, some of the left ones had also blistered up! So he had to remeasure them. Here are my results---anything with a "0" means I am not allergic to it...if you look closely you'll see ONE thing I am not allergic to....Pine trees. EVERY other tree, grass, and weed I am highly allergic to.

Can you find the one plant I am not allergic to? Pine! lol.. the nurse writes a lot more "0's" for the typical allergy patient.

   The doctor said, "You will not be an outdoorsy girl, you will not go camping. You will go to the marriot." Most of these plants, trees and grasses are found everywhere so there really isn't an ideal place to move to....although the doctor said, "maybe saudi arabia, but they don't really like women" haha. The only list that wasn't full, were the molds. The environmentals were the ones with delayed allergic reactions.

Doctor laughed and said "woah! wasn't expecting all this!"

   So basically that was the first part. They then take the ones you tested negative for, and re-test them again on your arm to be sure....typically that would mean they'd test ~30 or so on your arm..but since I reacted to damn near all of them, they only had to do 8 in my arm.....2 of which did come out positive (dust mites).

   He basically said I'm allergic to anything that grows....maybe we'll move to Antarctica next. how fun!

   Oh and after he measured the nurse swabbed me with alcohol and histamine cream and it was heavenly relief. The swelling took a while to go down.

   So...treatment..where do I start?
* I need allergy armor encasing for all my mattresses and pillows.
* I need a hepa filter at least in my bedroom, if not in all rooms. (said don't use humidifiers and definitely not any 'ionic' purifier as they produce o-zone which makes you sick.)
*Vacuum as much as possible with a Hepa filter vac.
*Wear michael jackson mask while cleaning (already do)
*Stay away from my dogs (i do...)
*Stay indoors...:( No tanning outside he said (which sucks because I am Vit D deficient..)
*Take singulair, flonase, and allegra daily
*Use saline mist for nose
*Use systane eye drops
*Use fluocilanone steroid cream for sebbhoreic dermatitis on eyes as needed
*Only use Dove bodywash, and CeraVe lotions
*In the future, do not have carpet in bedroom (wish Id known that when we installed flooring a few mos ago)
*he said DEFINITELY continue all the cardio I do, as that helps with allergies :) (did spin tonight!)

  He even said my next furniture should be leather and that he'd write a referral for leather furniture or exercise equipment to be tax-free (since he doesn't want me exercising outside). So basically live in a bubble!

 I will also be starting an allergy shot regimen to build up an immunity to all these allergens. But whereas most people get one panel, I will need 3....and I will need to get them 2 times a week....for a long period of time...like years...all this just to not be miserable daily.

   He also ordered a bunch of labwork to check for things regarding my immune system...metabolic panel, thyroid panel, and a bunch of other antibodies and stuff I am ignorant to. I am going to get those done tomorrow.

  As bad as the results are, I am very grateful I found him. Finally a doctor is interested in my true well-being, not just throwing a prescription at me to shut up. I am glad things are being discovered and treated. The next big issue will be my low estrogen and possibly premature menopause...that's later next month. Gonna get healthy! I swear!

     Unfortunately we think at least Lucas inherited my allergy problems, so I am going to do all the doctor says. I don't think he necessarily needs to be seen yet, or get pricked (hope not!) but I will be getting the hepa filters and special bedding covers for their rooms too.

   *Funny enough, the doc said, "well I'm sure your husband might be the healthy one to inherit from, but you got the beautiful genes to give to your kids" haha! I said, "how'd you know!?"

   I have been exercising, eating healthier-using healthier substitutes. I clean as much as I can, and keep the kids clean too. I got my blood pressure and cholesterol down to healthy levels, and I am going to do all I can to fix everything else...I'm still young dang it! I wanna feel good! I know I will be a better mom and wife when I do :)