Had anybody had allergy test done on their back?

[Checkenberger]

I am aware of many food and medication allergies I have but I have just been referred for environmental allergy testing involving taping allergens to my back for 5 days and seeing if there is a reaction.
Has anybody had this done and can say how much I can go about my life whilst the test is going on. Could I go back to work after the application of the test? I don't want to take a day's holiday for it. Could I do jobs around the house, cleaning, decorating, gardening etc?
It is to be placed on the Friday so trying to maybe replan my week now I know I'll have this on.
Also, if you had it, was it useful? What were you allergic to? I'm told they are testing for metals, plastics, preservatives, chemicals etc

Thanks

I did about 20 years ago, and yes, of course I went to work. The only issue was washing, i sat in a very shallow bath and washed my front not my back.

It turned up nickel and egg for me.

Like the pp I also had shallow baths. Had to keep it on for 48 hours. Went to work as normal.

Photo below.

(edited to add comment about photo)

I personally wouldn't decorate/gym/garden etc while it was on just because showering afterwards is difficult, so I would avoid doing anything that will get you sweaty or dirty.

Photo

I wouldn’t do anything that will cause you to get too dirty or sweaty as you can’t wash properly while they are on. They can obviously be itchy and cause an allergic reaction (in whatever way you normally do) which may make you uncomfortable.

You can go back to work afterwards and do everything else normally as long as you don’t get the patches wet.

It was very useful for me, as it identified I was allergic to some odd things in cosmetics and toiletries that I never would have worked out on my own.

Yep I had this a year ago. I was just advised not to exercise (sweat) and not shower. Mine came back with multiple allergies (two a4 sides of paper's worth!) so as you can imagine it was incredibly itchy and uncomfortable for whole week. I was constantly fighting an urge not to rip the skin off my back!!!

It's definitely worth doing.

Yes my adult dd had. You can’t do anything vigorous for the first few days. The; the tape comes off so it’s not so bad but you can’t have a shower or anything.

I had same type back patch test done by NHS Dermatologist. Just a bit of discomfort where the active allergens made contact.

Found some completely unexpected results including some ingredients of popular skin creams!

Since avoiding now known allergens my skin has cleared up.

Gosh. I wish. My daughter is 8, carries multiple epipens, needed one last weekend, yet we have ‘fallen off the Consultants list’. Obviously I’ve pushed for a referral, but am flabbergasted at the awful provision.

Like all the previous P I had one done about a year ago and it was itchy but otherwise OK. You can go about your business as normal. Easy - peasy

I hadn't thought about the sweaty and not showering side of it. I'll hold off the home improvements for that weekend! I am quite active at work so might take the day off that they are applied, luckily it's a Friday and I'm home at weekend.
I have waited years for this referral. I had pin prick tests done on my arms when I was about 7 which showed positive for almost everything they tested for. I have been chasing more tests for about 20 years and never been referred back to dermatology. I moved house recently and was immediately referred. The dermatologist I saw this week (10 weeks after referral from new gp) was horrified at the state of me even though I'm the clearest I've been in years, and I am in next month for the back thing. Postcode lottery clearly!

I had one years ago. No showers only baths. Very hard to wash your hair. I lived alone at that time. All I was allergic to was some face cream and the tape!

I had about 10 panels of tests taped to my back. They were careful to avoid my bra straps. Didn't much bother me, which surprised me, as I reacted to several of the samples. The samples were applied on a Monday, removed on the Wednesday and my back examined, and then my back was examined again on the Friday. All that week I washed very carefully, facing the shower so that I didn't get my back wet. I didn't wash my hair that week.

I seem to remember doing my hair in the sink with a jug, and a towel over my back in case of splashes. These days I'd just get some dry shampoo.

I was also allergic to the tape! That was one of my biggest reactions!! 😂