If you had allergy testing on NHS, how?

[TigerWhiskers]

I've been having recurrant sinus infections, allergy symptoms and sinus pain for a couple of years now.

At the moment allergy tablets have been helping to reduce the allergy symptoms but every week I still have at least 2 days where my sinuses ache and feel inflamed...but I don't have any mucus or congestion in my nose.

I guess I'm allergic to something but I don't know what. I was referred to ENT a while ago. Do you think ENT would do allergy testing? Or should I speak to GP about that?

Thanks

No idea but it might not get you the results you are hoping for.

Treatment is likely to be antihistamine which you do already or avoiding the allergen. For something like pollen that's near impossible as it gets everywhere.

However ENT would be able to answer your questions and tell you if they think it is a good idea.

What are your allergy symptoms? What you've described doesn't sound like allergies.

Without the antihistamines I had watery itchy eyes, itchy ears, nasal drip, slight sore throat. Sinus ache, behind my left cheek, sinus pain at the bridge of my nose.

With the antihistamine there's a reduction in itchy eyes eyes, no nasal drip, no slight sore throat. But I still get sinus ache, sinuses feel inflamed and pain at the bridge of my nose. Slight ear itchiness.

My daughter had allergy tests via the GP, she also has an appointment with immunology coming up referred by the GP.

I've been taking cetirizine hydrochloride daily and GP has prescribed me dysmista nasal spray which I use twice a day

@IhateJan22 I hope you get to the bottom of it.

I had to pester my GP for aaaages to get the ENT referral. Ill have to muster up some motivation and energy if I am to pursue allergy testing with him.

Dh and ds currently under ent allergy clinic, dd was previously uber pare allergy clinic( not ent). All were tested by the clinic not the gp. Treatment for dh and ds is manged by the ent clinic and they repeat the
tests every couple of years. Ds had also had 2 courses if immuno therapy due to the level of his allergies. There are some really good treatment combinations available when manged by a specialist so you're on the right path.

Ok, so might be hayfever/allergic rhinitis - they generally don't test for 'just' hayfever/allergic rhinitis.

The U.K. has a serious shortage of allergy specialists/immunologists so they tend to not accept referrals for those with less serious allergies.

I get inflammation in my sinuses, for years I've done daily nasal rinses and taken antihistamines (ENT put it down to acid reflux!). The only thing I've found that gives me relief is a supplement called quercetin. I take 2 a day.

I got my referral to the allergy clinic because I got stung by a wasp and had an anaphylactic reaction. Thankfully not as bad as it could have been but very frightening.

Ambulance crew told me to phone my GP and get him to refer me to the allergy clinic.
Skin and blood tests did indeed confirm the allergy and I'm about to finish the 3 year course of immunotherapy.

I'd just ask/push your GP for a referral to the allergy clinic and wait it out. It might be you still need the surgery but if the root cause can be treated then that has to be better all round.

This sounds like allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Usual allergens are pollens (grass/tree/flowers).

Allergy tests in these situations are not actually helpful.

With hay fever medications, they need to be started at least 2-4 weeks BEFORE hay fever season starts. Because it's easier to stop the inflammation build up, because as once the inflammation starts then it's almost impossible to reverse it.

So meds needs to be started 2-4 weeks before hay fever usually in March and needs to be continued daily (whether there are symptoms are not) till the end of the hay fever season.

It's worthwhile checking pollen levels on days when you're going out. Sometimes that means not going out for me unfortunately.

Sunglasses can be protective and reduces the amounts of pollen entering through the eyes.
You also need to shower and wash hair after every going out session as the pollen stays on your hair, skin and clothes and you keep reacting to it over days!

There's lots of lifestyle things to be done to make hayfever more manageable. The allergy UK website has a great page on it with tons more advice.

Oh one other thing, I had the itchy eye/sinus thing many years ago now and it turned out it was due to a new pillow. Changed that back to the old one and it instantly cleared up. Just food for thought?

Yes,don't know about your specific new pillow but with my allergic rhinitis it extends to goose feathers/down and house dust mites. So I usually get symptoms if using fancy extravagant goose/down pillows/duvets!

I have an anti allergy cover on my beddings now as a standard.

If I'd open a window on a high pollen day, I would have reactions for days!

Have a look at this for other details:

https://www.allergyuk.org/resources/allergic-rhinitis-and-hay-fever-fact-sheet/

The showering after pollen exposure made the biggest difference to me.

I think for such general symptoms you won't get a referral.

Have you done a food diary? What have you considered in the home? Is it worse indoors or out, any time of year etc.? Have you moved house, any mould, any new carpet etc?

@KennaThomas that's really interesting about taking the antihistamines constantly until season ends. Is that the same for children so you know as my 20 month old has had piriton since he was 9 months old and I only give them if we're going out and I know it's going to be a high pollen day.

I don't think I have hay fever. I don't think I've ever noticed my sinuses being painful when I am outside.

I think I'm allergic to something in my house.

You won't get allergy testing unless your GP believes your symptoms are likely to be the result of other allergy than hayfever.

Double Check with a pharmacist at a pharmacy. Just Because piriton is sedating so there may be different option that's more appropriate for daily use for a child.

I can absolutely put up with that allergy type symptoms (itchy eyes and ears etc) what I don't want to put up with anymore is the sinus ache. It makes it very difficult for me to work and concentrate. I find it emotionally draining too.

I don't know if that is due to over exposure to whatever I am allergic to...or if it's something completely different.

I doubt you'd get allergy testing for that. The allergy clinic refused the referral for my 1 year old who was regularly coming out in hives, even though she's at increased for allergies as DH has several anaphylactic allergies.

If you wanted to try self-diagnosing, you could cut out dairy or wheat for a couple of weeks and see whether your symptoms improve. I'm mildly dairy intolerant and my symptoms are mostly nasal/sinus congestion. I didn't realise until I started breastfeeding my son who had a dairy allergy and I had to cut dairy out of my diet. A friend who is a nutritional therapist, reckons dairy and wheat are the most likely culprits so she always starts with them when someone comes to her with allergy symptoms.

Allergy testing isn't always reliable because it picks up IgE-mediated allergies which are the more serious ones, causing wheezing, hives and sometimes anaphylaxis. If your allergy is IgG-mediated then it may not be picked up by an allergy test. My son was allergic to dairy and eggs when ingested but blood tests and skin prick tests came back negative. IgG-mediated allergy causes symptoms such as congestion, stomach aches, IBS, mild rashes, joint pain etc. which vary from person to person.

All your symptoms you mentioned is indicative of hayfever.

Hayfever symptoms can be delayed; exposure to allergen when out, inflammation is building up, returns to home, symptoms start.

You may well be allergic to house dust mites on top which is common for hayfever sufferers - if the allergy tests confirm this, then there is still NO treatment for this apart trying to "avoid it". Like with most allergens.

Have another chat with your GP if you're really worried about something specific.

I was going to suggest house dust mite as a possible culprit too.
It's a nuisance and difficult to totally eradicate but we found that getting rid of carpets, using mattress protectors etc made a significant difference.

The OP is describing IgE allergy symptoms.

Intolerances (which can't be tested for) are very different to allergies.