Stopping allergy meds to have allergy testing

Itchy is the best way to describe my teenage daughter, Kitty. We have to repeat her skin test because she is having a LOT of problems with allergies-even though she has been on immunotherapy (allergy shots) for almost 5 years.

She is still sneezing and sniffing and miserable. And she is having HUGE welts and swelling from her shots. Last week, the lump on her arm was about the size of half a hard boiled egg under the skin.

So Asthma Doc is re-testing her. I'm a little worried. She has to stop taking all allergy medicine for a week before the scratch test (otherwise it will mask the symptoms.) She was itching by the first day of not being able to take her generic Zyrtec pill. Every day that she comes home from school, she is covered in red marks from scratching. And there's nothing I can do.

She has to suffer for 2 more days. Asthma Doc had her take a short burst of oral steroids (prednisone) to help control the allergic reactions. But she is still miserable. My oldest son, Son #1, had the same problem. But he actually broke out in hives and his hands swelled up-all because he couldn't take allergy medicine for a week.

So I get to take Kitty in for more torture this week. And the bad part, she knows what's coming. This will be her third time for the scratch test. And she let me know it. She said, "Mom-you said the scratch test wouldn't hurt. And it did!" Hhm, Shot Nurse said it wouldn't hurt, that she would just scratch the skin with each allergen, then look at her back 20 minutes later and see how big the welts are. But it does hurt.

And the patient can't move for 20 minutes. So Kitty will have to lay on her stomach with an itchy back and welts forming, and not be able to move-or scratch anything! The best part is when Shot Nurse comes back in and smooths Benadryl cream all over her back.

I feel so guilty as a mom for inflicting this pain and misery on my daughter. I hope she'll forgive me. I know it will help her in the long run. But it's very hard to watch your child suffer. Even if it is for only 20 minutes (and a week of non-stop itching the week before.)

I'll have to make it up to her somehow. Guess we'll spend Friday night at the mall shopping for clothes and going out to dinner. It's the least I can do for a teenage daughter.....