RAST Test

Hi All,

Has any1 had a rast test before?? im having one todaymbut havent stopped taking meds (antihistimine) does this matter with the blood test??

Would love any info on rast or skin prick testing

[Hidden]

Hello LMC,

Here's a little bit of info re the RAST test.

The RAST (Radioallergosorbent test), previously known as the ""allergen-specific IgE blood test"", is a laboratory test performed on blood. In a RAST test, a lab will expose a sample of your blood to different test allergens such as animal dander, grasses, mites, or foods. Allergen-specific IgE antibodies (which are present if there is a ""true"" allergic reaction) will attach to a substance if you are allergic to it. A radioactive chemical is used in testing to help measure the results. The RAST test can be used to test for over 400 allergens.

An advantage of the RAST test is that it’s not affected by antihistamines or other medications that you may be taking.

A RAST test can be performed when a skin test (like the skin prick / scratch test, or a patch test) cannot be done because of an acute or chronic inflammation of the skin due to an allergy.

Whatever allergy tests you have done it is extremely important to try and make a list of anything you have noticed that might provoke an allergic reaction.

Some of the questions you might like to have prepared answers to and which you may have already been asked are:

Do symptoms appear when you are at a particular location, or at a given time of day, day of the week, or season of the year?

How long have you experienced your symptoms?What kind of work do you do?

What sort of things are you exposed to at work?

Are there pets in the home?

What are your hobbies?

Do any other family members have an allergic condition?

There are many useful websites that give further info such as

njc.org/disease-info/diseas...

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

Good luck with your tests.

Mia

xxx

[Hidden]

When I had mine done I was in hossie (due to my 1st anaphylactic reaction + asthma attack enduced by the allergy) on IV antihistamines, IV hydro, IV amino amongst all my other meds and it was still done!

They can mark on the form what meds you are on anyway.

My cons NOW is not one for anyone that it poses a health risk with stopping ANY meds before a test, he simply says it is not worth the risk.

But don't forget as with any test false results can be seen!

My cons has seen me react to things and need resussing by ITU team when my RAST comes back negative or low risk of allergy!

And YES I have true allergies but my IgE reaction is NOT normal and I also produce other antibodies in HIGH amounts when I react to a known allergen in me!

This was all proven when I reacted to a regular med on a ward earlier this year (ITU cons, reg, sho + my cons and his team were involved) and even though it almost killed me my IgE level wasn't very raised!

I am a rareity my cons says but hey who amongst us follows a textbook for what we should be doing chest wise or treatments hey!

[Hidden]

Thanks every1, I had it done today at my Drs they nurse did it. Im being tested for Food Allergies, Inhalent Pannel (which i guess is Dust, Pollen etc.) & latex. Apperently it takes 3 - 4wks for results to come back, when these come back the cons is going to do a skin prck test on me. My hayfever is been really bad this yr as is every1's that nxt yr cons is saying that i may be desentised, has any1 else had this done, does it work??

Thanks

Lmc