Severe Allergies and no help from Medics

[Elspe]

To be fair, I haven't asked for a while. I've seen 1 consultant over about 40 years about allergies, and he was only interested in people who were relevant to his own research (allergies to shellfish) - one of the few things I'm NOT allergic to. When we moved to this practice I asked and after much pushing was sent for skinprick tests but they wanted to test me for the SAME things I had already been tested for - grasses, animal dander and peanuts - of course I know those already. So it all fell flat. How can I get to see a real allergy consultant please? Someone who knows about allergies and doesn't just give me the handout, same sheet of paper about vaccuuming the bedroom and changing the sheets, avoiding pollen etc?

Allergies do cause exacerbation of my normally quite mild asthma, to the point where I go out very little, and because of many food allergies, very rarely eat out or different foods.

[mylungshateme]

Hi how frustrating when they don't listen. I too have asked a few times to see an allergy specialist or have thorough allergy testing... had bloods which showed high ige, and usual suspects pollen, grass mould animals dust. Respiratory Consultant said skin prick tests are pointless?! But I will keep trying to be referred! Sorry not much help but your not alone. 🙂 good luck.

[Poobah]

My consultantcy team are the same - they are involved in asthma research projects but not allergy research. I've asked for further testing as I get wheezy after eating so many different foods. But I've always been told "we don't run allergy tests".

Certain NHS hospitals will specialise in allergy testing, but how to get a referral is a mystery.

If you can afford it, then private testing at a reputable clinic is an option.

There are also other avenues, such as kinesiology - not recognised by the NHS. Personally, I'm skeptical but it did confirm my sensitivity to celery (only food tested). I still don't understand how it could work, hence my skepticism.

I also discovered my aspirin sensitivity 40 years ago after very bad reaction to taking it for a headache. It's not something that the NHS screen for in asthmatics even though it's thought that between 8 & 20% of asthmatics could have this. It is helpful to know about having this sensitivity as there's a long list of foods to avoid together with wet inhalers. I mention it just in case you fall into this category. Lots of info on the Internet about this and the link to asthma.

[mariyn]

I don’t know where you live but I rang the Royal Brompton in London , then told my g p I wanted an appointment there . She reluctantly agreed . Now I go to R B yearly and they do a range of pin prick tests including quite obscure tests e g birch tree pollen In reserve I also go to a private consultant near where I live occasionally. I find with asthma you have to do your own research and tell your g p what you want All best Marilyn

[mixmix]

Ask to be referred to an allergist in hospital. State how or is affecting you asthma - also you should have an asthma consultant he normally refers and they know the link between asthma and allergies.

[Elspe]

Hm. Thanks for your responses! Sounds as if it has worked better for some people. For me, well, WHAT asthma consultant? I don't think I have one since the practice sent me to see an Asthma Nurse at the hospital and she spent an hour or more telling me that I don't HAVE asthma. I sort of told her (more or less politely) thanks for wasting my time and walked out. Now I still have my prescriptions, none of that changed. I don't see an asthma nurse or consultant - my GP was managing my asthma quite well, at least to the point where I could be comfortable. That GP has now left the practice and just to see ANY GP at the moment is impossible because COVID.

Sigh. I'll (continue to) muddle/wheeze/pant along. It just gets alarming when there is nowhere to go to ask for help. Mostly I'm ok, but occasional bouts of breathlessness and major tiredness do limit me quite a lot, not to mention the sneezing fits every morning. We moved out of a big city to get better air, which we do, most of the time. But hospital services are poor, to put it mildly.

Oh, and the last time I did have my allergies tested (when living in the city) my GP told me I had the highest test scores (IgE?) she had ever seen. Not that I'm proud of that.