Allergy question

[wornoutmom]

So my son is not feeling well for the umpteenth time - truly it seems like the days he feels well are few and far between these days. About 2 weeks ago he was diagnosed with a sinus infection (after dh had double ear infection and other ds had a "cold"). He did 2 days of zith that made him crazy and we quickly switched over to Biaxin. Seems like he was feeling better until this Friday, when he starts complaining again of feeling like he's been run over by a truck, and his nose is starting to run. Well, I'm actually elated about his nose running because this kid NEVER drains out his nose - i'm thinking progress. But yesterday I notice that he is suddenly getting hoarse and more conjested as we're outside watching his brother's soccer game. When we return inside he's a bit less hoarse. The swelling inside his nose from the sinus infection is gone. But this morning he wakes up again with a runny nose, stinging eyes and hoarse,sore throat. So here's my question - it seems like this might be allergies. But he's been allergy tested and everything came back negative!!! Is it possible to still be allergic but not respond to the skin tests? Maybe a lesser allergic reaction would make it negative? Or he's allergic to something not tested? I told him to start tracking whether he feels worse after lawn mowing (even thought he grass test was negative) - but this is his summer job and it would be so horrible if he couldn't do it. He is so tired of feeling sick - he wants IVIG now because he's hoping it might make him just better. We are all approved on the IVIG but were planning to hold out until school ends in 3 weeks as long as we can keep him stable on the Biaxin for now. Do we need to really pursue this allergy angle before IVIG? Could it cause problems with IVIG if we don't? I'm afraid our immunologist is going to look at me like I'm crazy since he's already been tested!

[Fixit]

i would say i do not have allergies...but there are a couple of days early in the season and a couple of days late in the season where i feel a tightness, or irritation right where you would do a trake......so if i don't have allergies, per common knnowledge, this could still be effecting your son....

also...when you mow, you are kicking up other pollens and molds that grow naturally in the ground....

and if you log into this site ....everyday it gives lttle tid bits of info...ie...if you have allergies...donn't go out for 3-4 HOURS after the lawn has been mowed because it stays in the air

 

http://weather.weatherbug.com/GA/Atlanta-w...llen-count.html

 

this one you can get your daily pollen counts

 

http://www.atlantaallergy.com/

[bgbarnes]

i would say i do not have allergies...but there are a couple of days early in the season and a couple of days late in the season where i feel a tightness, or irritation right where you would do a trake......so if i don't have allergies, per common knnowledge, this could still be effecting your son....

also...when you mow, you are kicking up other pollens and molds that grow naturally in the ground....

and if you log into this site ....everyday it gives lttle tid bits of info...ie...if you have allergies...donn't go out for 3-4 HOURS after the lawn has been mowed because it stays in the air

 

http://weather.weatherbug.com/GA/Atlanta-w...llen-count.html

 

this one you can get your daily pollen counts

 

http://www.atlantaallergy.com/

WornoutMom- I am right there with you- we did not test significantly to any allergies but I KNOW my ds has them. did you have his overall ige level tested? Ours is elevated but no significant allergy is showing up- maybe that is a place to start to see if there is some allergic reaction going on. every Spring my son's behavior shifts- it has to be allergies! I am going to dig make through look at what was high on the pollen count when his behavior shifts or is feeling bad to see if I can deduct what might be causing the problem....MORE research! Then I will cross reference that to what was tested and see if anything was missing from the 84 prick test. It's all I can think of!

good Luck!

Brandy

[Suzan]

We have been really helped by the neti pot. We don't do it as much as we should, but all of our allergy symptoms improve a lot when we use it every day. A friend of mine just had testing done and came back totally negative but she has allergy symptoms too. The allergist said sinuitis from unknown cause. The internet says it could be viral, bacterial or autoimmune. She's not inclined to investigate further, just happy it's not allergies. So maybe for your son it's inflammation caused by the pandas?

 

I'm thinking I would consider ibuprofen, over the counter allergy meds and the netipot to try to help with the symptoms if you are headed towards IVIG and hold off on allergy testing if it seems he is not allergic.

 

That said, my dd8 is triggered by allergies and we are doing allergy shots but she's allergic to absolutely everyting.

 

Susan

[MomWithOCDSon]

Our DS has always had some seasonal and environmental allergies -- dust, pollen, mold -- but this year, they seemed to hit him particularly hard. Because he was already in PANDAS exacerbation, perhaps?

 

Anyway, via another thread here on the topic, we got some great advice: start his day out with as low an "allergy load" as possible, and work to keep it low throughout the day, so that the child doesn't get "topped out" and further exacerbate the PANDAS behaviors/symptoms.

 

So we shut the house up and filter all of our indoor air . . . even on nice, moderate days . . . through our HEPA-filtered HVAC system. It's amazing how much less "dust" (more accurately, a mix of dust and pollen) we can see laying on our furniture as a result! We've doubled his quercitin supplements. And he gets a 10 mg. Zyrtec gelcap every morning, and a Benedryl capsule every night, in addition to his other supplements, abx, probiotics, etc.

 

His allergies have backed down considerably in the last few weeks, and so have some of his most problematic PANDAS behaviors. It may be coincidental, but then again, it may not!

[kimballot]

Through the years I have found allergy testing to be as much art as science. My son has tested differently within a couple of months depending on whom is doing the testing. In the end, you treat the child, not the test... so if it looks like allergy, give the antihistimines a try and do the environmental stuff to reduce the allergy load (there are lots of websites on that stuff and I am sure your allergist can give you lists).

 

Also, I am wondering if your son was put on an antifungal. My son was never put on antifungals for the first 7 years of nearly non-stop antibiotic use. In addition to the whole yeast in the gut issue... he actually started developing fungal sinus infections. Yup... while the antibiotics were busily killing the bacteria, fungus was growing rampant in his sinuses. The two sinus surgeries he had both tested positive for fungus but negative for bacteria (of course he had been on strong augmentin before each for several weeks). There are some good articles about fungal sinus infections, and I can post them if you'd like (can't find them just now).

 

So... I always encourage asking for diflucan or another antifungal whenever you get an antibiotic.

 

Also - the netti pot IS a WONDERFUL thing once you make it a part of your day. I was doing it myself (1/4 tsp. salt in warm water and go), and I felt so much better. Got out of the habit and regret it. Need to start doing it again!

 

Let us know if any of the suggestions that anyone posted help. I am always looking for ideas for allergy relief!