sneezydiva

I'm so aggrevated right now. All I want is to feel better and have my allergies properly managed. I know what properly managed allergies feel like because mine were managed very well where I used to live. But since I moved, they have gotten worse.

When I first moved, I started getting shots at an ENT. Things were fine until Ragweed season this past winter (I live in AZ) I complained and was told basically the shots should be working so something else is wrong. After CT scans were negative, I tested positive for food allergies. The ENT said they were the culprit as to why I was so miserable.

So my primary doctor referred me to an allergist. The allergist said no way were the food allergies causing my symptoms. After testing me for something called Valley fever, he told me I just needed to give the shots I was getting more time. It had been about 6 months, and in SC my shots only took 6 months for me to see an improvement. Just give it a little more I was told. Later on, I got a copy of his dictation, and in it he basically said I was a difficult case because I have to move so often (dh is military) but also I might have low symptom tolerance! Whatever, the girl who drags herself through each day until it gets unbearable, has low symptom tolerance. I'm not talking about a case of the sniffles.

Then I went back to SC for 3 weeks, and to my suprise, I felt better than I had in months, despite the fact it was rainy, and mold season was my worst season in SC. It became obvious to me that all the mold shots I am getting in AZ are working. After telling the ENT's shot nurse this, she suggested that I should be retested because maybe I was tested too early when I moved, so all the shots I am getting are for things I was allergic to in SC, but now I have developed allergies to things unique to the southwest. I thought this was a good idea and made a lot of sense.

But I wondered, if I had to go to the trouble of retesting, if I should switch doctors. I mainly wanted to do this because the ENT is a jerk and rude. (although his nurses are nice) I called the allergist's office telling them of my situation, and the allergist called me back. At first it sounded so positive, reading things from my file and telling me what I needed to do. But then I asked how long I should be off allergy shots before getting tested. What? If I am already getting shots, why do I want him to test me? Because they aren't working!!! Again he said I needed to give it 3-6 months. I tell him it's been almost a year! Something is wrong. He said if I really want him to retest me, he will, but it is foolish to start from scratch with him, when I only have 2 years left here. Argh!

So what should I do? Neither doctor listens to me very well, and they are the only 2 choices in town. Do I let the jerk ENT retest me, and hope some new stuff shows up that can be added to the shots I already get, which appear to be working? Or do I start fresh with a well mannered, new allergist, even though he isn't enthusiastic about treating me?


Thanks for listening. (I know this turned into a rant!)