So, I went to the allergist today, and they stabbed me with a ton of needles...and I didn't react to anything. So then the lady was like...well, OK we'll inject some under your skin...still, I react to nothing. So they do a breathing test and stuff, just beacsue I was telling them how I was short of breath and stuff a lot, then we go talk to the doctor...and he was like, You have Vasomotor Rhinitis...so basically, my nose is runny or stuff, or I have a lot of post nasal drip...for no aparent reason. :P So he just gave me some Rhinocort Aqua to see if that helps any. I wish they woulda figured this out before they poke me with so many neeldes. :O But still...this doesn't really explain why sometimes my eyes will be really itchy...course, that hasn't happened for a good few months now...heh

Just out of curiousity, how long were you off your antihistimines before your testing? You might want to consider asking for a blood test also. My RAST (blood test) showed I was allergic to dogs, when the skin test showed no reaction to dogs.

Hi 'Midget', I guess they wanted to make sure that you weren't allergic to anything as this might mean you could have allergic rhinitis. And since you mentioned to them about the shortness of breath, they want to rule out things like 'allergic' asthma. In some way, it's good that they did tests to rule out stuffs instead of 'guessing' your diagnosis. But I'm sorry that you had to be poked so many times! :eek:

Vasomotor rhinitis is a poorly understood condition... what they know is that the lining inside the affected nose overreacts to anything that irritates it. Thus blood vessels enlarge and this results in chronic swelling and nasal obstruction. Irritants are stuffs like cold air, weather changes, hair sprays, air pollution..etc.

I was diagnosed with allergic rhinitis at first. After medications failed to help me... they thought that it wasn't really allergy but vasomotor rhinitis. The change of diagnosis made no difference to the treatment or my rhinitis status; medications still failed to help me and surgery was the only other solution left. After surgery, my right nose ain't too good but I can breathe better thru my left nose with only occasional small congestion.

Maybe you could suggest another blood test, RAST, like sneeydiva have mentioned to rule out allergies. Taking antihistamines might affect results sometimes. Good luck and hope the spray works! :angel:

The spray just seems to make my sinuses hurt and make me more stuffy...:P But I'm suposed to go back in three weeks, so we'll if anything changes between now and then.

Okay, I'm getting frustrated...so this morning, I took the Rhinocort again...my nose ran all day, and I sneezed + sinus pain kinda coming and going...I'm about to start taking the Claritin again, because this is ugh...any ideas?

Again, I ask how long were you off the Claritin before your allergy testing? You are supposed to be off most allergy meds at least 14 days before getting tested. If you weren't, then you might be allergic to a bunch of stuff, despite what your testing said.

I was off it for like 3-4 days...so, really, if they wanted to do another test when I went back, I shouldn't take any between now and then? I told the nurse I had only been off it for a few days, and she was like "That's OK". Is there anything I can take in the mean time that might make me feel a little better, but not mess up test results if they wanted to do them again? What about some Sudafed? This Rinocort doesn't seem to be able to make it threw the whole day with just one dose in the morning. :( I'm usually all stuffed up again by the time I go to bed. :( Ugh.

Wow! Really? My allergist said I had to be off my Zyrtec for 4 whole weeks. And that I couldn't take Claritin for 2 whole weeks before. The 2 weeks before my test I was allowed only Benedryl and even that I had to stop 3 days before the test. Those were the 3 worst days of my life. I was allowed Sudaphed and Flonase though, it's just the antihistimines that mess up the testing. I would call them and say you want to be retested.

The steroid spray should take about 2 weeks before you can feel the full effects. And if you are prescribed a nasal steroid spray, you should use it daily regardless if you are feeling better or else you won't get the effect from the medication; it's a long term medication. As for the sneezing and runny nose, an antihistamine like Claritin will work. However, I have heard that if your problem ain't allergic, the antihistamine won't really have any effect on one. Just like me, the antihistamine didn't work... neither did the steroid spray. Check out why you are having the sinus pain with your doctor on the next appt, it might be an infection... Take care! :angel:

It's funny I thought the Claritin wasn't doing much for me...after being off it for about a week now, I'm wanting to go back on it...my nose wasn't this runny when I was on it, and I never sneezed. :P I mean--not saying I felt great even then, but I felt better than what I do when I'm off it.

Wouldn't my snot be green if it was an infection? My nose ran all this morning, and it was clear like always--but now I'm just stuffed up and hurting again...great. :P I'm staying off the antihistimines until I go back...maybe I can get them to do a retest...I think I go back in like 3 weeks.

Yes, it would be dark greenish and yellowish if it's an infection. But you could also have greenish/yellowish discharge even if you don't have a sinus infection... it could be allergy or something..Though the color will be lighter. :angel:

Well, my snot is clear...so I doubt it's an infection...but I will mention it to the allergist when I go back...because it's driving me nuts. :(