Hi
I am new here and cannot seem to get any decent response from my allergist.
I am based in Australia and the standards of healthcare are very backwards compared to where I came from (the UK) and the USA where I have previously worked. I saw the standards in the US when my husband got sick whilst we were on holiday so I can say with some confidence that your healthcare system is about 20 years ahead of where we live now. I just explain this to give background about why I am struggling to get answers.
I was diagnosed at the age of 29 with allergies to sesame seeds and codeine, whilst I was living in the UK. However, I don't react to either skin prick tests or blood tests, which would imply that I am not allergic to them. However, when the hospital decided to do food/drug challenge tests in hospital, I went anaphylactic on both occasions.
I then moved to Australia and developed an allergy to Penicillin. I was in hospital with pneumonia, they gave it to me and I started by vomiting, going flushed and then struggling to breathe. They did it 2 days running (as they thought I reacted to a different drug that I was given at the same time) and the second night I spent in the High Dependency Unit.
I was then referred to the allergy department of the hospital. The doctor told me he did not believe his colleagues as to what had happened. He injected me with the penicillin under the skin. There was no hive but I went into anaphylactic shock within a few minutes - flushed, swollen airway, struggling to breathe, unable to swallow. The doctors refused (unknown as to why) to do blood tests whilst I was in anaphylactic shock, to prove I was having a reaction.
I don't understand why I don't react to skin prick tests or blood tests, yet if I ingest the items or they are injected under my skin I react. I also only flush red all over and don't come up with hives when I am reacting. Could this be something other than anaphylaxis? Can anyone help?