Patient Resources

New Patients

Completing these forms prior to your visit will shorten your registration time.

Allergy testing may be done during your visit and can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. If this appointment is not for a child, we strongly suggest that children not accompany you on your visit. Allergy testing requires the patient to be perfectly still, and we have found that patients with children are unable to do so.

DO NOT TAKE ANTIHISTAMINES FOR 7 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR VISIT. Asthma medication, as well as other medications, may be continued. Please bring all medications you are currently taking (or a complete list) to your appointment.

These medications interfere with allergy skin tests and SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED PRIOR TO TESTING:

Antihistamines:

Seven days prior to testing, stop all over-the-counter allergy, cold and sleep medications (Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Clortrimeton, diphenhydramine, Zyrtec, etc.), and prescription antihistamines (Clarinex, Xyzal, etc.). This includes nasal sprays containing antihistamines, such as azelastine, Astepro, Dymista and Patanase.

Antidepressants:

Older antidepressants like Elavil (amitryptyline) should be stopped for 2 weeks prior to testing — please do NOT stop your medication without first consulting with the prescribing physician. Newer antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, etc.) do not interfere with testing and therefore do not need to be stopped. Most medications do not interfere with skin testing and may be continued.

Do Not Stop The Following:

• Cortisone nasal sprays (fluticasone, Nasonex, Nasacort AQ, Rhinocort, Veramyst, etc.)
• Asthma medications (Albuterol, Flovent, Singulair, Advair, etc.)
• Antibiotics
• Eye drops for allergy (Patanol, Elestat, Zaditor, etc.)
• Decongestants (Sudafed, Sudafed PE, etc.)
• Oral steroids (Prednisone, Medrol, Prelone, etc.)
• Birth control pills
• Medicines for other conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, reflux, high blood pressure, etc.
• We Do Not Perform Skin Testing on the Following Patients:
• Women should not be skin tested if they are or may be pregnant
• Patients taking beta blocker medications on a daily basis should not be skin tested or take allergy shots.The use of beta blocker medications (which may be prescribed for high blood pressure, heart conditions, glaucoma, migraine prevention, etc.) may hinder the effectiveness of treating systemic reactions to allergy skin testing or immunotherapy. We will be unable to skin test patients who have been prescribed beta blocker medications, but these patients are eligible for allergy blood tests. Ask your pharmacist, prescribing physician or one of our nurses if you are not sure if your medication is a beta blocker. Discover More about Beta Blockers.