Patient Medications Guide

There are some medications that may interfere with the results of an allergy skin test. To ensure an accurate skin test please reference the guidelines below for some of the more common medications that interfere with allergy testing and how to address them. If you’re not sure what a particular medication you are taking is, ask your healthcare professional.

WARNING: DO NOT STOP TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS UNTIL YOU HAVE DISCUSSED IT WITH YOUR DOCTOR

Antihistamines

Stop taking them 72-hours prior to the test

Actifed
Allegra (Fexofenadine)
Astelin nasal spray
Atarax (Hydroxyzine)
Benadryl Claratin (Loratadine)
Clarinex
Dimetapp Cold & Allergy
Diphenhydramine
Dramamine/Meclizine Elestat eye drops
Optivar eye drops
Patanol eye drops
Tavist Tylenol Allergy Sinus
Tylenol Cold and Flu
Tylenol Flu pm
Zyrtec (Cetirizine)

Sleep Aids

Stop taking them 24-hours prior to the test

Many sleep aids such as Tylenol PM & Unisom Sleep contain antihistamines.
If it contains diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or Doxylamine succinate it contains antihistamine.

Antacid Medications

Stop taking these the evening prior to your skin test

Some prescription antacid medications can also have an antihistamine effect.
TUMS or ROLAIDS are fine as they simply counteract the acid itself. Pepcid (Famotidine) Zantac (Ranitidine) Tagament (Cimetidine)

Leukotriene Blocking Medications

Do not take on the morning of visit 2-3 hours prior to test

Singulair (Monteleukast) Zyfo (Zileuon) Accolate (Zafrlukast)

Asthma Inhalers

These Do not interfere with allergy testing, take as prescribed

Advair
Aerobid
Albuterol (Proair, Proventil,Ventolin)
Alvesco Asmanex
Atrovent
Azmacort
Combivent Dulara
Duoneb
Flovent (Fluticasone)
Maxair Pulmicort
Qvar
Symbicort
Xoponex (Ievalbuterol)

Corticosteroid Nasal Sprays

These Do not interfere with allergy testing, take as prescribed

Flonase (Fluticasone)
Nasalide Nasocort
Nasonex Omnaris/Zetonna (Ciclesonide)
QNASL Rhinocort
Veramyst

Beta Blockers

Postpone for 24-hours prior to test if possible

These DO NOT interfere with allergy testing. This is an anaphylaxis risk safety measure. If you are on a beta blocker, the skin test can be performed 24 hours after your last dose.
You can take your medicine 30 minutes post skin test.
Injection immunotherapy is not recommended while on beta blockers however the sublingual drops are safe to take.

Oral Steroids

Short term use and small doses should have no effect on the skin test. However, it is recommended to be off treatment for a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the skin test with short term use.
Long term use and high doses of oral steroids such as 20 mg Prednisone or 16 mg of Medrol per day are likely to affect skin test results and a blood test will be needed.