in the last series of doctor visits regarding my skin problems, it was decided to have me get full allergy testing.  today was the first day.  i got to the VU medische centrum at 8:45, had a coffee in the brasserie, then up to dermatology by 9:00, for my 9:10 appointment.  sat in the first waiting room until 9:30, was seen into an appointment room, interrogated by two assistant doctors, who then brought in a head doctor briefly, who said, "ok, then we’ll go on with everything."  then back into another waiting room for about 20 minutes, then told that because they wanted to test so many things on me, it would require more than fits on one back, and we’d do it in two batches.  waited a little more, then shown into a dressing room, to remove shirt & bra.  then a nurse applied patches all over my back.

i’m not allowed to take a shower.  no sweating.  on wednesday i’ll go back, they’ll remove these ones.  then thursday we’ll put on the other ones (which will involve pricking), then monday i’ll go in again.  then various followups with dermatologists.

these ones include my food sensitivities.  as a result, i reek of garlic.  not kidding.  the whole room smells of it.  my colleagues can smell it.  and my body is reacting.  my wrist and neck (and various parts of my back) itch, there’s a horrible taste in the back of my throat, and i keep sneezing and coughing.  i have a post-nasal drip that wasn’t there this morning.  so, basically – yep, looks like i’m allergic to something back there.

yikes.  i feel pretty crappy.  it will be interesting to find out which things i knew already, or suspected, and which ones i’ve never suspected.  they’re doing a full general one, plus various ones i mentioned contact with while we did the questionnaire.