Preparing for an appointment

Many people are diagnosed and treated for allergies by their primary care physicians. However, depending on the severity of your allergies, your primary care doctor might refer you to a doctor who specializes in treating allergies.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

• Ask if there are any pre-appointment restrictions when making your appointment. For example, if you're having allergy tests, your doctor will likely want you to stop taking allergy medications for several days before the test.
• Write down your symptoms, as well as where you were and what you were doing when the symptoms started.
• List all the medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, including doses.
• Write down questions for your doctor.

For a mold allergy, some questions you might want to ask include:

• What do you think is causing these symptoms?
• Are there tests available that can confirm a specific allergy? Do I need to prepare for these tests?
• How can I treat a mold allergy?
• What side effects can I expect from allergy medications?
• How can I get mold out of my home?
• I have another health condition. How can I best manage these conditions together?
• Do you have brochures or other printed materials I can have? What websites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:

• Exactly what are your symptoms?
• What seems to trigger symptoms or worsen them?
• Are your symptoms worse during certain times of the year or certain times of the day?
• Do your symptoms flare up when you're in certain locations, such as outdoors or in your basement?
• What other health problems do you have?
• Do other members of your family have allergies? What kinds?
• Are you exposed to mold, dust, fumes or chemicals at work?
• Do you know if you have mold in your home?

What you can do in the meantime

While you're waiting to see your doctor, there are numerous over-the-counter allergy medications that may ease your symptoms.

If you have visible mold in your home, have someone who's not allergic to mold clean the area using a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) of bleach to 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water or a commercially available mold-cleaning product. If you have to clean up the mold yourself, be sure to wear long rubber gloves, safety goggles and a mask to limit your exposure to the mold.