I think it's an allergy

[ctbm]

I've never had an allergy before, but I think this is one. I woke up yesterday morning with my face swollen, red and itchy. This morning I woke up and my face was even more swollen. How long do these side effects last for and how can I tell what it is I'm allergic to if I was sleeping?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The swelling redness and itchiness can be due to allergies and hives.To find out the allergen, pls contact an allergic specialist and get skin tests like skin ***** test done. In this a small amount of allergen is introduced into the skin of the forearm and the reaction of the skin is noted. If there is any redness then that person is allergic to the allergen introduced.

You can also get blood tests like RAST done.If the tests come out positive, then apart from the medical treatment, avoidance of the particular allergen is the best treatment.For the swelling and itching you can take some over the counter antihistaminics like zyrtec or Claritin.Also apply some calamine lotion on the face.If the symptoms persist then steroids may be needed.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.

[sfnative82]

That is an allergic reaction. I never had any either. Until december 2007. I go to bed and wake up with a very swollen face. I take Zyrtec. Doctors havent figured out what it is exactly. I have not gone for my allergy test yet either. My insurance ran out.

Things that I realized, on my own, caused these new reactions. Keep in mind i was never allergic to anything before! I am now 26

I am having a problem with aspirin, tylenol and soy. Anything with soy in it which tends to be anything that comes ina  box, can or frozen bag. I can not eat anything from the Nightshade family. Which is a common allergy. You should look up nightshades. They include tomatoes, potatoes, lentils, soy and beans, and tobacco

[Tammy2009]

It could be a dust mite allergy.  Get some other the counter allergy meds and take them about 45 minutes before you go to sleep and see if it helps.

If you ever are having troubles breathing, call 911 or see a doctor right away.  You can request allergy tests and find out for sure but if the otc meds help, then you can always continue on those.  

I would look around your bed/room for anything you have changed recently, new blanket, detergerent, new sheets/pillow/mattress etc.  Also, a check in with the family doc is in order to make sure that nothing else is wrong.