Food & Medication Challenges
After
all testing has been completed, you may be booked for a food or medication
challenge. This appointment will be booked for first thing in the
morning.
- Expect to be at the clinic for the full morning.
- You
should come prepared with things to do, such as reading material, DVDs
(we have a TV and DVD player available), homework, etc.
- For food challenges: You will also need to bring the food, already prepared (ie peeled and sliced, nuts out of shell, foods cooked).
- For younger patients, you may need to bring items that will appeal to their eating habits (like ketchup, sauces they have eaten before, chocolate covered nuts, etc).
- For drug challenges: Please bring the medication as prescribed by the doctor.
- You are allowed to bring small snacks and drinks, however they must be consumed in the challenge room.
- If you have any questions, we encourage you to ask.
- When you first arrive, the doctor/nurse will talk to you, check your vital signs (blood pressure, pulse etc), check your skin to obtain a baseline.
- PLEASE NOTIFY THE DOCTOR/NURSE, BEFORE WE START, IF YOU ARE TAKING HEART MEDICATIONS (BETA-BLOCKERS OR ACE-INHIBITORS)
- Once you are cleared to start:
ok, you will get another slightly bigger amount of the food. This will continue, as long as you are ok, every 20
minutes until the prescribed amount of food has been ingested.
- Medication challenges: The nurse will give you a small dose of the medication as prescribed by the doctor.
Then in 30-45 minutes, as long as you are ok, then next prescribed dose is given.
- After you have had your last dose, you will be required to wait in the office for 1 hour, after this time, the doctor will check to ensure you are clear to go.
- If you have a reaction, the doctor and nurse will treat you in the clinic. Our office is equipped to treat any anaphylatic emergency, so there is no need for you to use your own epipen/medication.
Information sheets for: