Medication Restrictions for Skin Testing
Please review the list of medications below that we request you stop taking for a certain time period before your appointment. These medications, including antihistamines, can affect your skin testing results. If you continue your medications, please let your physician know at your appointment. If you are taking daily oral steroids, please check with us to see if any modifications are needed.
Stop taking 1 week before your appointment:
- Axid (Nizatidine)
- Elavil/Vanatrip (Amitriptyline)**
- Oleptro, Desyrel (Trazadone)
- Pepcid (Famotidine)
- Tagamet (Cimetidine)
- Zantac (Ranitidine)
If it is not possible to stop these medications before your visit, please contact our office so that we may substitute another medication before your scheduled appointment.
Stop taking 5 days before your appointment:
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS OR OVER-THE-COUNTER ANTIHISTAMINES:
- Allegra (Fexofenadine)
- AlleRx
- Antivert/Bonine (Meclizine)
- Astelin/Astepro (Azelastine)
- Atarax/Vistaril (Hydroxyzine)
- Benadryl (Diphenhydramine)
- Bromfed/Dimetapp Allergy (Brompheniramine)
- Chlorpheniramine
- Cardec (DM)
- Chlor-Trimeton
- Deconamine
- Extendryl
- Nasohist B
- Rhinosyn
- Sudafed Plus
- Triaminic
- Clarinex (Desloratadine)
- Claritin/Alavert (Loratadine)
- Dexchlor ER (Dexchlorpheniramine)
- Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate)
- Dymista (Azelastine and Fluticasone)
- Optimine (Azatadine)
- Pelamine
- Periactin (Cyproheptadine)
- Phenergan (Promethazine)
- Polaramine (Dexchlorpheniramine)
- Rynatan
- Tavist-D (Clemastine)
- Triplen (Tripelennamine)
- Xyzal (Levocetirizine)
- Zyrtec (Cetirizine)
COMBINATION MEDICATIONS*:
- Tylenol Cold & Sinus
- Pain/PM medications
- Vicks Formula 44 (Doxylamine)
- Vicks Multi-Symptom Nyquil
* Cold & sleep aid medications may contain antihistamines.
SLEEP AIDS & ANTIDEPRESSANTS**:
- Anafranil
- Desipiramine
- Desyrel
- Doxepin
- Elavil
- Nortriptyline
- Sinequan
** These medications should not be modified without talking to your prescribing physician. Please notify the clinic in advance if you are taking any of these medications.
Check with your AAOL doctor
BETA BLOCKERS FOR HYPERTENSION ***:
- Betapace (Sotalol)
- Blocadren (Timolol Maleate)
- Brevibloc (Esmolol)
- Cartrol (Carteolol)
- Coreg (Carvedilol)
- Corgard/Corzide (Nadolol)
- Inderal (Propanolol)
- Inderide (Propanolol HCTZ)
- Kerlone (Betaxolol HCl)
- Levatol (Penbutolol Sulfate)
- Lopressor (Metoprolol Tartrate)
- Normodyne (Labetalol)
- Normozide (Labetalol HCl)
- Sectral (Acebutolol HCl)
- Tenormin (Atenolol)
- Tenoretic (Atenolol Chlorthalidone)
- Timolide (Timolol Maleate)
- Toprol-XL (Metoprolol Succinate)
- Trandate (Labetalol)
- Visken (Pindolol)
- Zebeta (Bisoprolol Fumarate)
- Ziac (Bisoprolol Fumarate HCTZ)
*** If you take a beta blocker, please contact your AAOL doctor. They may ask you to pause taking a dose prior to your visit.
The following medications are okay to continue taking:
- Aciphex (Rabeprazole)
- All asthma inhalers
- Most non-drowsy medications
- Mucinex (Guaifenesin)
- Nasal sprays (except Astelin and Dymista)
- Nexium (Esomeprazole)
- Prevacid (Lansoprazole)
- Prilosec (Omeprazole)
- Protonix (Pantoprazole)
- Singulair (Montelukast)
- Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine)