Medications to Avoid Before Allergy Testing
**Always check with your prescribing physician before stopping or changing your medication. This may be unsafe, and you may need to be switched to a different type of medication**
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Name of Medication and Common Examples |
Time to Stop Before Testing |
Effect |
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Beta-Blockers |
14 days |
Makes allergy testing unsafe |
|
Acebutolol (Sectral®) |
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Atenolol (Tenormin®) |
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Bisoprolol (Monocor®) |
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Carvedilol (Coreg®) |
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Labetalol (Trandate®) |
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Metoprolol (Lopressor®, Betaloc®) |
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Nadolol (Corgard®) |
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Pindolol (Viskazide®) |
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Propranolol (Inderal®) |
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Timolol (Blocadren®) |
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Tricyclic Antidepressants |
14 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
Amitriptyline (Elavil®) |
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Clomipramine (Anafranil®) |
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Desipramine (Norpramin®) |
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Imipramine (Tofranil®) |
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Maprotiline (Ludiomil®) |
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Nortriptyline (Aventyl®) |
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Other Antidepressants |
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Mirtazapine (Remeron) |
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Beta-Blocker Eye Drops |
7 days |
Makes allergy testing unsafe |
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levobunolol (Betagan, AKBeta) |
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timolol (Timoptic) |
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betaxolol (Betoptic, Betoptic S) |
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Anti-Histamines |
7 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
diphenhydramine (Benadryl) |
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chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Tripolon) |
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|
loratadine (Claritin) |
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cetirizine (Reactine) |
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desloratadine (Allegra) |
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Dymista Nasal Spray |
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Cold & Sinus medicine with antihistamine |
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rupatadine (Rupall) |
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bilastine (Blexten) |
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Antacids |
48 hours |
Interferes with test results |
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· ranitidine (Zantac) |
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· famotidine (Pepcid) |
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· cimetidine (Tagament) |
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Steroid Cream/Ointment on Skin |
21 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
· hydrocortisone |
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· mometasone |
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· triamcinolone |
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· clobetasol |
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· fluticasone |
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Steroid pills |
21 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
· prednisone |
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· prednisolone |
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· hydrocortisone |
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· dexamethasone |
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· betamethasone |
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· methylprednisolone |
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Methotrexate |
14 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
Tacrolimus (topical or systemic) |
14 days |
Interferes with test results |
|
Omalizumab |
14 days |
Interferes with test results |
Information courtesy American Academy of Otolahryngic Allergy