Preparing for Skin Testing
Prescription and non-prescription antihistamine medications interfere with skin testing. Please review the list of commonly used allergy, cough and cold medications below and make sure these are discontinued before your skin testing visit.
Continue other daily medications including: asthma inhalers, montelukast (Singulair), and nasal steroids (Flonase, Nasacort, Nasonex, Rhinocort).
If you are unable to stop antihistamines because of the severity of your symptoms, please keep your appointment. Another approach to testing will be considered by your provider.
If you are not certain whether the medication you are taking is an antihistamine, are concerned about discontinuing your medications, or if you have any other questions, please contact the UCSF Allergy/Immunology Clinic at (415) 353-2725.
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Oral antihistamines (stop 5 days before testing)
- Actifed
- Advil Allergy/Sinus
- Advil PM
- Alka-Seltzer Plus
- Azatadine (Trinalin)
- Brompheniramine (Bromfed DM, Brotapp-DM, Ultrabrom)
- Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, Omnihist, Tussionex)
- Cetirizine (Aler-Tec, Zyrtec, Zyrtec-D)
- Children’s Vicks
- Cyproheptadine (Periactin)
- Clemastine (Dayhist Allergy, Tavist Allergy)
- DayQuil
- Desloratadine (Clarinex)
- Dimetapp
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Doxepin (Sinequan)
- Fexofenadine (Allegra, Allegra-D)
- Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)
- Levocetirizine (Xyzal)
- Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, Claritin-D, Claritin Rev
- Meclazine (Antivert)
- Nyquil
- Sudafed Plus
- Triaminic Cold/Allergy
- Tylenol Cold/Allergy
- Tylenol PM
- Vicks 44M
Nasal sprays (stop 3 days before testing)
- Azelastine HCL (Astelin, Astepro) Nasal Spray
- Dymista Nasal Spray
- Olopatadine HCL (Patanase) Nasal Spray
Other medications (stop 2 days before testing)
- Cimetidine (Tagamet)
- Famotidine (Pepcid)
- Midol
- Promethazine (Phenergan)
- Ranitidine (Zantac)
- Trazodone (Desyrel)
UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.
