Making It Official: Getting a Diagnosis Part 1

When we began the process of my daughters allergies I had no idea what was involved in obtaining an “official diagnosis”. I knew there was clearly something not quite right in the way her body related to the food she consumed, but I didn’t know that finding an allergist, going to the first couple of appointments and really “securing” a good  relationship with my Allergist could be so overwhelming.

Over the next few days I‘ll give you tips, as well as a step by step process you will likely follow for getting a diagnosis, I hope it helps you know what to expect, and offers ideas for making it a smooth ride!

Once the Pediatrician realized that we likely had allergy concerns, and possibly sensitivity issues my daughter needed addressed, the time came to find a specialist who could help us. Our pediatrician, like most, was a great resource for finding an Allergist who both worked with our insurance company and was in our area.

My first suggestion is to start at your Family Dr. Office, if the allergy concern you have is for your child, look to your Pediatrician for help. If you or a friend/family member is suffering, and you believe it is allergy related contact your Drs office for advice on finding a good specialist in your area.

My second suggestion is if you carry insurance, and do not need a referral from your Dr. to visit a specialist, this may be able to be done by phone - simply call and ask for a suggestion of an allergist that works closely with your Dr. office. This will do two things:

1) It will allow the time of allergy suffering to be substantially less. Most Allergist offices take some time to see a new patient, you could wait weeks for your first appointment. By having an appointment rather than calling your Family Dr it becomes at least one day longer for you to meet with your Allergist. A ten minute phone call can alleviate the time and the financial burden! (Read: No Co-Pay for another Drs. phone number!!)

2) By making sure your Allergist works closely with your Primary Physicians office there will be no concerns that all your records are transferred, which is necessary. When allergies are involved, they can effect every area of your physical well being, and cause problems you wouldn't think were allergy related! It's important that your Primary Physician knows what each report says, in order for that to occur, there needs to be good communication between the two offices. If there is a good Allergist who has established a strong working relationship with your Primary Dr. it makes transferring information easier, and gives you more support!