Please carefully review the medication list below and follow the instructions regarding when to discontinue any medications that may interfere with allergy testing. Be sure to contact your prescribing physician to confirm that it is safe to stop taking these medications for the necessary period before your test.
For any medications marked with an asterisk (*), it is essential to consult your prescribing physician before discontinuing them.
All allergy treatments (including shots or drops) should be stopped 14 days prior to your allergy test.
All cold and sinus medications must be discontinued 7 days before testing.
The following medication should be stopped 7 days prior to allergy testing:
Oral Antihistamines
Brand Name
- Allegra
- Benadryl
- Clarinex
- Claritin, Alavert
- Xyzal
- Zyrtec
Generic Name
- Fexofenadine
- Diphenhydramine
- Desloratadine
- Loratadine
- Levocetirizine
- Cetirizine
First generation antihistamines
Brand Name
- Tavist
- Optimine
- Histex
- Karbinal
- Palgic
- Pediatex
- Allerhist
- Polarmine
- Atarax, Rezine
- Vistaril
- Antivert
- Nolahist
- Nisaval
- PBZ
- Bromax
- Aller-Chlor
- Chlor-Trimenton
- Periactin
- Dramamine
- Zatiden
- Tacaryl
- Bonine
- Lodrane
Generic Name
- Azatadine
- Carbinoxamine
- Clemastine
- Dexchlorpheniramine
- Hydroxyzine
- Meclizine
- Phenindamine
- Pyrilamine
- Tripelennamine
- Brompheniramine
- Chlorpheniramine
- Cyproheptadine
- Dimenhydrinate
- Ketotifen
- Methdilazine
- Promethazine
- Trimaparazine
- Triprolidine
The following medication should be stopped 2 days prior to allergy testing:
Antihistamine Nasal Spray and Eye Drops.
Brand Name
- Dymista
- Astelin
- Astepro
- Optivar
- Patanase
- Pataday
- Patanol
- Ryaltris Nasal Spray
Generic Name
- Azelastine
- Olopatadine
- Olopatadine
Please stop the following medicines 2 days prior to allergy testing:
H2 Blockers
Brand Name
- Tagamet
- Pepcid
- Zantac
Generic Name
- Cimetidine
- Famotidine
- Ranitidine
The following medication should be stopped 7 days prior to allergy testing:
Please stop Beta Blockers (pills and eye drops) Medication.
You must contact your prescribing doctor to confirm that you may safely stop taking the medication for the duration required prior to testing. If you cannot come off the Beta Blocker, we can proceed with other options such as skin prick allergy testing only, sublingual immunotherapy, or additional options.
Brand Name
- Sectra*
- Betoptic*
- Kerlone*
- Cartrol*
- Ocupress*
- Brevibloc*
- AK-beta*
- Betagan*
- Optipranolol*
- Corgard*
- Corzide*
- Visken*
- Betapace*
- Sorine*
- Tenoretic*
- Tenormin*
- Zebeta*
- Ziac*
- Coreg*
- Normdyne*
- Trandate*
- Betaxon*
- Lopressor*
- Levatol*
- Inderal*
- Inderide*
- Betimol*
- Blocarden*
- Ocumeter*
Generic Name
- Acebutalol*
- Betaxolol*
- Carteolol*
- Esmolol*
- Levobunalol*
- Metipranolol*
- Nadolol*
- Pindolol*
- Sotalol*
- Atenolol*
- Bisoprolol*
- Carvedilol*
- Labetalol*
- Levibetaxolol*
- Metoprolol*
- Penbutolol*
- Proranolol*
- Timolol*
Please stop the following steroid creams 14 days prior to being allergy tested if being used on potential testing sites such as the arms, back, and legs:
Brand Name
- Aclovate
- Apexicon
- Clobex
- Olux
- Temovate
- Cordran
- Cutivate
- Cyclocort
- Desonate
- Desowen
- Lokara
- Vereso
- Diprolene
- Betanate
- Beta-Val
- Elocon
- Halog
- Locoid
- Pandel
- Synalar
- Topicort
- Ultravate
- Vanos
- Lidex
Generic Name
- Aclometasone
- Diflorasone diacetate
- Clobetasol
- Fludroxycortide
- Fluticasone cream
- Amninonide
- Desonide
- Betamethasone
- Mometasone furoate
- Halcinonide
- Cortisol
- Fluocinolone acetonide
- Desoximetasone
- Ulobetasol
- Fluocinonide
Please stop the following medications 6 months prior to allergy testing:
Brand Name
- Xolair
Generic Name
- Omalizumab
For Tricyclic Antidepressants*, Benzodiazepines*, Atypical Antidepressants*, and Other Biologic Agents*:
