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During your visit, allergy skin tests may be applied to help determine your suspected allergy (food allergy, insect allergy, or environmental
allergies).  This type of test is quickly performed, is very well tolerated by even small children.   However, in order to be able to perform a skin
test, you must stop your antihistamines a certain amount of time before your test date.  This includes:

Antihistamines to be stopped 7-14 days prior to your appointment:

  • Cetirizine (Zyrtec, Zyrtec D)
  • Desloratadine (Clarinex)
  • Doxepin (Sinequan)
  • Fexafenadine) Allegra, Allegra
  • Loratadine (Claritin, Claritin D, Alavert)
  • Levocetirizine (Xyzal)

Antihistamines should be stopped 5-7 days prior to your appointment:

  • Brompheniramine (Actifed, Atrohist, Dimetapp, Drixoral)
  • Chlopheniramine (Chlortrimeton, Deconamine, Kronofed A, Novafed A, Rynatan)
  • Clemastine (Tavist, Antihist)
  • Cyproheptadine (Periactin)
  • Dexchlorpheniramine (Polaramine)
  • Diphenhydramine (Allernix, Benadryl, Nytol)
  • Doxylamine (Bendectin, Nyquil)
  • Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Marax, Vistaril)
  • Promethazine (Phenergan)

Note: Antihistamines are also found in many over the counter medications, including Tylenol Allergy, Actifed Cold and Allergy, Alka-Seltzer
Plus Cold with Cough Formula, and many others.   Make sure you read check the ingredients carefully and stop those containing antihistamines
5-7 days prior to the appointment.

Nose sprays and eye drops to stop 5 days prior to your appointment:

  • Azelastine (Astelin, Astepro, Optivar)
  • Ketotifen (Zaditor
  • Olapatadine (Pataday, Patanase)


Medications to stop 3-5 days prior to appointment:

  • Cimitidine (Tagamet)
  • Famotidine (Pepcid)
  • Nizatidine (Axid)
  • Ranitidine (Zantac)

There is no need to stop Flonase, Nasonex, Nasacort, Rhinocort, and Veramyst as these medications will not affect the skin test.

DO NOT STOP YOUR ASTHMA MEDICATIONS!  This would include:
  • Inhalers such as Advair, Asmanex, Azmacort Flovent, Pulmicort, Symbicort, and QVAR
  • Pills such as Singulair (Monteleukast), Zyflo,  Theophylline or steroids such as Medrol and Prednisone.

Remember - if in doubt, talk to your allergist to determine what you need to do with your medications before your appointment.


updated 17 May 2010
List of medications (including antihistamines) that need to be stopped prior to allergy skin testing