Carefully review the medication list below and follow the instructions on when to stop the medications that interfere with allergy testing. Please contact the prescribing doctor to confirm that you may safely stop taking the medication for the duration required prior to testing.

For medications listed with an Asterisk (*), please consult your prescribing physician prior to stopping these medications.

Please stop allergy treatment (shots or drops) 14 days prior to allergy testing.

All Cold and Sinus Medications must be stopped 7 days prior to testing.

Logo media

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
Logo media

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*
Logo media

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
Logo media

Please stop the following medications 6 months prior to allergy testing:

Immunomodulators

Brand Name

  • Xolair

Generic Name

  • Omalizumab

Please call the allergy department.
A pre-screening test before scheduling allergy testing may occur.

With 18 convenient locations across the greater Houston & San Antonio areas, we’re never far away.

Find your ENT Schedule appointment
city skyline with teal overlay
Accessibility: If you are vision-impaired or have some other impairment covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to using this website, please contact our Accessibility Manager at (281) 897-0416.