Faqs

Board certified Allergists-Immunologists like Dr. Davé are considered the experts in Allergy & Immunology and are certified to the highest national standards by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology (ABAI), the only Allergy & Immunology organization recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

All ABAI-certified Allergists-Immunologists successfully complete/pass:

• A three-year internal medicine and/or pediatric residency
• A two-year fellowship in adult and pediatric allergy & immunology
• A challenging written examination

To learn more more about board certification, please visit the American Board of Medical Specialties website titled Certification Matters.

Louisville Office Hours:

Mondays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesdays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesdays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursdays: Closed
Fridays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Louisville Injection Hours:

Mondays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Tuesdays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Wednesdays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Thursdays: Closed
Fridays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Longmont Office Hours:

Mondays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesdays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesdays: Closed
Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fridays: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Longmont Injection Hours:

Mondays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Tuesdays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Wednesdays: Closed
Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Fridays: 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Appointments can be scheduled by calling   or emailing us at [javascript protected email address] with your preferred dates and times for an appointment. With emails, please be sure to leave your phone number, so we can contact you for additional information that may be required.

Our Louisville office is located in the Avista Hospital Medical Plaza at 90 Health Park Drive, Suite 170, Louisville, CO 80027. Our Longmont office is located at 1361 Francis Street, Suite 101, Longmont, CO 80501. We also have additional offices in Boulder and Westminster. We look forward to your visit. Click here for driving directions and location map.

For new patient consultations, it is best to allow 1.5-2 hours, so that a detailed history can be taken, testing can be completed, and an individualized treatment plan can be formulated and discussed with you.

• Identification (Drivers License)
• Insurance Card
• Referral Letter (if required by insurance company)
• Co-pay/Payment (if required)
• Completed New Patient Form
• Office Records from the Referring Physician (if applicable)
• List of Current Medications and Medication Allergies
• Recent Chest X Rays and CT Sinus Reports/Films(if applicable)

Please arrive 20 minutes before your appointment to allot for registration, medication and drug allergy review, and completion of requisite paperwork and any initially indicated testing. By arriving early and completing these processes, your wait time will be minimized and your consultation time with your provider will be maximized.

Please give us a 24 hour notice if you need to cancel your appointment.

We offer a full suite of allergy & immunology testing that is tailored to your particular concerns:

• Skin Testing
• Patch Testing
• Spirometry
• Exhaled Nitric Oxide Evaluation
• Bronchoprovocation Challenge
• Rhinolaryngoscopy
• Drug Challenge
• Food Challenge

Allergy Skin Test

Allergy skin testing is performed to assess for allergenic sensitivities to:

• environmental allergens (pollen, animal proteins, dust mite, mold, cockroach)
• food allergens
• insect venoms (honeybee, yellow jacket, yellow hornet, white faced hornet, paper wasp, fire ant)
• medications such as penicillin

In prick allergy skin testing, a sharp plastic lancet is passed through the allergenic extract or control solution, the skin on the back or forearm is lifted and a small break in the epidermis is created through which the extract or solution penetrates. If an allergenic sensitivity is present, a hive/welt like reaction develops in the area of prick.

Intradermal allergy skin testing is most commonly completed adjunctively to negative prick testing in evaluation of venom and drug allergy, and is infrequently completed in the evaluation of environmental allergy.  In intradermal skin testing, a small needle is used to inject the allergenic extract or control solution into a deeper layer of skin, called the dermis, on the arm. If an allergenic sensitivity is present, a hive/welt like reaction develops in the area of intradermal application.

Allergy skin testing is considered superior and less expensive than specific IgE blood tests in the diagnosis of allergy.

Patch Test

Patch testing is primarily performed to assess for contact allergic dermatitis, a type of inflammatory skin reaction that can be secondary to cosmetics, jewelry, fragrances, soap, household and industrial chemicals, and even rubber. 

More recently, food patch testing is also being performed to assess for food triggers of eosinophilic esophagitis.

In patch testing, patches of suspect chemicals or foods are placed on the back for a minimum of 48 hours and subsequently removed with evaluation of the skin for reactions consisting of redness, swelling, and tiny blisters.  Because such reactions are immunologically considered a delayed type of hypersensitivity reaction, skin reactions in the areas of patch placement may not occur until 4-5 days after placement.  Accordingly, a third visit maybe necessary to further examine the skin.

Spirometry

Spirometry is a breathing test that measures how much air you are able to inhale, and how much and how fast you are able to exhale air.

It is an important test in the evaluation of asthma and/or recurrent symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, wheeze, and chest tightness.

This test is performed by forcibly inhaling and exhaling air through a tube connected to a computer.

Exhaled Nitric Oxide

Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a type of breathing test used to assess airway inflammation which can be seen in asthma.

The American Thoracic Society states that eNO measurements can be helpful in:

• diagnosing eosinophilic airway inflammation
• determining steroid responsiveness of chronic respiratory symptoms such as cough
• supporting the diagnosis of asthma when objective evidence is needed

This test is performed by exhaling into a machine.

Bronchoprovocation Challenge

Bronchoprovocation challenge is a breathing test that is typically completed when asthma is suspected and spirometry is normal or near-normal.

Challenge agents include:

• methacholine
• histamine
• mannitol
• cold air
• exercise

After exposure to the challenge agent, serial spirometry  is completed to assess for declines in expiratory air flow that can be associated with airway hyperresponsiveness.

Rhinolaryngoscopy

Rhinolaryngoscopy is the use of a fiberoptic scope to evaluate the nose and throat.  Allergists perform rhinolaryngoscopy to evaluate for nasal polyps, sinusitis and vocal cord dysfunction.

In this procedure, a topical nasal decongestant and anesthetic are applied, and a spaghetti-sized rhinoscope is passed through different levels of the nose and to the throat evaluating for pathology.

Drug Challenge

Drug challenges are considered the gold standard test to assess for drug allergy.

In this procedure, patients are administered medication and are monitored for the development of reaction.

Drug challenges are typically performed in settings where allergy skin testing to drug is negative or in settings where no standardized skin test is available and no contraindications to challenge exist.

Food Challenge

Food challenges are considered the gold standard test to assess for food allergy.

In this procedure, patients are administered the suspect food in sequentially increasing doses monitoring for the development of reaction.

Food challenges are typically performed in settings where allergy skin and/or specific IgE blood testing prognosticate possible food tolerance.

As part of your allergy consultation, allergy skin testing maybe indicated. The interpretation of these tests can be adversely affected by use of antihistamine medications and those medications with antihistaminic activity.

To best ensure a high-quality allergy skin test, it is necessary to avoid the following medications as listed below:

Please discontinue the following medications, as well as any over-the counter allergy & sinus medications for at least 5 days prior to your visit:

• Alavert (Loratidine)
• Alaway (Ketotifen)
• Allegra (Fexofenadine)
• Astepro (Azelastine)
• Azelastine
• Atarax (Hydroxyzine)
• Chlortrimeton (Chlorpheniramine)
• Clarinex (Desloratidine)
• Claritin (Loratidine)
• Dimetapp (Brompheniramine)
• Dymista (Azelastine + Fluticasone)
• Nyquil (Doxylamine)
• Optivar (Azelastine)
• Patanase (Olopatadine)
• Tavist (Clemastine)
• Vistaril (Hydroxyzine)
• Xyzal (Levocetirizine)
• Zaditor (Ketotifen)
• Zyrtec (Cetirizine)
• Zyrtec Itchy Eyes (Ketotifen)

Please discontinue the following medications for at least 2 days prior to your visit:

• Axid (Nizatidine)
• Benadryl (Diphenhydramine)
• Pepcid (Famotidine)
• Tagamet (Cimetidine)
• Zantac (Ranitidine)

The application of topical steroids to the forearms and back should be avoided for at least 2-3 weeks prior to your visit.

Medications such as benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, as well as other antidepressants may suppress responses to skin testing. If you are on these medications, please contact the prescribing physician and inquire if these medications can be safely stopped.

You can continue to take inhaled, nasal, and oral steroids without interfering with allergy skin testing.

Allergy skin tests are generally safe, but rarely life-threatening allergic reactions may occur. Symptoms of such reactions can include hives, swelling, breathing troubles, and low blood pressure.

Due to this risk, it is important that you let us know if you have a history of anaphylaxis, unstable asthma, are pregnant, and/or are on beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, or MAO inhibitors. Having these conditions, being pregnant, or being on these medications may make a rare allergic reaction to skin testing more severe and/or more difficult to treat.

Allergy immunotherapy, also called “allergy shots,” is prescribed to modify the immune system’s response to allergens with the goal of minimizing and/or preventing an allergen initiated inflammatory response.

This therapy is approved for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, stinging insect hypersensitivity and atopic dermatitis (Allergen immunotherapy: A practice parameter third update 2010).

Should your history and test results suggest that you may benefit from allergen immunotherapy, your provider will prescribe immunotherapy that is individualized to your particular allergenic sensitivities as revealed by allergy testing.

With immunotherapy, you will receive subcutaneous injections in the arm during the build-up (more frequent injections) and the maintenance (less frequent injections) phases. Typically, courses of immunotherapy range 3-5 years.

In patients with allergic rhinitis, allergen immunotherapy may reduce the development of asthma, the development of new allergenic sensitivities and lead to persistent benefit even after discontinuation of immunotherapy.

Further particulars about allergen immunotherapy will be discussed with you if you are a candidate for this therapy.

Please note that Board certified Allergists & Immunologists are considered the experts in allergen immunotherapy.

For more information, please visit the AAAAI section on allergy immunotherapy.