Q: My 27 years old wife is suffering from allergy for the last one year. It got stabilised when she was in India for 3 - 4 months. But after moving overseas it recurred after 15 – 20 days. Due to allergy, she is experiencing swelling in her hands and legs, which sometimes appear on her face also. But after taking Allegra 180 it settles down for a day and after that it recurs. She is taking the tablet for the last one month. Is it safe to take Allegra for a long period? She underwent all the allergy tests. She is allergic to shrimps but she does not take non-vegetarian food. Another doctor suggested Wysolone once a day for 3-4 days. How to get rid of allergy?

A:The problem may not be allergy, and it is not quite clear from your description what the nature of the patient's symptoms is. It may be chronic idiopathic urticaria / angioedema, and some blood tests would be appropriate to exclude for example thyroid disease, parasite infestation or autoimmune disease. If these are OK, then it's just a matter of waiting until it clears up, and keeping it controlled with an antihistamine.

Fexofenadine (Allegra) is a safe antihistamine drug and can be used for long periods of daily administration, even at higher than recommended doses. Steroids, (such as Wysolone), are not suitable for long term administration, except for potentially life-threatening conditions, but are generally considered safe for short, (up to three weeks), courses, unless there is an underlying condition that contraindicates steroids, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.