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Medication instructions for your New Patient Appointment
Please review these medication instructions before your New Patient Appointment with Dr. Safadi Allergy Clinic. Some allergy medicines can affect allergy testing results. Holding the medicines listed below, when you are able, helps us prepare for testing if it is needed after your evaluation. Testing is not guaranteed at your first visit.
Medicines to hold before your New Patient Appointment
Unless our clinical team has given you different instructions, hold the following medicines for the full time shown before your New Patient Appointment. If you cannot hold a medicine, keep your appointment and let us know. For medicines used for sleep, mood or another medical condition, follow the call-first instructions below.
Oral antihistamines
- Cetirizine — Zyrtec, Aller-Tec
- Levocetirizine — Xyzal
- Fexofenadine — Allegra
- Loratadine — Claritin, Alavert
- Desloratadine — Clarinex
- Clemastine — Tavist / Dayhist Allergy
- Meclizine or dimenhydrinate — some motion-sickness medicines
Combination allergy medicines such as Allegra-D, Claritin-D and Zyrtec-D still contain a five-day antihistamine. Check the active ingredients rather than the brand alone. Call us if you are unsure.
Antihistamine nasal sprays
- Azelastine — Astelin, Astepro
- Olopatadine — Patanase
- Azelastine + fluticasone — Dymista
- Olopatadine + mometasone — Ryaltris
Azelastine is an antihistamine, not a steroid. Dymista and Ryaltris each contain an antihistamine even though they also contain a steroid.
Certain prescription medicines
- Cyproheptadine — Periactin
- Promethazine — Phenergan
If you are unable to hold one of these medicines, keep your New Patient Appointment and let us know.
Benadryl, hydroxyzine and cold / nighttime medicines
- Diphenhydramine — Benadryl; also in Tylenol PM and Advil PM
- Hydroxyzine — Atarax, Vistaril
- Chlorpheniramine — Chlor-Trimeton and some cold medicines
- Brompheniramine — some Dimetapp / Bromfed products
- Doxylamine — some Unisom / nighttime products
- Cold, cough and flu combination medicines — including some NyQuil products
Hold cold medicines in general for 48 hours. Ingredients vary between products. If a combination contains an antihistamine listed in the five-day group above, follow that ingredient’s five-day instruction. Call us if you are unsure which instruction applies.
Antihistamine eye drops
- Olopatadine — Pataday, Patanol, Pazeo
- Ketotifen — Zaditor, Alaway
- Azelastine — Optivar
- Epinastine — Elestat
Continue other prescribed eye drops unless your clinician gives you different instructions. Call if you are unsure which kind you use.
Certain heartburn medicines (H2 blockers)
- Famotidine — Pepcid, Zantac 360
- Cimetidine — Tagamet
- Nizatidine — Axid
- Ranitidine, if this is the active ingredient on your label
Use the active ingredient to identify the medicine. Zantac-branded products can have different ingredients.
Inhalers — on the day of your New Patient Appointment only
If you are able, we prefer that you hold off using your inhalers on the day of your New Patient Appointment. If you feel unable to hold them, it is okay to continue using them. Use your rescue inhaler if needed for breathing symptoms; do not delay needed treatment. Bring your inhaler and tell us what you used and when. If you are unsure whether you can hold an inhaler, call 419-843-7780.
Call us before stopping these medicines
Medicines for sleep, mood, depression or anxiety
Tell us if you take doxepin (Sinequan, Silenor), amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), mirtazapine (Remeron), trazodone or other psychiatric/sleep medicines. Do not stop them on your own. Our clinical team and your prescribing clinician will decide whether to pause a medicine or use another testing plan.
Other treatments to tell us about
Tell us about beta-blockers, including eye drops; biologic medicines such as Xolair; skin creams used on your back or forearms; and vitamins or supplements. Do not stop prescribed treatment without instructions.
Medicines you may continue
You may continue the following medicines unless our clinical team or your prescribing clinician has given you different instructions:
Other asthma medicines
Montelukast (Singulair) and prescribed oral steroids may be continued. For inhalers on the day of your New Patient Appointment, follow the instruction above. Do not stop prescribed oral steroids on your own.
Steroid-only nasal sprays and saline
Fluticasone (Flonase), triamcinolone (Nasacort), mometasone (Nasonex), budesonide (Rhinocort) and plain saline. Combination sprays containing an antihistamine belong in the pause list above.
Other heartburn medicines
Omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and plain antacids such as Tums, Maalox or Mylanta. A combination product may contain famotidine: check its ingredients.
Other prescribed medicines
Continue your usual heart, blood-pressure, cholesterol and diabetes medicines unless your treating clinician instructs otherwise. Tell us about all medicines before testing. Do not stop prednisone or other prescribed steroids on your own.
Instructions approved by Dr. Safadi. Updated October 8, 2026.