Senior Health Update
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:20 am
Health Update:
I don’t post personal issues, but I thought people should know and be aware of this disease.
Last week I was diagnosed with Alpha Gal. It is caused by a bite from the Lonestar Tick. The bite transmits a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the person's body. In some people, this triggers an immune system reaction that later produces mild to severe allergic reactions to red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb, or other mammal products.
I can no longer eat any meat from a four legged animal. Only fish and foul am I allowed.
The symptoms are anaphylactic shock, hives, difficulty breathing, stomach pain and severe GI distress. My symptoms were weight loss and GI problems. The symptoms don’t manifest themselves until 4-6 hours later. So your not connecting that it’s from your food.
Many doctors are NOT aware of this!! Luckily we live in a farming area where the doctors are aware of this. I know one person whose doctor in Richmond misdiagnosed him.
So my reason for writing this is not to seek sympathy, but to make people aware if you have the symptoms above and not responding ask your doctor for an Alpha Gal blood test.
I don’t post personal issues, but I thought people should know and be aware of this disease.
Last week I was diagnosed with Alpha Gal. It is caused by a bite from the Lonestar Tick. The bite transmits a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the person's body. In some people, this triggers an immune system reaction that later produces mild to severe allergic reactions to red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb, or other mammal products.
I can no longer eat any meat from a four legged animal. Only fish and foul am I allowed.
The symptoms are anaphylactic shock, hives, difficulty breathing, stomach pain and severe GI distress. My symptoms were weight loss and GI problems. The symptoms don’t manifest themselves until 4-6 hours later. So your not connecting that it’s from your food.
Many doctors are NOT aware of this!! Luckily we live in a farming area where the doctors are aware of this. I know one person whose doctor in Richmond misdiagnosed him.
So my reason for writing this is not to seek sympathy, but to make people aware if you have the symptoms above and not responding ask your doctor for an Alpha Gal blood test.