I have Alpha Gal Syndrome, I’ve had it for years. I didn’t know because it has only been discussed since the 2000’s.
I had such a hard time finding answers to my very strange symptoms.
All information quoted here can be found here. A very informative article!
I was bitten by a Tick when I was very young and ended up with Lyme Disease. But my mom and Dad had no idea. I was very tired and can only remember having flu like symptoms. I later was bitten by a Deer Fly at age 16 and had developed bulls-eye reaction and ran a fever for months. After seeing a Doctor, I was given an antibiotic, and was misdiagnosed with Epstein Barr virus. I later developed body aches, fatigue, terrible headaches, brain fog, anxiety and depression symptoms. I can only imagine the Lyme Disease along with Alpha-Gal Syndrome, had made my symptoms worse.
At this time I didn’t want meat, and only ate vegetables and fruits. But like most large families, you ate what you got. So I ended up very sick after eating meat.
After a medical procedure that left me injured, I suffered a severe allergic reaction to all the medications. I was diagnosed with chronic depression and was put on antidepressants and pain medication. I was finding myself in and out of ER rooms with no answers. By age 47 I developed PTSD because of all the misdiagnosis and treatments. I’m sure all of those medications had some type of animal products in them. I was being poisoned to death.
My body stopped functioning and I ended up gain weight. I hit 400lbs and reached out to Dr. Darrel Wolfe. On a live stream he told me to stop eating meat and animal products! I did and started to loose weight! Wow! 🤯 I lost over 270 lbs in just a year.
That’s when I deep dived into Holistic school and herbs. As I studied both in school and out, I started to find other Holistic practitioners and put together my symptoms and with my knowledge of the human body, I put together what I had been dealing with for years.
Some of my symptoms have been: hives, sneezing, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and anaphylaxis, among many others.
Things that can also trigger Alpha-Gal Syndrome.
Exercise which is later explained in this blog.
I have a very terrible time with symptoms after hiking, 4 wheeling or even going to the store. I will be in pain have allergies or even become very depressed 😔 and need to take time to recover. Sometimes it takes me days to get over a strange symptom, like my knee going out, which resulted in going to a dentist and the numbing agent I was given, probably had animal byproducts in it! SHIT!
The research on this subject has been sparse and it almost seems like I have to go deep down the rabbit holes to find info. I’m so thankful to Spirit for how they bring me news via email from other Holistic Health Professionals!
Like this Blog/Article which not only helps me understand what I’m dealing with, but to help educate others.
As the article continues to points out 👇🏻
“According to survey results presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting, some Alpha-Gal Syndrome patients have a wide range of seemingly new symptoms, such as those involving the cardiovascular, emotional, nervous, and motor systems. In particular, patients in the survey reported a wide range of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, poor memory, irritability, sleep disturbances, etc.9”
Alpha Gal Syndrome can be transmitted by other infected insects.
“Also note that many tick bites go unnoticed, particularly from “seed” ticks. Although these baby ticks are the size of a poppyseed, they can still transmit alpha-Gal.4 Recent reports also suggest that bites from chiggers, which are microscopic arachnids (like spiders) that can be found worldwide, may also lead to Alpha-Gal Syndrome.3,6,14”
Alpha-Gal can hide in some surprising foods, products, and medical items.
Alpha-Gal reactions are typically caused by eating meat and meat products derived from mammals such as cows, pigs, lambs, rabbits, buffalos, bisons, and kangaroos.4 Additionally, since myriad food items contain meat-based ingredients, they may contain alpha-Gal. (Check out our alpha-Gal fact sheet for a fairly extensive list of potential alpha-Gal sources.) However, alpha-Gal can seemingly hide in far less obvious—and kind of astonishing—places.
“Take gelatin, for example. It’s typically made of collagen from the skin and/or hooves of large mammals, so it may contain alpha-Gal. Thus, alpha-Gal could be hiding in gummies, marshmallows, and jello, which contain gelatin.11 Gelatin may also be found in catgut sutures, collagen-derived contact lenses, shampoo, and some tattoo ink.16-17”
“And if that’s not weird enough, alpha-Gal may be found in various vaccines, antivenom, and medical tablets (e.g., acetaminophen, oxycodone, lisinopril, and oxycontin), and in cow and pig heart valves, which are sometimes transplanted into humans.”
What’s more, some ingredients made from red algae, such as carrageenan, also may contain a type of alpha-Gal. Carrageenan is sometimes used in beer, condiments, infant formulas, salad dressings, and much more.18 So avoiding alpha-Gal isn’t as easy as simply steering clear of burgers and hot dogs.
Some people could develop symptoms from not only eating meat but also inhaling fumes from meat being cooked.6
Similar to some individuals with a shellfish allergy, people sensitized to alpha-Gal have also reported symptoms after inhaling fumes of mammalian meat being cooked.6,19 That is, in addition to developing symptoms after eating meat, some people have symptoms after inhaling meat fumes. Bonkers, right?
Exercise, alcohol, recent tick bites, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may increase risk and/or severity.11
The more I study this syndrome, the more I am understanding why I suffer so often.
It’s truly hard to believe how much has not been studied by our “modern medical system” they are lacking in knowledge, so most are misinformed and misdiagnosed. It is so important that you learn, listen and understand what your body is telling.
“For the majority of patients in one study, it took seven years to obtain an Alpha-Gal Syndrome diagnosis.10
While info on Alpha-Gal Syndrome is offered by many medical-information sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology, the condition is still relatively unknown.1,5,10 Not surprisingly, then, one study revealed that almost 80 percent of its patient participants struggled to find a diagnosis for more than seven years.10 (That’s 2,555 days of suffering, and there’s nothing fun or funky about that.)”
I remember having a terrible time with my gallbladder. I was so afraid I’d have to get it removed! I thank God I didn’t, and made sure the medical staff used ultrasound equipment! That’s very important!
“What’s more, medical literature reveals that in trying to determine the cause of their ailments, some patients underwent exploratory surgery, removal of their gallbladder or appendix, and partial removal of the pancreas before they finally received an Alpha-Gal Syndrome diagnosis.6 And according to a 2017 paper, patients are more likely to discover alpha-Gal online, on the radio, or through personal connections than by visiting the emergency room due to anaphylaxis.10”
I’ll note here ——> Once I stopped all animal products the pain in my gallbladder stopped.
As the author states; “These stats are particularly troubling because a simple blood test along with a medical history and physical exam can help a healthcare provider diagnose Alpha-Gal Syndrome. In fact, a single visit with your healthcare provider and a blood draw could help save you not only a boatload of time and money otherwise spent on specialists and unnecessary tests but also a mountain of misery.”
“Across the globe, bites from several types of ticks (and potentially chiggers) can lead to Alpha-Gal Syndrome.3,4,6”
Like I stated earlier I was bitten by a Deer Fly in Colorado and had the Bulls-eye and flu like symptoms. So any insect that feed on blood, I would guess is likely infected.
I would highly recommend reading the whole Blog/Article linked above. 👆🏻
Searching the Rabbit holes Baroness Heart ♥️
The power of a mindful mind 
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