DeborahW, Founder
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Hi Ed,
Since I am now back in town, you get to be the lucky recipient of my advice! Haa! Just kidding!! Actually, I wanted to reassure you that you don't need to change a thing; just add a bit maybe. When I was working out doing cardio for 1.5 hrs every day with a personal trainer who came to my house (that was great!) for about 6 months, I felt terrific!! I was also dieting and eating such a strict diet that there was no chance of me eating any foods or ingredients that would trigger me. I was not on any meds at the time, because I was still undiagnosed then. (I have a mast cell disease called Idiopathic Anaphylaxis. I am one of the shockers. I am very well now and haven't shocked since I started meds. However, I never shocked during those 6 months of exercising/dieting either.) I know that the combination of the exercise and the diet kept me well and kept my mast cells from misbehaving. I cannot exercise in heat of any sort, so I have to be indoors in heavy air conditioning. Otherwise, I get a rash, hives, itchy, and my throat closes.
In your situation, the most that you have are the masto spots and some itchiness if I recall from what you wrote. I would advise that you continue what you are doing, but that you simply be aware. If you get a rash, hives, itchiness, feel dizzy, or have tightness in the chest/throat clothing sensation, then you cannot ignore that. Your body is telling you that something is wrong and that you need to respond to it. I would simply advise that during your training, you carry 2 epi pens with you as well as some zyrtec and allegra. Epis are to be used if you feel like you will pass out. Otherwise, you could take a zyrtec or allegra or both if one didn't halt the symptoms. You don't need to worry now because you don't have any symptoms when you work out, so no need to do anything. I would never go on any meds as preventative if I didn't have any symptoms. Now, I don't know much about the masto spots. Will those increase if you continue to workout in the sun? Perhaps that will be the concern you have to think about and you have to decide if that is something you can love with or not (more permanent spots appearing, that is).
If I were you, I would be looking at this preventatively: I would travel to see Dr. Akin in Boston. I would tell him that you do fine now, and you have no desire to go on meds since you are fine. However, you would like to know if there are any risks to be aware of while doing marathons and training, and what should you do if symptoms appear while you are training. Most of us have to be on meds every day to stay stable. You probably just need the meds as needed in an emergency -- not as daily meds. In other words, just to have with you in case an emergency popped up. If you ever want to go see Dr. Akin, private message me and I will send you his email address, as that is how he likes to be contacted.
In the meantime, good luck on the Ironman! Keep us posted!!
__________________ Feel well! Deborah 01 November 2010 10:20 AM
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