Stress and emotions definitely trigger mast cells.  The reactions can be just as severe as any other trigger.  

If going to the doctor is a trigger for you, you might want to call the doctor (or the nurse) and talk it over.  You can ask for something to take an hour before your appointment that will calm you down, and/or you could take extra antihistamines (both H1 and H2) an hour before the appointment.  Both Benadryl and Vistaril (hydroxyzine) have calming effects, so one of those might be helpful, if you can tolerate them.  Whatever calms you before the appointment will probably last for several hours, so might take care of the after-visit adrenaline.

Be sure NOT to drive with calming medicine unless you're sure that it won't impair your driving.

Localized swelling from something topical could have been from the mascara.  (There's a thread today about make-up.)  It also is possible that you were upset and that activated your mast cells, so you were more sensitive to it.  Either way, you can easily test your skin for the mascara by putting a small dot of it on the inside of your arm and cover it for 24-48 hrs.  If it starts to swell or itch within that time period, you probably should switch products.

Hi Jen!!

I've put on more SHOWS for my doctors than I like to admit!!   After having doctor after doctor for MONTHS who thought I had lost my mind due to my hysterectomy having brought the disease out of hiding, I got pretty traumatized by doctors.  Well, I'm finally calming down, but the amount of emotional stress was too much and for a long time I was too undermedicated to handle the emotional anxiety that those doctors, especially a new one would cause me!  I'd often go through either mini crises of symptoms or I'd go into the full show of anaphylaxis right in their offices!!!

In fact, I went to a new doctor today and yes, I was flushing all through the consult, however, it wasn't as bad as it used to be and was only at flushing that I was showing symptoms!!   A far cry from the show I used to put on!  

So, with these situations I learned a really good trick, Jen = that of taking an extra antihistamine while I was in the Drs waiting room!!   However, one thing I have to say - I'm a STRONG believer that if you are going to put on a show, you WANT to do it in front of your doctor!   When I have been with my dermatologist, I've not taken that extra medication before hand for she NEEDS to see my put on a show!  She gains understanding from watching it all, and it helps her figure things out!   So, consider first who the doctor is before you take that extra antihistamine prior to your consultation cause you may not want to prevent those reactions after all!


As to the eye reaction - it was the mascara!!!   The emotional stress would accompany other symptoms and if you don't find your eyes giving you issues except for that one time with the mascara, then I'd say that the thing that sticks out is the mascara and not the tears of emotion you were showing.

Lisa

Yes, Joan, excellent advice!

If I feel more stressed at the doctor's office because I'm worried about how the doctor will treat me, I don't go back.  If they don't believe me or make me feel like I'm over-stating or over-reacting to my problems, they won't be able to help me, and they are fired!!

Jen,

The reason why your doctors think emotional is because they see for themselves that you get nervous and flush.  They can't deny their eyes.  Yet, they don't understand mast cells in and of itself because if they did, then they would know that mast cells will react to strong emotions, but that doesn't mean that your emotions are out of control.  This is why they end up saying what they do, but they aren't understanding the connections.  

Jen, there comes a point when you've got to just decide that you are not going to take these kinds of comments personally.  The ignorant doctors will not understand it - they don't understand MCs and how they function and this is why they can't make the connections with the disease.  You've got to look at them and just feel sorry for them for here they are with all of their schooling and they're totally in the dark in spite of their studies!  Poor things!

You have to understand doctors, Jen.  It's very hard to be them for especially in our American society, these are one of those professionals who are required by society to be correct 100% of the time!  This is why malpractice insurance is so high because people expect doctors to be gods in that they never make a single mistake and they are not human.  It's awful the way they are expected to be perfect!  And yet, they are just as human as we are, but if they show their imperfections, then they are roasted alive for it!  It's shameful!   So, what do they do when they don't know?  They find a way out!  What's the easiest way out without losing their reputation or their practice and their house?   Put the blame back on the patient!   This has become the fashion lately, blame it on emotional problems - it's nothing that they can be sued for!  Why?  Because you can't find proof either way that the patient does not have emotional problems or that they do!  It's a vague accusation which get's them off the hook!!

This is why I prefer working with a doctor who has the courage and self-assurance to say, I DON'T KNOW!!   This is a doctor who is being honest and has the courage to be honest!  I prefer this kind of doctor a million times over those who try to make me feel good but still don't know!  

But how do we patients deal with these doctors who say it's emotional?   WE MOVE ON!   We have to try not to take it personally.  You've got to just openly admit to yourself - THIS GUY DOESN'T KNOW and MOVE ON!  You've got to act like a duck and let the water roll off your back and shake the dust from your shoes and move on!  There are other doctors out there and they may be more open to you and more willing to help!

Listen Jen, it seems to me you are needing some research to help your doctors open up their minds a bit.  Send me a PM with your email and I'll send you some recent research on MCAD.  These new reports that are coming out are definitely more helpful for those of us who don't fit into the SM diagnosis!  It's helping to open up our doctor's minds to MCAD and the broader possibilities of this disorder.  With this information in hand when you go to see a doctor, they can study it and use it to try to understand your case and how you fit into it.


Hang in there Jen and keep pushing!  Once you can get your diagnosis more pinned down, then the behavior of these doctors will improve and if it doesn't then again, you move on and find one with a better attitude!!!  This is what we all must do!

Lisa

I think stress is my biggest trigger, I also have POTS so I have adrenaline issues anyway.   But when Im stressed I get flushed (usually never have hives or rashes), its more dizziness, nausea, and sometimes fatigue... but is it POTS or MCAD.... cant wait to find out.. Im uping the Antihistamines until I know..  I also take Xanax on occasion too.