Hello! I am a newbie to this forum, and so thankful to have found it.  My name is Donna, and I live deep in the heart of Texas

I was always healthy, until age 33, when I suddenly became allergic to nuts.  I have been carrying Epi-pens for the past 8 years, and never had to use one because I avoided nuts (Except during childbirth twice, apparently I reacted to the epidural)

Anyway, about 4 months ago, I started itching insanely, especially my hands and feet.  These itching spells became more frequent and burning, like having my foot in a fire ant hill.

Then I noticed the weird hives.  Not necessarily circular, but linear, and strange, and I noticed they often came after putting pressure on an area of skin.

I have been doing my own research (late at night with google at my fingertips)  and have come to believe I have the dermatographism (hives)  and it is due to too much histamine in my body (causing the itching)..

Not sure if I have histamine intolerance, MACD, or both, or neither.   I have had years of baffling symptoms though, abdominal pain that waxes and wanes, migraines, degenrative disc disease, I believe it is all tied together??

I have also fairly low blood pressure (my docs never act like it is a big deal, they are always saying they wish they had my blood pressure)  but it always concerned me that my blood pressure was low and my pulse was so high.  

I have begun eating a low histamine diet for about 6 weeks, the symptoms have improved, however, I do recognize that stress seems to be a trigger for me.

One day, I wasn't eating much (scared to eat) and my blood sugar got real low.  I am not diabetic, but know about hypoglycemia.

I kind of panicked, because I knew that I needed to eat, but was scared to eat anything because I wasn't sure of my triggers!A few hours later, I got bad itching and hives.  

Same thing happened the other day, only the stressor was a mammogram and a dental appt in the same day!

I have not have the chance yet to read the posts in detail, so I may be telling you something you already know, but I want to mention it in case:

1) How to tell between Anaphylactic Shock and Panick Attack??

Maybe take your blood pressure???  The other day, I had a panic attack.  After I had eaten something, I felt as though my throat were swelling, and it was getting difficult to swallow.

Suddenly, I began to get dizzy, my heart was racing, getting tunnel vision.  I quickly took my blood pressure.  I was astounded to see a reading of 137/85 which is extremely high for me.  (I am usually around 100/60.)

So, I took it again, the other arm, same thing, it was high,  I took it a 3rd time back on the left arm, and again got a higher than normal reading.

So, my conclusion was, that adrenalilne (from panic attack) made my blood pressure skyrocket.  I had my epipen in hand and almost used it, I am very glad that I took the blood pressure first.

I have not asked the doctor yet, but I assume if you are feeling weird and your blood pressure is low, that would indicate anaphylactic shock, but if it is high, that would indicate adrenaline (false alarm, panic).

2) "Fat, sick and nearly dead" -- has anyone here seen that documentary?
      The guy had chronic hives and histamine problems, and reversed it through "rebooting" his system by a juicing for 60 days. I am curious if anyone here has any comment on that, or has done it.  I am going to try it, though probably not 60 days.

thanks for listening!
Donna

Welcome Donna but sorry you're here!

You've sorted so much out yourself, way to go!

Are you on any medications? Have you had your serum tryptase checked?

From my understanding, anaphylaxis may or may not have associated hypotension, but yes you are correct that an Epipen should be avoided when the BP is high. Some people do have reactions to triggers though that are tachycardia, HTN not hypo and all kinda of bizarre symptoms. A sense of impending doom often comes with these and can cause anxiety. So, if it were me, I would carefully check for any triggers that caused what seemed to be the panic spells.

Working on calming tactics too is equally important as stress like you said can be a big trigger.

i've gone on an elimination diet cutting out all that is processed and adding foods back in slowly to try and get my reactions under control.

I too was seemingly healthy until an anaphylactic event, but when I look back there were some signs like you mentioned.

Many raw fruit and veg are big OAS triggers for me so I puree a lot but need to cook them first. I haven't retried my OAS foods since my anaphylaxis/downward spiral.

Thanks for sharing your symptoms.

Welcome Donna - Just a thought - everytime I go to the dentist it makes me sick - I think it's the stuff they use to numb your gums.  So maybe it wasn't just the stress of going to the dentist, but perhaps some of the medications they use?  Take care and hang in there!

A true mast cell disorder can not be "cured" through diet.  It is a genetic disorder of the mast cells.  This is why they behave badly.  This is regardless of the form of the disorder be it SM or MCAS.  

However, it's very possible to improve your reactions through diet.  By reducing the triggers, by finding a means to calm down the reacting, great improvement and stability can be attained.  However, this is not a cure, it is a relief.  

If someone acheives a "cure" and it remains permanent, then this was not a true MC disorder, but some kind of metabolic difficulty with some kind of inability to process histamine is ocurring.  

The new WHO MCAS consensus document addresses these various issues and does an excellent job of defining what a MC disorder is and what is involved in treating it.  

Lisa

I watched this just when I was in a terrible flare still not knowing what was wrong with me (for years).  The guy in the movie has autoimmune chronic urticaria.  This is what I was diagnosed with.  It's a secondary mast cell activation disease.  

Finally watched this movie! Enjoyed it. Interesting concept.  

Sorry about that

I hear ya. I have to cook most fruits and veg before eating, but I do ok if they are cooked. Maybe you can't eat them either way.

I'm IgE allergic to nuts so haven't retried those.

Hope you're feeling better now!

Hi there DonnaT!  I was supprised to see someone mention Fat sick and nearly Dead because as a couple have pointed out, many believe that juicing isn't going to cure this disease or if it does, you must not have had it in the first place.  

I don't know about everyone else but I don't believe enough is know about this disease to make a statement like that.  I personally am getting a juicer in the mail in a couple days.

My reasoning is this...
I know what things I react to mostly and will be avoiding them, in fact juicing will HELP me avoid them since I mostly react to grains, meats, dairy.  Most (not all) vegi's and fruits I am ok with, those that I react to I simply will not juice.

My Masto is presenting in my intestines and stomach, juicing will give my poor torn up, upset digestive tract a rest.

Juicing with a masticating juicer allows you to get an encredable amount of nutrients into your body, I don't do well when I take in too much fiber so I could not possible eat enough fruits and vegi's to ge the nutrients I need and I feel juicing is a better way to get your nutrients than a pill.

While the body is resting from having to digest as much it can expend the limited energy many of us have on repairing other damage.

Also if Doc's like Doctor Miner in OK City believe that you can come off your medications once you stabilize and your body is no longer reactive, basically resetting your immune system where it should be, thus allowing some (not everyone) to live a relativly normal life.  Then why can't juicing assist towards that goal.  Saying someone must not have the disease in the first place just because they no longer have reactions is like people who say someone must not have really had cancer because they are cured.