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Doozlygirl
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Let me throw this out there. As a mast cell patient, we analyze every morsel of food, review ingredients on packaged foods, look up histamine and salicylate content in non-processed foods and personal care products, as well as review our every itch, flush and sensation against other's itches, flushes and sensations on the forums. We completely turn our lifestyle upside down to eliminate our triggers. Some of us have disected the various lists of mast cell degranulators, read every journal article, post and website mentioning the words mast cell, degranulation and anaphylaxis. And yet, many of us have openly accepted a prescription for any medication or OTC recommendation, without considering the individual ingredients or comparing those ingredients against the known mast cell degranulators. Many of us have figured out that these very ingredients make us react/sick, even though these medications are often considered appropriate mast cell medications.
But many keep chasing the invisible--Is it a food allergy? It is the weather? It is my period? Is it OAS? Is this veggie a nightshade? The we drasticly alter our diet, and eliminate any food that makes us react, often sacrificing our basic metabolic minimum requirements, when in fact we are chasing these symptoms with the very medication ingredients that is potentially adding to our overflowing bucket, making us degranulate and keeping us in this vicious cycle.
While any virus, bacterial or yeast infection is known to aggrevate mast cells, if our immune systems were balanced, then our own Killer T cells could easily handle and erradicate these worrisome viruses, bacteria and yeast bugs, before they attach and become infections. I'm not making this up, this is just Immunology 101 stuff.
Mast cell degranulation, allergic IgE and other immune reactions occur when the Killer T cells are supressed making the B cells immunity elevated or the B cells are elevated then causing the Killer T cells to be lower (chicken and egg scenario here). But this imbalance allows for immune dysfunction.
And medication, including vaccines, comes with unintended consequences, as they alter basic functional biochemistry. Vaccines in general, and specifically the 8 versions of the flu vaccine, come with a higher risk to those with immune system imbalances. Read the package insert, also known as the prescribing information for the vaccine you plan to take, preferably BEFORE the injection. It states that this product is contraindicated in any individual with hypersensitivity to any single ingredient. Hypersensitivity is not confined to anaphylaxis, but refers to inducing immune reaction. And since we can't always control our mast cell reactions, I'd say that this is something to consider with informed decision making.
Vaccine experts are appalled at the way in which vaccines are distributed and administered in this country. 1) For example, there are 8 different flu vaccines in the US but yet NO ONE knows which version they are injected with. 2) This information is not readily disclosed, nor is there usually access to list of written ingredients list and their function at the time of injection. 3) And most aggreciously, this injection is unlikely documented in the personal medical record if administered through your place of employment or at a free clinic or outpatient pharmacy. So how in the world would anyone even consider these reactins to be due to a recent vaccine? 4) Even more scary, is that these places will typically not have a crash cart and allergy emergency kit available for immediate adverse medication reactions. 5) And lastly, In the US, any medical procedure, intervention and medication administration with a higher than minimal risk is required to undergo Informed Consent, where a physician is required by law to discuss the risks, benefits and alternatives with the patient or guardian prior to that procedure, intervention and medicaiton administration. This scenario can be invoked for a specific procedure (like surgery, biopsy, or intervential procedure) or based off of a specific patient poplulation, like those with history of anaphylaxis or mast cell disorder. Statue requires that this interaction is documented in the medical record and signed by the patient that this interaction has occured. This falls under individual state law as well as federal statute.
If you are contemplating getting a flu vaccine, I would highly suggest only having your injection performed in a medical office or facilty where they document this information in your medical chart and have immediate access to emergency equipment. I suggest finding out ahead of time, which version you will get, printing out a list of ingredients, looking up the individual ingredients and have an informed discussion with your physician by discussing the actual ingredients and risk to your condition. I would then ask about premedicating or if you should defer the shot until your reactivity has diminished. I would specifically discuss the impact of having mercury or aluminum administered and how this impacts your immune system. While there are strategies to limiting mercury or aluminum exposure, you can't even consider these strategies if you don't know which shot you are going to get.
Some flu vaccines offer thimerisol free or low dose thimerisol options. Single dose vials will not contain the preservative thimerisol, which contains about 50 percent by volume mercury, the second most toxic chemical element on the planet, next to uranium. Some don't have mercury, but contain aluminum, which is just as toxic ot the immune and neurologic systems. And then there are the other scary ingredients.
I don't set out to upset the applecart, but my goal is to inform anyone willing to listen on topics that may impact other masties. If this can help someone, then I've done what I set out to do.
Best wishes,
Lyn
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