New here and saying hello
shaumom
Posts: 1,003 Member
Hi!
I'm on here for my Mast Cell Activation Disorder (as opposed to the celiac disease or the arthritis that caused, sigh). I was just diagnosed last year, although we're pretty sure I've had this my entire life (so, you know, only 41 years to get diagnosed, woo hoo :-/) Basically, with MCAD, my mast cells, which are involved in allergic reactions, are messed up so that instead of reacting allergically to allergens, they react to lots of non-allergens as though they ARE allergens.
The non-allergens, though, can be any kind of stressor on the body, anything the body has to adjust to. So foods and chemicals, different temperatures, getting startled or stress or excitement, low blood sugar, not enough sleep, exercise, all sorts of fun stuff. Even altitude changes can do it - it's seriously ridiculous, but really, most of this stuff is, you know? Laugh or cry about this sort of thing, phew.
The pain part comes because the mast cells release a lot of substances and many of them cause inflammation and other problems, so there's lots of bone pain, joint pain, headaches, fatigue, all that fun stuff.
I finally decided to join because I gained a lot of weight this last year as I tried to figure out the diet. I was feeling better about it because the last couple of months I really careful built up my walking, started at 5 minute walks and literally 1-2 minute increases every day. And then the cold hit and suddenly I'm back down to five minutes, if that, or the bone pain increases too much to function well through, and the headaches, and...sigh.
I guess I felt like joining a group for support that would totally get it when I say something like 'woo hoo, I walked an extra 2 minutes today!' >_<
I'm on here for my Mast Cell Activation Disorder (as opposed to the celiac disease or the arthritis that caused, sigh). I was just diagnosed last year, although we're pretty sure I've had this my entire life (so, you know, only 41 years to get diagnosed, woo hoo :-/) Basically, with MCAD, my mast cells, which are involved in allergic reactions, are messed up so that instead of reacting allergically to allergens, they react to lots of non-allergens as though they ARE allergens.
The non-allergens, though, can be any kind of stressor on the body, anything the body has to adjust to. So foods and chemicals, different temperatures, getting startled or stress or excitement, low blood sugar, not enough sleep, exercise, all sorts of fun stuff. Even altitude changes can do it - it's seriously ridiculous, but really, most of this stuff is, you know? Laugh or cry about this sort of thing, phew.
The pain part comes because the mast cells release a lot of substances and many of them cause inflammation and other problems, so there's lots of bone pain, joint pain, headaches, fatigue, all that fun stuff.
I finally decided to join because I gained a lot of weight this last year as I tried to figure out the diet. I was feeling better about it because the last couple of months I really careful built up my walking, started at 5 minute walks and literally 1-2 minute increases every day. And then the cold hit and suddenly I'm back down to five minutes, if that, or the bone pain increases too much to function well through, and the headaches, and...sigh.
I guess I felt like joining a group for support that would totally get it when I say something like 'woo hoo, I walked an extra 2 minutes today!' >_<
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