ALPHA-GAL is serious business. Given that symptom onset is delayed and often happens at night, it is hard to connect to the tick bite. Many MDs are still unaware of this tock-born problem. A simple blood test is now available to test. If you know you have been bitten, it is worth asking for the test.
If you ever experience and serious itching, hives, swelling of tongue & lips, and there is no know trigger, get the test. These symptoms often respond top Benadryl. Children’s chewable are faster acting than the adult pills, and you can add to dosage as you note a lack of complete response. As notes in the article, the incidence of this is on the rise. Climate change has been a facilitating factor. Be aware, at best, alpha-gal it is extremely uncomfortable, at worst, it is life-threatening. While the overall tick population has been on the dramatic rise in Massachusetts in recent years, there is one species that hunts in packs. https://patch.com/massachusetts/across-ma/tick-bomb-what-know-ma-species-behind-meat-allergies?utm_source=shared-email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share -- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to [email protected]. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
