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Spending lots of time outdoors - please read this

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  • Spending lots of time outdoors - please read this

    My husband and I are big outdoors people. About 18 yrs ago, he started having horrific allergic reactions. Most times he would experience anaphylaxis. The strange thing about these episodes was they almost always happened at 1:00 in the morning, hours after he had eaten. He would wake up and tell me he was about to have an attack. I would get him to the master bath and sit him on the potty because it was in a small room. He would lose consciousness and this way he would fall against the wall instead of hitting the floor. He went into cardiac arrest and had a heart attack in his 30's . This went on for about 9 to 10 years. I told him once the attacks started happening about every other day, we were going to Duke or Emory that I was afraid he was going to die in our bathroom floor. We agreed to start with his cardiologist. His heart Dr was very baffled and ask hubby to see the allergist again .Hubby had already been thru every prick test available but he never tested positive for any allergies. So we went to the allergist and he let me do all the talking because the Dr. wanted to know what I was observing during the episodes and then asked hubby how he knew he was about to experience an episode, what were the symptoms. The Dr. Decided to order blood work .There was no official requisition form .The test was ordered on a yellow piece of paper off of a legal pad and was hand written. Hubby had to have the blood drawn at the hospital and it was sent to the University of VA i think . After two days, the nurse called and said, "Whatever you do, do not eat any meat and the Dr wants to see you in the morning" .

    My husband has a meat allergy that came from a Texas Long Star tick bite . We live in SC but that type of tick has made its way all over the country . He stopped eating any mammal meat and has not had an episode in 8 years.
    The disease/allergy is called Alpha Gal Syndrome. It has been a huge lifestyle change for us . He eats chicken, Turkey and fish . We eat so much chicken, I swear we will sprout feathers . I'm telling you about this because if you ever experience something similar, you can get tested. My husband was one of the first in SC to be diagnosed with Alpha Gal and now there are thousands . And the Long Star Tick is now found as far north as Maine .

    So when you go out hunting, use your tick and bug spray because no one should have to experience what my hub has been through .
    Last edited by Josie; 05-10-2019, 09:18 PM. Reason: Url
    South Carolina

  • #2
    That was good information, sorry you all had to go through that experience
    South East Ga. Twin City

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    • #3
      I fixed it for ya Josie. And thanks for sharing you and yer husbands story. Ticks are no joke. Here in New England ticks are a big problem too. And it seems every few years they pick up and transmit new diseases. Some parts of the country the dangers in the wild are rattlesnakes or bears, here in southern New England ours is ticks. I know a lot of people that have Lyme disease. If your gonna be tromping around in the outdoors wear lighter colored pants and try to avoid areas of tall grass or thick brush or where you see a lot of deer signs, if you do pass thru a thick area the second you move into the clear stop and check your legs and crotch area to see if you caught any Klingons and pick em off before they get a chance to crawl and hide. In fact make it a habitual habit to periodically stop and check yourself while your out there every so often, if your with someone check each other’s backs too. And around here it’s kinda a ritual that before anyone gets back in the truck or car to give yourselfs a really good last look over before you leave. And when you get home a hand mirror and a good bathroom light help alleviate any extra fears before you hop in the shower or tub too. Like I said, ticks are no joke and have the potential to carry more than one way to make us very sick. Extra prevention is worth it.
      call me Jay, i live in R.I.

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      • Josie
        Josie commented
        Editing a comment
        Thanks for fixing my post! I have a friend from NY who got a tick bite in the wintertime in Vermont while skiing and developed Lyme disease. Our winters are so mild here in SC that we have ticks all year. Good advice about about checking during and after being exposed !

    • #4
      Hey Josie, Thanks for the information. Your last sentence is more important than people may realize. We have lots of ticks and bug spray is very effective. Tying your pants legs tight around your boots is also a good measure.
      Michigan Yooper
      If You Don’t Stand for Something, You’ll Fall for Anything

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      • #5
        Thanks for sharing this with us. What a life change for your husband and you to finally find out.
        Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

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        • #6
          I have now seen my first 2 ticks on me this year, fortunately neither have taken hold. I hear your message loud and clear and thank you for sharing your story.
          Bruce
          In life there are losers and finders. Which one are you?

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          • #7
            I don't think I posted the correct link but you can google Alpha Gal . I also should have mentioned that a Long Star tick has a distinctive white dot on its back . Also, each episode started with major hives . The delayed reaction is a major sign that someone should be tested. His were always at 1:00 in the morning . Every General practitioner and Emergency room Dr should be made aware of this allergy . He was tested last month and his levels have dropped from 9.0 to 3.0 . You have to be under 0.10 before meat can be consumed to test for a reaction . I'm not sure what is tested if it is a protein or a glucose molecule in the blood . But he will get retested in about 3 years . If he ever gets to try meat again, it will be with his Dr spending the weekend with us, lol . He's a big time Hunter so this was a real lifestyle change. He still hunts but gives his meat away especially to the needy .He's a good guy .
            ​​​​​
            South Carolina

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            • #8
              great post. I have a friend who lived in NY, got lyme from a tick bite and now he cannot eat any beef, too.
              Professor Shellman
              Tampa Bay

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              • #9
                Thanks for sharing
                South Dakota

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                • #10
                  Thanks Josie
                  SW Connecticut

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                  • #11
                    If I couldn’t eat meat, and especially venison... well, I don’t know what I’d do! I can’t bare the thought! Good for him for not giving up on being an outdoorsman and hunter too.
                    call me Jay, i live in R.I.

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                    • Lindenmeier-Man
                      Lindenmeier-Man commented
                      Editing a comment
                      I can’t make it without beef, or so I think... When my son was young and we got plenty of deer I cooked some beef filets and after eating venison so long he thought the beef tasted like crap ! Anyway , I’m thinking science is not taking the CWD even more seriously ! I’m worried about a 2 million year old species being wiped out...Ya know they make rabies vaccine from deer blood, the only animal on the planet immune to the virus.. Also, I’m worried about the prion spreading to other species.. !!!

                    • Josie
                      Josie commented
                      Editing a comment
                      I think he is planning his first meal when he can resume eating meat. It will be fried cube steak (venison) or fried pork chops, lol. He talks about that future meal, lol. But he feels so much better now and no longer has the swelling in his joints. It was tough on him because he is a meat and potatoes kind of guy! But we are grateful to have answers and a diagnosis.

                  • #12
                    Cliff Jackson has it Josie, he lives in NC. He use to be on AACA board. I’ve not heard from him in years...
                    Lubbock County Tx

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