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originally posted by: pfishy
a reply to: AaarghZombies
The particular study is mRNA-1273-P205 (Moderna).
I'm not prohibited from sharing my participant number, but I am hesitant to do so. What is your reason for wanting to know it, if you don't mind me asking?
Mast cell activation syndrome is a condition that causes mast cells to release an inappropriate amount of chemicals into your body. This causes allergy symptoms and a wide range of other symptoms.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Mast cells are blood cells that are part of your immune system. They help you fight infections, but they are also involved in allergic reactions. Mast cells live longer than normal cells, and they grow in your bone marrow, your gastrointestinal tract, your skin, and your airways.
When you come into contact with an allergen, or substance that causes allergies, mast cells release chemicals called mediators. Some chemicals are released right away, and some take longer.
One of those chemicals is histamine, which might cause allergy symptoms. These include:
Expanding blood vessels
Itchy skin
Swollen skin
Mucus buildup
Tightened airways
Wheezing
Headaches
Anaphylaxis
In a healthy person, these chemicals help protect and heal. In someone with mast cell activation syndrome, they have a negative effect.
Sometimes mast cells can be activated or triggered by things like:
Infections
Medications
Insect venom
Reptile venom
Fragrances
Stress
Exercise
Food
People who have mast cell activation syndrome might have a lot of allergy symptoms and lots of episodes of anaphylaxis without a clear cause.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome vs. Mastocytosis
Sometimes mast cell activation syndrome is confused with mastocytosis. These are both types of mast cell disease, but they are different conditions.
Mastocytosis. Mastocytosis is a rare disease in which extra mast cells gather in organs in your body like the spleen, liver, gut, and skin. This is usually caused by genetic changes causing mast cells to make more of themselves.
This causes you to have too many cells and have a random chemical release that can overwhelm your body and make you sick. These cells might grow fast, be very sensitive, and constantly and randomly release chemicals.
This rare disease can cause skin growths and a blood disorder called leukemia.
Mast cell activation syndrome. This condition doesn’t cause extra cells to gather in your organs. Instead, it happens when mast cells release too many chemicals and cause these allergy symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
There are many different symptoms that affect lots of your body systems all at once. These can happen after eating foods, smelling certain fragrances, exercising, and many other things.
Some key signs include:
Symptoms in more than one system
Symptoms that come and go or are cyclical
Lots of different triggers
Difficulty figuring out what the triggers are
A dramatic change in symptoms
Some key symptoms include:
Swelling
Itching
Rashes
Inflammation
Vomiting
Headaches
Chronic pain
Flushing
Diarrhea
Constipation
Fast heart beat
Low blood pressure
Fatigue
Fainting
Sweats
Abdominal pain
Diagnosing and Treating Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Getting diagnosed can be complicated. It’s common for patients to see lots of different doctors. This can happen because there are usually lots of symptoms that might look like other conditions, and it's hard to pinpoint their exact cause.
Now, I'm not posting this simply to start arguments or try and make myself feel or look "superior" to anyone, in any way.