MCAS

MCAS: MAST CELL ACTIVATION SYMNDROME

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is an autoimmune illness that causes a person to experience anaphylaxis on a routine basis such as minute by minute in most cases. Allergy symptoms that accompany this illness are hives, rashes, low blood pressure, swelling, difficulty breathing, and stomach issues. While the body is reacting to the anaphylaxis, mast cell mediators are being released. 

            Mast Cells themselves are the allergy cells that are the ones that are responsible for the immediate allergic reactions that you are familiar with. During this the allergy antibody, that are on the mast cells, jumps off and attaches to the protein called allergens. This process if referred to as activation. During this the mediators that are stored on the mast cells are released fairly fast; sometimes the release is slower after the cell has had a trigger to aggravate it. Masts cells aren’t always triggered by ones own body, things such as medication, infections, insect bites, food, and things along that line can trigger them. 

            The cells can recreate themselves in the warped version that causes the reactions. If this is the case then those mast cells will continue to be reactive to the triggers. If this is the case then the symptoms become more prevalent. These symptoms can range from tachycardia, syncope, itching of the skin, hives, swelling, flushing of the skin, wheezing, throat swelling, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. 

            In order to treat MCAS there needs to be an extensive testing done and then work with the patient to get the symptoms under control. You treat the anaphylaxis to start with and that is always the most important. Then after that is under control the patient is put on antihistamines type 1 to deal with the itching, flushing, and those types of issues. Antihistamines type 2 are also used to help deal with the nausea. Along with both of these types of medication there is medication used to stop the wheezing, hives and those types of things. This is a complicated illness that takes a while to get diagnosed and after the diagnosis the right combination of medication is then needed to keep the mast cells under control 

I was diagnosed with MCAS by my ENT who takes care of my asthma as well. I am now on a cocktail of medicine to control the hives and anaphlaxis that I experience on a daily basis. I am thankful that I have a doctor who is trained in this complicated and uncommon disease.