I am so sorry if you are suffering a collection of the above symptoms. I can only imagine what a struggle it would be for you on a day-to-day basis.
What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)?
MCAS is a condition where mast cells, which are those cells that release chemical mediators such as histamine and heparin, are overactive. Consequently, these cells release a flood of these inflammatory chemicals into the bloodstream, and in so doing, may affect every organ in the body. Symptoms, as shown above, may include: allergies and various skin conditions as a toddler and child that came and went, unexplained anxiety, disturbed gut function that might present as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as well as insomnia, headaches and poor wound healing – to just name a few.
MCAS Triggers
There can be several triggers to cause these immune cells to be overactive, namely SIBO, imbalanced microbiome in the colon, H.pylori infection in the stomach, tick and insect infections, mould exposure, and chemical exposures. You could also have one or more underlying autoimmune conditions that are responsible for your mast cells being overactive or you could have gene variants predisposing you to this condition. Or alternatively, you could be suffering from a few conditions that mimic MCAS.
Diagnosis
If you are suffering from many of the above symptoms, it is difficult to assess if you have MCAS, but there definitely could be a strong possibility.
As the symptoms of MCAS are systemic, covering a wide part of your body, it is not an easy condition to diagnose or to treat. Diagnosis, unfortunately, is more a process of elimination. There is no one test that will be definitive. We could examine the levels of histamine and other mediators, but that will not be enough for a diagnosis.
