posted
No rash, no redness, what can it be? Sort of feels like 'pin prick' pains here and there that itch. I already have neuropathy, this is different. Doc doesn't feel it's candida.
Haven't started any new meds or supps or changed shampoo, detergents, etc. This is a new sx and I am at at loss. What can it possibly be? My doc says maybe babeisa. Body is producing histamine apparently. No real suggestions. Any feedback from others?
Posts: 394 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2012
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posted
Thanks Lymetoo - I know someone had posted what foods were high in histamine but I can't find it. I'll do a Google search I guess!
Posts: 394 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2012
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
Histamine: Managing your diet
The dynamism of the world of food means that there are constantly ongoing research projects which affect the way foods are perceived, received and accepted. We at HIT Awareness campaign plan to keep you updated with such modifications as they relate to food intolerances – in particular HIT.
By way of a reminder, the food list – or even any other food lists you will come across via different resources such as the internet – are ONLY to be viewed as a form of guidance, and not as authorities in themselves. This is because many HIT sufferers have to cope with multiple intolerances, such that commencing an elimination diet without a diagnosis by a doctor and consultation with a dietician is not advisable.
If you abide by this guidance, you should be able to notice a positive change after about 4 weeks of the elimination diet.
HIT sufferers have different thresholds, i.e. tolerance levels, so the next step after completing a successful elimination diet is to establish your threshold level, with the aim of gradually improving it over a period of time.
If you have ticked all the boxes up to this point, then we suppose it is safe to wish you the best towards a better quality of life.
■A food diary is essential! It is important to eat foods that are low in histamine levels in accordance to your threshold. Please always remember that there is no such thing as an “histamine-free diet”!
Here are some general pointers:
■Avoid or reduce eating canned foods and ready meals ■Avoid or reduce eating ripened and fermented foods (older cheeses, alcoholic drinks, products containing yeast, stale fish) ■Histamine levels in foods vary, depending on how ripe, matured or hygienic the foods are ■As much as it is possible, only buy and eat fresh products ■Don’t allow foods to linger outside the refrigerator – especially meat products ■Ensure that your food preparation area (kitchen) is always kept clean – but don’t be manic! ■Everyone has their own threshold; you will need to find yours ■Consult a certified dietician about working out a balanced diet ■Learn to cook! It can be loads of fun once you get into it Low histamine level foods:
■Fresh meat (cooled, frozen or fresh) ■Freshly caught fish ■Chicken (skinned and fresh) ■Egg yolk ■Fresh fruits – with the exception of strawberries, most fresh fruits are considered to have a low histamine level (also see histamine liberators below) ■Fresh vegetables – with the exception of tomatoes ■Grains – rice noodles, yeast free rye bread, rice crisp bread, oats, puffed rice crackers, millet flour, pasta (spelt and corn based) ■Fresh pasteurised milk and milk products ■Milk substitutes – coconut milk, rice milk ■Cream cheese, butter (without the histamine generating rancidity) ■Most cooking oils – check suitability before use ■Most leafy herbs – check suitability before use ■Most non-citric fruit juices ■Herbal teas – with the exception of those listed below High histamine level foods:
■Alcohol ■Pickled or canned foods – sauerkrauts ■Matured cheeses ■Smoked meat products – salami, ham, sausages…. ■Shellfish ■Beans and pulses – chickpeas, soy beans, peanuts ■Nuts – walnuts, cashew nuts ■Chocolates and other cocoa based products ■Most citric fruits ■Wheat based products ■Vinegar ■Ready meals ■Salty snacks, sweets with preservatives and artificial colourings Histamine liberators:
■Yoghurt – depends on the bacteria culture used ■Egg white – it is a histamine liberator only when in its raw state Other
■Yeast – even though it does not contain histamine as such, yeast serves as a catalyst for histamine generation during manufacture. There is no yeast in the end product.
Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD), Chronic Illness, and its Role in Methylation
What do chronic illnesses such as Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia Lupus, Chronic Lyme Disease, Interstitial Cystitis, Multiple Sclerosis, and more have in common? Well, these illnesses may have a lot of things in common, and a lot of overlapping symptoms, but many patients symptoms seem to be compatibled with Systemic Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAD).
So what is MCAD according to Mayo Clinic?
Systemic mastocytosis (mas-to-sy-TOE-sis) is a disorder caused by a genetic mutation that results in an excessive number of mast cells in your body. Mast cells normally help protect you from disease and aid in wound healing by releasing substances such as histamine and leukotrienes. But if you have systemic mastocytosis, excess mast cells can build up in your skin, around blood vessels, in your respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, or in reproductive organs. When triggered, these mast cells release substances that can overwhelm your body and result in symptoms such as facial flushing, itching, a rapid heartbeat, abdominal cramps, lightheadedness or even loss of consciousness. Common triggers include alcohol, temperature changes, spicy foods and certain medications.
The following “triggers” may influence a mast cell response: drug abuse, excessive alcoho consumption, preservatives, stress, sunlight, environmental toxins, bacteria/fungi/mold, artificial colors or flavorings, heat/cold, etc. Minimizing your exposure to these triggers may help redcuce you mastocytosis risk.
I know for a fact that many have trouble with one, many, or perhaps all of these triggers. From that list, I know alcohol, stress, sunlight, bacteria, mold, heat, and cold trigger my symptoms. The only thing I haven’t noticed as a trigger are artificial colors or flavoring, but maybe I am not paying close attention. Spicy food, which is not on this list can be another trigger for MCAD.
Mayo Clinic had a decent list at symptoms associated with Systemic Mastocytosis, but let’s look a little more in-depth of symptoms, since Systemic Mastocytosis has many of them.
The U.K. NHS has a pretty good list. The symptoms are a bit scattered throughout the article, so I’ll modify it a bit to make one complete list.
A Relatively Complete List of Associated Symptoms
◦hot flushing – described as a dry feeling of heat, rather than the sort of wet heat you experience when sweating ◦palpitations (irregular heartbeat) ◦lightheadedness ◦headache ◦shortness of breath ◦chest pain ◦nausea ◦diarrhoea ◦stomach pain caused by peptic ulcers ◦loss of appetite ◦weight loss ◦swelling of the liver, which can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) and make you feel lethargic ◦swelling of the spleen, which can cause abdominal (tummy) and shoulder pain ◦joint pain ◦swelling of the lymph nodes ◦weakness ◦fatigue ◦changes in mental state, such as confusion, irritability, poor attention span and impaired memory ◦urinary symptoms (needing to pass urine frequently, or pain when passing urine) ◦Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension) ◦dizziness ◦fainting (a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness) ◦blurred vision ◦general weakness
If you reach the state of anaphylaxis, you can even also have symptoms such as:
◦breathing difficulties ◦dizziness ◦swollen eyes, lips, genitals, hands, feet and other areas (called angio-oedema) ◦itchy skin or nettle rash (hives) ◦a strange metallic taste in the mouth ◦sore, red, itchy eyes ◦changes in heart rate ◦a sudden feeling of extreme anxiety ◦unconsciousness due to very low blood pressure ◦abdominal cramps, vomiting or diarrhoea ◦fever While the NHS doesn’t mention hypertension, some patients may present with hypertension. Hyperadrenergic POTS can present in Mast Cell Activation Disorders. Hyperadrenergic POTS presents with orthostatic intolerance associated with an elevated heart rate (≥30 bpm within 5 minutes of standing) and hypertension (≥20 mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure upon standing).
See Hyperadrenergic Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in Mast Cell Activation Disorders in the journal Hypertension.
Is There Research Connecting MCAD to Chronic Illness?
Ok, by now, you may be thinking, wow, I have many of the triggers and symptoms on this list, but is there research showing that this condition exists in various chronic illnesses? The answer to that question is yes. While there may not be a whole lot of research, Dr. Theoharides, the Director of the Molecular Immunopharmacology & Drug Discovery Laboratory, has put out quite a lot of research.
While a lot of Dr. Theoharide’s research focuses on natural substances such as Luteolin for inhibiting mast-cell activation, and while he is the medical director of Algonot, it’s important to note that he receives no compensation from this company. I think it is important to note this fact because often when one has financial ties to companies or products, their research often becomes skewed or misleading. Algonot develops a supplement for MCAD called Neuroprotek that contains the bioflavonoids Luteolin, Quercetin, and Rutin.
There are pharmaceuticals for MCAD. Hydroxyzine preparations can be quite powerful, but usually require a prescription. Anecdotally, the combination of Zantac and Zyrtec (OTC at your local pharmacy) seems to work pretty well. Zyrtec is an H1 receptor inverse agonist and Zantac is a H2-receptor antagonist. However, even though these are over the counter, do not begin these medications without consulting with a qualified healthcare practitioner first.
Is MCAD connected to methylation?
This may be the million dollar question. There is not much information and MCAD and methylation, but I will end with a quote from the theory at mthfrheds.com.
MTHFR Polymorphism may be a predisposing factor to mast cell disease. 5-MTHF regulates biosynthesis of BH4. The A1298 mutation in the MTHFR enzyme effects the conversion of BH2 to BH4. Less amounts of BH4 inhibits NO formation resulting in increased mast cell degranulation. Inadequate BH4 formation also puts a strain on the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin and tyrosine to dopamine, leading to low levels of the neurotransmitters: dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and melatonin.
Low blood serotonin levels help define a sub-group of patients with mastocytosis that are more likely to present with neurological and gastrointestinal complaints. Human mast cells can express and be activated through multiple serotonin receptors, and synthesize and release serotonin. Low blood serotonin levels in such patients may be the result of low BH4 levels due to 5-MTHF deficiency, the result of long-term malabsorption from chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract or both, as is the case with me.
BH4 is a critical factor in cellular activities such as cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation and differentiation. Could BH4 deficiency secondary to MTHFR polymorphism be one of the fundamental mechanisms that underlie mast cell proliferation?
So the question I am left with is what substances should we try, or how do we modify our methylation protocol when it seems that MCAD may play a large role in the clinical picture. In the absence of improvement of MCAD type symptoms (without taking antihistamines or Luteolin-based supplements), would taking BH4 directly help? Is BH4 deficiency really the issue?
If anyone has any comments on how to address MCAD with methylation supplements, or if they have tried taking BH4 directly, please comment.
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
Itching can also be a symptom of liver or gallbladder problems... Be sure to have all the basics checks.
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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Oh my - such detailed and amazing information Steve, will have to read through this carefully as I am done for the evening. I am more familiar than I thought with the 'Low Histamine Diet' though I see a couple of things that might be triggering this..kinda like individual detective work.
Yes, I did discuss the liver/gallbladder/kidney issues w/ my LLMD but he ruled it out since my labs were good. I'm not so sure though since I just finished 8 mths of difficult IV tx and I'm sure I'm full of toxins, yeast and who knows what else.
Lymetoo- such great info from Steve, someone should make a special 'sticky' out of that info and keep it at the top.
Posts: 394 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2012
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Question -- are you taking any kind of narcotic pain killer or narcotic-like painkiller? (tramadol, etc.) Those can cause itching and it can be intermittent -- so, even if you've taken them for a long time, the itching effect could be due to them. This has happened to me -- sometimes I itch, sometimes I don't.
My old LLNP said a lot of us with Lyme produce histamine as a result of herxing, too ... and yeast die-off can also be a part of the picture.
One thing that REALLY helps --- baking soda! Mix baking soda and water together to make a thin paste, and rub all over anything that is itching. It calms the itch right down. I learned that here on the board, and I am so grateful to whomever posted that suggestion --- it's a lifesaver when I'm itching head to toe.
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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