Answers to all my Crazy Questions .....

I have been accumulating questions for my next allergy doctor's visit (which was today).

As you can imagine - people ask me crazy questions and give weird and unfounded suggestions about this allergy.  If you are an Alpha Gal Allergy sufferer, you may be asked some of the same questions by friends, coworkers and relatives.

So here's the list - along with answers received today ....


Q -Any active cure or research for a cure?
A - No .... other than limiting exposure to the allergen and avoiding future tick bites .... which will caused your alpha gal "numbers" to come down over time.

Q - What about therapies like Plasma Exchange or Immunoglobulin Therapy?
A - These would not work on Alpha Gal Allergy

Q - Could a Fat Blocker (Orlistat or Alli) be used as a means to reduce fat absorption, therefore reduce absorption of Alpha Gal ...taken before or after a meal?
A- No, this would not work since the pill would separate the saccaride from the fatty acid.  The fatty acid absorption is blocked, but the saccaride component is not.

Q - Should I be concerned about developing other auto-immune diseases - Am I predisposed for MS, Lupus, etc?
A - No

Q - Am I able to take the Flu Shot?
A - Yes (no gelatin component)

Q - Am I able to take the Shingles Vaccine?
A - Not recommended for me since it does include gelatin (beef by-product) and since my Alpha Gal numbers were so high originally (77.5).

Note:  Other vaccines containing gelatin:  DTAP (pediatric), Measles (pediatric) and Yellow Fever

Q - Ridiculous Question:  Am I not able to eat whale, porpoise and bat (which are all mammals)?
A - No.  Alpha Gal is found in all lower primate and all non-primate mammals - so the only general classifications of mammals that do not have Alpha Gal are:  Man, Gorilla and Orangatang.  That means that less intelligent monkeys are off the food list ... like I really want them, right?  I have come to grips that I will not be able to travel the world with Indiana Jones!