I got diagnosed with alpha gal back in December.
Haven't had any red meat for the last two years.
I haven't gone into any anaphylactic episodes, but I go experience a lot of G.I. issues, sweating, nausea, etc.
Anyone else dealing with this issue? Has it started to get better over time?
sounds awful. hope it improves for you. what ticks spread this thing?
my dog got diagnosed with Anaplasmosis last year. hasn't shown any negative effects.
i got deer tick stuck under my chin last year under my 6 inch beard. my wife squashed the hell out of it trying to get it out. i never showed a rash so i hope i didn't get anything. i was only stuck in me for a day
Quote from: bigriverbum on April 29, 2021, 02:55:59 PM
sounds awful. hope it improves for you. what ticks spread this thing?
Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum)
Alpha Gal is the one I am most concerned over. From what I have read and understood it only takes a bite while most others take the tick being attached for 24-36 hours. Glad it is not as bad for you as it is for others. I am sure it was a huge transition with diet.
Man that stinks. Never had it and definitely don't want it. If I couldn't eat meat then I ain't to sure what I would do. My youngest got lymes about 2 years ago. Thankful it was just that. When you spend 2 nights worried about a brain tumor in your child it gives you a small glimmer of what a lot of parents have to face for real. Ticks are nothing to take lightly.
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Not familiar with that. Prior to heading afield I liberally spray my turkey hunting clothing and accessories with .7% permethrin concentrate. Hopefully I'm good to go. I had nine ticks on me several years ago when hunting KS, none since.
I've had it for approx 25 years, before there was much press about it. I didn't even know what it was until 10 or so years ago. Initially, I had 2 bad reactions before I realized it was red meat causing it, then I forgot and it happened a 3rd time, that one nearly put me in the hospital. They say the symptoms lesson and potentially disappear over time, I have accidentally eaten small pieces of mammal meat over the last 10 years without having reactions so that may be true....but I don't dare test the theory on purpose....lol. I have not had any(except small mistakes)mammal meat in that time, don't even think about it these days, just eat other things. I was just reading about Alpha-Gal recently where they said foods like butter and cheese would cause the same reactions, I never had issues with those things, only meat. My reactions were massive rashes over my entire body and breathing issues(throat closing), so nothing to mess around with.
Sounds horrible, my diet depends on meat, I would be in deep trouble. Hope you get well soon, but from what I have read about the Lone Star tic it could be a while.
Years ago they had a tick shot you could get to prevent a lot of things from them, wish it was still around.
Had adult deer tick stuck at beltline yesterday sprayed down good turkey huntin but didn't when spraying roundup around the yard. Hunters around here (Easternshore of MD) have gotten Alpha Gal and lone star ticks are PLENTIFUL! Lyme and other tick diseases here too, seems like ticks are much worse now than when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's. I lived in woods and tall grass but never remember ticks let alone being covered up by them. No red meat diet would be a major change around here.
In PA never remember deer ticks being a thing as a kid 70 - 80, a few of the regular ticks. But they seem everywhere now, coated with them if I forget spray. Lots of pesticides back then that have since been banned, amongst other things.
No red meat was a real game changer. Chicken got really old, very fast. I do eat a lot of other fowl now (goose, duck, quail, etc.). At least I am still able to eat seafood.
Coworker of mine here in Iowa got it about 3 years ago after mushroom hunting (found a lone star tick attached), he has been able to introduce small amounts mammalian meat back into his diet in the last couple months. I do a permethrin dip on all my hunting clothes since then...probably at biggest risk when working on the farm and in the yard
For most people, assuming no other bites, the effects begin to wane over time. That length of time depends on the person
Here is an article about a local gentleman that got Alpha Gal:
http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/stories/ncs_mag_15273.htm
Quote from: TKE921 on April 30, 2021, 10:08:02 AM
For most people, assuming no other bites, the effects begin to wane over time. That length of time depends on the person
I have been tempted to try small bites of red meat again, just a scary proposition as the reactions are pretty intense. Like I said earlier, I have had tidbits(bacon bits) by mistake and had no reactions, so might be time for me to give it a try.
Quote from: gergg on April 30, 2021, 10:31:31 AM
Quote from: TKE921 on April 30, 2021, 10:08:02 AM
For most people, assuming no other bites, the effects begin to wane over time. That length of time depends on the person
I have been tempted to try small bites of red meat again, just a scary proposition as the reactions are pretty intense. Like I said earlier, I have had tidbits(bacon bits) by mistake and had no reactions, so might be time for me to give it a try.
My wife just reminded me that I accidentally ate 2 thin slices of ham a few months ago thinking it was turkey and had no reactions, so maybe I am healed....lol....When I found out it was ham I freaked out, but all was well, this thread may enable me to eat a burger soon :)
Gergg,
Could you go get tested again to check your levels? I plan on doing that every year to keep track to see if they are lowering.
I know about Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from ticks but what is this Alpha Gal? Sounds like we ALL need to make sure we GET OUR PERMETHRIN ON!
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20428608
Permethrin is great and works but it is not the end all be all it is sometimes made out to be. It is an insecticide that kills ticks within time. If you are not tucking your pants and taking other measures you can still be bit. Take all the precautions: treat clothes with permethrin, tuck your pants in your boots, tuck in your shirt, and I like to spray my waist hat, and top of boots with OFF with 40% deet.
I just got back from Kansas and while there I got complacent one time and did not tuck my pants in my boots or spray with deet and I got ticks on me. My clothes were freshly treated with Permethrin before I left but it did not stop them completely. There are small things that can protect us but you have to take the time to do all the steps all the time.
I work for a forestry consulting business and i am in the woods every day 8-10 hrs a day. I am pulling them off of me every day of all kinds and sizes, nothing stops them after you sweat it off, I find them in my truck, on my hats, in my dirty clothes, everywhere. If I wasn't able to eat mammal meat I don't think I could survive. Seriously considering looking for another job after reading this thread and thinking about thinking how terrible it would be
Quote from: briton on April 30, 2021, 03:57:17 PM
I work for a forestry consulting business and i am in the woods every day 8-10 hrs a day. I am pulling them off of me every day of all kinds and sizes, nothing stops them after you sweat it off, I find them in my truck, on my hats, in my dirty clothes, everywhere. If I wasn't able to eat mammal meat I don't think I could survive. Seriously considering looking for another job after reading this thread and thinking about thinking how terrible it would be
Dude you gotta be treating them clothes! Permethrin is your friend.
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Do leg gaiters help keep them from coming up your pant legs? I had a heckeva time last week as I wasn't wearing my normal rubber knee boots climbing around in S MO. My legs are hammered between my shorts and socks under my hunting pants. My clothes were treated and retreated w .0625% P-10.
This was my first year treating my clothes with Sawyers. Also the first year I didn't get a tick on me. Prior seasons i would get on average 5 every day I hunted.
I treat my clothes religiously with Sawyers. All spring scounting and hunting I have found two ticks under my clothing. One was alive and crawling and the other dead on my shirt. The one crawling had just got on me I'm sure as I felt him on my leg and pulled my pants leg and saw him. He probably wouldn't have made it much farther. I have tried some permethrine from the garden store and it didn't do well. Sawyers is the Gold standard in my book. I got cellulitis from a tick bite a few years ago and had to go on steroids and antibiotics. After that, I declared war on ticks. We used to have them bad arouund the house and I treated with this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Spectracide-Triazicide-Insect-Killer-For-Lawns-Granules-20-Pound/863502378?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222327543836&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=74492030838164&wl4=pla-4578091575196569&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=863502378_10000001673&wl14=spectracide%20insect%20killer&veh=sem&gclid=2e6734f51ec117cf8aa7547af739db4c&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=2e6734f51ec117cf8aa7547af739db4c
and they disappeared
Quote from: briton on April 30, 2021, 03:57:17 PM
I work for a forestry consulting business and i am in the woods every day 8-10 hrs a day. I am pulling them off of me every day of all kinds and sizes, nothing stops them after you sweat it off, I find them in my truck, on my hats, in my dirty clothes, everywhere. If I wasn't able to eat mammal meat I don't think I could survive. Seriously considering looking for another job after reading this thread and thinking about thinking how terrible it would be
Sweat won't wash off permethrin, treat your clothes liberally with it and it will stay in the fabric through several wash cycles.
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Going to get more Sawyer, now!