Aspirin/Salicylate Allergies and/or severe sensitivities?
Just thought this might be helpful information to some of those of you suffering with some form of our common affliction, and perhaps not aware of this related condition.
I am not a Doctor--I am a patient, but two very smart Doctors told me early on that many (>15 %) of mast cell activation "patients", also shared an allergy or sensitivity to aspirin and all salicylate related compounds.
A few quick thoughts that might be of interest.
1> "An apple a day, will keep the Doctor away" was/is scientifically true for the REST of the population--not necessarily for those with mast cell disorders/conditions. Apples have more naturally ocurring salicylates than any other fruit available in the United States. Interestingly enough, however, organge juice has more aspirin (naturally ocurring) than apple juice.
2> Tartrazine is a natural carrier of large amounts of salicylates...I, for example, can only take white medicene, because most drug color additives contain Tartrazine, which causes an anaphalytic event.
Even the red writing on a white Tylenol caplet contains naturally ocurring aspirin.
3> The reason why they make "white benadryl" is because of people like us with mast cell and aspirin sensitivities.
4> I have had numerous othopeodic aurgeris, and am allergic to general anesthesia as most of you must be as well. However, after over a decade withthe same pain medicene Doctor looking after me, he told me to drink some liquid morphine instead of having to press the button every 2 hours, and that way I would get a better night's sleep. I asked him if the ingredients were identical, and he said he checked and they were. We then checked the inserts together, and they matched, So I drank the morphine. Guess what? 20 minutes later I began to go into anaphalytic shock. The next day we found out from the manufacurer that there was a salicylated preservative in the oral version that was not listed in the ingredients because it was an "inactive" preservative. Guess what, it is now listed.
Hope this helps somebody. I am feeling a need to give back to this wonderful community I have been lucky to discover.
Be Well.
Gil/
I thought masto people in general were allergic to morphine.
I have systemic mastocytosis and can take codeine and morphine. I guess we are all different. I can also take aspirin but it gives me severe stomach pain.
That's great they've listed the inactive ingredients in the liquid morphine... lets hope more of this labelling becomes basic policy and law for any pharmaceuticals.
I pretty much stick to a low salicylate and low histamine diet myself and this has certainly helped. If I take even the slightest amount of aspirin I will go into anaphylaxis. Yet... many people with one form or other of MC disorder will often go through a desensitization process in hospital for 3 days (can't remember the exact amount of days) with aspirin. Many people have found that aspirin therapy, once through the desensitisation, assists in alleviating much brain fog and neuroimmune signals in the brain affecting cognition and mood. Usually the people who will undergo aspirin therapy have high prostaglandin D levels... but not everyone with a MC disorder has high prostaglandin D levels..... it's all so variable.
I've heard some people can tolerate synthetic opiods ie: Tramadol and other ones whose names I can't recall at the moment.
I always "peel" my tablets that are coated with dyes.... initially it was a pain in the butt, but now it's second nature and I don't even think about doing it as it's part of my routine now.
You may already know about this, The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy centre in Sydney Australia have masses of information about diet and the natural chemicals found in foods that can aggravate us. For me I found it really useful understanding the difference between a true allergic reaction and food/chemical intolerance.... the mechanisms behind these reactions are quite different and worthy to learn about.
Other members have also listed diets like the anti-cancer diet that they've found useful too.
I find golden delicious apples fine if I peel them. They are low in both salicylates and histamine. Although they still don't keep the doctors at bay, damn it!
Thanks for sharing this info.
Gil, you mentioned the salicylate preservative in the Morphine. Just thought I would share that my doc advised against flu vaccines for the same reason.
