1. What are mast cells?
2. What is mast cell disease?
3. What causes mast cell disease?
4. Is mast cell disease heritable?
5. Can mast cell disease be cured?
6. What symptoms does mast cell disease cause?
7. Why are skin and GI symptoms so common?
8. Why are symptoms not the same for everyone?
9. Why do symptoms change over time?
10. How is mast cell disease diagnosed?
11. What kind of doctor diagnoses mast cell disease? Can any doctor order these tests?
12. What do these blood and urine tests look for?
13. What do these biopsies test for?
14. Are there special instructions for the tests to diagnose mast cell disease?
15. How is mast cell disease treated?
16. Do I have to take medication if I feel okay?
17. Does mast cell disease impact mood, anxiety, and depression?
18. Are medications for depression, anxiety or other psychiatric conditions used in mast cell patients?
19. How do other conditions affect mast cell disease?
20. Why do a lot of mast cell patients get intravenous (IV) fluids?
21. Why do people care so much about diagnostic criteria?
22. Is MCAS an early form of SM?
23. Is mast cell disease progressive?
24. What is degranulation?
25. How do I know what I will react to?
27. Can mast cell patients travel? Can they fly?
28. Why are so many mast cell patients anemic?
29. Why do I swell up when I have a reaction? Where does the fluid come from and where does it go?
30. Why does my skin get red and itchy?
31. Does mast cell disease cause cognitive issues?
32. Is mast cell activation the same as mast cell activation syndrome?
The questions I have already answered in other posts
33. What is the difference between primary and secondary disorders? How do you know if your disorder is primary or secondary?
34. What are the differences between the forms of systemic mastocytosis?
35. Why are there different sets of criteria for mast cell activation syndrome? What are the differences between them?
36. Is MCAS less serious than SM?
37. What is the difference between mast cell activation syndrome, mast cell activation disorder, and mast cell activation disease?
38. What is the difference between the forms of cutaneous mastocytosis?
39. How are mast cell disease, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and POTS connected? (Part One)
39. How are mast cell disease, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and POTS connected? (Part Two)
40. What is mastocytosis of childhood? Is mast cell disease different from children than adults?
41. Can my mast cell disease go away? Will it ever not be a problem?
42. How is anaphylaxis related to mast cell disease? How do I know when to use my epipen?
43. What is a rebound reaction?
44. What is a myeloproliferative neoplasm? Is that what mast cell disease is?
45. Is mast cell disease autoimmune?
46. What does it mean to be a “leaker” or “shocker”?
47. What does “sense of impending doom” mean?
48. Why do I taste metal when I’m having a bad reaction or anaphylaxis?
49. What is the relationship between FPIES and MCAS?
50. How does mast cell disease affect hearing?
51. What is the difference between mast cell activation syndrome and histamine intolerance?
52. Is it true that it can take up to six bone marrow biopsies to diagnose systemic mastocytosis?
53. How do I get effective care from providers that don’t know anything about mast cell disease?
54. How does mast cell disease affect clotting?
55. How many people have mast cell disease?
56. Why do I react every time I eat?
57. Do I have to go to the hospital every time I use an epipen?
58. What is mastocytic enterocolitis?
59. Is systemic mastocytosis a form of cancer? Why do some papers say the life expectancy for systemic mastocytosis is much shorter?
60. Is anaphylaxis the same as anaphylactic shock?
61. If a tryptase level over 10.9 ng/mL is high, why is one of the criteria for systemic mastocytosis is tryptase level of 20.0 ng/mL or higher?
62. Is it possible to become tolerant of a trigger again?
63. Why do many mast cell patients gain weight? Why can’t they lose it?
64. Why do I always have dark circles around my eyes?
65. Does mast cell disease cause hair loss?
66. How long does it take to react to a trigger?
67. What physical things trigger mast cells?
68. How does mast cell disease affect pregnancy?
69. What routine monitoring should mast cell patients receive?
70. What is premedication and when should I do it?
71. What other diseases “look like” mast cell disease?
72. How does mast cell disease affect your dental health?
73. Can mast cell disease cause organ damage?
74. Is mast cell activation the cause of many other diseases?
75. What other diseases and disorders are commonly associated with mast cell disease?
76. Is it true that allergic reactions can cause heart attacks?
77. Can you have anaphylaxis with high blood pressure?
78. Are vaccines contraindicated for people with mast cell disease?
79. Do probiotics help GI symptoms from mast cell disease?
80. When is chemotherapy necessary for mast cell disease?
81. Is it true almost 20% of the population might have mast cell disease?
82. Why do mast cell patients react to leftover food?
83. Are there any supplements that help manage mast cell symptoms?
84. Is the problem for mast cell patients that they can’t break down histamine properly?
85. What is the difference between an anaphylactic reaction and an anaphylactoid reaction?
86. What is the role of the spleen in systemic mastocytosis? (Part One)
86. What is the role of the spleen in systemic mastocytosis? (Part Two)
87. How does mast cell disease affect red blood cell counts?
88. How does mast cell disease affect white blood cell counts?
89. How does mast cell disease affect platelet counts?
90. What causes pain in mast cell disease?
91. How long should it take to know if a medication is working?
Part 79
92. What is ketotifen not FDA approved? How do I get it?
93. How is adrenal insufficiency related to mast cell disease?
94. How are mast cells involved in cancer?
95. How do you take oral cromolyn?
96. Why are cancer drugs used to treat mast cell disease?