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Absolutely agree Mary Beth!
Mast cells are in the news more and more, but there is so much that we don't know. I expect someday it will be viewed as a spectrum disorder. Some will have minor symptoms that are annoying and others will be prone to more serious issues.
Gabes, so well put! A measured response, considering the cost/benefit of meds vs. no meds. Always wise to do!
my belief is that any type of inflammation continuing long term is not good for our body, if there is inflammation then our organs and digestion system are not working to their optimum, and the cells are basically under constant stress.
on the other hand it depends, it depends on how bad the symptoms are from the histamine/mast cell issues and the treatments available, and the impact of the treatments in the long term.
My experience as well Gloria...I would only add that many GIs don't even know about the existence of Gastrocrom. My GI doc is well versed about mast cells in GI disease and he had never heard of Gastrocrom!
Marliss the health board I most often go to for MC issues is: http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.plSince most GIs don't yet recognize a mast cell problem, they don't diagnose it, and thus don't prescribe Gastrocrom.
I will tell you that there is a WIDE variety of issues and symptoms that are discussed on the board due to the varying ways that mast cell issues present themselves. The site has valuable information, however, for those in need of resources for mast cell issues.
This topic reminded me of something the mast cell specialist I saw said to me in an email exchange. I share it with you here as "food for thought":
Julie"It's clear now, though (at least to the few specialists working in this area), that all physicians are seeing MCAS" (mast cell activation syndrome) "patients all the time and just not realizing it. General appreciation of MCAS is going to be a huge paradigm shift for a medical profession which for centuries has been comfortable not knowing what the cause of most inflammatory diseases is."
