What is Alphagal?
Alphagal, Alpha-Gal, Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), Acquired red meat allergy, mamallian meat allergy (MMA) are all the same thing. What happened is a teeny female Lone Star Tick (US) or Paralysis Tick (Australia) bit you and now you're allergic to red meat. If you want the technical or scientific explanation, do a search for it.
But what exactly does that mean? Well, it will start with whatever you last ate. Ate a beef burger, you're allergic to beef. If you had a pork chop, you're allergic to pork. You get the idea.
However (I know a scary word), it is a progressive disease (even scarier, sorry). You will find that more and more "meats" make you sick.
So, how do you know you have it? Well, there is a blood test your primary care doctor can order, but generally you have the symptoms after either eating "meat" or if someone cross contaminated your food.
Symptoms vary a bit by person but nausea or abdominal pain 20 minutes to 8 hours after you eat is a good indication you might have Alphagal. Most of the people in our area report those symptoms the most (as we talk to people)
Desensitization is an up in the air "treatment". But heres the absolute truth: if it hurts, don't do it. Why would you torment yourself with that small bite of red meat to attempt to be able to eat it again and then go through the physical pain of that allergic reaction?
Female, the "star" can look like a spot as in this picture, or it can be more of a star.