What the Tick Stole: My Life With Alpha-Gal Syndrome
The following day, a ferocious, weekslong itching began. Six months later, I began having gastrointestinal symptoms. I won’t describe them, but use your imagination.
Last September, I embarked on my usual hike around a farm in Maryland, where the scenery used to be picturesque. The chirps of bluebirds, glimpses of fawns, and the fluttering of electric blue butterflies were all part of my tranquil experience. However, lately, the presence of coyotes and bears had me on edge, as their dead bodies were discovered in the surrounding area. Although I believed the coyotes were fearsome predators, I carried an air horn to deter them.
That day, while I was enjoying my hike, I noticed approximately 40 small insect bites on my abdomen and ankles, which did not itch initially. I assumed they were chiggers, but later learned they were actually lone star tick larvae, also known as seed ticks. These tiny blood-sucking creatures hide in vegetation, waiting for a host to pass by and feed.
The day after the encounter with the ticks, I experienced a relentless itching that lasted for six months, interspersed with gastrointestinal symptoms. At first, I thought it might be gluten intolerance, but the symptoms persisted despite eliminating gluten from my diet. I tried the FODMAP diet, a restrictive one aimed at diagnosing IBS, but the symptoms continued.
Eventually, I suspected a dairy sensitivity. One night, I indulged in a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream—my last, as it turned out. The next morning, I felt terrible. When the test results came back, they confirmed my suspicions: I had alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to mammalian foods and byproducts caused by the lone star tick's saliva. This allergy can lead to delayed gastrointestinal distress or allergic reactions, potentially including anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
