For at least 15 years I’ve had this alpha gal allergy and I’ve considered myself so lucky because the only thing that caused my reaction was fatty beef. I’ve been able to use lean cuts of ground beef, cook roasts and leave them in the fridge overnight for the fat to harden at the top, then scrape it off. I’ve even eaten a few not so lean burgers at the local burger joint and so long as I don’t have them often and take a Benadryl before eating, I’ve been fine since I figured out what was causing my reaction and got the diagnosis confirmed.
I’ll always say . . I’m so lucky because some people can’t drink milk or eat butter without having a life threatening reaction. No longer can I say that!
I’ve never been a huge milk drinker unless we’re getting raw milk from a dairy and then I drink plenty of milk. Now we are getting raw milk from a local dairy and not only have I been drinking milk, after skimming the cream off the top but I’ve been making ice cream and using 1-1/2 cups milk and 1-1/2 cups cream and making yogurt with the mixed milk/cream. Tuesday night we had ice cream and Wednesday night we had ice cream. Wednesday morning I had a bowl of yogurt with fruit. I guess I ate enough of the ice cream and yogurt for the allergy to say “ENOUGH”!
We ate the ice cream about 7 p.m. last night and at 1 a.m., I was starting to itch. My legs and ankles were itching. I figured I’d walked through some itchy weed outside so I took a shower and went to bed. At 2 a.m. I woke up and my arms were itching and I had hives. I got up, took a Benadryl, took a cool shower, got the Epi-pen and kept it close by, read til the itching stopped and I figured I could go to bed without having breathing issues while I was sleeping.
I can’t believe after all these years, that’s the first time I’ve had a reaction to milk/cream but I’m sure it’s just because I’d never eaten enough of it to trigger a reaction. If I eat a hamburger on Monday and another one on Wednesday, I’ll have a reaction but if I eat one on Monday and don’t eat another one for two weeks, I won’t have a reaction (or at least that’s how it’s been in the past).
I’m wondering if I eat a hamburger on Monday and a bowl of ice cream on Wednesday . . will that cause a reaction? I will not try it.
Who would have thought a tick bite 15+ years ago would have caused all this??
Even though it’s aggravating, I’m still lucky. Many people have way worse problems, medical and otherwise. This is something easily controlled. So when I’m sad that I can’t have a little bit of ice cream every few days, I’ll just remind myself that I’m still relatively healthy and energetic so I will not complain.
Rebecca says
Is it because it is cow’s milk? I didn’t realize that dairy would be a problem because of the same allergy!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
Anything from mammal. Pork, beef – even venison but since whatever triggers the reaction is in the fat, and there’s so little fat in venison, I doubt it would cause a problem.
There are people who cannot eat gelatin because some are made with collagen from pork or beef. There’s also a component in some anesthesia so any time I’m going to have anesthesia, I have to make sure they know I’m allergic to one type . . which obviously I don’t remember but it’s on my records that I can’t be given that and I always mention it when being given anesthesia and Vince knows too. Also, hopefully I’ll never need it but there’s a cancer treating drug that causes a reaction for those with this allergy.
As more and more people are diagnosed, there will probably be more issues that arise as far as triggers but for now . . for me, it’s fatty beef and ice cream/yogurt from whole milk/cream.
Rebecca says
You know, as more people are diagnosed, more research will be done on it, too. I don’t know much about allergies, but maybe they’ll also come up with treatment, too.
The anesthesia thing sounds scary, since it goes right into your lungs!
Mostly, it sounds like you’ve got the situation handled.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
You’re right. My guess is that there’s probably more known about it now than the last time I talked to a GP about it and for sure allergists probably know more. The doctor I was seeing when I finally figured out what I had, he actually patted me on the arm and laughed. I had printed off some info from the internet and took it with me and I know he never looked at it. Of course, I found a new doctor but I’ve often wondered, now that I’m sure he knows it’s a real thing, if he’s felt bad about the way he reacted when I explained it to him. Probably not but . . his problem, not mine.
Helen says
What is the name of this allergy? How did you contract it? Please share some more information as it could be helpful to so many others. So sorry you do have this but so thankful you know how to avoid it. Thanks for all the helpful info you do share. Enjoy your blog so much!
Helen says
I have to laugh at myself! I thought you were saying you are “an alpha gal”!!! And I do think you are!! hahahaaa!! I looked up the allergy and it is a real thing!! Not that I didn’t believe you….I just thought you used that name. So sorry! Duh!! It sounds very annoying to have to work around. I do hope it’s not too inconvenient for you. Take care!
Sheryl says
It’s scary to have a reaction. At least you know how to pretty well control it. I recently had a reaction to a new insulin and had to change to a different one.
Claudia Duke says
I was just on a cruise and a girl was telling us about her dad having this. She said his is really bad and they have to read ingredients for everything. He has ended up in the hospital with problems from not being careful enough.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I’m so very lucky mine isn’t worse!
Sandi B says
My friend has this. Her husband raises cattle! It has been a learning experience for sure.
Joyce says
Is it because of the amount of milk products you have been consuming or is it because the milk is raw? Does pasteurizing the milk make a difference? I would be very unhappy about not being able to have ice cream!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
It’s because of the amount of milk I’ve been consuming. For yogurt, the milk is heated to about 181 so that pasteurizes it. For ice cream, I cook the base so it’s beyond pasteurized. I am going to try again and use more milk and less cream and also eat the ice cream less often and see how that goes.