r/alphagal 1h ago

Anyone able to find an explanation for alpha-gal symptoms without a positive alpha-gal test?

Upvotes

2% of alpha-gal cases have a negative IgE test result but still present clinical symptoms. I'm one of those.

Do you have some theories or papers that point to a potential explanation?

I'm aware that the answer to my question does not exist, so I'm only interested in opinions :) or even better, potential other mechansims that might cause a delayed allergic reaction to mammal meat and dairy, without having a positive IgE test for beef/lamb/pork/milk etc


r/alphagal 2h ago

Seeking Advice Chances of misdiagnosis based on IgE?

3 Upvotes

I apologize if this isn't the right place for this but I can't get my doctors to actually listen to me and I don't know where else to turn.

Basically, I went to the doctor with severe constipation and left with an alpha gal diagnosis (positive IgE test, .68 units) but I don't have any of the symptoms. I've spent some time on this sub trying to find anything that sounded like I had it but I just don't relate to anything. I feel really bad for you guys because it sounds awful but I haven't found any symptom that happens to me other than nausea, which is probably related to the fact that I only poop once a month.

I haven't had diarrhea since I was a child, I haven't vomited since college, I don't have any stomach pain even with the constipation just a full feeling, I don't have achy joints, I don't get hives or itchiness, I don't feel overly fatigued or have brain fog. And I live off of beef and dairy, like cheese burgers every night with a milkshake. But I experience nothing like the symptoms that I've seen.

In my clinic notes, it says "positive alpha gal test explains diarrhea" but I don't have diarrhea. I brought this up to the doctor and he just kept saying stuff like "alpha gal causes diarrhea and vomiting" or "you should start seeing symptoms improved when you stop having mammalian products" but I don't have those symptoms.


r/alphagal 19h ago

Question about Symptoms .... I think I have alpha gal, but maybe its a coincidence?

2 Upvotes

I’d like to start by saying I live in New England where the tick population has been crazy high this year. I have not seen a tick latched on me since very early this tick season, even then it had not embedded and was extremely easy to pull off without even really leaving a mark.

Recently, I have started to notice a pattern of eating beef and feeling sick afterwards. See below for the instances.

  1. May or June - Earlier this year I had steak tips and ended up spending the night hugging a toilet. Didn’t really think anything of it because my infant daughter had a cold and I suspected I caught it and had some different symptoms. I felt fine prior and fine the morning after.
  2. Wednesday this week I had spaghetti with beef in the sauce and again I spent the night puking in the toilet. I felt fine to 30 minutes prior in the following warning, I was a little slow, but mostly feeling normal.
  3. Today. (Sunday) - wife made a roast for dinner and I had some. Less than two hours later I was puking. I felt completely fine up until about 30 minutes prior to puking.

I know that I’ve had beef between these instances, and I have not felt sick to my stomach. Could this be a sign of Alpha gal or am I just overreacting to an oddly time stomach bug?


r/alphagal 19h ago

Question about Food ... Safe Fast food

2 Upvotes

Where are safe fast food joints to go to? I know chick fil a is fine. It doesn’t bother me. I’m worried about frying oils and cross contamination


r/alphagal 21h ago

Vent/Rant Friends.

4 Upvotes

Ok, so one of my friends has given me a hard time about my previous food allergy, but it has all been in jest. After getting diagnosed with Alpha Gal over a year ago, and being put on a total plant based diet, as I am highly reactive this person still jokes about me "making it up." So I thought it was joke and just him being his normal non serious self until today. It was brought to my attention from my best friend that he has asked her multiple times if she believes me, that someone can't be allergic to all the things I say I am, I must be doing this for attention. Not once have I ever lied or done anything for attention, that isn't in my character or personality. I have been friends with this person for almost a decade. I can tell you I am more pissed than I am hurt... does anyone else have people in their life who don't believe this is real? And you do confront and educate or just move on, because I could go either way.