Hi, Tracey here. I’m one of the Mavens here at Histamine Haven. I’m the quiet, serious Maven.
I’ve had Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) my whole life. I’m 52 and was diagnosed in early 2019 after realizing that I was still missing some key puzzle pieces to my wellness.
I was a Nutritional Consultant, eating a Paleo, gut-healthy diet. I thought I was doing everything right: eating the best quality food available, and cooking everything from scratch, eating to support my gut microbiome, and repair leaky gut – and boy was I committed. I cheated maybe three times a year.
I was doing moderate exercise that I really enjoyed: Pilates and dance are two things that bring me joy. I tried to keep my life balanced and had some mindfulness practices I tried to implement.
The histamine mediated issues still lingered
I still had eczema, sinus inflammation, jaw issues, didn’t sleep well, would sometimes get hives, had nerve tingling sometimes in part of my back, would occasionally be absolutely nauseated and exhausted, and had wild, intense chemical sensitivities.
I had also, more recently, developed nerve tingling in my right leg, and urinary urgency. Seriously? I thought to myself. (Need to pee a lot? Read our blog on this topic, the Overactive Bladder. )
I finally started to suspect MCAS after working with several clients who had been diagnosed with it.
It was the urinary urgency that provided the clue. I sought out a doctor that I knew could make the diagnosis and was experienced in treating it.
Fast forward to 2021
Many referrals later, I am sitting here mentally and physically preparing myself for jaw surgery. I’ve always tried the least invasive options possible before moving to more risky procedures. I’ve always prioritized food as my medicine, and have explored herbals, acupuncture and other complimentary modalities before going the medical route. In the past, surgery would have been the last thing I’d ever consider.
Now, here I am, actually excited to get a very invasive procedure done that will be extremely painful and have a long recovery time. Both my upper and lower jaw will be cut off and repositioned.
How did I get to the point of embracing this surgery? I’ll be sharing the journey of how I got to this point over the next few weeks. You’ll be able to get a glimpse into what led me to this decision, my thought processes, and hopefully you'll get to see pre and post-surgery pics, and come to understand why this is so important for my own MCAS recovery.
You can follow my journey on Instagram and Facebook, as I'll be posting about it in both places all along the way. And make sure to check in with our weekly blog posts for the coming weeks - I'll dive in to some of the science here, and share my experience through all of this along the way.
Want to learn more about histamine issues, and how it can play in to your symptoms you experience on a daily basis? Join our online community by clicking here. Loads of printable resources, a Master Class on the Histamine Connection. It's free to join!