We already use Frontline (Plus) on the dog but she’s young, active and ticks kept finding her. Reluctantly we had to resort to a service that spot treats the yard with permethrin in summer. I’m like your husband in that I was really opposed but the ticks were winning. Treating my own clothing wouldn’t have helped because the dog picked up ticks every time she went outside. And they sometimes hopped on me as I removed them from her coat.
Lyme disease is a real concern here, and we vaccinated the dog. Unfortunately we humans currently don’t have a vaccine available.
The shunts work well and only takes a minute or two to implant while doing the cat extraction. Nice easy procedure and leaves the trabecular meshwork intact
Are you an ophthalmologist? or di y ou have personal experience?
I just have to trust my ophthalmologist although I used to see another guy ( LF) who retired. LF told me years ago that my IOP was high normal also
Since FN saw me for the second time , the first time 2 years ago when he said I am developing cataract, the second time in June, he wants to check again in Dec to see how my IOP and retina is. I have since became a type 2 diabetic ( also was told it was stressed related since passing of my husband as I was not prediabetic in any of my previous studies, It was a surprised and shock to both me and my internist.
I have to find a specialist in alpha gal. I might have to travel to NC to see Scott Commins as rash is not unusual with me.
thanks. I am old, now 76
One of the best ophthalmologist in the area is also an optometrist.
I did not choose him to be my ophthalmologist because I get very very special treatment by LF and FN. Yes told me that I should not wait like other patients and that if I want to , bring my 2 Pomeranians with me when I have an appointment, they can wait in the staff kitchen while I am being seen!!
My dogs are Pomeranians, lots of lots of. hair, also very active.
They are almost always in the garden all the time with me. I spend 8-10 hours/day working int he garden, weather permitting.
If I go outside and work, I can hear the crying inside my. door when I return. It breaks my heart. So, they accompany me outside, play and go hide under sculptures, stones etc when it is hot. T hey wear sweaters when cold.
It took a few months of applying Frontline Plus before we started seeing only dead ticks on them.
I watch Jim Gills do a cat extraction in 15 min in 1981. The top surgeon in Atlanta where I did a rotation did an uncomplicated extraction in about 60 min. My mind was made up. Jim Gills was doing something very different from the rest of the pack. Worked there while on summer breaks and presented RK patients when the Russian doc who invented the procedure was there for a conference. Was never big on RK. Saw too many issues. But that was in the days of 8-16 cuts
Before I retired, some of the better ophthalmologist like LF and FN can perform cataract extraction in 7 minutes using phaco emulsification. They schedule one case every 30 minutes bec of turnover, and in 8 hours, we typically schedule 14-15 patients.
Of course, it is a far cry when I was at WHC during the 60’s and early 70’s when cataract extraction required general endotracheal anesthesia and only the best anesthesiologist are selected as muscle relaxant has to be the nondepolarizing kind which makes intubation and extubation more difficult ( less increase in IOP) and one has to extubate while the the patients are deeply anesthetized to avoid coughing, which could. be catastrophic.
Well., scleral buckling was also a 5-7 hour procedure with Harry McAllister ( WHC 's retina clinic ) He was was one of the first to perform the procedure and later the first to perform laser. Now it is 10-20 minutes with laser or 90 minutes to an hour surgery.
Time marches on so quickly. I have only memories left
he was a famous retina man
I believe he was one of the first to perform scleral buckling in DC if not in the US
Used to work with him and later Pappas and Perraut ( not the juniors as their sons are also ophthalmologist.)
He also was the one who came up wit laser buckle.
Yes, time has gone by so fast.
Problem is I have history of lots of histamine release and often suffer from rashes.Whether they are related to red meat or not, I am not sure.
Live in area where this lone star tick seems to be widespread and more and more people are suffering from alpha gal
Of course this test is very sensitive and not specific but if one has positive alpha, it is suggested that one stop eating red meat from 4 legged animal with hoofs and possibly their by product as if there is a reaction, it can be deadly. .
I am researching and getting more opinion but unfortunately, the MD researcher who is the authority on this is very busy, only spend one day a week seeing patient. He is in NC which is around 8 hours away. The appointment I can get now is Feb 6, 2019.
I came across this today and thought you might find it interesting although I doubt there is any information in it that you have not already come across.
Thank you all for your concern
Although I had been diagnosed in October with positive alpha gal ( grade 5/6) I am not entirely convinced that I have the syndrome as I have never known myself to have a reaction to red meat. The Doc did the test because I told him I seldom take sleeping in answer to his asking me if I need a script, unless I have severe rash similar to what occurred one day in 2018 (? our visitor from Netherland told me she was here when it occurred so, must have been during her visit sometime in Feb 2018 or between Aug 4 and Aug 29)) but I do not know what I consumed that night for dinner . She confirmed that during her stay we have had a lot of red meat including twice when we had smoked pork which is supposed to have lots of fat and triggers anaphylaxis in persons with alpha gal. 50 mg of Benadryl and a sleeping pill with heat finally allowed me to go to sleep , woke up the net day sleepy with residual rash but that was all. I am familiar with alpha gal syndrome but the dot had never connected since I have had history of allergy ever since I was a child and am allergic to a lot of insects, anaphylaxis to yellow jacket bites, epic shots, and sometimes trips tp ER, had continued to consume red meat since our friend visited without problem. I am allergic to a lot of food, ( raw carrots, celery, uncooked peaches , bananas, cantaloupe etc etc), react with laryngitis ( swelling of my throat and VC), lips and tongue.
Test now shows I not only suffer from allergic rash ( which I think happened that night in August ? ) but non allergic rash (autoimmune reaction ) . However, my allergist is reluctant to give me a food challenge , advising me to see Scott Commis in UNC ( takes 6 months for appointment), to withhold eating red meat and products for 6 months , try not to be bitten by tick in the garden ( I work outdoor in garden 8-10hours weather permitting)
So, at least, as of last week, even when I have positive IgE to milk. he is allowing me to use milk with my coffee and I am eating cheese. now. NO real ion s far except my usual hives . Our guest is returning from the Netherland on Dec 20 , one of her favorite dessert is almond float with lychee. Of course almond float is made with gelatin. The Doc has allowed me to consume a little. Dairy Products are allowed unless one is super sensitive but if one base my high alpha gal IgE, , I am supposed to have the highest seen by my allergist.
Hope this will benefit whoever has AGsyndrome out there.
thanks everyone,
I am coping but still distressed, miss my pork mostly
Have been buying a lot of D’artagnan’s duck meat, specially duck saucisson to eat with cheese and as sandwich with some arugula and vinaigrette. o
Recently posted purchase of maple leaf farm duck ( duck breast without skin for stir frying, ground duck to take the place of ground pork, duck bacon, duck sausage without the pork beef casings, cooked duck wings , ope it is crunchy and cooked duck tenders dusted with almond powder)
also found a site to order wholesale quail ( 12 0 pieces of quail French quail legs lollipops for $142 ) from marxfoods.com. They also have boneless quail breast , 120 pieces for $157.00 Shipping is free and each piece individually wrapped. I like whole duck but am still hungry if I eat 2. Giant does have very occasionally semi boneless quail but it is very very expensive. So, that will be my next order from Marxx after I taste all my duck appetizers as Maple leaf duck farm has their appetizers on sale, 20% off thru Jan 25.Also have 5 racks of ribs I cam smoked give me more space in freezer. I still will buy my alf duck made by maple leaf farm thru Costco as their advise ( never without them ) as Costco is cheaper than them. They have a 10% promotion for new customers as well as promotion code thru Facebook if interested.
In some. people, it is lifetime allergy.
Yet, in others, IF there is no more tick bite, no more red meat consumed, there are cases the alpha gal CAN be temporary, after 2-3 years. However, test has to be redone and I will go and repeat these tests to see if the numbers are coming down April, ( 6 months after I stopped consuming red meat)
However, more tests performed ( recently released in 2017 after years of experimentation ) confirmed that I also have autoimmune disease in which case, my body’s immune system thinks that a lot of food or environmental factors ( grasses, dust, some plants as those with thorns - I became allergic to the thorns of roses back in the early 90’s , so hundreds of roses were eradicated from my property., ) are mistakenly tricked into thinking that these are antigen , attacks them by making antibodies against them.
Interesting enough, the tests that show I am allergic to pork beef and lamb were positive not only thru alpha gal but also positive this other new test. I asked the allergist if perhaps my allergy pork, beef and lamb is not a result of alpha gal but from this other test that were positive. He says they are two separate allergies and if I want to contest that by oral change, we have to go to see a judge if he decides he will gives me oral challenge to absolve him if I do suffer anaphylaxis bec my numbers are too high for him to take a chance. Read below for more understanding. I hope it helps others to understand.
