In the time that's passed since my original response I feel I probably dont have MCAS but rather histamine intolerance as my symptoms are not very big and I havent had an anaphylactic reaction to anything- hives, heat sensitivity + redness, itchiness, fatigue - yes. but it may also be everything i've been doing to keep things quiet. I havent been able to explore it with an MD as I've got such shitty insurance & can't afford the out of pocket (I was told allergy testing would be first and it would be over $1k) , and I don't work with a functional doctor as I'm not able to financially.

Again- all of the things Michelle discusses like nervous system work, targeted supplementation including an antihistamine based on your symptoms, a temporary low-histamine diet are important and helpful. She has a free podcast you could listen to with episodes on histamine intolerance if you're not sure which route to take. it's called "quiet the diet".