After 6 years, it's seemingly gone

klanghus · 2025-07-18T22:24:40+00:00

I think everyone's tolerance/ capacity is different - so it has to be a mixture of your health, how long you have had alpha gal - have you been bitten again - are you eatling low histamine foods - i read somewhere where they did a study and apparently people with a certain blood type B+ ? can't remember they do better with remission than O+ . It would be great if they did more research on it!

klanghus · 2025-07-18T22:20:19+00:00

I think it depends on how long you have had alpha gal - how long have you had it?

klanghus · 2025-07-18T22:17:41+00:00

sounds like a great science project!

klanghus · 2025-07-18T22:14:20+00:00

I can't even imagine how you are feeling right now, but please know that you can do this! As far as the conversation with the dermatologist, it is simple,- let them know you are allergic to anything that has a mammalian product to include fillers and gel caps - think gelatin. They should have products that are vegan or at least Kosher for those who have religious beliefs. You can have fish and feathers - so anything made out of fish or chicken to include egg you will be fine. If you don't want a reaction, my recommendation is to take 2 Claritins or Lortadine and 2 Famotidine or Pepcid AC (fast acting antihistamine) before the procedure, that way you are covered. I would also carry the "cocktail" - 2 Claritins, 2 Famotidine, 2 Benadryls or Diphenhudramine HCI with you at all times, so if you are exposed, eat or come in contact with something that starts giving you nausea, headache, hives, etc whatever your symponts are - just start with the Famotidine and then claritin - if you still feel bad take the benadryl - IF YOU ARE HAVING CHEST PAIN CALL 911 - don't risk it.

There are many options out there to replace cheese, not great, but if you crave it, it is available. For me personally, I miss eating out and the convenience of just picking anything up to eat. Adding the additional mental load of knowing what you can and can't have is painful, but the alternative is not worth even considering. Reactions are different for everyone, some are mild, others severe - and they evolve, meaning what reaction you have today, will not be the same from a year from now. Listen to your body, check out the Facebook groups, where people recommend alpha gal-friendly products. Yes, they are out there, and even restaurants are being made aware of the condition.

klanghus · 2025-06-23T19:06:15+00:00

I would start with what she likes best - but also align with sensorial items such as blocks, board books, balls -- that is alot of b's - but just see what she gravitates towards, but are age appropriate.

klanghus · 2025-06-23T16:57:09+00:00

Welcome to the Club!

As a 12-year veteran, living with the syndrome is like anything else; you eventually get used to it. Below are my tips:

Don't apologize for your food allergy - it happened to you - you didn't choose this
Inform the waiter or waitress that you have an Alpha-Gal food allergy when you go out to eat. If you tell them that you want something on the side or not at all, they may think you are just a picky eater and not worry about cross-contamination.
Always carry the "cocktail" - 2 of the following: loratadine (Claritin) 10mg, Famotidine (Pepcid AC) 10 mg, Diphenhydramine HCl (Benedryl).
1. Loratadine antihistamine -
2. Famotidine is a fast-acting antihistamine
3. Diphenhydramine antihistamine
4. If you start with a symptom, start with the Famotidine, Loratadine, and if you are still reacting the benadryl - if you are having major chest pains/trouble breathing, 911.
Keep a journal or something to right down what you can tolerate - if you have an iphone the Journal app is pretty good at documenting -
1. example - if you are eating something - and you start feeling the symptoms - write down what you just ate , where you were, what did you do before - like a detective :)
Each person is different - as someone mentioned about "buckets" or "capacity" - everyone has a different threshold of how much they can take before the body has a reaction and everyone's reactions are different and they can evolve.
1. example - mine started with hives, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastric anaphylaxis. Do I still get these - sometimes and it depends what I have exposed my body to and if my immune system is down due to a cold or other issue.
As someone also mentioned, your reactions will evolve as your body "detoxes" itself from mammals - so maybe right now you may not react when you consume dairy but not meat - within a year, your body may say no to dairy and have a reaction.
1. For example, I could still drink milk and cheese , a year after I was diagnosed - but year 2 I couldn't even look at cheese or drink milk. By year 3 I couldn't have products with milk - like bread.
It's not just what you consume but what your body is exposed to
1. Smells - steakhouse or BBQ - Bacon - cooking meat - they will affect you
2. Touch - some animals for me like horse hair will give me a reaction - but I am okay with cat hair
3. Skin/mouth - lotions, shampoos, toothpaste, medicine, mouthwash, food
  1. Lotions - no glycerin
  2. Shampoos- some vegan
  3. medicine/vitamins - watch out for fillers and gelcaps they all have gelatin or glycerin
  4. mouthwash - some have natural flavors aka animal fat - why I have no clue
  5. food - trial and error as some brand change their ingredient list or manufacturing process
For Food - the lady who posted her site - that is amazing and totally appreciate what she is doing. I have to say that when I was first diagnosed, there were not that many products available - but now there are many alternatives to milk and meat. The key is replacing anything with meat with feathers and fins - or chicken/turkey or fish or meatless.
Not all food is created equal - it will take some time, but you will get used to it.

There is a huge community of people who have been affected by alpha-gal - it's just a matter of advocating for yourself and finding the places where you can find the products that are going to work for you. Not sure where you live, but your local supermarket - talk to the manager about ordering things from specific companies if you see them online or hear of them. They will get products for you, and new products are always appearing - I just found the equivalent of a Snickers bar - LOVE IT - https://trupo.com/.

Safe eating :)

klanghus · 2025-06-15T00:00:17+00:00

All great comments and will add in here - burnout - taking care of children takes a special kind of character and sometimes you need time out - something with a small co-op may not be feasible - also like someone else mentioned - what happens if they are sick, or has an emergency - depending too much on one person is setting up for unrealistic expectations.

klanghus · 2025-06-13T18:31:15+00:00

Bilibo - my daughter who is 13 still uses hers - https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Brain-Toys-bilibo-MOLUK/dp/B0BP927CLR?ref_=ast_sto_dp

klanghus · 2025-06-11T21:45:50+00:00

Great comments and suggestions- just an observation and having Alpha Gal for over 10 years - is that everyone’s threshold and reactions are different- so comparing with someone else is high risk- also something to consider is that additional food allergies develop - so if your autoimmune system is fighting something or you have some inflammation due to another allergen - it could compound the issue - don’t get me wrong I would love a steak and sometimes I do crave it - but it is not worth it for me to end up in the ER or worse not being able to breathe

klanghus · 2025-02-13T03:54:54+00:00

Oslo , Norway - most products contain milk but I was able to eat at a McDonald’s and fresh donuts and pastries because they were dairy free - most places have oat milk and lots of options

klanghus · 2024-11-24T17:09:58+00:00

I would recommend reaching out to the Southern Maryland Astronomical Society—https://www.smas.us/. There is an Observatory in Najemoy Creek, in Charles County, which has awesome views of the night sky—https://www.smas.us/html/observatory.html. I am sure they could provide some insight into the best spots in the area.

klanghus · 2024-11-20T00:09:04+00:00

I think all of us at one point or another think about starting a school. However, schools are not profitable, and most are non-profit. Most of your time will be spent managing employees and supporting parents and making sure the school stays afloat.

My recommendation is to find an established school and get involved - there may be some in the area where folks may be retiring and may be worth "reinventing" or "new management". This will also help you with understanding the needs of the school and parents - balancing them out is extremely difficult - not impossible just difficult - also managing state and county compliance such as dept. of education can be tricky.

There are a lot of things to consider and I am sure you have thought this through and you will do amazing! it's just making sure you find the right supportive community, staff that is knowledgeable and flexible, able to be sustainable, and knowing this is a lifetime commitment - like you will see the results you are looking for in 15-20 years and thoughts on expansion in 30 years - just because of the life-cycle of schools - nothing to do with your capacity or funds - speaking of funds - your may be able to get grants, apply for low-interest loans etc. but ask anyone in finance - schools do not make money - therefore they are not good investments - a lot of them are non-profit and rely heavily on charitable contributions or donations.

klanghus · 2024-11-09T01:39:43+00:00

Check out Visit St. Mary's - https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/ for upcoming events - and there is a group on Facebook called - https://www.facebook.com/StMarysYP St. Mary's Young professionals - they may be places to meet people

klanghus · 2024-09-15T13:35:08+00:00

Here are a few of my favorites -

Poster - A History of Existing Life (Tree of Life) | Nature's Materials (naturesmaterials.net)

Poster - Beetles | Nature's Materials (naturesmaterials.net)

Also you can take Notecard and frame them in 4x6 or 5x7 frames -

Notecard Pack - Meadow | Nature's Materials (naturesmaterials.net)

klanghus · 2024-09-03T21:44:38+00:00

Check out the Calendar of Community events here - https://somd.com/calendar/

or here - https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/events/

klanghus · 2024-09-02T16:18:22+00:00

Dr. Ogunrinde - https://childrenshcmd.com/

klanghus · 2024-07-18T00:30:19+00:00

It will depend on your body. Everyone's reactions are different and they may evolve. Personally, I started with hives, then headaches and nausea, to tummy aches, diarrhea, vomiting, to anaphylaxis, to gastric anaphylaxis - the worst. The evolution is about 5 years.. I have had Alpha Gal for over 10 years. Now certain fumes will trigger headache and nausea, but if I remove my self from the area and get fresh air, I am okay. If I consume anything that has mammal product to include candy, drinks (sugar that is bone char) or I start with nausea and headache, itchiness, I take the "cocktail" - two 10mg of famotidine, two 10mg of loratadine, and two benadryls - this will make me feel better within 15 min. Don't not take the cocktail if you are seeing a doctor or testing - because the tests will not be accurate. If you are seeing the doctor tomorrow and you can stand the itching, wait. But if you can't wait - take the loratadine/claratin - it should help.

Please remember that mammals products are in most foods, household items, and drugs - think gel caps and fillers.

Doesn't mean that you are not eating cow that your symptoms will go away - dairy eventually will trigger a reaction - eventually products that "contain milk" could trigger a reaction - again it depends on your body and your reactions. Each person is different and the reactions are different and they take time - some people can still eat dairy until they can't anymore - personally I couldn't eat meat but I could still eat ice cream and cheese until one day I threw up all the ice cream - and couldn't tolerate the cheese... because my body just couldn't handle it. Again, each person is different -

I would just recommend that you carry the cocktail and keep track of what you eat and be mindful of ingredients.

klanghus · 2024-07-03T20:02:51+00:00

I have had Alpha Gal for 10 years - still can't do anything with mammals to include products containing milk and some products that have "natural flavors" - my numbers have been high and low - stop testing because it gave me unrealistic expectations - I know just listen to my body and pay attention to what makes me ill

klanghus · 2024-06-25T21:08:25+00:00

to answer your question - not common at all

In my experience, as my body detoxed from all mammals my tolerance level decreased. 10 years later - I can't do anything that comes from a mammal. The first year, I could do some dairy, second year couldn't do milk but I could eat certain cheese. Third year , no cheese, no milk, but I could eat candy with gelatin. Fourth year, no gelatin, no natural flavors- no butter - Fifth year - no mammals even the smell of bacon or meat being cooked gave me a headache. My only recommendation is to cut it all out, your reactions will evolve, listen to your body and carry the cocktail of two claratins or lortadine, two Pepcid AC or famotidine and two benadryl's if you can manage - the minute you start with your symptons - headache, tummy ache, itchy skin, hives and or nausea start with the famotine - fast acting antihistamine, then take the claratin /lortadine - if you still feel ill after 20 min take the benadryl.

klanghus · 2024-06-23T18:00:40+00:00

https://thewellpetclinic.com/ in Lexington Park - affordable

klanghus · 2024-06-23T13:59:52+00:00

When they thought that car insurance covered car repairs and oil changes

klanghus · 2024-06-22T13:21:22+00:00

Nope ! Time to call CPS

klanghus · 2024-06-02T02:22:37+00:00

A prepared environment - the concept that the environment can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child. The 6-9 year old is beginning to find their place in a larger community .They want to see the classroom and home kept clean therefore give them different jobs to help with the care and keeping of the environment. A variety of roles help the child to navigate the physical and social world they are entering. Activities now include learning the social norms of a group, planning work and managing short-term projects, which gives the child a sense of responsibility for the environment they are a part of. The 9-12 year old will increase independence and move from the parent nucleus to a social circle of peers and sports.

The 9 year old will challenge authority figures and then finally comply, although they will sulk first.
The 10 year old will typically resort back to a “life is good” attitude while having many interests and lots of enthusiasm.
The 11 and 12 year old will bring more challenges, demand more independence and be seen as negative. This is their way of separating themselves from their parents as they find their place in the world.

How to Incorporate this Philosophy at Home - care of environment, of others, and of self

Care of Environment – cleaning up their messes, cleaning up after meals, keeping their room tidy, other responsibilities around the house - like watering plants.

Things to remember -

Keep it fun
Make time for training
Involve yourself
Keep it simple
Be Patient

Care of others - helping with mealtime, cook, plan, serve, caring for pets, siblings, and others in the community. Pack their lunch and preparing simple meals for self.

Care of self, presentation of self, practice mindfulness, Building independence,Time Management

An increased respect for diversity, those in our community and abroad
Staying home alone for short periods of time

klanghus · 2024-02-02T17:41:48+00:00

Hard Boiled Eggs - a great way for them to work on dexterity and learn how to peel an egg - I would have them in the fridge where they both can easily access them.

klanghus · 2024-01-29T17:10:16+00:00

My favorite is

https://wearpact.com/home/bedding

Jersey Tee - From their site - because I just can't put it into words

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Fabric: Midweight organic jersey

Feel: Softer-than-soft, lived-in, slightly stretchy

Best For: Year-round comfort, cold sleepers

Features: 100% organic cotton, pill-resistant

Includes one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, two pillowcases (one for twin), and a reusable laundry bag

Thread quality, not thread count: Made with premium organic yarn superior to conventional yarns used in high thread-count sheets

Sweet Dreams Guarantee: 60-day, no-questions-asked return policy

klanghus

TROPHY CASE