Natasha Coates, 27, provided information about the mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) she has, which causes her to be hypersensitive to intense emotions and implies that any smallest changes to the body’s usual state could be fatal.
Sweating, laughing, or even sobbing could cause these changes, which could be catastrophic. When she turned 20 years old, she had already arranged her funeral.
MCAS can cause swelling of the throat and tongue
Even a casual day out with friends may become disastrous, Natasha acknowledged to The Mirror. That’s what occurred to her years back when, during a night outing with her pals, she felt her throat and tongue suddenly swell up. When this happened, one buddy dialed 911, and another administered an EpiPen to the woman to prevent her from choking and dying.
Natasha said, “I’m allergic to strong emotions. Any changes to my body’s status quo – whether I’m laughing, crying, sad or stressed – can cause a chemical reaction.”
She claims that the mast cells’ excessive synthesis of histamine is what causes her allergy. Her body does it by itself and seemingly without cause, making her sensitive to both nothing and everything at the same time.
When she was a child and frequently got sick with weird reactions to various foods, she initially believed she was merely sensitive. But at the age of 18, she experienced an anaphylactic shock that left her feeling woozy, lightheaded and having trouble breathing.
Understanding MCAS
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) describes MCAS as a disease that is characterized by anaphylactic symptoms. When these “idiopathic” events occur, which indicate the mechanism is unknown, excessive mast cell intermediates are released. In essence, the allergic response is brought on by an antibody or as a result of other well-known situations that cause the regular mast cells to become activated.
Finding the indications of MCAS, in addition to their incidence and frequency, is the first step in the diagnosis. Mast cell mediators may rise throughout each episode, and their levels may be monitored to determine if there are elevations.
